Jeep Believes New All-Electric SUVs Are the Key to Turning Around Sales
Jeep plans to take on the Tesla Model Y with the all-electric Wagoneer S and Recon.
Jeep sales have been struggling over the last five years. It seems that as the automotive industry transitioned to more and more all-electric vehicles that Jeep has been left behind. Jeep’s new CEO, Antonio Filosa is looking to turn that all around. And he is pinning his hopes on a couple of new all-electric Jeep models to do it. Filosa spoke with Automotive News, and he indicated that the recent sales slump is due to a lack of models in key SUV segments. And what he means is key EV SUV segments. With the Wrangler 4xe and Grand Cherokee 4xe Jeep has a couple of solid plug-in hybrid choices. However, the lineup is lacking any fully electric model.
After reaching almost 1 million in sales in 2018, Jeep sales totaled just 643,000 in 2023. This led to Jeep slashing prices in order to attract buyers. But slashing prices is not an effective long-term strategy. Jeep needs to build models that consumers want. And the company feels that all-electric vehicles are those models. They are looking at the Wagoneer S and Recon models to take the fight to the Tesla Model Y. The Model Y was the best-selling EV in America last year with 394,497 units sold. If Jeep could take a piece of that pie, it would be a huge win.
Jeep Wagoneer S
The Jeep Wagoneer S is expected to pack about 600 horsepower which should move the all-electric SUV to 60 mph in about 3.5 seconds. It will also have an estimated range of 400 miles. Those are some impressive numbers. This performance does not come cheap, however. Prices are expected to be in the $80K to $100K range. That makes the Jeep far more expensive than the Model Y that starts at around $45K. The Wagoneer S may turn out to be an impressive machine, but at those prices, it is not going to be a volume sales leader.
Jeep Recon
The Recon will be the second EV model in the Jeep lineup after the Wagoneer S. And this will be more of a Wrangler-like model. It will come with options such as removable doors and windows. It is also expected to be able to tackle the same tough off-road trails as the Wrangler. Jeep’s previous head of North American operations, Jim Morrison, claimed the Recon has the capability to navigate the renowned Rubicon Trail. More importantly, it can “reach the end of the trail with enough range to drive back to town and recharge,” said Morrison. Will that be enough for the Jeep faithful? The Recon is going to be priced lower than the Wagoneer S, but at an expected starting price of around $60K, it will not be cheap.
All-Electric Jeep Turnaround
We all love the Jeep brand and hope that it manages to stop its sales slide and turn things around. You may not be a fan of all-electric vehicles, but it seems as though they will be critical in ensuring that Jeep stays around. So, whether you like EVs or not, you should hope that the Wagoneer S and Recon both become sales hits.
Photos: Stellantis