Jeep Wrangler & RAM 1500 eTorque Mild Hybrid System Explained

Hybrid RAM? Hybrid Jeep? Say What? Although it's a very mild hybrid system the new 2018 Jeep Wrangler and 2019 RAM 1500 pickup both get FCA's new eTorque system based around a belt alternator/starter system. In this video we dive into how this system works, what it is, what is isn't and why you might want one or not.
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[@Allegronaut]

Well finally! Someone actually gave an in-depth explanation of what eTorque does. It sounds like a much better idea than I had originally thought now that I'm aware of all its functions!

[@blitzbbffl]

A picture is worth a thousand words, and your illustrations convey some quite complex technical concepts beautifully.

[@nimblybimbly4002]

I'm not particularly interested in eTorque but your last video about the new Ram frame was so concise and informative that I'm watching anyway.

[@atheistphilosopher3469]

Just bought a 2023 Ram 1500 Bighorn (300 miles) 5.7 Hemi eTorque. The young sales man didn’t explain anything about the system, thanks to UTube I now know all I need to about the system. So far I really like it, don’t know about gas miles yet. The start/stop is so good I didn’t even know it was there until I watched Utube.

[@baldheadlogic]

Professor Alex. Today's class was truly an imformative one. Thank You Sir.

[@bmitchq777]

Very informative, quick, and to the point. I love it. Thanks Alex.

[@willoverkill]

Thanks for the video Alex, very interesting idea on their part, interested to see how well it works in real world mpg

[@841577]

Thank you. I was so confused about this system in the 2018 wrangler I just bought.

[@outman6207]

best and clear explanation on youtube!!!

[@swanblake]

Amazing video Alex! Thank you for doing these

[@0s0n3gr0]

Great Video. Really well made, great pace, truly informative. Thank you

[@tommcdonald53]

Just bought the 3.6 liter bighorn and love it, what a beautiful ride !

[@davidkanalos6710]

Bought a 2021 doesn't have e torque though it was standard on it .

[@channell11]

The system seems to work pretty well on the wife's Wrangler. It's quick, especially for a 4 banger, and she's averaging 23 mpg in mostly city driving in a two-ton vehicle with the aerodynamics of a brick.

[@psychologicaltirefire8190]

I get in a deadair day. I get 20mpg in my 35" mud terrain 2"lifted 2dr Rubicon at 65mph.

[@davesherman74]

Interesting, thanks for making this. Just bought a slightly used Ram 1500 that has it. Getting about 19.5 MPG on average, not too shabby for a truck.

[@willhooke]

This was a very helpful explanation of the e torque system Thank you for your time 👍🏻

[@kokobasha7778]

Thank you Alex

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

FCA gets it... that is how stop-start should work. A beefy 48 volt motor-generator doing the work.

[@bigbear805sg]

Thanks for the info it help a lot in what am going to get.

[@fuguf1sh]

Great explanation. I'm averaging about 16 city and 21 highway in my 1500 e-torque hemi with 3.21 gears. The Ram engineers said to expect about 10% gains in fuel economy. The extra torque down low helps with towing capacity. As long as the system stays reliable, it's a win.

[@hughjass1835]

I get 16 in town and 19.5 on the highway in my 04 4wd 5.7 without the gimmick. Waste of time and money

[@hughjass1835]

... and my 04 has 315,000 miles on it. You're definitely not getting a 10% improvement in mileage but you will have at least 10% higher maintenance and repair bills, of not a lot more

[@Corey-wx8jj]

Great vid, very informative

[@Trades46]

Firstly love your new technical explanation videos Alex. Secondly this system reminds me of the old GM e Assist used in the 2.4L Malibu and Regal but running off the 48v system instead of the 12v. Honestly e Assist was so mild it didn't live past 2 model cycles which brings me to this; is it really worth the cost in the age of integrated starter motors and hybridization?

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

eAssist is making a comeback actually, Buick is dropping it back under hoods and the Silverado got it last year. Expect to see more of these as costs come down on the parts.

[@fragranthills]

VERY INTERESTING INFORMATION. THANK YOU.

[@krwiles]

All the thumbs ups!

