Jeep plans first EV with entry-level SUV

MILAN -- Jeep will launch a full- electric variant of its upcoming entry-level SUV in early 2023, just a few months after the automaker is expected to launch combustion-engine versions of the vehicle.

Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares revealed pictures of the SUV during a presentation of the automaker's Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan on Tuesday.

The small EV "is a first of a number of battery-electric vehicle launches by Jeep that will cover every SUV segment by 2025," Tavares said.

From 2024, all Jeep launches, even in the U.S., will include an EV, he added.

"Electrification will amplify Jeep's core brand attitudes," Tavares said.

According to industry sources, the full-electric Jeep will be built in Poland on a variant of the former PSA Group E-CMP platform, which currently underpins Peugeot 208 and 2008, Opel Corsa and Mokka, Citroen C4, and DS3 Crossback.

A Fiat brand crossover and Alfa Romeo SUV will follow on the platform.

The new model will help "expand the brand's reach and take the next step to achieving Jeep's vision of zero-emissions freedom," Jeep said in a statement.

During the strategy presentation, Tavares did not reveal any technical or pricing details about the new Jeep EV.

The pictures released by Jeep show styling details from current Jeep models including the Compass compact SUV, particularly the front end, and the Renegade and new Grand Cherokee models.

The front end of the SUV has the traditional seven-bar grille, and the overall look of the vehicle is more of an urban SUV than of an off-road vehicle. It is not yet clear whether Jeep will offer four-wheel-drive capabilities with the small Jeep.

The new model, which according to sources could be named Junior Jeep, would slot under the current Renegade, which is assembled in Stellantis' Melfi plant in southern Italy alongside the Fiat 500X small crossover.

Jeep recently renewed its upper SUV segment offering with the launch of the new Grand Cherokee midsize SUV, which has a plug-in hybrid version and is due to be sold in Europe starting later this year.

According to Dataforce, the Jeep brand sold 137,824 units in Europe last year, 6.5 percent more than in 2020. The Renegade was the most popular model with 69,841 sales, followed by the Compass with 57,172.