Did Jeep Just Patent the Ultimate Camp Accessory for Overlanding?

The Wrangler’s first official rooftop tent could be worth the wait, new patents reveal.

Published March 5, 2025

·

Updated March 5, 2025

The Wrangler may be the single most iconic off-roader of all time. And yet, Jeep has always left one desirable piece of kit to modders and third-party brands: rooftop tents.

Not only does that appear to be changing. But the Wrangler’s first official rooftop tent could pan out to be well worth the wait.

A seamless design

As first reported by MoparInsiders, Jeep’s parent company, Stellantis, recently filed a patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a Wrangler-specific rooftop tent.

drawing of a Jeep Wrangler with rooftop tent — Stellantis, Jeep’s parent company, recently filed a patent for a new rooftop tent specifically designed with the Wrangler in mind.

However, unlike popular aftermarket options from the likes of iKamper, Tepui and Overland Vehicle Systems (OVS), this one wouldn’t require additional hardware.

Per the patent, the tent would simply replace the removable roof panels, utilizing existing mounting points for a seamless integration.

Even more compelling: campers could feasibly access the tent directly from the cabin, instead of having to exit the vehicle and ascend an external ladder system — a boon during inclement weather or extreme conditions.

Power play

Theoretically, the built-in design would also address two issues with traditional rooftop tents.

Thanks to a lower center of gravity, the compact design would help to preserve what little fuel economy the Wrangler has to spare, while also minimizing the risk of rollover.

Perhaps the most intriguing proposition, though, pertains to the tent’s proposed electrical systems, which could attach to vehicle’s energy storage and bring added convenience to campers.

Of course, it’s important to remember that most patents never see the light of day, so temper any expectation that the design is a given.

rooftop tent on a porsche 911 — If Porsche can make a rooftop tent for the 911, one should be easy work for the Wrangler.

But given the surge in popularity of overlanding in recent years, it’s not totally beyond the realms of possibility — nor is it a huge surprise to see where Jeep’s focus may be going forward.

Because let’s be honest, if Porsche can do it, a rooftop tent should be easy work for the Wrangler.