The Jeep brand expects that by 2030, at least 50% of their vehicles sold in the United States and 100% of vehicles sold in Europe will be battery electric vehicles (BEV), or all-electric. While the Jeep 4xe models have quickly become the bestselling plug-in hybrid models in the US market since being introduced, the brand doesn’t have any all-electric vehicles, but yesterday on September 8 – what the brand calls Jeep 4xe Day – Stellantis introduced three of the first BEVs that will lead this shift to full electrification. This includes two models which will be offered here in North America, along with one new model that will only be sold in European and Asian markets.

“Driven by the success of our electrified 4xe portfolio in North America and Europe, we are designing and developing the most capable and sustainable Jeep SUVs to date, on our path to becoming the leading zero-emission SUV brand in the world,” said Christian Meunier, CEO of the Jeep brand. “This is a forward-thinking strategy to help ensure millions of Jeep fans around the world continue to have a planet to explore, embrace and protect. Electrification is great for our brand, making it even more
capable, exciting, sustainable and fun.”

First up, we have the Jeep Avenger, which is slated to be the brand’s first all-electric vehicle to go on sale, but this one won’t be offered in the United States. This small SUV will sit just under the Renegade in the brand’s European lineup and it is expected to begin arriving in showrooms in early 2023. This small, sporty electric SUV will make its formal debut in October at the Paris Motor Show and when production begins, this new model will be built at the company’s plant in Tychy, Poland.

Jeep hasn’t provided many details on the new Avenger, but we know that it will be all-electric, it will come with four-wheel-drive and it will offer “impressive ground clearance, breakover and approach angles for its segment”, which means that the company has obviously put some thought into off-roading with this small BEV.

Next up, we have the vehicle which the brand is calling “one of the first all-new electric SUVs that will launch in North America”, the Jeep Recon. While the details are once again brief, this new model has been designed specifically to be an all-electric model, but this isn’t your average BEV that is built for nothing more than the daily drive.

The Jeep Recon is clearly inspired by the legendary Wrangler line, with removable doors and side glass and a one-touch folding power top, but the appearance is just the beginning. This Jeep is engineered to be Trail Rated, with the Selec-Terrain traction management system, an electronic locking axles, under-body protection and aggressive off-road tires. Even the UConnect system will be upgraded for this vehicle, including travel maps of the country’s best known off-road trails.

In short, the Jeep Recon will allow you to remove the doors and hit the harshest trails, relying fully on electric power with a navigation system that can guide you through the wilderness. According Jeep head Meunier, this vehicle will have the ability to conquer the legendary Rubicon Trail with enough battery life remaining to drive back to your hotel in town.

The company hasn’t provided any power or range numbers, but we know that the plan is to “display” the Jeep Recon to the American public in 2023, which likely means that it will be on display at auto shows and events prior to going on sale. Prospective buyers in the United States will be able to place an order for the all-electric Recon in 2023 with production beginning in 2024. After the North American rollout, Jeep plans to offer the Recon in most major global markets.

Finally, the most interesting vehicle announced on September 8 is the Jeep Wagoneer S and we call it the most interesting for two reasons; it is on a platform that is already on sale today and the brand issued some very real – and very impressive – numbers.

The press release introducing these three electric SUVs stated that the all-electric Wagoneer S will have a “unique, sleek, aerodynamic design”. That, and the images from Jeep, suggest that the Wagoneer BEV will ride on the same chassis as the gasoline-powered models, but it will likely have package-specific exterior styling to improve aerodynamics, thus improving the all-electric range.

While these numbers are only “targets” right now, Jeep plans for the Wagoneer S to offer 400 miles of driving range on a single charge, which would make it the leader in the BEV SUV segment, as the Tesla Model X offers around 350 miles on a charge. That range will definitely appeal to anyone shopping for a large SUV with the ability to cover the most ground, but the Wagoneer S will also offer very impressive performance figures.

Jeep is targeting 600 horsepower, which with the standard all-wheel-drive system will propel this big SUV from a stop to 60 miles per hour in just 3.5 seconds. Seeing as how the current Wagoneer weighs around 6,000 pounds, sprinting to 60 in the mid-three-second range is mighty impressive. For example, the 797-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye hits 60 from a stop in 3.4 seconds, so the all-electric Wagoneer will be nearly as quick as the Dodge Redeye models.

Of course, in addition to impressive range and performance from the all-electric drivetrain, the Jeep Wagoneer S will be just as plush inside as the current gasoline-driven models. To put it simply, if Jeep hits those range and performance numbers while maintaining the premium feel of the Wagoneer lineup, this new all-electric model will quickly rise to the top of the BEV SUV segment, offering more range and comfort than the Tesla SUVs.

Like the Recon, the Jeep Wagoneer S will be displayed around North America in 2023, with the first orders for this large all-electric SUV being accepted early in the year. Production will begin for North American in 2024 and the brand also plans to sell this model all over the world.

Sport utility vehicles have become the chosen method of transportation for many Americans and with Jeep being the leader in both on- and off-road SUVs, these all-electric models look like the perfect way for Stellantis to come storming into the EV game. The Avenger and Recon look like great options for those who want a smaller, more affordable electric SUV while the Wagoneer S seems like the perfect vehicle to challenge the Tesla Model X – offering better range, more luxury and a far better reputation for both quality and capability.