[@BryceLovesTech]

Love your videos, and everyone knows that FCA and electricity go together very well ha ha

[@brentchuck1664]

Wrangler and Ram combine to about 400,000 vehicles/year, and FCA is using this volume to leverage development of 48V components. Don't be surprised if bigger power consumers on your car suddenly start popping up in 48V. (I work for an automotive fan company, and we have been fielding 48V requests for radiator fans for a few years now.)

[@St.PierreProductions]

Thank you so much for this.

[@rustedratchetgarage6788]

I saw a e-charger on a 57 chevy in a video last year i think not for fuel saving but for added power when kicked in but they used a cogged tooth belt my thought is a serp belt wont be able to hold up to this system thus resulting in short belt life and stranded cars due to broke belts

[@SoundgardenMan]

Top shelf explanation Alex. You should be a teacher.

[@wimabean]

Well done...as usual! 😉

[@abbaby555]

That's really an interesting system, looks very simple to keep it reliable.

[@rogervonschleusingen4603]

SIMPLE ???...what are you smoking pal ??

[@hughjass1835]

Just like changing out the solenoid packs in their transmissions, simple, but unnecessarily expensive and quite prone to failure

[@johnscustomsaws]

Great video... most salesmen have no idea how this works lol. If I had the choice I would go standard but if you want a new 5.7 this is what you are getting... they do drive nice tho 👌

[@bowenz9027]

Image of the 2.0T engine used here is the non eTorque version. The eTorque version has a motor-generator rather than an alternator as shown in the image

[@RadioReprised]

Will the A/C clutch be effected by the E-Torque driving through the belt? Rather than just spinning with the engine, under Torque DRIVING the crank will there be more load?

[@Dezzylyricz]

This needs to be a Mopar part you can put on a older model, like a 14-17 be like a e-supercharger.

[@user-je5xj7nh8w]

I'm curious what performance numbers are when comparing the mild hybrid against the original Hemi. 0-60 mph and dragstrip 60ft times. with and without a trailer in tow

[@richardappleby8211]

While I not been able to relocate the video that I viewed back in Jan/Feb about the eTorque system it explained that the system will only generate its additional torque into the drive line for about 1 second on 'start up'. I believe some are thinking that this 130 ft lbs in the Hemi is in addition to the 410 lb rating of the engine.

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

It's more than one second, but as I say in the video, it doesn't "add" total torque, it simply fills ans doesn't do much over about 3,000 RPM

[@acchaladka]

Great video and very welcome - I’ve been waiting for this since BMW showed their performance hybrid in the i8. You said the total weight is 100 lbs, which means it’s doable for small cars. How long until Mazda prototype a 3 cylinder plus this system to add torquey fun and efficiency, in the MX-5? Any indication that Mini or other small car brand are thinking this way? Thanks for another great video.

[@betweenthepines4000]

This tech would of been nice in my Ecodiesel. Terrible stop start system and quite laggy down low until at least 1500rpm. Once you get going, the 442lbft is awesome and its a very smooth torque curve.

[@jesserevilla992]

You are the only one to tell us does the A/C work while the motor is off.. And IT DOES NOT. Thank You! Then eTorgue is worthless here in South Florida. Much rather had an Eletric a/c no need for the torque help much rather save gas while enjoying a pickup. We have allot of of traffic here is Miami, Fla. 98.5% of the year we are using our vehicle A/C’s .. My current Hybrid Ford Cmax is awesome; but looking to buy a Pick Up; seems the 2018-2019 F-150 2.7 Ecoboost will have to do. I am towing 4500 lbs fully loaded .. But need it as an everyday driver. How awesome a semi hybrid in a Pick Up that focuses just on the whole gliding, the drive through and of course the start and stop! The amount of gas saved just in those driving conditions here in South Florida would go so far!

[@DanielGarcia-zz9eg]

So it doesn't work well in the southern part of USA. TX, AZ, NM , CA and so on due to hot wearther . Seeing it has an extra battery in the back of the cab I'm thinking it could help to power the outlet in the tool box when plugging in power tools outside

[@edysinsimon8646]

Thanks Alex...I suspected a system like this as you explained. However the only concern for me is the serpentine belt and the unknown reliability of this FCA e-assist. I would consider this a positive engineering idea but would like to see the durability data/intel from FCA before "I" spend "my" money.

