Forget the dyed eggs and jellybeans, the true sign of Easter has arrived – Jeep’s EJS concept debuts. The automaker pulled the covers off four new rides in Moab this weekend, and while the lineup may be smaller than years’ past, it’s no less impressive. The Engine Block has pictures and specs, along with updates on the EPA’s final emissions ruling, Q1 vehicle sales, and the UAW’s upcoming vote to organize workers at a non-union factory in Tennessee.
The industry moves fast—let’s dig in before this is old news.
Jeep Goes On Safari With Four New Concepts
Jeep unveiled its official concept lineup for Easter Jeep Safari in Moab this weekend, revealing four new rigs with old school energy. Dubbed the Dispatcher, the Low Down, the High Top, and the Vacationeer, the quartet of debuts shows off a range of imaginative designs, powertrains, and JPP catalog options.
Wrangler Willys 4xe Dispatcher
The Jeep designers really leaned into the old-meets-new theme here, serving up major post-war Americana vibes – in a positively nuclear shade of green – and powering it all with hybrid engine technology.
The vintage feels start at that throwback WARN winch on the custom stubby front bumper, intensify when your eyes catch on the militaristic WILLYS embossing on the hood, and grow into full-blown tingles by the time you take in the 36-inch Super Traxion tires wrapped around 16 x 7.0-inch alloy wheels meant to look like classic steelies.
Are you feeling a little faint? Slide into the cabin and take a deep breath of those leather-and-houndstooth seats. Something tells us that even in brand new condition they smell faintly of your great uncle’s favorite tobacco-infused recliner.
Representing the “new” side of the coin is a massive 12.3-inch infotainment screen on the dash, as well as the automaker’s 2.0-liter plug-in hybrid powertrain, good for 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque.
Wrangler Rubicon 392 Low Down
Throwing it back to the “Lower 40” concept that debuted 15 years ago, the Rubicon 392 Low Down taps into a different type of nostalgia – the kind that makes you exhale sharply and exclaim “That was FIFTEEN YEARS ago??”
Picking up where the former concept left off – i.e., mounting massive tires without touching the suspension – the Low Down makes good on its name. Thanks to some creative clearance work, the one-off Rubicon wears huge, 42-inch BFGoodrich Krawlers on custom 20-inch beadlock wheels, all without lifting the stock suspension. The factory Dana 44s were replaced with beefier Dana 60 axles to help accommodate the enormous mud-terrains, along with custom, high-clearance carbon-fiber fender flares.
The biggest tires in the lineup justify the biggest engine. A 6.4-liter V-8 sits under the Low Down’s custom carbon-fiber hood, pushing out 470-hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. The clear center power dome lets you see that beautiful HEMI hard at work, and a custom radio delete dash ensures it’s the only thing you hear inside the cabin.
A Jeep capable of powering through a quarter mile in 13.0 seconds deserves a go-fast color palette, and the design team delivered with a ‘60s racecar-inspired Poison Apple Red.
Gladiator Rubicon High Top
Looking for some groovier vibes? The Gladiator Rubicon High Top leans heavy into the ‘70s, paying homage to the decade’s J-series pickups with an earthy two-tone exterior and plenty of custom mods.
Sure, the concept neatly fills the requisite “JPP showcase” slot in the lineup, but it does so without being too over the top with the accessories.
Starting with a standard Gladiator Rubicon, powered by a trusty 258-hp 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6, the design team bumped up off-road capability with upgraded Dana 60 axles in the front and rear, 40-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrains on 18-in KMC beadlock wheels, and an AccuAir adjustable suspension controllable from a smartphone.
To the exterior, they added a custom AEV front bumper with WARN winch, JPP concept steel flat fender kit, Rock Slide Engineering rock rail power steps, and DECKED in-bed storage system. Open up the cool half doors and you’ll find custom quilted two-tone leather seats, along with JPP pedal kit, sun bonnet, all-weather floor mats, and doorsill guards.
