2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Plug In Hybrid First Drive; Electrifying and Stupefying

A Jeep Wrangler with a plug and an electric motor is finally here. The Wrangler 4xe—pronounced "four-by-e," like "four-by-four"—mixes a battery, electric motor, and turbocharged gas I-4 engine to deliver up to 49 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent) and 21 miles of electric-only driving range. These plug-in hybrid specs likely are as foreign to the off-roaders and sun-lovers who typically shop Wranglers as the usual Wrangler figures covering ground clearance, breakover angles, and water fording depth are to everyone else. In theory, plug-in hybrids combine the most useful elements of electric and gas vehicles, offering silent, engine-off motoring for shorter commutes and cross-country travel fueled by readily available gasoline. Their real-world utility depends on customer use. Don&plug in often? Congratulations, you overspent on what amounts to a regular hybrid with extra battery weight that offsets most if not all of its efficiency gains. The 4xe&20 mpg combined in hybrid mode, for example, is on the low end for the rather thirsty Wrangler lineup. The 4xe therefore is a niche Wrangler in search of the right owner, ideally a Jeep fan with a nagging jealousy of the neighbor&Tesla but who isn&ready to go fully electric. Access to a charger and a commitment to plug in at night, juicing the heavy battery for local use the next day, are musts. (Charging takes about 12 hours on a 110-volt wall outlet, or just two with 240 volts.) Most people drive fewer than 40 miles per day...