Although the Biden administration recently announced a relaxation on EV sales regulations, many major automakers like General Motors have stated that meeting stricter EPA emissions requirements could be challenging at best. As such, some automakers are pivoting towards hybrids in order to meet fuel economy and emissions standards, at least in the short term. With that in mind, GM-rival Stellantis has plans to offer the Jeep Gladiator with a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Confirmed via a post to social media, the Gladiator 4xe will join the Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Grand Cherokee in featuring PHEV technology. This is quite the notable development, as the refreshed 2024 Gladiator is only available with a single powerplant, namely the Pentastar 3.6L V6 gasoline engine rated at 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque.
It’s worth noting that the Gladiator was previously offered with a 3.0L V6 turbodiesel engine. However, this powerplant was discontinued following the 2023 model year.
As of the time of this writing, exact specifications have yet to be released, but should be similar to what’s currently found in the Wrangler 4xe and Grand Cherokee 4xe. A turbocharged 2.0L I4 gasoline engine is paired with a generator/motor and an eight-speed automatic transmission housing an electric drive motor, along with a 17.3-kWh battery that combine to produce up to 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque.
With all that being said, General Motors doesn’t currently offer hybrid midsize pickup trucks that would directly compete with the Jeep Gladiator 4xe, as the Colorado is available with either the turbocharged 2.7L I4 L2R engine or the TurboMax turbocharged 2.7L I4 L3B, while the Canyon is only offered with the latter.
As previously mentioned, some automakers – including General Motors – have plans to eventually reintroduce hybrids to the North American market. However, no specific models have yet been confirmed to receive this treatment, and the Colorado and Canyon are unlikely candidates at this time.
Interestingly, the Chinese market does feature some GM PHEVs, as is seen with the newly launched 2025 Chevy Equinox Plus.
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Comments
Jeep and RAM can’t sell what they make now.
I wonder how this impacts available payload, something a bit more important on this model than the other two mentioned.
For gas mileage, would be cool if the Colorado/Canyon did come as a hybrid.