[@benjaminwayneb]

They can't depend on the belt's traction to start the engine for cold starts or if the belt is wet so the engine still has a conventional starter.

[@quixilver09]

I've driven the Cherokee with the 2.0L T and the lag when you floor it to pass someone is absolutely horrible from WOT to actual torque engagement. Do we know if the 2.0L T in the Wrangler will eliminate this lag with the etorque motor?

[@greggmcdermott7976]

Lag time in wrangler jl is going to get someone killed . This is a bad idea. I have a2018 Rubicon 2.0

[@rustedratchetgarage6788]

Why belt drive just hook it straight to the harmonic balancer pulley or gear to gear on the 6 o'clock of the flywheel, way more efficient

[@tarassu]

48V hybrids will be a really big thing. I expect significant part of the vehicles will have that within like 5-8 years (1/3-2/3 of all non EV non PHEV non HEV). Alex, some mild hybrids will likely be able to drive the vehicle in start-stop traffic (5-10kW is enough for low speed crawling). But motor must be further down the drivetrain. Therefore be prepared for that. Mild Hybrids can move on electric propulsion. And electric AC. And electric PS. And electric turbocharger. And electric heating even. So every time new 48V vehicle is being reviewed, mention those capabilities :) Abbreviation for this class of vehicles should be MHEV.

[@Bluesky335]

Etorque system can expand the engine lifetime by reducing it burden at every start, plus agile acceleration. I like this combo.

[@jadutch7361]

This is incorrect information.

[@TheMM360]

I'm a little confused, probably because I'm from Europe and different engines are available here. Is this eTorque the same engine line that gets sold under the name E.torQ here in Europe and in South America? Or is this something new for the US market? The E-torQ sold in South America is a petrol / ethanol flexifuel engine. Here in Europe we use it as a regular gasoline engine available on a few FCA models.

[@weirdshibainu]

Alex....can you turn off the stop start system?

[@imfromcaliforniaimfromcali2893]

Which part will fail the electric motor spitting belts? What is it going to be!

[@guadalupedeleon3547]

So the belt has that much tension on it to turn the crankshaft?

[@ricknowaski5088]

Dropped mine of at the dealership March 6th with a eTorque battery fault...estimated delivery of a replacement part, JULY 8th. You read that right...4 months. Already researching lemon law. That said, breaks my heart cuz I love the truck...eTorque and FCA service policy can suck it...

[@robertsoria9293]

Sucks, my etorque has around 47k miles and is fine.

[@djp1234]

What? eTorque is available on V8 too? Will there be a V8 4xe model?

[@directorjustin]

Great video! E-torque is probably going to be very useful for off-road driving.

[@MrConor159]

A full ev would make the perfect rock climber.

[@directorjustin]

Conor Nugent Yes. ❤️

[@SnohomishBroncoOffRoad]

How safe is the battery behind the seat?

[@TodayWithDustin]

I don’t think I am interested in this system but more power to those who do want it.

[@georgestanley9140]

Sadly to say, it will be standard equipment before long because of the EPA. So it really doesn't matter if we like it or want it. Everything is moving in that direction.

[@weedmastersr]

Interesting. I think Mazda uses a super-capacitor instead of a small battery pack for their mild hybrid setup.

[@DoyleHargraves]

My battery just crapped out on my 2016 ford edge. 54,000 miles and 24 months is all she wrote. No warranty coverage there. And since it has the fancy stop/start bs, the "HD" battery ran me $285.

[@peterzpictstube]

I would be more interested in this if it had a 48V AC unit that would keep spinning when engine is stopped. Engine will only be able to turn off for a moment in hot weather. A good start but still 1/2 arse.

[@roginooo]

The only information missing is the one I'm looking for: how many extra miles one can get with e-torque?

[@sheldon6864]

My understanding was 15% more.

