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Jeep has an extensive hybrid lineup, including multiple plug-in hybrid SUVs. Jeep also offers the Gladiator midsize pickup truck, but does not yet build a Gladiator with its 4xe hybrid powertrain. When Jeep does offer a Gladiator with the Wrangler’s 4xe engine option, it may be the first plug-in hybrid pickup truck on the market.

Does Jeep make a pickup truck?

Jeep stretched out the chassis of its Jeep Wrangler Unlimited and added a pickup bed to create the midsize Jeep Gladiator truck. This is the first Jeep truck since the brand merged with Dodge.

Overhead view of the Jeep Gladiator 4x4 pickup truck based on the Wrangler SUV.
2021 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon | Stellantis

Once upon a time, Jeep offered several 4×4 pickup trucks. But Dodge bought the company in 1987 and ceased all pickup truck production to not compete with Ram trucks. For the 2006 model year, Jeep released the four-door “Unlimited” Wrangler. As the Wrangler Unlimited sold increasingly well in the large SUV space, Stellantis decided to resurrect the Jeep truck. The result is the Jeep Gladiator.

What engines does the Jeep Gladiator have?

You cannot order a Jeep Gladiator with the Wranglerf’s “4xe” plug-in hybrid engine option or the “392” HEMI V8 option. The Gladiator is also not available with the Wrangler’s entry-level 2.0-liter turbocharged I4. You can order a Gladiator with either a naturally-aspirated gasoline V6 or the Wrangler’s 3.0-liter turbocharged “EcoDiesel” V6.

Jeep Gladiator pickup truck hauling dirt bikes, desert mountains visible in the background.
2021 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon | Stellantis

Jeep’s 4xe drivetrain combines its existing I4 engine with a powerful electric motor/generator. The result boasts exactly as much torque as the Wrangler 392 (470 lb-ft). It is also $26k cheaper than the $79k Wrangler 392. Finally, it offers over 20 miles of electric-only range.

There is no plug-in hybrid pickup truck available

Red Jeep Gladiator pickup truck hauling kayaks through a river, trees visible in the background.
2021 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon | Stellantis

From 2021 to present, F-150 buyers could opt for the PowerBoost hybrid system. Halfway through 2022, Toyota introduced its own hybrid pickup truck: the Tundra with the new i-FORCE MAX hybrid drivetrain. Ford even builds the compact Maverick truck, which offers a hybrid as its base drivetrain. But none of these hybrid trucks is a plug-in.

A hybrid pickup truck could be a very compelling vehicle. Imagine a truck that you can leave plugged in and uses no gasoline when you use it to run errands around town on the weekends. But in addition, it is capable of towing a camper trailer on a long road trip, using its gasoline engine.

There is a good chance that the first plug-in hybrid pickup truck will be an F-150 or a Maverick or a 2024 Toyota Tacoma “Prime.” Another similar vehicle could be the new Ram 1500 EV with its gasoline-powered range extender. This range extender will likely be a generator capable of charging the truck’s battery while it’s driving.

But if Jeep extends its 4xe offerings to the Gladiator soon enough, the company could have the distinction of being the first brand with a plug-in hybrid pickup truck.

See if the Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid makes a good daily driver in the video below:

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.