Car manufacturer Jeep has begun the switch of its SUV line to plug-in hybrid drivetrains. Renegade and Compass will be among the first models to become PHEVs, the company said during their Geneva show reveal.
The new drivetrain encompasses a regular gas engine and an electric motor that work independently from each other. The 1.3-liter turbocharged GSE engine links to the front axle, whereas the electric motor activates the rear axle. Jeep calls this arrangement “eAWD”.
The more affordable Jeep Renegade PHEV will ship in variants ranging from 190 hp (142 kW) to 240 hp (179 kW), while the larger and more expensive Compass PHEV will always have 240 hp (179 kW). The company says nothing about the battery or driving range, but we believe neither car should offer fewer than 50 km (31 miles) of all-electric range. Both need around 7 seconds to sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) from standstill.
Inside, the PHEV cars feature a new dashboard design with a power distribution gauge in place of the regular odometer.
Jeep claims the hybrid versions of the Renegade and Compass aren’t just more environment-friendly than their gas-chugging predecessors, but offer more precise torque vectoring control, which is especially important when going off-road.
Both models are still work-in-progress, though, with production scheduled for late 2019.
Photo: carscoops.com