Best 4x4 for Mauna Kea? The Jeep Wrangler 4xe hybrid

What's the best 4x4 for Mauna Kea? The Jeep Wrangler 4xe hybrid. Here's why: it recharges when you go downhill and brake. It works a bit like a big engine brake.

Going downhill is the important part. Mauna Kea is all about not riding your brakes on the way down. That's why you need a real 4-low transfer case, so the gear ratio slows you down instead of your brakes.

This is where the 4xe hybrid comes in. It recharges the battery on the way down, and that slows you down too.

So many people have told me, "Hey, the rangers were checking brake temps and told us we had the coolest brakes all day!"

The bonus is that you recharge on the way down and end up with about 85% charge. Imagine how much you save on fuel.