Every fall, members of the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) gather in Las Vegas to talk about everything going on in the world of aftermarket. Automakers often participate, and this year Mopar is bringing something electrified to the show floor of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The concept of restomodding a vehicle is taking an older car and upgrading it with newer components. Mopar calls what it did to an old CJ for the show “electromodding.”
Called the Jeep CJ Surge concept, it’s a CJ Jeep that has had its powertrain completely replaced by an all-electric powertrain.
The CJ Surge is powered by a 400-volt, 200-kW (268 hp) electric drive module. There are 24 lithium ion battery modules on board to provide the range.
This is all custom, of course, with custom-designed solid motor mounts and a custom shell battery enclosure near the rear of the passenger cabin.
This Jeep is, of course, four-wheel drive.
The CJ Surge has matte black 18×9-inch Black Rhino Solid wheels with Surf Blue accents, paired to 35-inch BFG all-terrain tires. The front and rear axles have been replaced with Dana 44 Crate axles.
There’s a Jeep Wrangler JK Rubicon bumper kit to accommodate a Jeep Performance Parts-branded Warn winch. There are also Surf Blue tow hooks to match the look.
That exterior is painted in Copper Canyon, with Surf Blue Surge graphics and body side striping.
Mopar even mentions that no Jeep Performance Parts build would be complete without some Mopar all-weather floor mats.
As electrification continues to become more mainstream, expect to see custom builds like this coming from everywhere. This isn’t the first restomod we’ve seen that features an electric powertrain, but it also definitely won’t be the last.
Jeep will, of course, never put this vehicle on sale, but it exists as a guide to show enthusiasts what could be done with the right parts and the right determination.
We think it’s pretty cool.