[@BrogeKilrain]

They need a hybrid system if they use start stop . Cause the delay is problem if pulling out in traffic

[@interwhinenews877]

Auto start stop on Ram's is only on Etorque models. And it flawlessly starts up in a very quiet and unnoticeable fashion, unlike every other start/stop system out there.

[@petek6522]

And it takes much longer to charge the that battery then to deplete it so you tax the motor as it charges dropping the fuel economy... down hill charging slows the vehicle enough to make you have the step on the gas pedal, just something to think about

[@stig120212]

wow!

[@slavakuznetsov4966]

eTorque is just a tiny electric motor unit used as an alternative way to start/stop the engine. After it got removed in 2021 from 2.0L turbo JL operational engine characteristics did not change, and it's because the eTorque has nothing to do with vehicle propulsion.

[@aerospacenews]

Alex: Nice job (as usual). Question: I've searched, including the comments below and the official Dodge site (and others), but can't find a straight answer. Can you list the horsepower (HP) ratings of the three Motor/Generators (MG) please? I know you provide the torque and voltage but HP seems to be calculated from those figures based on RPM (unless I'm mistaken). Without the MG RPM figures very tough to guess at the HP equivalent value. I get why torque is the key figure in this use case but I have my reasons for wanting to know the HP. Can you help a nerd out? :) Watts at full power out (in motor mode) would provide the same answer if you have that. Thank you!

[@guuuu666]

So, it's an on demand electric supercharger?

[@yolo_burrito]

It would’ve made sense if they only had the e torque on the engine and all other accessories were 48v.

[@elonlovesyou]

Etourque, is one more thing to go wrong right after warranty ends.

[@sammy10001]

so is the 99999999 other accessories in your vehicle dipshit

[@elonlovesyou]

sammy10001 Your silly.

[@reelcustom6450]

sammy10001 - that escalated quickly

[@Rick-tb4so]

@@sammy10001 ..He said one more thing to go wrong...

[@blainegarver9648]

I wonder how long the 48v battery lasts, and how much it costs to replace?

[@Bu9agar]

Same question !!

[@kirklewis3627]

2500 for the battery.

[@blainegarver9648]

Not at the dealership.....@@kirklewis3627

[@Bu9agar]

I have 2021 Jeep Wrangler V6 torque , anyone has any idea how reliable they are ?? I just bought the car

[@kirklewis3627]

Not reliable. 35000 k, and it will need replacing.

[@swanblake]

@Alex On Autos does the new CLS use 48 system for all its electronics or very similar to the FCA iterations here?

[@corystansbury]

Blake Swan The Merc is also 48V. You are correct in that assumption.

[@swanblake]

Cory Stansbury I'm.aqare it's 48.volt autocorrect loped it off Dow whatever eeason

[@corystansbury]

Blake Swan I think your phone is having a stroke!

[@swanblake]

Cory Stansbury I hate my phone and auto correct so much. It uses n in place of a space, ect. Apologize for the stroke like texting

[@swanblake]

Cory Stansbury to your point though, the MB CLS is the same setup as far as edrive as the ram?

[@joepah51]

This is where government regulations drive bad engineering... Designed specifically to improve the MPG during the CAFE testing, not real life. Motor runs when the vehicle stops if the A/C is running.. not much help in the south or the summer...No benefit at highway speeds. If it were a no cost option it would be worth it. Great explanation Alex!

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

There is no benefit in steady state highway travel, however expanding the range where cylinder deactivation can operate will still improve your fuel economy even if the engine never stops.

[@cassidysepicadventures]

Actually, our jeep doesn't run even if the ac is on. It will stop until voltage gets low enough or until the ac needs to kick on then it starts back up.

[@Superfastjellyfish669]

Does anyone else turn start/stop right away?

[@chadd587]

I don't think it makes a difference. I'm not seeing any tests increasing performance on fuel economy, acceleration, towing or downhill braking. They really need to patch it to assist in some way noticeable above 1500 rpm. Is it available to transform down to a 12v to use in emergency situations where the 12v battery is dead so you can still start? I read it helps slow down the truck with Regen so I guess that's something but the battery has an entirely separate function and system that the user cannot utilize or even sense. 10% fuel economy? In city only. What if I use the truck to haul or highway use majority? And now they've bumped up the cost of the hemi without it to equal the etorq offering. It's added weight, expense and complexity that fixes something trivial that doesn't apply a majority of the time. It's a nicety for the rich people that buy these to drive around town and that's all. Not for work. Doesnt even run components.

