Take a look at this! It appears to be a Jeep Gladiator 4xe plug-in hybrid prototype. Big thanks to TFLtruck viewer, Eric H., who spied this prototype in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Will the plug-in hybrid Gladiator ever reach production? Let’s dig in!
There is currently no official update from Jeep about the availability of a Jeep Gladiator 4xe. The 2025 Jeep Gladiator lineup is currently being delivered to customer, but the 4xe version of Jeep’s midsize pickup truck is not available yet. This prototype is testing in the wild (high altitude testing) is a good sign. We presume that it will be available as a 2026 model near the end of this year or early next year.
We have some technical details speculation from our friends at Mopar Insiders. The rumor mill suggests that the 2026 Jeep Wrangler 4xe and 2026 Gladiator 4xe will get more power and better efficiency than the current plug-in Wrangler.
Mopar Insiders says:
“The 8HP80PH 8-speed automatic transmission is capable of a peak power output of 215 horsepower (160 kW) and 332 lb-ft (450 Nm) of torque from its electric motor. That is a huge improvement over the 134 horsepower (100 kW) and 181 lb-ft (245 Nm) from the current 8HP75PH unit.“
This type of the transmission has an electric motor built in.
“The ZF 8HP80PH transmission also offers impressive electric-only capabilities. The 2026 Jeep 4xe models equipped with this transmission are expected to deliver up to 50 km (31 miles) of electric-only range and achieve speeds of up to 120 km/h (74.5 mph) without engaging the gas engine.“
This electric motor/transmission is expected to be paired to the Stellantis 2.0L turbocharged Hurricane I4 engine. Combined power and efficiency should be very impressive if these rumors come to fruition.
We still do not know the payload and towing capacities for the Gladiator 4xe models. When you add a heavier transmission/motor combination and a 17+ kWh high-voltage battery, the curb weight of the Gladiator will be significantly higher than it is now. The suspension, the cooling system, the brakes, and other components will need to be beefed up to allow for competitive payload and towing capacities. I hope if or when the Gladiator 4xe comes to market it will have at least 1,200 lbs of payload and 6,000 lbs of towing capacity.
What about price? The current 2025 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Sport S starts at $52,690 including destination charges. There are currently heavy incentives on these models.
We are guessing that the 2026 Jeep Gladiator 4xe may start between $53,995 – $54,995 (including destination charges). This guess is simply based on the current price difference between a Wrangler 4-Door and its 4xe counterpart.
The current 2025 Toyota Tacoma i-FORCE MAX hybrid starts at $47,815. However, a hypothetical plug-in hybrid Gladiator would have far superior power, acceleration, and efficiency than the current Tacoma hybrid.
Do you want to know more about how midsize pickup truck tow? Check out this epic Ike GauntletTM towing comparison video below. We test trucks at high elevation in the Colorado Rocky Mountains – just like the manufacturers do.
