We’ll admit Jeep and Stellantis did a good job catching our attention when they revealed that a Wrangler EV concept would be making its debut soon. But we were left with more questions than answers since Jeep chose only to release two shadowy images and a brief teaser video of the Wrangler EV buried in the brand’s “The Road Ahead” website. But a newly discovered patent filing suggests that we could at least get a hint into what the concept will be called with the Magneto name making its appearance.
Magneto Makes Us Run For Our X-Men Comics
When I was a kid growing up in the 1990s, you couldn’t escape the world of the X-Men. Marvel’s colorful band of mutant superheroes was everywhere, and the comics helped spark forays into television, movies, and video games. The lead villain was Magneto, who had the power to control magnetism. It would seem that Stellantis reps were perhaps reliving their comic book fantasies when they submitted their recent round of trademarks to the U.S. patent office.
First discovered by the folks at CarBuzz and filed by the firm on February 5th, the patent applies to “motor vehicles, namely, concept motor vehicles,” which could be a strong indicator that the firm is strongly considering the Magneto nameplate. While the patent itself doesn’t have any form of a smoking gun indicating that it’s exclusively for the Wrangler BEV, the timing is strangely convenient. It does appear to fall in line with Jeep’s current teaser campaign for the model.
What The Jeep Wrangler EV Could Bring To The Table?
While it’s too early to know the full extent of what the Wrangler BEV brings to the table, it appears to be a notable step up from the Wrangler 4xe, a traditional hybrid offering. The teaser image of the BEV itself appears to confirm that the bulk of its styling will be very similar to its gasoline-powered counterpart with the main difference for now appearing to be a lighted element behind the slotted Jeep grille that unifies the headlights.
We suspect that the concept could have other touches, including unique badging, exterior trim, and some minor interior differences. Still, we will have to wait until the 2021 Easter Jeep Safari event or subsequent teasers appear to find out if some of our theories do indeed produce fruit. The appearance of the Wrangler BEV is also significant since it would be the first all-electric off-roader to potentially go into mass-market production if Jeep and Stellantis reps give the green light for Wrangler BEV production. In particular, the Magento moniker would be a great way for this variant to get attention while also standing out from the broader off-road SUV crowd at the same time.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.