Jeep's Newest EJS Concept Displays Open Air, Hybrid Capability

Photography By:

Stellantis

by Matt Konkle
Torque Editor-in-Chief

Another week closer to the Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah, and, yes, another Jeep concept rendering has bubbled forth on the Stellantis website.

Jeep Tuesday unveiled a highly-shadowed new image of what initially looks like a two-door open-back Gladiator complete with a roof rack system, either a red or orange paint scheme and prominently featuring the Jeep Performance Parts logo.

However, upon closer review, the shaded rear area actually contains two rear seats that set up close to the rear fender line — indicating this vehicle is most likely a Wrangler Unlimited design, built out with front full and rear half doors.

”Pushing Jeep open-air freedom to the extreme, this concept carries the latest custom innovations from Jeep Performance Parts and Mopar, while standing ready to prove its legendary 4x4 capability and class-exclusive, off-road, 4xe plug-in hybrid power on some of the toughest trails in the world,” the brand said in a press release.

Jeep’s theme for its entire 2022 EJS concept crop is “Bigger, Better, Greener, Faster, Ultra-Capable and Undeniably Jeep,” and this plug-in hybrid is the fourth so far confirmed bound for the Utah desert.

Besides the roof rack and door configuration, the rendering’s JPP logo indicates this concept Wrangler will most likely be stuffed with a host of Mopar products like front and rear bumpers, side protection, lighting, interior products, wheels and many other items that help make these one-off concepts unique. Sometimes these concepts arrive with products that are ready for purchase, while others show up with prototype items not quite ready for the showroom.

We should know more about this one shortly, as Jeep usually unveils the actual concept vehicles right before EJS kicks off.

For those keeping score, this is the sixth concept Jeep has announced for EJS even though this latest one is titled ‘Trail Marker 5’. That’s because the brand included two vehicles in its initial release. So far, Jeep has shown off a possible 4xe plug-in hybrid Grand Cherokee, potentially an electrified Gladiator, 20th-anniversary edition Wrangler Rubicon, a combination Wrangler/Gladiator and military-style Rubicon 4xe. Most will display that hybrid 4xe capability, while the anniversary Wrangler and Wrangler/Gladiator combo look to appear with Jeep’s powerful 392 Hemi engine.

This year’s EJS event runs from April 9 to 17.