I’ve spent the best part of my life talking trash about EV cars and four-wheel drives alike, but I’m about to swallow my words. Jeep just blew my socks off at SEMA with their jaw-dropping electro-modded CJ Surge concept, and my loins haven’t stopped aching since.
Now, there’s no denying, the SEMA show can be a make-or-break moment for companies, builds and of course, all important egos. For many years now, SEMA seems to be the home of half-finished projects and an overwhelming assortment of ground-breaking product launches. This year however, my eye was caught by something I never thought would get my attention, an EV!
The Jeep CJ Surge is wide, powerful, gorgeous, and completely electric. Built by Jeep, it gives us a little taste into what the future of four-wheel drives and technology could look like. Deep down, this is still a mid-1900s CJ Jeep with an old-school ladder frame chassis with solid axles mounted underneath, but this is just the tip of the ‘Copper Canyon’ painted iceberg.
“Roughly translated, means ‘Tough as F*ck”
The axles are Dana 44’s which, roughly translated means ‘Tough as F*ck’! It’s sitting on a set of 35” mud-tyres along with a 2” lift, helping make this electro-modded beauty look the part and go the part too. The incredibly chrome-plated power module is mounted directly to the chassis and is responsible for 200kw (270hp) of instantaneous wheel-chirping power!
The transfer-case is fitted with 2 speeds, fast and slow. Simple right? That’s the beauty of an EV build! Instant power, instant torque, single speed for highway driving, and a gorgeous lack of an exhaust droning behind your head. If you’re wondering if the interior is as sexy as the exterior, you’d be correct in assuming, yes.
There’s a delicious blend of old and new instrumentation while modern bucket-inspired seats hug you and invite you to tear up your local beach with the roof down. The other important thing to remember with this incredible little project is that it’s a Mopar build using all factory parts, so there’s actually a possibility something like this could make its way to mass-market!
The Jeep CJ Surge has my attention, it no doubt now has yours, and I’m loving what I’m seeing! If all EV four-wheel drives had this level of character and passion behind them, then heck, maybe you’ll see me in one someday.
Until then, I’ll see you out on the tracks in my old Landcruiser. Get out there and stay safe.
