The new SUV is Jeep’s second battery-electric model following the small Avenger
US brand sets sights on Model Y with upmarket all-electric SUV; due here next year
The new, 592bhp Jeep Wagoneer S electric SUV will blend an upmarket design focus with sports car levels of performance in a bid to take on the Tesla Model Y.
The new SUV is Jeep’s second battery-electric model following the small Avenger, but it is the first that will be offered globally. It will launch in the US later this year before arriving in the UK next year.
It will be the first time a model carrying Jeep’s upmarket Wagoneer badge, which was first introduced in 1963 and used for a series of more premium models, has been offered here. Jeep is hoping that a more overt focus on premium design and on-road manners will help it grow sales in the crucial D-SUV market.
Jeep CEO Antonio Filosa said the Wagoneer S will be “a global product because we think it will fit many, many consumers”. He added: “It has its roots in the US, where it was developed, but it will be a very good fit for European cities.
It is a D-SUV with the roominess of an E-SUV.” The launch version of the Wagoneer S also has a strong focus on outright performance, thanks to a dual-motor powertrain that offers a substantial 592bhp and 516lb ft.
Jeep has yet to give full performance details, but it has revealed the machine can complete the 0-62mph sprint in 3.4sec. That makes it the fastest-accelerating Jeep in history, eclipsing the V8-powered Grand Cherokee Trackhawk by 0.3sec.
More significantly, that time narrowly eclipses the Model Y Performance – an achievement that has been highlighted in a Jeep promotional video showing the Wagoneer S taking on the Tesla in a time trial.
The Wagoneer S will be one of the first production models to sit on the new electric-focused STLA Large platform, which has been developed by parent firm Stellantis for a wide variety of vehicles, powertrain layouts and battery sizes.
The model will launch with a 100kWh battery for a claimed range of more than 300 miles. It uses a 400V architecture, and while Jeep hasn’t disclosed a maximum charging speed, it claims a 5-80% charge will take 28 minutes.
The new Stellantis-developed motors in the Wagoneer S are described as three-in-one units that combine the motor, gearing and electronics, and they will be mounted on each axle to offer all-wheel drive. They will be twinned with Jeep’s SelecTerrain traction management system with five drive modes including Snow and Sand modes.
The front motor also features wheel disconnects to reduce energy consumption at cruising speed. Jeep says the STLA Large platform offers several structural benefits, claiming 35% improved body torsion stiffness for the Wagoneer S compared with previous similarly sized Jeep SUVs, along with notably reduced noise and vibration levels.
The Wagoneer S is a significant stylistic departure from previous Jeeps, with a smoother and more streamlined body for improved aerodynamics. The traditional seven-element grille has been reimagined as a seven-slot sculpted fascia that includes ambient lighting elements. The sleek bodywork has been integral to achieving a drag coefficient of 0.29 – the lowest yet for a model from the brand – and is key to maximising range.
A premium focus is clear from the interior of the Wagoneer S. Noting the original Wagoneer was “innovative in its time” for blending “premium touches with technology”, Jeep design chief Vince Galante said the same philosophy has been applied to the new car.
Jeep cites a total of 45in of interactive screens, housed in a ‘wing’ sculpture. There is a 12.3in digital driver display, a 12.3in central touchscreen and a 10.25in passenger screen. In a clear nod to Tesla, Galante also noted that the decision to integrate the screens in a single panel rather than a ‘floating’ tablet in the middle of the vehicle was “not our methodology”.
He added: “This is a Jeep: if you want the technology off, if goes away.”
The interior is clearly aiming for a premium customer, with a spacious cabin, a sizeable 866-litre boot, a performance twin-spoke steering wheel and a 19-speaker McIntosh audio system. Black ceramic-coated aluminium applique features on key touch points, which Jeep says is scratchproof and fingerprint-resistant.
There is also substantial use of recycled and recyclable materials, with the seats and instrument panel made from synthetic materials.
The Wagoneer S will launch in the US later this year, before arriving in the UK early next year. UK pricing and specifications have yet to be finalised.
While it will launch with a twin motor powertrain, the line-up will grow in the future, likely encompassing a range-maximising single motor version and possible performance models.
While the machine has been conceived as a bespoke EV, Filosa has previously said the firm could consider a combustion-engined version in the future, depending on EV demand.
Source: Autocar
