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New spy photos of the next Jeep Wrangler reveal a backup camera

The new Jeep Wrangler JL is on the way, and we have new spy photos that give us our best look yet. The few vehicles seen in these photos all appear to be the four-door Wrangler Unlimited model, but we know the two-door and pick-up versions are coming as well. No word on when the new model, code-named JL, will debut, but don't expect to wait too much longer before Jeep finally finishes pulling off the wraps. While the Wrangler still is covered in test car camouflage, the "diaper" coverings have been removed from the side. But we still can't tell how the new removable roof and side panels will fit. One new nugget that we can spot is the spare-mounted backup camera. At least the Wrangler is keeping its rear-mounted spare. The overall shape hasn't changed much, but there would be pitchforks and fire in Toledo if Jeep strayed too far from the current design. Like the Porsche 911, the Wrangler's general design is permanently etched in stone. The grille is exposed on a few shots showing the new back-canted seven-slot setup that recalls the YJ generation of Wranglers. The windshield on the new model now appears to be fixed and tilted at more of an angle. Like we said, small changes. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Spy Shots Image Credit: Spied Bilde Spy Photos Jeep SUV Off-Road Vehicles jeep wrangler unlimited jeep wrangler jl

Jeep patent filing in China show plans for 3-row Grand Commander

Back in October, we brought you spy shots of a Jeep crossover mule driving around Fiat-Chrysler's headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich. They appeared to show a prototype version of the Yuntu Concept, a three-row utility vehicle unveiled at the Shanghai Auto Show and designed for China. Now, new patent filings submitted to China's trademark office and originally reported by Chinese-language website AutoHome appear to back that up. They suggest that Jeep will call the model the Grand Commander, add a seventh seat (the Yuntu had six) and will debut it next April in Beijing. While the Yuntu was a plug-in hybrid, the Grand Commander will reportedly be powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine that makes 270 horsepower, which sounds like the same four-cylinder engine that powers the 2018 Wrangler. But since Jeep has confirmed a plug-in hybrid version of the Wrangler coming for 2020, it's not unreasonable to expect that configuration could come later for the Grand Commander, too, especially considering the Chinese government's push to ramp up production of electric vehicles. The patent filings also list names for other Jeep models in China, including the concept-sounding names Portal and Hyperspace. The Portal was the name Chrysler gave to a pretty nifty electric minivan concept with double sliding bay doors at this year's CES in Las Vegas.Related Video:

7 major automakers to build open EV charging network

A new joint venture established by BMW, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis will build a new North American electric vehicle charging network on a scale designed to compete with Tesla's industry-benchmark Supercharger network. The 30,000-plus planned new chargers will accommodate both Tesla's almost-standard North American Charging System (NACS) and existing automakers' Combined Charging System (CCS) options, effectively guaranteeing compatibility with the vast majority of current and upcoming electric models — whether they're from one of the involved automakers or not.  "With the generational investments in public charging being implemented on the Federal and State level, the joint venture will leverage public and private funds to accelerate the installation of high-powered charging for customers. The new charging stations will be accessible to all battery-powered electric vehicles from any automaker using Combined Charging System (CCS) or North American Charging Standard (NACS) and are expected to meet or exceed the spirit and requirements of the U.S. National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program." Critically, the automakers involved will have a say in how the charging tech is implemented, guaranteeing that the hardware will play nicely with each automaker's in-house charging systems. Hyundai and Kia, for example, were hesitant to jump on board the Tesla NACS bandwagon earlier this year over concerns that the Supercharger network is insufficient for powering the two automakers' 800-volt charging systems; similar tech is used by Volkswagen and Porsche.  In addition to providing much-needed capacity and high-output charging for America's growing fleet of electric cars and trucks, the new network will integrate seamlessly with each automaker's in-app and in-vehicle features, rather than forcing customers to use third-party tools and payment systems, as is the case with some existing public charging infrastructure.  "The functions and services of the network will allow for seamless integration with participating automakersÂ’ in-vehicle and in-app experiences, including reservations, intelligent route planning and navigation, payment applications, transparent energy management and more. In addition, the network will leverage Plug & Charge technology to further enhance the customer experience," the announcement said.