Electric Dreams at Jeep

Jeep’s gas-powered 2024 Wrangler may have been the product of the moment during the brand’s New York International Auto Show news conference, but company officials made it clear that “electrified” powertrains — whether hybrid or all-electric — will increasingly come to dominate its future.

The brand already offers two plug-in hybrids, noted Christian Meunier, the off-road brand’s global CEO. And there’s more coming — soon — including the first Jeep battery-electric vehicle.

“The entire Jeep line will offer electrified options by 2025,” said Meunier, adding that Jeep’s target is to have 50% of its U.S. sales come from hybridized and all-electric models by 2030.

That number is likely to be even higher in some global markets where regulators are laying out aggressive new mandates. Europe, for example, is moving to ban the sale of anything but pure battery-electric vehicles by 2035, with some markets, such as the UK and Norway, expected to hit that target even sooner.

Already a success

Jeep already has scored big with its first two entries into the emerging market for electrified vehicles with two plug-in hybrids. The Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe is now the best-selling PHEV in the U.S., recently relegating to second place the Jeep Wrangler 4xe.

During his presentation and subsequent conversation with TheDetroitBureau.com, Meunier was sparse with details about where Jeep is next going. But the brand already confirmed plans to roll out its first all-electric model, the Jeep Recon. It is getting ready to open up an advance order bank, with the battery-powered SUV set to go into production sometime in 2024.

Roughly Wrangler-sized, Recon is based off the new STLA Large “architecture,” one of four all-electric platforms being developed by Jeep’s parent, Stellantis. It will offer many of the features that have made Wrangler so popular, including skid plates, an easily operated terrain management system, and removable doors and roof.

Rapid retrench

Plans call for Recon to be built alongside Wrangler and then exported worldwide.

With sibling Ram now working on an all-electric midsize pickup that could reach market as early as 2026, Meunier was asked if that product might be shared with Jeep. The French-born executive ruled that out, saying Stellantis brands won’t “step on” one another. But he did leave open the possibility that Jeep would come up with a midsize EV pickup of its own.

It has made a success out of its current midsize truck, the gas-powered Gladiator and, Meunier confirmed, it will be one of the models to get an electrified drivetrain by 2026. That will begin, at least, with a version of the plug-in 4xe technology. By mid-decade, it now appears, all Jeeps will have a PHEV option. But how many pure EVs will be in the line-up is uncertain. “Stay tuned,” said Meunier.

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• Source: https://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2023/04/electric-dreams-at-jeep/