[@llcool3004]

Yup wait till you get problems and im sure it aint going to be cheap to fix

[@pickeljarsforhillary102]

Fix it just enough to get me to the dealership.

[@golith41]

You never go full hybrid

[@allentoyokawa9068]

uses a crappy LG batt though

[@Motleymick]

I just don't understand what the big deal is. Why would somebody want to pay extra to add this to their 5.7 Hemi in a 1500? Is this to save 10% gas milage?

[@patallison5192]

My 19 1500 with a 5.3 got better milage than the Ram is rated with all this on it

[@elsandypants84]

So you're saying grab a hemi e torque motor for my 4 cylinder jeep. Okay okay I read you

[@thelayoverpodcast87]

The way I understand this is, the eTorque is an Electrial Supercharger, as it is belt driven and essentially an electric generator. Pretty interesting.

[@TheJ602]

Justin Nieves it's not a supercharger as it's not forcing air in the engine. It's a more of an engine assist.

[@keedoopop4900]

Without LED ram looks like a full size 2012 tacoma..

[@daviddowling9830]

To all who continue to call engines motors please watch this.Finally.

[@1guyin10]

I believe these systems will become very common in the next few years. They make a great deal of sense in vehicles like the Ram and Wrangler. The improved fuel economy is nice, but the added torque off the line is really what makes this system worth the extra cost to the consumer.

[@checkers7166]

Well, the path to efficiency and better power delivery. Turbocharged engines increase maintenance costs and lower reliability. Hybrid systems take up too much space, add too much weight, add too much cost, and they don't have benefits under certain driving conditions. Pure electric vehicles add even more cost, and there is still the issues of range, charging and the economics of it all. Diesels are strapped with costly and unreliable emissions systems.....So this really seems like the best balanced. Instance electric torque, better fuel economy, no complicated emissions systems or turbochargers, it's relatively light weight and takes up minimal space, and it doesn't add too much to the cost of the vehicle. Simple, compact, low cost mild hybrids are something all manufacturers can do.

[@AStanton1966]

Checkers, you sound like you know what you are talking about. Personally, I wouldn't want a new diesel tractor or truck if you gave it to me for free.

[@Ballista762]

I wondered what fuel economy we can assume?

[@robfreeman5783]

Just more electronic stuff that can break.

[@anbu999]

Man, this is La Ferrari stuff

[@AkioWasRight]

How heavy is the system?

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

100lbs total including all parts

[@checkers7166]

Sounds pretty good to me. It will make the V6 feel more like a turbocharged engine at lower RPMs, keep the weight inline with with a turbocharged V6 engine, and it actually improve fuel economy and maintained reliability, something the turbocharged engines often fail to do.

[@upnorthyooper1196]

There is a lot of contradiction on how this works on youtube.

[@brucec43]

Hopefully people can disconnect it all in about 7 years when all the complex components start to fail and it's already out of date and expensive to fix.

[@TheJ602]

Bruno TaTa it takes the place of an alternator so if you disconnect it you won't charge your 12v battery

[@rustedratchetgarage6788]

Replace it with a standard alternator then unless computor controls dont alow for or cant be programmed for it

[@TheJ602]

Jake Browne wow. That would be more complex and I'm certain it's not possible If everyone is so worried about complexity than don't buy a modern vechile.

[@rustedratchetgarage6788]

TheJ602 thats why i own a 99 z71

[@Moosey1789]

This system adds unnecessary complexity to a naturally aspirated V6 that passes itself off as the original Pentastar V6. I do not consider the mild hybrid V6 to be the original Pentastar. This is a new engine. When I learned that the mild hybrid V6 was the standard engine in the 80th anniversary Wrangler, I rejected that trim line outright. When I learned that Jeep will not stock the standard Pentastar V6 in any Jeep Wrangler in 2022, I decided I may be shopping something else.

