After hitting its peak in 2018, just short of a million units sold, the Jeep® brand has faced five consecutive years of decline in sales, falling south of 644,000 units last year. With a recent shake-up in Jeep management, the automaker looks to change that direction.
Jeep® CEO Antonio Filosa has now taken the reins and is moving forward to bring Jeep back to greatness. His first move was to drop prices on popular models like the Compass and Grand Cherokee, but he also announced the discontinuation of the premium Wagoneer brand, moving the iconic nameplate back under the Jeep banner. In a recent interview with Automotive News, Filosa highlighted a few positive things that could be coming down the pipeline.
While the launch of two new D-segment electric vehicles (EVs) in 2024 with the premium Wagoneer S (KX) and off-road-oriented Recon (EJ), Jeep is looking to take advantage of white spaces in the market at the moment. But before the vehicles can come to market, the EV market has been on a decline in recent months in the U.S. Filosa stated that gasoline versions are being considered as well.
Both vehicles are being developed on the STLA Large architecture, the same platform as the new Dodge Charger. Thanks to that multi-energy architecture, it should be a fairly easy adjustment to adopt a gasoline powertrain for both vehicles. Both the Wagoneer S and Recon will debut with 400-volt electrical architectures upon launch, with 800-volt electrical architectures coming later in 2025.
According to Filosa, the American adventure brand could reveal its all-new 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S to the U.S. market as early as July. Production of the brand’s first all-electric model for the North American market, the Wagoneer S, is scheduled to begin in the second quarter, with the first deliveries potentially taking place in the third quarter.
The Wagoneer S is set to debut with a dual e-motor setup producing around 600 horsepower. This will allow the Wagoneer S to achieve a 0 to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds, making it the fastest Jeep vehicle ever. The Wagoneer S will also feature a targeted range of around 435 miles (700 km) when it arrives in dealers’ showrooms.
Joining the Wagoneer S later in the fourth-quarter will be the all-new Jeep Recon. Developed during the COVID pandemic, the Recon blends the best attributes of the body-on-frame Wrangler with a more conventional unibody SUV. As the first all-electric off-road-oriented SUV from Jeep, the company says it will successfully tackle the legendary Rubicon Trail.
Hopefully, a move back to ICE engines for these new models, which could also potentially lower the price of the vehicles, could bring more customers into the Jeep brand and boost sales.
Source: Automotive News
 in 2024 with the premium Wagoneer S (KX) and off-road-oriented Recon (EJ), Jeep is looking to take advantage of white spaces in the market at the moment.){kind=link}