Jeep has introduced its first fully electric SUV for the North American market. The Wagoneer S unveiled recently, is set to be available in the US and Canada later this year before being sold in other markets, making it Jeep’s first global EV.
The new Wagoneer S has a sleeker, more aerodynamic shape than the Jeep Wagoneer models sold today. The SUV will produce up to 600 horsepower from two electric motors and will be able to accelerate to 60 miles an hour in just 3.4 seconds. It will also be able to drive more than 300 miles on a fully charged battery pack before needing to recharge.
While off-road capability is a core part of Jeep’s brand image, Stellantis did not boast of off-road capability in its unveiling of the Wagoneer S. But the company revealed a concept version called the Wagoneer S Trailhawk, with large off-road tires and raised suspension, alongside the planned production model. Jeep is working on putting the Wagoneer S Trailhawk into production. Jeep’s product plans already include a rugged off-road capable EV called the Recon which will be available early next year.
In part due to environmental concerns, the Wagoneer S will not have wood or leather inside and no chrome on the exterior. It will be the first model in Stellantis’s move away from using chrome on its vehicles, because of concerns over the chemicals used in its production. In place of leather inside the vehicle will be synthetic materials that will have the feel of actual leather.
The Wagoneer S will test the appetite of Jeep customers for a fully electric model. The new SUV embodies Jeep’s parent company Stellantis’s flexible strategy toward developing and building EVs. New Stellantis vehicles are designed so the same basic engineering can be used to build gas-powered, plug-in hybrid, or fully electric models, allowing the automaker to pivot quickly to meet market demand.
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