Jeep Wrangler Magneto 3.0 Concept is an off-road EV beast

The Jeep Easter Safari is about to get underway, and that means the brand’s wild concept cars have begun to break cover, including the all-electric Jeep Wrangler Magneto 3.0 Concept that we really want to become a reality.

The Magneto 3.0 is the third iteration of an electric Wrangler to appear at the Easter Safari, but this one ups the cool stuff in every measurable way.

For one, there’s a six-speed manual gearbox, not the single-speed automatic usually found in electric vehicles. And then there is the Dynatrac 60 front axles — with a 5.38:1 ratio — the Dynatrac 80 rear axles — with a 5.38:1 ratio — the 20-inch off-road wheels wrapped in super-fat mud terrain rubber, and a custom 3.0-inch lift.

So far, so hardcore Wrangler, right? But the idea here, says Jeep’s head of design Mark Allen, is not simply to electrify a Wrangler, but to show how electrification enhances, rather than detracts from, the off-road experience.

With that in mind, the Magneto 3.0 Concept has a super-powerful regenerative braking mode that doesn’t just recoup power, but that doubles as hill descent control, and delivers extra precision when slow-crawling down a mountain somewhere.

You can also dial in the power to 212kW or 485kW, and torque from 370Nm or a massive 1220Nm, depending on the conditions, and a two stage power regeneration mode contributes to a 20 percent increase in useable energy and range.

The Magneto is one of seven concepts being revealed at the Easter Safari in Moab, USA, and while it’s not planned for production, the idea behind these models is at least partly to see how customers react to them to shape future product plans.

Mr Allen says previous Safari concepts have fed future production models, and with Jeep’s EV era beginning, it’s likely at least some of the technology in the Magneto will make it to a future product.

“There are always little secrets sprinkled throughout,” he says. “We’ve proven that over and over, it keeps people tuned in and watching these spaces.

“Last year, for instance, we pretty blatantly showed the 20th Anniversary Rubicon with its new grille and a few other features. We didn’t say it, but we were hiding it in plain sight.

“I love my brand for that. It’s so cool.”

Jeep’s design chief went on to point out that the current JL Wrangler was largely shaped and fine-tuned through its concept appearances at the Easter Safari. So will the Magneto shape a new all-electric off-roader? We can only hope.