[@michelfortier9563]

Too complicated, too many parts and more costs and maintenance. Hate to see it happen as I've always driven RAM trucks but now moving on to Toyota.....

[@TheBennik]

I'm so confused...

[@williammorin9930]

Just electwicity! Lol

[@nenadmil]

So we no longer need diesel for low rpm torque?

[@crazyhass84]

nenadmil wrong. Did u even watch the video? The e torque gives a very short boost from a,stop light and below 1500 rpm. It's not for continuous use... When was The last time u hauled something with gas truck at it was cruising at 1500rpm? Never!. The eco diesel has 420lb ft at 2k rpm. That can be used continuously to pull trailers etc. E torque is only for fuel economy on gas engines.

[@JD-yx7be]

andy you don't need much torque for a continuous speed only for acceleration. And i have hauled my 5k pound trailer with my Tacoma and it is under 2k rpm. this will likely equal or beat diesel fuel economy in the city combined rating

[@crazyhass84]

Jon Dittmar good for u. Now get a real truck with a diesel and tow a real load. 5k lbs is barely enough to haul your gf. The taco isn't hauling a 5k lb load at 2k rpm on unless it's on flat ground at 45mph. When u r accelerating u would be at 4k rpm. So again the e torque on the ram isn't uses at higher rpm.

[@nenadmil]

Andy Hass Don't get me wrong, I like diesels. All my cars in the last 10 years were diesels. But there is very aggressive campaign against them, they are banning them from European cities, so we need alternative, at least for fuel economy and low rev torque.

[@JD-yx7be]

i also own a f250 diesel is that real enough? i get less then 10mpg in the city where i drive it, cost me $80 to fill it cause of the more expensive fuel $3.00/gal vs $2.50/gal for 87 octane gas. A diesel engine is a $11,000 upgrade this hybrid system is $800 dollars

[@rogervonschleusingen4603]

GEE WIZ !!.. MORE COMPLICATED SHIT TO BREAK DOWN !!!

[@hellcat1988]

The major car manufacturers did NOT come up with this concept. It's been around for years now.

[@JD-yx7be]

99 Honda insight had it

[@MrTenhighguy]

Great video on a bad concept. Lets explore the ways this will have no long term benefit. #1 This thing once out of warrenty it is probably a $4k part if you have to replace it yourself #2 Start/stop is dumb but now instead of replacing a burned up $200 starter you will be replacing this thing all to save literally a few drops of gas at a stop light #3 Do you honestly think a 8/10 rib belt could hold 130 ft lbs of torque in addition to all the pre-existing accesories? No it couldent not unless it was a cog belt which it is not. #4 Unless this was mounted directly above the center line of the crank shaft and driven by a cog belt it will not last as a power enducing device. Once any substantial load is generated by it or placed aginst it the cast aluminum mounting brackets will likely begin to weaken. If it is not mounted inline with the crankshaft the torsional load placed aginst it will be excessive All this crazy over engineered stuff looks good on paper just give it a few years to start breaking down.

[@patallison5192]

I totally agree ,I had a 19 chevy 1500 ,it had cylinder delete and stop start ,I kept the annoying feature shut off , it was a 5.3 and got better milage than the 5.7 ram with all this expensive waste on it

[@verneklund8109]

Torque is when you get out of bed in the morning. With an erection and you push it down and your feet come off the floor. That’s Torque!

[@zakaroonetwork777]

Who? What is FCA.??? Is Jeep Still Chrysler Daimler engineering ?

[@letterpool]

Pretty sure when this is available on Jeep wranglers that the hardcore trail guys will hack this little battery to either run their winches or just use it for camp site power. Cause otherwise this system is pretty awful. But people will buy it anyway thinking this or that. Just my 1/2 cent opinion.

[@kipamore]

All well and good, but in 5 years I'll start snagging those things in junkyards and bolting them to drag cars. Seriously - 130ft/lbs from 0 to 1500rpm would make my slant 6 Valiant act like a big block.

[@weirdshibainu]

That's what she said...slant six