Electric GT Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler - SEMA 2022

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
It really has been a tough thing to see so much of SEMA promoting electric this and electric that and in addition to the official Mopar concepts, SURGE and MAGNETO, there were a few other, older Jeeps that had been retrofitted with electric power plants at the 2022 show. Of them, this beautiful Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler caught my eye if only because it looked so good. I got talking to the owner and apparently, he was originally going to do an LS swap but then went down the electric rabbit hole instead. Take a guess at what the price difference was.

Anyway, here are some shots of the Jeep and the power plant. And, it should be noted that unlike a lot of other retrofits, this one is an actual kit.

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Bear_JT

Hooked
Wow! That looks like a cool build minus the electric. I bet the electric was not worth the cost.
 

benatc1

Hooked
interesting for sure, im trying to image the stick shift working with electric but im guessing its just there for looks anymore.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
interesting for sure, im trying to image the stick shift working with electric but im guessing its just there for looks anymore.
So, the electric motor is hooked up to an old manual transmission and Dana 300 transfer case and for the most part, the owner just leaves it in 3rd for daily driving. He said the computer essentially brings the motor to a stop so you don't even need to use the clutch to shift.
 

benatc1

Hooked
So, the electric motor is hooked up to an old manual transmission and Dana 300 transfer case and for the most part, the owner just leaves it in 3rd for daily driving. He said the computer essentially brings the motor to a stop so you don't even need to use the clutch to shift.
that is interesting, would be the direction I’d have gone but it’s kinda cool
 

CalSgt

Hooked
But does it have a heat & AC? What about power steering? I assume the brakes are E-boosted looking at the master cylinder...

I'd bet the LS Swap would have had all that and chips for a fraction of the 65K price tag

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jcruse64

Member
I could understand keeping a transfer case for this route, if you're keeping your axles. It would make for a much simpler, cheaper swap. I don't get mating the electric motor to a transmission though. Should be able to run a drive shaft off the electric motor straight to the TC. Maybe I've understood Tesla, Rivian, and the others incorrectly, but did not think there was any transmission in those vehicle offerings.
 
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