Dead: Jeep Gladiator 4xe

Jeep has confirmed that it is canceling plans to introduce a plug-in hybrid version of its midsize pickup, the Gladiator 4xe. The automaker issued the following statement:

The Jeep Gladiator carries its rugged styling and authentic design into 2026 while adding incredible new content straight from the factory. It will continue to serve as the industry’s only open-air pickup truck, combining legendary Jeep 4×4 capability with exceptional everyday versatility. As customers’ propulsion preferences for battery-electric trucks continue to evolve, Stellantis is reassessing its product strategy and will no longer include an electrified Gladiator variant in the Jeep lineup. The Jeep brand has already begun reinvesting funding to ensure the long-term growth of the Jeep Gladiator and will introduce even more customer-requested factory features, customization, and additional powertrain options in the near future.

As first reported by TFL Truck, the Gladiator 4xe was widely expected to follow the Wrangler 4xe, which remains the best-selling plug-in hybrid in the United States since its debut. The decision marks a shift in Stellantis’ electrification rollout, reflecting changing consumer demand in the truck market, where sales of fully electric pickups have slowed and hybrid options are gaining traction.

By shelving the Gladiator 4xe, Jeep is signaling that it sees greater near-term potential in expanding traditional and hybrid powertrain choices rather than rushing a plug-in pickup to market. The brand emphasized its continued commitment to the Gladiator, noting that updates are coming for the 2026 model year that will include more standard content, factory-backed customization options, and potentially new powertrain configurations.

The move comes as Jeep continues to expand its electrified lineup. The all-electric Wagoneer S has already launched and is now on sale, and the rugged Recon EV is next in line. Still, the absence of a plug-in Gladiator highlights how Stellantis is adjusting its strategy to match evolving consumer demand, putting resources toward the vehicles and segments where electrification is most likely to succeed.