In this week’s Ask Nathan:
- What will the next Jeep Gladiator 4Xe be like? If there is one…
- Why is sound important for EVs?
This week’s first question comes from a viewer who wants the next Jeep Gladiator 4xe to actually be built.
Q: RE: Will Stellantis build the next Jeep Gladiator 4xe for real, or kill it too?
Thanks for posting my last question. I have another after watching Andre and Roman talk about the death of the Jeep Gladiator 4xe. This is even after you guys published proof that they were developing one. I even remember when they said that they would have one before too long, like about five years ago. First they kill the diesel, then they kill the manual stick and now they kill off the possibility of a 4xe. I liked the idea because I have a medium commute and only use my truck for hard stuff on the weekend. It would have been ideal. My 2019 F-150 EcoBoost gets the job done I guess, but it’s not that great off road.
My friend has a 2020 Jeep Gladiator with the Rubicon package and it is so much fun. I wish Jeep would drop the price a bit and give the people what they want. Now they are even taking away our dreams. Are they going to cancel the whole Gladiator program next!?
— ASH809011
A: Fear not. It looks like the Gladiator will live on.
Gladiator sales are not looking that promising right now. Some of that has to do with what you brought up: pricing is steep. There are other issues as well, but (as it is) the Gladiator is the least efficient pickup truck in its class. The reasons are obvious, and (yes) a 4xe setup would have helped their EPA numbers, and they might have helped sales. I was a bit surprised by the cancellation as well, but there are some rays of hope.
If you listen to what the guys say about the release, they point out that the Gladiator will continue production. It even sounds like they are moving forward with a second generation of some kind. If that it the case, there are many directions Jeep could take. Hybrid and PHEV platforms are still possible, especially if they adopt a platform that caters to the dimensions and tolerances to do so. While Stellantis is working on a midsize pickup truck platform for Ram, what’s to stop them from building something Jeep can use as well?
There is a lot of conjecture (which is what I’m here for), but there’s a few tasty tidbits that the boys lay on us. I suggest checking it out again, and we should hear more in the near future.
— N
The last question comes from a fan who wants to know why EVs even bother with sound.
Q: (Via: NathanAdlen@X/Twitter) I think the sound out of the Charger is stupid and totally unnecessary.
I’m sure it makes some folks happy to drive something that kind of sort of sounds like a real car. Sorry but EVs don’t need to make any noise and they shouldn’t.
— CatMa916
A: Actually, you’re slightly off about the whole sound thing… EV’s must make some noise.
It’s a safety issue. Electric cars hum and whirl because a U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regulation mandates that they emit sounds below approximately 19 mph. This is to alert pedestrians, cyclists, and visually impaired individuals of their presence. This mandatory sound is crucial because the vehicles are otherwise too quiet at low speeds for people to notice them, and tire and wind noise only become significant at higher speeds.
Now, if you are creative, the sounds can help (or hurt) the vehicle’s public swagger. Sure, the Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack EV makes a ton of noise – if you want it to. It can be quieted down, making it almost mundane. Other automakers like Hyundai played with some nifty sounds as well. Hell, some automakers are hiring professional musicians and composers for their interior and exterior soundtracks.
The bottom line: sound is for safety, and adding some personality to that sound can be fun!
— N
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