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Jeep’s $25,000 EV will be the next-generation Renegade

During a Stellantis investor presentation, executives including the brand’s CEO Antonio Filosa provided a look at the future of Jeep through 2027. It includes new and updated models, and plenty of electrification, with products both at the high and low ends of the price range.

One of the big announcements was for a little vehicle: the next-generation Jeep Renegade. (Current model shown above.) The compact SUV will launch with a fully-electric variant, which Filosa said will start at under $25,000. In response to a question during a media roundtable, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said that this electric Renegade would have to use lithium-iron-phosphate battery chemistry (an alternative to the currently more common nickel-manganese-cobalt chemistry) because of the lower cost of the materials. Furthermore, he noted that there would need to be LFP battery-producing facilities in North America in order qualify for tax credits. We conclude from this that the MSRP of the electric Renegade will likely be above $25,000 but will slide under that mark after federal tax credits.

But Renegade isn’t the only new model on the way. The Jeep Compass is getting a new generation by 2027. And joining both these models will be the unnamed midsize SUV announced with the Wagoneer S reveal. While no name has been given, it will likely be the new Cherokee, or a Cherokee successor with a different name. And getting refreshes along the way will be the Wrangler, Gladiator, Grand Cherokee, Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. And the whole lineup as of 2027 will include five PHEV variants, a range-extended model and six full EVs. Some of these will of course be variants of the same model, such as the Wrangler 4xe PHEV, the Wagoneer 4xe range-extender and the aforementioned Renegade EV.

Two of the six full EVs announced will be revealed in 2025. One will be on the STLA Large platform, and the other on the STLA Medium platform. For reference, Large will be used for E- and D-segment vehicles, such as Grand Cherokee and Cherokee respectively. And Medium will be used for D- and C-segment vehicles, the latter of which would be representative of the Compass and the next-generation version.

Coming back to Renegade, we’re expecting that to come later than these larger models. We also expect it, as a B-segment vehicle with a very low price and multiple powertrain options, to be using the Stellantis Smart Car platform (not to be confused with the Daimler’s Smart car brand). Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares hinted at this when talking about the Citroen e-C3, which also uses this platform, in the same breath as the Renegade, which hadn’t been named at the time. It supports B- and C-segment vehicles, hybrid engines and electric powertrains, with the latter being available with up to 249 miles of range. That range estimate is likely in WLTP terms, so would probably be lower on the EPA cycle.

So the next few years should be interesting for Jeep. And the electrification really kicks off within the year, with the Wagoneer S going on sale by the end of the year, and the Recon going on sale in earnest next year.

Update: Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares provided additional information regarding the Jeep Renegade EV. The text has been updated to reflect this. 

 

 

 

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