Jeep is bringing seven concept vehicles to the annual Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah, this year. Jeep originally intended three of them for debut during the canceled 2020 gathering of the Jeep faithful, and they include the Wrangler Rubicon 392, the Gladiator Farout, and the Gladiator Top Dog. Four are brand new: Magneto, Jeepster Beach, Red Bare, and Orange Peelz.
By far, the newsmaker among 2021 Easter Jeep Safari concepts is the Jeep Magneto, a fully-electric Wrangler 2-door. But the Jeepster Beach is a delightful marriage of old-school cool with modern underpinnings.
Based on a 2020 Wrangler Rubicon, the Jeep Magneto demonstrates the potential of an electric version of the company's iconic off-roader.
Engineered to match the Wrangler's 3.6-liter V6 internal combustion engine's driving character, the Magneto employs a custom-built axial flux electric motor connected to a 6-speed manual gearbox and a clutch pedal. It makes 265 horsepower and 273 lb.-ft. of torque, and Jeep says it drives like a stock Wrangler except that it's silent. Oh, and it can accelerate to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds.
Four lithium-ion battery packs totaling 70 kWh provide the electric motor's juice. Jeep strategically locates them for optimum weight distribution and places all of the vulnerable bits behind skid plates and within waterproof enclosures to preserve the Magneto's Trail Rated status. Like other Wranglers, it can ford 30 inches of standing water.
Painted white with Surf Blue accents, the Magneto also uses 12-volt batteries for its Warn winch and vehicle accessories, and Jeep says it is configured to power a campsite for hours. For top-down driving in chilly conditions, a 10-kW high-voltage heater keeps occupants warm.
A resto-mod is a vehicle that marries an old look with new mechanicals. The terrific Jeepster Beach is a delightful execution of the resto-mod concept.
Jeep started with a 1968 Jeepster Commando body, modified it for proper fit, applied it to 2020 Wrangler Rubicon running gear, and painted it Hazy IPA. The result is a custom 2-seater with a modern interior and throwback low-back red leather bucket seats.
A turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine lives under the hood, tuned to deliver 340 hp and 369 lb.-ft. of torque. An 8-speed automatic transmission directs power through a 4-wheel-drive system with a 4:1 transfer case, and the Jeepster Beach features 35-inch tires.
Head to Moab, Utah, if you want to attend the 2021 Easter Jeep Safari, which kicks off on March 27, 2021, and runs through April 4.
Jeep is the source of information for this article. It was accurate on March 22, 2021, but it may have changed since that date.
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