Aviator sunglasses, gold neck chain, and Best of Jim Croce album not included.
Grand Wagoneer Vacationeer Concept
This one’s for the overlanders – and anyone who was appalled by the new Jeep Wagoneer’s lack of wood paneling.
In addition to some very clever off-grid upgrades, the Wagoneer Vactioneer concept issues a heartfelt mea culpa by adding a sleek, 3D-textured wood grain stripe along the length of the vehicle. Combined with the bright Spearmint-green paint job, white roof and wheels, the Vactioneer’s exterior touches give off such strong family road trip vibes that we can practically hear the whiny shouts of “MoooOOoommm, he keeps poking me!!” coming from the backseat.
Or, well, we would if the designers hadn’t removed both the second and third-row seats for more interior space– and also constructed a custom weatherproof pass-thru entrance between the rear cabin and Skyloft rooftop tent. Like we said, pretty clever upgrades happening here.
Other overland-ready modifications include a unique front fascia with integrated WARN winch and laser-powered fog lamps, larger wheel openings with custom bodyside flare extensions, and 35-inch BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain tires mounted to 18-inch Method wheels which provide a natural 1.5-inch lift.
Which EJS concept would you take home in a heartbeat? Drop your favorite in the comments below.
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EPA Adjusts Emissions Rule & EV Fuel-Economy Credits
Enough with the aspirational day-dreaming; it’s back to the automotive real world where things grow ever more complicated.
Emissions Rule Finalized
On Wednesday, the EPA announced its final rule for CO2 emissions standards through 2032. As expected, the government agency eased up requirements in the face of a rapidly-cooling EV market. However, the slight rollback only applies to the early model years, making the reductions still very strict but the pace for implementing them a little less aggressive.
The EPA projects that, under its final rule, battery-electric vehicles will make up between 30-56% of new light-duty vehicle sales in the 2030 to 2032 model years – significantly less than the 60-67% it initially proposed in April 2023.
While the tough emissions standards naturally favor EVs and will certainly push adoption efforts, the agency has been quick to point out that it is not mandating or banning specific technologies. Automakers may utilize multiple solutions to meet the performance-based requirements, it says, including hybrid and cleaner ICE engines.
Overall, the automakers, union workers, and special-interest groups that raised concerns over the initial standards seem mollified by the changes. MEMA, a leading voice for vehicle suppliers, applauded the final rule for including “an amended and more comprehensive analysis of technological alternatives” – an enhancement they strongly urged during the rule’s review period.
“This balanced set of requirements and expectations will foster innovation in a coordinated direction, aligned with U.S. policy, and not mandate application of a narrowly defined technology path to make a positive impact on the country’s urgent environmental goals,” the group stated.
Assuming nothing is changed or reversed under a future administration, the EPA estimates the new emissions standards will slash over 7 billion tons of climate pollution over the next three decades. They’ll also certainly redefine what the industry’s product selection looks like moving forward.
EV Mileage Ratings
Another big ruling came down last week, this time from the Department of Energy. It too is a boon for automakers, as it eases up a proposed calculation that would have lowered EV fuel-economy ratings.
If you’re wondering how an electric vehicle can have a fuel economy rating, it’s a valid question. These are basically equivalency ratings, designed to provide a standardized way of comparing the energy efficiency of EVs with traditional ICE vehicles.
Since EVs don’t consume petroleum-based fuels like gasoline or diesel, their energy consumption is measured in terms of electricity usage, and this is converted into a petroleum-equivalent unit (“MPGe”) for comparison purposes.
However, the current methods for conversion tend to place a metaphorical thumb on the scale in favor of EVs. And, as critics point out, automakers strategically use these unrealistically high EV ratings to offset the gas-powered vehicles in their lineups so they can bring down fleetwide averages in order to meet CAFE standards.
