The anticipation for the debut of the first global battery-electric Jeep is building, with details recently unveiled in the US ahead of its scheduled arrival in Australian showrooms in 2024. The highly anticipated Jeep Wagoneer S SUV, set to hit the US market in the second quarter of 2024, boasts an impressive 447kW power and accelerates from 0 to 96km/h in a swift 3.5 seconds.
Notably, the Wagoneer S is the inaugural electric Jeep built on the innovative STLA electric platform. Jeep has shared glimpses of the upcoming electric SUV through a social media teaser and an official press statement. The teaser provides a sneak peek at the SUV’s design, showcasing features like the trademark seven-bar grille illuminated by LEDs, front guard vents, and polished alloy wheels adorned with ‘Wagoneer’ centre caps.
Expected to be one of three new electric SUVs, alongside the Avenger and Recon, Jeep Australia has yet to confirm the release timing for the Wagoneer S and Recon. However, the smaller electric Jeep Avenger is confirmed for a launch in the second half of 2024. The production model of the Wagoneer S appears faithful to the initial concept proposal from 2022, emphasizing its performance capabilities.
The Wagoneer S impressively delivers a powerful 600hp (447kW) and achieves a rapid 0-60mph (96km/h) time of 3.5 seconds, aligning with the earlier claims made during its announcement in 2022. This places it ahead of the anticipated V8 Hemi-powered Jeep Wrangler 392 Rubicon Final Edition in terms of acceleration.
Jeep aims for the Wagoneer S to surpass the Wrangler Final Edition’s quarter-mile time of 12.9 seconds. Additionally, the electric SUV is targeting a commendable range of 443km on a single charge, and it will incorporate Jeep’s 4xe four-wheel drive system.
While the electric Avenger takes precedence as the first electric Jeep, having been on sale in Europe since 2023 and set to arrive in Australia in the latter part of 2024, the Wagoneer S assumes a pivotal role as the brand’s first globally available electric model. Jeep envisions an electric future, with plans to have half of its North American vehicle sales electric by 2030 and a fully electric lineup in Europe by the same year. The delayed launch of the global electric Jeep Recon, confirmed for Australia, hints at the significance of the Wagoneer S in Jeep’s electric vehicle strategy. Jeep initiated its electric journey with the introduction of the Cherokee 4xe plug-in hybrid in Australia in August 2023.
