For Jeep, environmental responsibility is increasingly a duty. So much so that it has just launched the Compass and Renegade 4xe, the brand's first electrified models. We put them to the test.
Two Jeeps, the Renegade and the Compass, electrified for the first time. They will soon be joined by the iconic Jeep Wrangler, also arriving as a plug-in hybrid before the end of the year. The American brand, known for having produced the Willys in 1940 — used by the US Army during the Second World War — and for years part of the Fca galaxy, is marching swiftly towards a new, increasingly green future. This was confirmed a few days ago by Mike Manley, the group's CEO who succeeded Sergio Marchionne, during the presentation of the automotive group's second-quarter 2020 results. Manley, speaking about the group now on the verge of a merger with France's Psa, emphasised Fca's progressive shift towards electric mobility: "We are launching five new electrified vehicles, four of which are made in Europe. We are focused," he continued, "on the commitment to have a portfolio of electrified vehicles that will help us comply with the increasingly stringent rules on emissions and fuel efficiency," Manley added, stressing that electrification is already at the heart of Fca's strategy. Following the presentation last March of the new electric 500 (on sale from September) and the electric version of the Ducato, from September the group will begin selling the plug-in hybrid versions of the Jeep Compass and Renegade, followed, in the third quarter of the year, by the Jeep Wrangler Phev "which will arrive in US showrooms by the end of the year and in Europe and China at the start of 2021," Manley concluded.
SUVs and 4×4s have never been shining examples of sustainable mobility, not least for two "physical" considerations — weight and size — with their corresponding impact on fuel consumption, emissions, the space they occupy in our cities, and so on. That said, things change — inevitably — and today even 4×4 models are changing course. Jeep has just done so by presenting its first plug-in hybrid models, namely the Renegade and Compass 4xe. True, the dimensions remain, for now, impossible to compress, as does the weight, which in fact increases… But electrifying the powertrain helps. The same technology underpins both Jeep models: a 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired with an electric motor powered by an 11.4 kWh battery (mounted beneath the rear seats) that can also be charged from an external power socket. Two power outputs are available — 130 or 180 horsepower — to which the 60 horsepower produced by the electric motor are added. The result: the ability to travel in the silence of nature for 50 kilometres on electric power alone. And without sacrificing any of the characteristics that have built Jeep's DNA over the years — adventure and the freedom to venture across challenging terrain, in harmony with nature and the environment.
In place of 4×4, 4xe — the new byword for performance (up to 240 horsepower), driving enjoyment (you can travel at up to 130 km/h in pure electric mode), efficiency (the manufacturer claims fuel consumption of around 2 litres/100 km in hybrid mode) and environmental responsibility (the declared emissions of the new models are below 50 g/km). Efficiency, performance and responsibility are the new pillars of Jeep's policy, as the brand chooses plug-in hybrid technology to offer a more virtuous model range. All without losing anything in terms of 4×4 capability — which, as anyone familiar with how an electric motor works will know, actually benefits in plug-in hybrid models equipped with genuine electric range, thanks to increased torque, ideal for low-speed progress over rough terrain.
Built at Fca's plant in Melfi, the Jeep Renegade and Compass represent the first step towards the American brand's electric "redemption", whose ongoing challenge is to continue offering 4×4 vehicles capable of tackling demanding terrain while making their environmental impact more acceptable. In terms of their outward appearance, the two models are almost indistinguishable from the diesel or petrol versions. A few details and the new charging socket on the left-hand side are the only indicators. Inside, too, the plug-in hybrid versions are identifiable by just a handful of details: dedicated screens for the hybrid system's operation on the touchscreen display, and the Selec-terrain system, which allows the driver to select not only the various 4×4 options but also the new driving modes introduced by the plug-in hybrid system.
Four-wheel drive and a 6-speed automatic gearbox come as standard on both the Jeep Renegade and the Compass 4xe. On the safety front, the new plug-in hybrid versions offer many of the ADAS systems available today: from the anti-collision system to lane-keeping assist, from the system that "reads" road signs to the fatigue detector, through to the numerous manoeuvring assistance systems with sensors and cameras capable of improving safety. Setting aside the relevant differences, the Jeep Renegade and Jeep Compass 4xe are very similar to drive — the former more fun, the latter more comfortable. How does Jeep's hybrid system work? As mentioned, there are 2 electric motors: the first acts on the front wheels together with the petrol engine, the second is active only on the rear wheels. Together with the reduction gear and a differential, the three motors "orchestrate" the operation of the 4×4 system which, as on all Jeeps, is highly sophisticated and efficient — so much so as to allow truly remarkable off-road performance, especially when making full use of the electric component. For the two Jeep models, the most significant innovation is the new operating modes offered by the hybrid system — Hybrid, Electric and E-save — selectable manually. In practice, it is the driver who chooses: in Hybrid mode, the petrol and electric motors work together according to the battery charge level; selecting Electric exploits all available electric range (approximately 50 kilometres, though this depends heavily on the type of road and driving style), up to speeds of 130 km/h; the last function, E-save, essentially allows the battery charge to be maintained as much as possible during the journey, though at the cost of higher fuel consumption. As on all hybrids, the new Jeep models also feature regenerative braking during deceleration (the level of energy recovery is selectable across two levels) and during braking. All of this while preserving the qualities for which a Jeep is famous, namely its off-road capabilities, with no fewer than five driving modes featuring programmes for snow, mud, sand and even rocks (a situation in which low-range gears are available for moving slowly but with maximum traction). Not to be confused with the more road-oriented crossovers, the Renegade and Compass can truly take on adventure — which is why they are capable of crossing watercourses up to 40 cm deep in complete safety (and, if desired, in the silence of electric drive).
Like all plug-in hybrid models, the Jeep Renegade and Compass 4xe can also recover their full electric range overnight, simply by connecting to a standard domestic socket using the cable supplied. The alternative proposed by Jeep is a wallbox that allows the start time of charging to be scheduled via smartphone, useful for taking advantage of the most favourable tariff. From the Go 4xe LIVE app it is possible to remotely check the state of charge, switch on the air conditioning or check the range, while the on-board Uconnect systems have been enhanced with an interface for managing charging stations that allows users to locate the nearest public charger, check its availability, initiate the charging process and pay. In this respect, Jeep also benefits from the agreements that the FCA group has entered into with Enel X, Terna and Engie, which will shortly provide the ability, with a single card, to access more than 130,000 charging stations across 21 European countries.
