- Jeep is considering adding gas-powered versions of the electric Wagoneer S and Recon, Jeep’s CEO revealed to Automotive News.
- The two EVs are set to be built on the STLA Large platform that can also support pure-gas and hybrid powertrains.
- Jeep also intends to replace the Cherokee by the end of 2025, after discontinuing the model following the 2023 model year.
Jeep’s first EV, the Wagoneer S, is coming this fall, with the American SUV brand revealing images of the sleek crossover earlier this year and teasing details like a 600-hp all-wheel-drive powertrain. The Wagoneer S was originally unveiled alongside a boxy, off-road-focused EV called the Recon, also due next year. But according to Automotive News, the two electric Jeeps might also end up being offered with internal-combustion engines.
The publication recently spoke with Jeep’s CEO Antonio Filosa regarding the company’s flagging sales. Among the possible solutions, Filosa suggested that Jeep could add gas-powered versions of the Recon and Wagoneer S to help boost sales volumes. If the company sees opportunities to profit with internal-combustion powertrains in either car, “we need to grab them or somebody else will,” Filosa said.
The Recon and Wagoneer S will be built on the new STLA Large platform, which supports electric, pure-gas, and hybrid powertrains. The hesitancy to go full-on into the EV business aligns with other moves from Jeep’s parent company Stellantis, especially as EV sales growth begins to slow. The 2025 Dodge Charger will come with both electric and inline-six powertrains, and there are reports that the next-generation Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio, set to use the same platform, will get gas and EV options. In Europe, Stellantis’s subcompact crossovers—the Fiat 600e, Jeep Avenger, and Alfa Romeo Junior—are being offered with EV and hybrid powertrains.
The other main area that Filosa is eying for Jeep’s rejuvenation is the mid-size SUV segment, which the brand ditched last year after a decade selling the Cherokee (which we categorize as a compact SUV). Filosa said the plan is first “to launch the products into the mid-size SUV segment,” with Automotive News reporting that the Cherokee-sized hole in the lineup could be filled by the end of 2025. Jeep also killed off the subcompact Renegade after the 2023 model year, but the similarly priced Compass has taken over the entry-level crossover duties and seen an uptick in sales.
Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.