What Does 4xe Mean on a Jeep?

The plug-in hybrid vehicles from Jeep can run on all-electric power while maintaining off-road capability.

Emme Hall | 

Feb 8, 2024 | 3 min read

Jeep

From its origins as a military vehicle in World War II to its current status as a rugged off-roader, Jeep has long prided itself on its four-wheel-drive capabilities. So when the company brought electrified technology to the Wrangler in 2021, it didn't drop its off-road focus. There are some interesting things to know about Jeep 4xe models.

Pronounced "four-by-e," this term signifies that the vehicle is both four-wheel drive and electrified. As of the 2024 model year, Jeep offers the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee in 4xe guise, both with plug-in hybrid technology. Both are as off-road ready as their gas-only counterparts and have the same water fording and ground clearance ratings.

Jeep

4xe Models Are Plug-In Hybrids

In both vehicles, a 400-volt, 17-kWh battery and two electric motors combine with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine to deliver 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. However, they don't offer the same amount of all-electric range. The Wrangler can go 21 miles on electrons alone, while the Grand Cherokee ekes out 25 miles. On the EPA test cycles, the Wrangler nets 49 MPGe, the Grand Cherokee 56 MPGe.

It pays to keep the battery charged. Once it's depleted, the EPA test gives the Wrangler a rating of just 20 mpg, which is about the same as a non-hybrid model. The Grand Cherokee's 23-mpg rating is just 1 mpg higher than a V6-powered non-hybrid Grand Cherokee.

Jeep

Jeep 4xe Models Can Be Recharged in a Few Hours

Both vehicles have a 7.2-kW onboard charger that converts AC power from a home charger to the DC power required by the battery. That's robust enough to fill the battery in about two hours. Jeep's 4xe vehicles do not support DC fast charging.

Drivers of a 4xe vehicle can choose Electric mode to run on all-electric power until the battery runs out or the driver floors the accelerator. In this case, the gas engine will kick on to deliver maximum power. The default hybrid mode uses the energy from the battery and the gas engine for the most power. There is also an eSave mode that saves the electricity for use later.

While this may sound great, owners need to be diligent in keeping their 4xe vehicles charged. Without the combined juice of the electric motors and the gasoline engine, neither vehicle will produce its peak power. Once the battery runs out, you're left with just the power and torque coming from the gas engine. It's not bad, but it's 100 horsepower less than when the electric motors are spinning.

And don't expect massive amounts of speed when EV mode is engaged. Although the Grand Cherokee and Wrangler 4xe both have two motors, one is connected to the crankshaft pulley and functions as a starter-generator, and it can't produce any power in EV mode. That means these heavy vehicles can only use the 134-hp motor when traveling on electrons alone.

Jeep

4xe Plug-In Hybrid Models Cost More

The 4xe models also command a much bigger price than their gas-only counterparts. The 2024 Wrangler 4xe is only available as a four-door, and the base Sport S starts at about $53,000 including destination. Meanwhile, a similarly equipped Wrangler four-door can be had for about $11,000 less.

It's the same story with the 2024 Grand Cherokee 4xe, though the trim-level lineup differs between gas-only and hybrid models. A base model 2024 Grand Cherokee 4xe comes in at around $62,000 including delivery charges. However, when you take a look at a similarly equipped gas-powered Grand Cherokee, you'll pay around $44,000 including destination charge.

If you're willing to forgo four-wheel drive, a non-4xe two-wheel-drive Grand Cherokee starts at around $38,000 including destination.

All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication), and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.

Emme Hall

Emme Hall loves small convertibles and gets out to the canyons in her 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata whenever she can. You can also find her in the dirt in her lifted (yes, that's right) 2001 Mazda Miata, or racing air-cooled Volkswagens in races like the Baja 1000. She's taken first place twice in the Rebelle Rally — once driving a Jeep Wrangler and then a Rolls-Royce Cullinan the second time. She was also the first driver to take an electric vehicle to the Rebelle Rally when campaigning the Rivian R1T to a top-five finish.