The 2021 Jeep Easter Safari spawned an exciting gathering of Jeeps, including the Jeep Magneto, which is a real game-changer. The Jeep Magneto is a stick-shift EV. If you found this information to be shocking, you aren’t alone. 

The Jeep Magneto Stick-Shift EV Concept 

Say what? The Jeep Magneto concept is a stick-shift EV? According to Cars.com, it’s the coolest concept that stole the show during the annual Easter Jeep Safari. You know, where the world’s biggest Jeeple gather in Moab to do Jeep things. 

It’s a place where Jeep can study the desires of fans, bounce ideas off them, and gather inspiration for upcoming models, trims, accessories, and themes. The event was able to occur despite the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak so that Jeep could show off the Magneto. 

It’s a full electric Jeep Wrangler concept that’s built on a two-door JL-platform. It’s a retrofit study, not a total redesign. This means that it’s still being tested and thoroughly considered as an upcoming model. 

How does the Magneto work? 

The Jeep Wrangler Magneto removed the standard 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and fuel system to make room for an axial-flux electric motor. It can spin up to 6,000 RPM and still mounts to the six-speed manual transmission. 

This build includes four Webasto battery packs that have been fitted inside custom-milled aluminum housings. One sits over the motor, one is behind the rear axle, and two sit where the fuel tank used to be. 

It’s a 70-kilowatt-hour 800-volt lithium-ion battery pack, and two 12-volt batteries are also used to ancillary power systems such as the lights, winch, and heater.

The drivetrain remains untouched aside from the removal of the gas engine. The Dana 44 axles and two-speed Rock-Trac motor are still in place, allowing it to keep the Rubicon’s super-low rock crawling ratio. 

With the electric motor, you get the same output as the Pentastar V6, which provides 285 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. The drivetrain didn’t need any alterations, so this was an easy swap. It can also accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 6.8 seconds, according to Jeep. 

How does the Magneto perform? 

Some changes were made to the Jeep Magneto to lighten the load. The roof, doors, and backseat were removed to reduce its weight. It still weighs 5,750 lb, which is 1,500 lbs more than the standard two-door Rubicon. 

But being hefty didn’t slow the Wrangler Magneto down. It’s a convenient rock crawler. You can put the clutch in first gear and don’t have to hold it in because the motor isn’t idling. You can’t stall it, just apply the throttle. You can go pretty slow thanks to all that torque at close to zero rpm. 

Then you use the clutch while moving for shifting gears. But the setup is pretty unique. It combines the simplicity of driving a standard automatic with two feet driving while off-roading with the instant control of a manual gearbox. 

But unfortunately, this is all we know! The Jeep Magneto concept was just out for a little Moab testing. It was used to see how fans felt about an electric off-roader. It may not enter production. But the Jeep Wrangler 4xe, the plug-in hybrid, is still on the way.