1978 Jeep Cj7 4x4 on 2040-cars

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2019 Jeep Scrambler interior spied, will have Wrangler's removable top

The Jeep Scrambler — the long-awaited truck variant of the Jeep Wrangler — has been in development for a long, long time. We've seen spy shots of various prototypes for years now. Even with the camouflage, it's not difficult to tell what's hiding underneath. We have a new batch here, and while there isn't really anything new on the outside, these do give us a good look at the new Jeep's interior. Good news: It looks like the Scrambler will get the Wrangler's removable roof panels. The roll bar, latch and removable panel are all quite obvious from the inside. Although we know the Scrambler is based on the Wrangler, it was unclear how much of the design would carry over. The rest of the interior is a little more odd. We fully expect the Scrambler to be based on the new 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL, but this prototype has the dashboard of the outgoing Wrangler JK. It also has a Chrysler steering wheel, so this may simply be either a parts-bin prototype or an older tester that hasn't been updated. We don't yet know when we'll see a full reveal, but it doesn't look like the Scrambler will hit dealer showrooms until April 2019. Until then, pore over some more spy photos and some great renderings of the new Jeep truck. Related Video: Featured Gallery Jeep Scrambler Spy Shots View 15 Photos Design/Style Spy Photos Jeep Truck Off-Road Vehicles jeep scrambler

Stellantis and LG launch joint venture for North American battery plant

Stellantis has struck a preliminary deal with battery maker LG Energy Solution (LGES) to produce battery cells and modules for North America, as the world's No. 4 automaker rolls out its 30 billion euro ($35 billion) electrification plan. Global automakers are investing billions of euros to accelerate a transition to low-emission mobility and prepare for a progressive phase-out of internal combustion engines. Stellantis and LGES's joint venture will produce battery cells and modules at a new facility with an annual capacity of 40 gigawatt hours (GWh), the two firms said on Monday. No financial details of the deal were provided. The plant is scheduled to start production by the first quarter of 2024, with groundbreaking expected in the second quarter of 2022, the companies said in their statement. Its location is under review and will be announced later. Stellantis, formed in January from the merger of Italian-American automaker Fiat Chrysler and France's PSA, has said it wants to secure more than 130 GWh of global battery capacity by 2025 and more than 260 GWh by 2030. The batteries produced under the deal will supply Stellantis' U.S., Canadian and Mexican assembly plants for installation in hybrid and fully electric vehicles, supporting its goal of e-vehicles making up more than 40% of its U.S. sales by 2030. The company, whose brands include Peugeot, Fiat, Opel and U.S. best-sellers Jeep and Ram, earlier this year announced it would invest more than 30 billion euros through 2025 on electrifying its vehicle lineup. Stellantis has said it would build three battery plants in Europe and two in North America, including at least one in the United States. Intesa Sanpaolo analyst Monica Bosio said the deal was positive, and a further step ahead in Stellantis' electrification process. It comes weeks after Stellantis and its partner TotalEnergies agreed to open up their battery cell joint venture ACC to Daimler, to expand their European sourcing of battery cells. Stellantis is also targeting more than 70% of sales in Europe to be of low-emission vehicles by 2030, and aims to make the total cost of owning an EV equal to that of a gasoline-powered model by 2026. Related video: Green Plants/Manufacturing Alfa Romeo Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Jeep Maserati RAM Citroen Lancia Opel Peugeot Vauxhall Electric Hybrid EV batteries LG

Going high-tech, the 4x4 way

Is It An Off-Road Adventure Or Just A Walk In The Park?
I remember having to get out and lock hubs and shift into neutral to engage low range.
Coming off press previews of the 2013 Land Rover Range Rover and the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee that involved some heavy-duty off-road rock climbing, I'm simply amazed at the capabilities that these vehicles possess. But even more impressive (or troubling depending on your perspective) is the relative ease with which you can operate these vehicles in seemingly impossible terrain.