2024 Wagoneer S: Jeep’s Foray into Electrification
Photo Source: Stellantis
Jeep is finally ready to go electric in the United States. The storied 4×4 maker announced on Thursday, January 18, 2024, that its first domestic electric vehicle will be the “premium” Wagoneer S. The battery-powered SUV is expected to go on sale later this year (2024) and will come equipped with a potent powertrain that promises to deliver the performance expected from one of the brand’s vehicles. Of note, the announcement has not come out of nowhere. In September of 2022, Jeep held an event dubbed Jeep 4xe Day and spoke about its plans for future electrified vehicles. It promised to introduce two electric vehicles in the 2024 model year, the boxy Recon and the more classical-looking Wagoneer S.
Much commotion was made about the Recon electric vehicle, likely to bring Wrangler-like traits such as a removable top to the electric SUV market. However, the other electric vehicle news was one of a different tack with the Wagoneer S. While the name might suggest it will be a three-row luxury SUV like the gasoline-fueled Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, it seems poised to be a two-row, street-oriented performance crossover. Moreover, it now appears that the latter automobile will be the first to arrive, even though a press release from the automaker made no mention of the other SUV.
The Design Elements
It is worth noting that Jeep has not yet unveiled the electric vehicle’s final design but did release a tantalizing teaser image. The production variant of the SUV retains much of the coupe-like styling of the original concept but remains recognizably a Jeep product. The seven-bar grille is now accented by LED lighting, while an edge-to-edge daytime running light connects the familiar headlights.
The manufacturer has only released a single image of the SUV so far, but the accompanying teaser clip provides a bit more context. The rear features a continuous rear light bar like the Grand Wagoneer concept, which did not make it to the production model. The SUV also looks like it will ride on some slick machined face wheels with black and silver spokes.
Propelling the Jeep Wagoneer S
There is slightly more concrete information regarding the Wagoneer S vehicle’s powertrain. Jeep has confirmed the Wagoneer S will be offered solely in an electric guise, generating 600 horsepower and easily making it the most powerful model in the Wagoneer lineup. Nonetheless, this Jeep will also be unique in another way: It should fill the role left empty by the dearly departed Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk trim as a truly sporty SUV.
It will also accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in merely 3.5 seconds. To clarify, that does not just make it swift by modern SUV standards. A 3.5-second 60 miles per hour sprint time makes it as quick as various supercars; just a generation ago, such performance would put the Jeep among the quickest cars on sale of any size or type.
It is unknown at this juncture how many electric motors the vehicle will have–multiple seems likely, especially if it features all-wheel drive–but it will utilize the same 4xe technology as the brand’s plug-in hybrids and have all-terrain management. Although Jeep has not announced a specific release date for the Wagoneer S, the automaker did say it will arrive this fall (2024), which means it will likely be part of the brand’s 2025 model year lineup.
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