American SUV maker, Jeep has officially announced to introduce electric versions of its entire product line-up in the near future. The company will also launch the plug-in hybrid versions of its existing line-up. Jeep has now confirmed a future compact SUV that will be positioned below the Renegade, which will come with pure electric powertrain.
ON the occasion of Jeep’s 80th anniversary, the company’s CEO, Christian Meunier, said that there would be a “Totally emission-free Jeep in all segments by 2025”. Adding to it, Jeep officials including Mark Allen, exterior design head said that the company is looking at every possible segment.
Previous reports suggest that the new Jeep compact SUV will be based on the Groupe PSA’s CMP (Common Modular Platform), which will also underpin the upcoming Citroen C3 compact SUV in India. This compact SUV will also be offered with petrol engine, which will be shared with the Citroen’s CUV. It will be powered by a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine with power output close to 130bhp.
The SUV could receive a front-wheel-drive system as standard, while all-wheel-drive system will be offered on the special variant. It is expected that Jeep could opt at electrification for including AWD functionality in the SUV. This is most likely to be the same set-up, e-all-wheel drive system, which we have already seen on the European-spec Compass and the Renegade. This system replaces the mechanical 4×4 hardware with an e-motor.
Details about the styling of the future electric compact SUV is yet to be revealed, but it likely to feature Jeep’s signature design elements such as the seven-slot grille and trapezoidal wheel openings, as well as shorter front and rear overhangs.
The compact electric version is unlikely to accommodate 4-wheel-drive system, as the CMP platform currently underpins several electric models like the Peugeot e-208, e-2008 and the Corsa e. These models are not offered with 4-wheel-drive system.
Jeep could also use the Stellantis’s new electric technology, which has recently been announced. This all-electric STLA Small platform will be introduce by 2026, and is compatible to feature 4-wheel-drive with electric motors on both axles. This platform can accommodate batteries ranging from 37kWh. Stellantis is aiming to offer a range of up to 300 miles (482kms), which is around 100 miles more than the cars based on the existing e-CMP platform.
Source – autoexpress
