Jeep will launch four all-new battery-electric vehicles by 2024, the off-road brand announced today, including three targeting the North American market and another aimed at Europe and Asia. The plan also calls for an assortment of new 4xe plug-in hybrid models.
By the end of the decade, global CEO Christian Meunier said, the goal is to have all-electric models like the subcompact Avenger account for 100% of Jeep’s sales in Europe, while new products such as the Wagoneer S and Recon will generate 50% of U.S. sales. And virtually all other models will rely on some form of electrified drivetrain technology.
“Our goal is very clear,” declared Meunier, “to become the global leader in SUV electrification.” It is, he added, “the way forward for the Jeep brand.”
An unexpected success
Like its sibling American brands, Dodge, Ram and Chrysler, Jeep was slow to embrace electrification, only ramping up the shift following the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and France’s Groupe PSA. Its first serious battery-based model, the Wrangler 4xe, came to market barely a year ago. But it has proven a runaway hit with buyers. It’s now the best-selling plug-in hybrid in the U.S. market. And the newer Grand Cherokee 4xe has also clicked with consumers.
Jeep hopes to repeat that success with a mix of plug-in hybrids and pure battery-electric vehicles — PHEVs and BEVs — to come.
While there had been some expectations the Wrangler might be first to go all-electric, brand officials chose a slightly different approach. They worried about the potential backlash a Wrangler EV might trigger — much as Ford faced when it debuted the Mustang Mach-E.
Jeep Recon
So, one of the first new models will go by the name, Jeep Recon — though don’t be surprised if it winds up being dubbed by fans the Wrangler EV, anyway. Exclusively all-electric, it certainly bears a striking resemblance to the Jeep icon. And it’s designed to handle much the same sort of off-road terrain, albeit “in silence,” Meunier pointed out.
“The all-new, all-electric Jeep Recon has the capability to cross the mighty Rubicon Trail, one of the most challenging off-road trails in the U.S. and reach the end of the trail with enough range to drive back to town and recharge,” he added.
Recon will feature a removable roof and doors, get an electric version of the brand’s Selec-Terrain system and add e-lockers, tow hooks and pretty much all the other accoutrements you’d expect to find on, well, a Wrangler. Jeep even plans to have lengthy list of upgrades and aftermarket parts and accessories ready by the time the compact off-roader reaches showrooms.
No boundaries
The Wrangler has earned a reputation as a go-anywhere SUV and it remains “best-of-the-best and (the) most capable” SUV out there,” proclaimed Meunier. If anything, the 4xe package has stepped things up a notch, demonstrating the potential benefits that electric motors, with their instant torque, can deliver.
So, if anything, Recon could pose a serious challenge to Wrangler. “Electrification will take us to the next level of 4×4 capabilities,” said Jim Morrison, the North American Jeep brand boss. Along with their torquey motors, EVs can eliminate some traditional underbody gear, such as the oil pan, and could actually deliver better approach, breakover and departure angles.
But electric motors have other potential advantages which Jeep plans to prove with another new BEV.
Jeep Wagoneer S
With the Wagoneer S, Jeep wants to “redefine the art of American premium,” said Stellantis design chief Ralph Gilles, during a Wednesday media background briefing.
Like the Recon, Wagoneer S will be based on the new STLA Large electric vehicle platform Stellantis is developing for some of its biggest models — including the Ram 1500 pickup set to debut in 2024. Unlike the Recon, Jeep isn’t hiding the resemblance to the recently revived Wagoneer family.
But there are some key differences. This luxury SUV actually will be a bit smaller than the current Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer models. Yet it will offer at least as much interior space as the gas-powered SUVs. That’s because STLA Large — and other Stellantis EV platforms mount their battery packs and motors below the load floor, freeing up space normally devoted to an engine compartment.
Along with its shorter nose, the Wagoneer S will adopt more aerodynamic details, such as a sealed nose featuring a modified — and backlit — version of the classic 7-slat grille.
A wolf in sheep’s clothing
While you can expect the Wagoneer S to adopt many of the luxury features found in the rest of the Wagoneer line-up, it will offer some beastly performance. According to Gilles, expect “up to 600 horsepower,” and 0-60 times of “around three-and-a-half seconds.”
While Jeep officials aren’t saying much more about the drivetrain, the Wagoneer S will deliver as much as 400 miles per charge and should cut recharging times down sharply from some earlier all-electric models.
Along with the all-electric S, Jeep confirmed that it will add new electrified powertrain options for existing Wagoneer models. At least one will deliver a “combined” range of 500 miles.
Jeep Avenger
In recent years, Jeep sales have been running between 1.1 million and 1.5 million annually, though 60% of the demand comes from North America. The SUV brand has tried boosting overseas interest with models like the Italian-made Renegade. And it will take a similar approach with its new EV line-up.
In fact, Jeep’s first all-electric model will specifically target Europe, as well as Japan and South Korea, the automaker said. The new Avenger will on sale in early 2023 and Jeep plans to begin taking orders when it’s officially revealed to the public Oct. 17 at the Paris Motor Show.
There are no plans to bring the small BEV model to the U.S., explained Morrison, because “that segment doesn’t exist” in the States.
This model will be even smaller than the Renegade — though with the use of a skateboard-like platform, the two products should offer similar interior space.
Avenger is expected to deliver about 400 kilometers, or 250 miles, per charge. No details were released about its battery pack or drivetrain, however.
U.S. rollout plans
Jeep still isn’t ready to show all its cards. It’s not saying what that fourth all-electric model might be, though speculation centers around a compact that could provide a battery-powered alternative to the Compass model.
Parent Stellantis recently announced plans for a U.S. battery plant. The question is whether it will be able to source the key raw materials, such as lithium, nickel and cobalt, within North America or a handful of other countries that would allow it to offer up to $7,500 in incentives on its new BEVs to U.S. buyers.
Expect to see the Recon and Jeep Wagoneer S officially unveiled next year, with Jeep opening up the order banks at the same time. Production will begin sometime in 2024 with initial sales to start in the U.S. and then expand to other markets.