Unveiled as part of this year’s Easter Jeep Safari, the Jeep brand is partnering with Electrify America to create the Jeep 4xe Charging Network, the company announced. As part of the program, Jeep-branded EV charging stations will be installed at or near the trailheads of Jeep Badge of Honor off-road trails over the next year.
Jeep 4xe charging stations are scheduled to open this spring at three of the most popular off-road sites and iconic trails — Moab, Utah; the Rubicon Trail in Pollock Pines, California; and Big Bear, California.
Additional Jeep 4xe Charging Stations are scheduled to be operational around the country by the end of 2021. The charging stations will be located near Jeep Badge of Honor trails, an off-road rewards program to support enthusiasts looking to earn a Badge of Honor for their new Jeep Wrangler 4xe.
Jeep 4xe Charging Stations will be either directly connected to the power grid or use solar power to generate electricity.
“Electrification opens a new chapter in the Jeep brand story, and it brings an entirely new level of excitement and enjoyment to our enthusiastic owners,” said Christian Meunier, Jeep brand CEO — Stellantis. “Key to making Jeep brand the greenest SUV brand is assuring our owners can enjoy the benefits of electric propulsion wherever they go, including the most iconic off-road trails in the country.”
Creating the network of EV charging stations at off-road trails coincides with the launch of the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid.
Beyond the Rubicon Trail, Big Bear and Moab sites, other locations for Jeep 4xe Charging Network EV chargers will be announced in the future.
Jeep is working with public charging network Electrify America to establish the trailhead charging sites and install the charging equipment. Jeep 4xe owners will be able to login to unlock free charging via a custom mobile app by Electrify America, which also allows drivers to initiate and monitor their charging session.
“It is our goal to provide electric vehicle drivers with the freedom to get to where they want to go — whether it be on a highway or off-road — and we look forward to bringing Jeep enthusiasts along on the journey,” said Giovanni Palazzo, president and chief executive officer of Electrify America. “Through the customizable electric vehicle charging offerings of our Electrify Commercial B2B brand, we were able to work with Jeep to identify where their drivers will need charging access most, and make it a reality.”
The Jeep 4xe Charging Network trailhead chargers will deliver Level 2 (240-volt) charging. With Level 2 charging, the 17-kilowatt-hour battery pack in the Jeep Wrangler 4xe can be fully recharged in about two hours, delivering 49 MPGe and 21 miles of electric range. Recharge times will be shorter for Wrangler 4xe owners looking to just top off the battery pack before heading out on the trail.
