Month: September 2022

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  The fifth-generation Grand Cherokee. [credit: BradleyWarrenPhotography ]

When Fiat Chrysler America merged with Peugeot, part of the reason was the former's challenges in getting an electric vehicle to market in the US. By the time the merger was finally consummated in early 2021, the plug-in hybrid Chrysler Pacifica minivan was the only electrified vehicle in the US portfolio of Stellantis. Since then, we've seen the launch of two new PHEVs from the company's top US-selling Jeep brand: the Jeep Wrangler 4xe and the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe.

The PHEV Wrangler has seen strong sales since its introduction, and Jeep hopes it has another winner on its hands with the fifth-generation Grand Cherokee. The two-row Grand Cherokee 4xe uses the same powertrain as the Wrangler 4xe: a turbocharged 2.0 L inline-four engine capable of cranking out 270 hp (199 kW) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque is paired with a 134 hp (99 kW) electric motor. The end result is a 375 hp (276 kW) powertrain with 470 lb-ft (639 Nm) of torque, outdoing the 5.7 L V8 (there's also a 293 hp V6 available). All three power plant options are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

There are a few options for configuring the Grand Cherokee 4xe. The base model starts at $60,695, but if you want all the bells and whistles, there's a $76,070 Summit Reserve model. We tested a $71,790 Trailhawk 4xe, which was kitted out with Nappa leather, Jeep's full suite of driver-assist tech, and its Quadra-Drive II 4x4 system with a two-speed transfer case. The Trailhawk also comes with a front-axle disconnect, which will automatically switch the SUV to front-wheel drive if driving conditions don't require both axles.

Enlarge / ABL Space Systems says its RS1 rocket is ready for a debut launch this month. (credit: ABL Space Systems)

Welcome to Edition 5.09 of the Rocket Report! Another week, and we have another attempt at launching the Space Launch System rocket. I'm looking forward to what is hopefully a clean countdown and smooth liftoff of NASA's large rocket on Saturday afternoon from the Florida space coast. No matter what happens, I'll do my best to keep you on top of the situation.

As always, we welcome reader submissions, and if you don't want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar.

Rocket Lab successfully fires flown engine. In May an Electron rocket launched the "There and Back Again" mission, and then attempted to recover the first stage by catching it with a helicopter. While the pilot succeeded in briefly grappling onto the rocket, it had to be dropped due to unexpected loads on the line attached to the helicopter. Nevertheless, when Rocket Lab recovered the first stage from the ocean the company said it was in quite good condition. On Thursday, the company said it has successfully test-fired one of that rocket's nine Rutherford engines.

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images | Aurich Lawson)

USB has come a long way since the 12Mbps days of the '90s. It has waved goodbye to USB-B and is inching away from USB-A in favor of the slim, reversible USB-C connector. Data transfer rates have increased so dramatically that we can run powerful setups with high-resolution monitors, speedy external storage, and numerous other devices from the USB Implementers Forum's latest open standard, USB4.

USB4 unifies the USB and Intel Thunderbolt protocols for the first time, expanding USB's capabilities while further dividing the technology into different performance classes. Adding features like dynamic bandwidth allocation ensures that USB4 is by far the most advanced USB generation. While there are PCs, docks, and cables supporting USB4, we've yet to see everything the protocol can do, like powering an eGPU without Intel branding.

With all that going on, we thought it would be a great time to put a spotlight on the latest and greatest generation of USB. We've whipped up a handy refresher for all things USB4, breaking down the various key aspects of the spec, from how it differs from other specs to protocol tunneling, Alt Mode, and power delivery.