Jeep Reinvented The Winch For Electric SUVs
Jeeps electric vehicles may be able to get you out of a tough spot … in a variety of ways.
Jeep’s parent company Stellantis has received a patent for an “Electric Drive Motor With Integrated Winch.”
The technology allows an electric vehicle to use its drive motor to also power a bumper-mounted winch that can be used to pull a stuck vehicle free or to move heavy items.
The design adds a planetary gearbox to the motor unit that can redirect its power from wheels to spin a spool for the winch cable installed in the bumper instead.
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The description notes that an all-wheel drive vehicle could potentially have a winch attached to both the front and rear motors and that it could also be used with a plug-in hybrid or other electrified drivetrain.
Traditional winches have their own electric motor built in and typically require the user to attach a handheld controller directly to the unit with a cable. By connecting it to the vehicle’s drive motor, it is possible that it its operation could be integrated into the cockpit controls, although the patent does not go into such detail.
While Jeep owners have long been adding winches to their vehicles, it wasn’t until 2024 that Jeep designed the Wrangler model to offer a factory-installed Warn winch on the Rubicon trim.
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Jeep hasn’t revealed any EVs with a built-in winch yet, but it will be launching the off-road Recon model this year, while the more street-focused Wagoneer S has been showed in a prototype Trailhawk trim for which one would also be appropriate.
This isn’t the first unusual electric vehicle application that Stellantis has been working on recently. The automaker has also received a patent for a three-speed gearbox that could be used with electrified models.
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Most EVs rely on one gear ratio, but a three-speed should make a vehicle more efficient on the highway while maximizing torque at low speeds, which would be beneficial for off-road driving
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