2022 Jeep Gladiator 4xe plug-in hybrid confirmed! Would you buy the new electric Ford Ranger Raptor rival?

Jeep’s Gladiator ute is about to get at least one more powertrain option, with a now-confirmed plug-in hybrid (PHEV) set to give the newcomer serious power and torque.

Speaking to Australian journalists last week, Jeep global president Christian Meunier reiterated the Gladiator’s 194kW/599Nm 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 option won’t be introduced locally due to a lack of right-hand-drive (RHD) availability.

“We would’ve loved to have a diesel in the Gladiator in Australia,” he said. “We didn’t have a business that worked.”

Read More About Jeep Gladiator

New Jeep Wrangler 4xe 2021 detailed: Plug-in hybrid Ford Bronco rival throws big power punch

That said, Mr Meunier did reveal the related Wrangler SUV’s PHEV option, dubbed 4xe, will soon be offered in the Gladiator, although he stopped short of confirming a local launch and therefore RHD production.

While the Wrangler 4xe still hasn’t been confirmed for Australia, Mr Meunier did say he was “working on it”, with a local business case yet to be established, so the door is seemingly open for the Gladiator 4xe, too.

Read More About Jeep Gladiator

New Jeep Gladiator 2021 diesel detailed: 194kW/599Nm V6 dual-cab ute outmuscles even the Ram 1500

Either way, Mr Meunier stressed “Jeep is going 100 per cent full speed on electrification”, adding “we’re going to take the lead in a market like Australia with electrification”, but the yet-to-be-revealed Grand Cherokee 4xe is the only PHEV confirmed for a local release so far.

For reference, the 4xe powertrain in question combines a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine with two electric motors for combined outputs of 280kW/637Nm in the Wrangler. A similar tune would help the Gladiator outmuscle its rivals, including the Ford Ranger Raptor.

Read More About Jeep Gladiator

New Jeep Gladiator 2020 dual-cab ute exceeding expectations, but still far from Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger levels of popularity

In the meantime, the Gladiator is exclusively powered by a 209kW/347Nm 3.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol V6 in Australia, which limits the model’s appeal to some buyers, particularly those who favour oil-burners.

Speaking of which, when asked what he made of the Gladiator’s local sales performance in 2020 (573 examples sold), Mr Meunier noted “we were in really tight supply, and there were a few things administrative-wise that we had to had to address that we have”.

Read More About Jeep Gladiator

Cheaper Jeep Gladiator dual-cab ute on the way to Australia to take on Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux

“I think 2021 is going to be a very strong year for Gladiator because we’ve addressed some of the specific requirements of your market,” he said.

For starters, new entry-level Sport S and mid-range Night Eagle grades will be added to the Gladiator range as part of its MY21 update due in the first quarter, helping to lower the starting price from $75,450 plus on-road costs to about $65,000.