According to Reuters, the Department of Energy’s proposed ruling would have lowered such “petroleum-equivalent fuel economy” ratings for EVs by 72% in 2027. The final rule will instead gradually reduce the equivalency ratings through 2030 by a total of 65%, giving automakers more time to adjust.
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Stricter Standards for the Golden State
Some automakers will be sticking to stricter emissions standards – California’s to be exact.
Back in 2019, Ford, Honda, Volkswagen, and BMW all agreed to follow California’s vehicle emissions rules, which happen to be the toughest in the country. They require zero-emission and plug-in hybrid vehicles to make up 68% of new light-duty vehicle sales by 2030. (The Biden Administration reinstated the state’s authority to set its own standards in 2022, after it was revoked under Trump.)
Last week, Stellantis joined their ranks. It’s a notable move for one of the largest automakers in the world, especially since just a few months ago the company filed a petition to void the very emissions deal it just joined.
In fact, Stellantis blamed California’s emissions regulations for causing production issues and layoffs, saying they were unfairly enforced against automakers who were not part of the voluntary agreement – or who, like Stellantis, tried to join but were rebuffed. Now that the automaker is part of the group, it seems to have changed its tune.
“Together, we have found a win-win solution that is good for the customer and good for the planet,” said Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares.
Did you know…?
Well, it’s officially official: Jeep is bidding farewell to the V-8 Wrangler with its 2024 Rubicon 392 Final Edition. We knew it was coming, but it still hurts.
What Else You Need To Know This Week
Here are a few headlines we’re keeping an eye on and think you should too.
Vehicle Sales Surge in March, Setting Q1 Spending Records
New-vehicle sales forecasts are rolling in for March, showing positive growth. Cox Automotive estimates 1.45 million sales for the month, a 14.4% jump from last month and 4.5% increase over last year. For the quarter, U.S. new-vehicle sales are expected to rise 5.6% year over year and reach 3.8 million units.
The surge in sales, accompanied by record-high transaction prices, means consumers are spending more than ever on new rides. J.D. Power and GlobalData place the Q1 2024 total at around $129 billion. Budgets continue to take a hit after that vehicle comes home too, with average monthly loan payments ($722) and interest rates (6.8%) holding steady at elevated levels.
UAW To Take Vote at VW
Workers at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga, TN, assembly plant will hold a vote next month to determine if they will join the United Auto Workers union. It’s a critical moment for the UAW, which has been aggressively ramping up its expansion efforts since securing record contracts at the Big Three last year.
Chattanooga was the first non-union auto plant to publicly announce majority support among the dozens of factories where workers have begun organizing in recent months. According to the UAW, more than half of the 4,100 eligible workers signed union cards in less than 60 days.
The union, which has failed twice in the past decade to represent VW-Chattanooga workers, is no doubt hoping that the third time’s the charm. The pivotal election takes place April 17 through April 19.
Electrifying U.S. Commercial Truck Fleet to Cost $1 Trillion
A new report commissioned by the Clean Freight Coalition reveals that the full electrification of the U.S. commercial truck fleet would necessitate close to $1 trillion in infrastructure investment alone. That includes an estimated $620 billion in charging infrastructure and $370 billion in grid network upgrades.
The Clean Freight Coalition is an alliance of transportation stakeholders across the trucking and motorcoach industries. The group is dedicated to cleaning up emissions in America’s commercial vehicle industry in an economically sustainable way that protects the nation’s supply chain.
The report aims to better illustrate the significant investment gap facing policymakers as they push for more electrification, and highlights the challenges – and dangers – posed by a “mad dash to zero” mentality toward emissions.
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The Engine Block is your one-stop source for any and all auto industry news. Keep an eye on our weekly round-up of enthusiast coverage, product reviews, vehicle spotlights, auto show/expo features, and more. Be sure to check back Wednesday for a primer on Jeep upgrades and resale value. Then, on Friday, don’t miss the next round-up of Competition Corner events.