Mopar, Stellantis’ OEM accessory division, unveiled a trio of intriguing concept vehicles, led by an electrified Jeep CJ, as the 2022 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) trade show kicks off Monday in Las Vegas.
Even more intriguing, the battery electric technology that powers it could herald a revival of classic American muscle cars.
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“The Jeep CJ Surge concept explores a future zero-emission propulsion system kit and supports the Jeep brand’s mission to become the leading electrified SUV brand in the world,” In a prepared statement Monday, Mark Bosanac, North America senior vice president, Mopar service, parts, and customer care, said.
“Separately, our Ram 1500 Backcountry X and TRX Gold Shot concepts showcase a truckload of innovative Mopar accessories for our award-winning full-size trucks.”
The CJ Surge is a restomod (a portmanteau of “restoration” and “modification”) in the sense that they cleaned up a late model CJ7 (the resto part) and replaced the internal combustion engine with battery-electric propulsion (the mod part).
Restomods aren’t strictly electrifications — we’ve been doing them with crate engines for decades — but with automakers rapidly transitioning to battery power from gas, the classic car community’s demand for similar capabilities has increased in recent years.
In response, Ford has begun prototyping the Eluminator, a BEV restomod system. Mopar’s first step in this direction is the Surge.
Instead of the inline-six or v-eight engines that came standard on the CJ7s, Mopar has installed a “scalable 400-volt, 200-kW Electric Drive Module” that allows for four-wheel drive.
The engine is powered by a 24-module Li-ion battery housed in a “custom shell mounted in the rear of the passenger cabin,” which can be seen in the image above as the massive silver box dominating the trunk space.
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Instead of a traditional manual transmission, the Surge employs a Wrangler JK center console and rotary shifter knob.
There’s no word on performance numbers, let alone when — or even if — this will be released. If you want to see the Surge, you must arrive at the Las Vegas Convention Center before November 4th.
