Jeep’s first electric car offers a range of 249 miles and is also available with petrol and plug-in hybrid power
- Range of up to 249 miles
- Electric, plug-in hybrid and mild-hybrid powertrains
- Due on sale early in 2023
After months of teasers and renders, Jeep has finally pulled the covers off its first-ever electric SUV, dubbed the Avenger. The Jeep Avenger will sit below the ageing Renegade in the American brand’s lineup and will also be available with frugal mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, as well as electric power.
Pricing for the new Jeep Avenger is yet to be announced, but we expect electric models of the compact crossover to start from just over £30,000 when they go on sale in early 2023 – petrol-powered cars will cost slightly less. When it arrives in showrooms, the Avenger will be a rival for both petrol and electric versions of the Vauxhall Mokka and Peugeot 2008.
As we had surmised from the multitude of teaser photos, the Jeep Avenger adopts a much squatter, chunkier shape than similarly-sized rivals such as the Hyundai Kona. At the front, the Avenger gets a similar look to the new Jeep Grand Cherokee. This comprises a set of slim, rectangular headlights and a narrow version of Jeep’s iconic slatted grille – although, this will be blocked off for the sake of improving efficiency on fully-electric models.
At the rear, the Jeep Avenger wears a set of LED cross-shaped tail lights, similar to those seen on the full-sized Jeep Wrangler 4×4. Minus the blocked off grille and a handful of badges, the only way onlookers will be able to tell the difference between hybrid petrol and pure electric versions of the Avenger will be the presence of a small exhaust pipe at the rear.
Speaking of which, Jeep is yet to provide full specifications for each kind of powertrain. What we do know at this stage is that the Avenger EV will have a range of up to 249 miles – 35 miles more than what is possible in the equivalent Peugeot e-2008 or Vauxhall Mokka-e that use similar Stellantis group technology. This indicates that the electric Avenger will most likely use a 50kWh battery, meaning a 10-80% charge could take as little as 30 minutes when plugged into a 100kW public charger.
At this stage, very little is known about the upcoming plug-in hybrid model; however, we expect the entry-level mild-hybrid car to utilise parent company Stellantis’ 1.2-litre ‘Puretech’ three-cylinder engine. This is the same engine that appears in the Peugeot 208 and Vauxhall Corsa, however here it should have a boost to fuel economy thanks to 48-volt mild-hybrid tech.
Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until the Paris Motor Show on 17 October to not only find out the price of the new Jeep Avenger, but also discover what its interior looks like. Nonetheless, Jeep has said the tiny SUV will make use of the brand’s latest UConnect infotainment system, as seen in other recent models.
What does this mean for car buyers?
Jeep has pledged to become an all-electric brand in Europe by 2030, and the Avenger is its first step towards that goal. Over the next few years, Jeep has promised to introduce another three EVs to its lineup, including a retro-styled SUV called the Recon and a range-topping Jeep Wagoneer S.
For now, the Avenger seems to be a tempting proposition bringing a more rugged flavour to the small SUV class. Electric alternatives from Peugeot and Vauxhall can’t quite match the Jeep in terms of range, which gives it a further edge. However, to succeed, Jeep will need to ensure the new car starts as close to £30,000 as possible, due to the larger, 289-mile Kia Niro EV costing only slightly more.
Keyword: New Jeep Avenger is a small but mighty electrified SUV