Jeep Compass and Renegade Get MHEV Tech in Europe
Jeep introduces e-Hybrid mild-hybrid systems to turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-four engines in the European-market Compass and Renegade.
The MHEV systems allow for electric-only starts and crawling speeds, as well as regenerative braking and e-Coasting the recovers energy during deceleration.
The front-wheel-drive models will be offered in Europe, where hybrids of all types are in high demand, including 4xe PHEV Jeeps.
Plug-in hybrids aren't the only type of hybrid powertrains that Jeep is embracing. The automaker has just unveiled a mild-hybrid (MHEV) powertrain, dubbed e-Hybrid, in two of its existing models, with the Renegade and Compass gaining this option. They will share showroom space next to the current 4xe PHEV models, but only in Europe for now.
Meant to be an entry point into electrified Jeeps, the e-Hybrid system pairs new turbocharged 1.5-liter gasoline engines good for 130 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque, part of Stellantis' Global Small Engine family, with a built-in 48-Volt (20-hp) electric motor producing an extra 40 lb-ft of torque, said to be equivalent to 100 lb-ft at the gearbox level. The engines themselves are paired with new, seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmissions.
One tradeoff, however, is that these are front-wheel-drive models.
The payoffs include full-electric propulsion at start-up and at low speeds, regenerative braking, e-Coasting that recovers energy during deceleration, as well as e-Boosting, which increases torque to the wheels when needed. This includes scenarios such as using only electric power to drive in slow-moving traffic jams, or during parking maneuvers in a garage or parking lot. Another benefit is 15% lower fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions compared to prior gasoline engine versions, according to Jeep.
"The braking system of the new Renegade and Compass e-Hybrid includes the Intelligent Brake System which includes an 'auto-charge' feature using mixed regenerative braking to maximize the recovery of kinetic energy and improves efficiency," the automaker adds.
The Renegade itself, produced in Italy, has been offered with a greater variety of powertrains in Europe due to the specific tastes of various local markets. For instance, the model has also been offered with a diesel in Europe for years, while the current focus on hybrids is driven by the electrification trends in western and northern Europe. Jeep notes that the plug-in hybrid 4xe models currently account for over 25% of the brand's sales in Europe.
"Today's announcement builds upon the success of our current 4xe plug-in-hybrid portfolio, and is another step towards the comprehensive electrification of our full product line-up in Europe," said Antonella Bruno, head of Jeep Brand Europe. "The Jeep Compass and Renegade e-Hybrid offer a new entry point into our electrified portfolio expanding our sales momentum by offering more hybrid options to more European customers. This product expansion will continue in the summer of this year with the introduction of the 4xe version of the all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee."
The e-Hybrid models represent some curious tradeoffs in the name of electrification, ones that could be more easily appreciated in Europe than in the US. But there is perhaps no obscuring the fact that this is a stop-gap technology, occupying a niche below PHEV models while offering some of their benefits. Just how long the MHEV era will last, as Jeep parent company Stellantis moves toward greater electrification, is a separate issue, but for now it makes sense in hybrid-friendly Europe.
