On Tuesday, Stellantis revealed the design of its first electric Jeep, which is heading to market in 2023. An hours-long media roundtable allowed CEO Carlos Tavares to elaborate on his unhappiness about manufacturing electric cars, as well as confirm that Stellantis is making 75 new electric models across its 14 brands. Just because it's pricey doesn't mean it won't happen, it seems.
There's not a lot of detail yet about the electric Jeep other than that it's going to be for the global SUV market. It doesn't have a name, and there's no info regarding power levels or battery specs, but let's face it: This is now a well-driven pathway, as shown by most other automakers. Let's assume this thing is a unibody crossover, that it's for the lower-level luxury segment, and that it's just the start of Jeep's electrification journey.
"This new model will launch during the first half of next year and is the first of a comprehensive fully electric Jeep lineup that will cover every SUV segment by 2025," confirmed Tavares. So by 2023, there'll be at least one battery-electric Jeep SUV; then, within the next three years, you can expect an off-roader, a full-size, a mid-size, and a compact crossover to join it.
It's unclear if the United States will indeed get this electric Jeep when it first starts production. At present, plug-in hybrid 4xe variants of the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee are sold stateside. Meanwhile, Europe gets both the Renegade and Compass in 4xe spec—the U.S. doesn't.
This Jeep is likely to share a lot of components with other forthcoming Stellantis EVs, namely from Fiat. If the auto conglomerate is really going to introduce 75 new models, it only makes sense to dig into the parts bin and spread the love around in the name of cost-effectiveness. It's anyone's guess just how efficient this tiny crossover will be, but you can bet the American market is more looking forward to a totally silent Wrangler.
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