Jeep Killed The Gladiator 4xe Before It Even Had A Chance

  • Jeep has decided to cancel the Gladiator 4xe before it even launched.
  • The plug-in hybrid truck was originally scheduled to debut this year.
  • Company blames the move on evolving customer propulsion preferences.

The past year has brought major changes for Jeep, and the story isn’t over yet. Last year, then-Jeep CEO Antonio Filosa announced plans for a Gladiator 4xe that would arrive in 2025. Fast forward to today and Filosa has moved into the Stellantis CEO role, and the plug-in hybrid pickup has been cancelled.

The model was originally slated to join the Grand Cherokee and Wrangler 4xes, which have quickly established themselves as some of the most popular plug-in hybrids in America. The Gladiator 4xe would have borrowed heavily from the latter, meaning we could expect a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, a 17.3 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, and an electric motor. This would have given the truck a combined output of 375 hp (280 kW / 380 PS) and an electric-only range of approximately 20 miles (32 km).

More: Ram Just Killed Their F-150 Lightning And Silverado EV Challenger

Unfortunately, the automaker told suppliers the truck has been canceled effective immediately. When reached for comment, a spokesperson told Auto News “The Jeep brand has already begun reinvesting funding to ensure the long-term growth of the Jeep Gladiator and will introduce even more customer-requested factory features, customization, and additional powertrain options in the near future.”

That’s pretty vague, but the publication noted the letter to suppliers blamed the cancellation on evolving customer propulsion preferences. The company added they’re “reassessing its product strategy and will no longer include an electrified Gladiator variant in the Jeep lineup.”

Jeep Killed The Gladiator 4xe Before It Even Had A Chance

The move comes as a disappointment, especially given the success of the Wrangler 4xe. However, the clean vehicle tax credit expires later this month and that likely factored into the decision. Gladiator sales have also been lackluster as the company only sold 42,125 units in the United States last year. That’s a decline of more than 50 percent from the 89,712 sold in 2021. However, through the first half of the year, sales are up 8 percent to 25,400 units.

Jeep’s New Purple Haze

Jeep Killed The Gladiator 4xe Before It Even Had A Chance

In other news, Jeep has announced the return of Reign. The purple paint job will be offered on the 2026 Wrangler and Gladiator.

The company is currently accepting orders and said the color was brought back due to “popular demand.” It originally debuted on the 2018 Wrangler and is pitched at those buyers who are “passionate about purple.”

Jeep Killed The Gladiator 4xe Before It Even Had A Chance

The Auto World

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