Jeep also electrifies off-road

Jeep is becoming more and more electric. And the iconic US brand shows how this works during a test drive in the snowy mountains. Motivated by the success of the first battery-electric Jeep, the Avenger, the Americans only want to sell cars in Europe from 2030 in which at least part of the drive system is electric. The Avenger, "Car of the Year" 2023, is the best-selling Jeep in Germany alongside the Rubicon.

In 2024, the Avenger will be offered with plug-in hybrid as well as electric and petrol drive. This means that all-wheel drive is also making its way into the entry-level model. Until now, it was only available with front-wheel drive. The petrol engine on the front axle is then supported by an electric rear axle. Even if the drive battery is empty, the 1.3-liter turbo petrol engine can supply enough juice to the rear electric motor so that the Avenger can dig its way out of snowdrifts or through mud holes. The Avenger 4Xe will produce 190 hp (140 kW), of which (44 kW) 60 hp is provided by the rear electric motor. Around 60 purely electric kilometers should be possible. The price is expected to be under 40,000 euros.

There will also be a fully electric luxury SUV from Jeep, the Wagoneer S: it should offer a range of 600 kilometers and acceleration to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds. With the model name, the brand is harking back to the first luxury SUV in automotive history: The first-generation Wagoneer combined the off-road capability of a Jeep with the comfort of a saloon back in 1963. The Wagoneer S is expected at the end of 2024. The robust Recon, a fully electric off-roader, will follow the following year: 100 percent electric, 100 percent Jeep, promises the concept. (aum)