13 hours ago
Iconic Detroit carmaker plots 'badass' power feature for its rugged SUVs
Jeep wants its electric SUVs to perform just like its gas-powered cars always have.
That includes EVs capable of crawling over boulders, yanking trucks out of the mud, and tearing through deep sand.
The iconic off-road brand, along with sibling company Ram, just filed a patent for a new three-speed gearbox designed specifically for electric vehicles.
The patent follows a trend seen across the EV space, as automakers turn to older technologies to build increasingly off-road-ready and engaging rides.
It's an old-school fix for a new-school problem: how to make battery-powered vehicles better off-road.
Most EVs use a single gear that delivers instant torque — great for zipping away from a stoplight, but not so great for low-speed muscling through sand.
Jeep's three-speed design could bring three dedicated power settings — each tuned for specific driving conditions — to upcoming EVs like the Recon, Wagoneer S Trailhawk, or the Ramcharger.
The low gear is made for tough work like trail driving. The high gear is meant for higher-speed driving in deep sand and snow. The middle gear is built for everyday use.
It's a mechanical trick borrowed from Jeep's gas-powered playbook. It also illustrates how the brand believes it will keep its identity in the electric age.
'Neat,' one Redditor said about the system before throwing cold water on the implementation.
'I doubt it would ever actually be used, but automakers patent a ton of stuff that is ultimately never built.'
The patent comes at a moment when automakers are rethinking how electric cars feel, and not just how fast they go.
Ford recently filed a patent for a manual shifter in its EVs to make them more engaging to drive.
A spokesperson for Ford told that the patent is not an 'indication of our product plans,' but drivers who spotted the designs on Reddit called it 'badass.'
Meanwhile, rivals like Hyundai, Subaru, Mercedes, GMC, and Rivian are all adding off-road flavor and gear-simulating options to their battery-powered models.
Electric SUVs already bring massive torque to the table — a major plus for off-roading.
Ram, the pickup truck division that spun out of Dodge in 2009, has produced high-powered vehicles ready for extreme off-roading
Jeep's potential three-speed gearbox could help drivers yank other cars from vehicle-swallowing sand
But they're also heavier, which can make them more likely to sink into sand or soft dirt. Jeep's system aims to offset that with added muscle and control.
While Jeep and Ram plot the continuation of their brand image in the age of electrification, the company just announced it has a new top boss.
Stellantis — the parent company of the Detroit-based brands and European companies like Alfa Romeo, Fiat, and Maserati — has named Antonio Filosa as the new CEO.
Filosa, the former chief operating officer for Stellantis North and South America, rose to the head position after the company experienced a massive sales slump last year.
The company reported a 70 percent decline in profits.
Independent analysts said they expect Filosa is well-equipped to lead the flagging carmaker.
'Antonio has a strong background in on-the-ground execution and understanding of the market's regional needs,' Rella Suskin, a vehicle markets analyst at Morningstar, told after his appointment.
'Over the last few years, the South American segment has shown stability in its margins, driven by volume growth, low-single-digit price growth, and operational improvements.
