When we say the words “electric Jeep,” do you picture a luxurious, high-performance vehicle made for the pavement?
You should. Jeep just debuted its first electric vehicle (EV) in the U.S., the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S. It arrives in dealerships this fall, with a starting price of $71,995 (including destination fees) for Launch Edition models.
Classic Jeep Styling Wrapped Around Aerodynamic Body
It’s sleek by Jeep standards and smaller than anything else with a Wagoneer badge. This 5-passenger electric is SUV is slightly smaller than a midsize Grand Cherokee, though still large enough for Jeep to keep it in the same class.
The Wagoneer S is easy to identify as a Jeep, but the brand’s rugged styling and seven-slot grille are almost illusions on this vehicle. The grille is mostly a lighting effect (EVs don’t need the airflow of a grille since they have no engine to cool). The blocky look comes courtesy of an immense rear wing with heavy sides that hide a sleek, coupe-like roofline when viewed in profile.
The body is sleek enough to boast a 0.29 coefficient of drag – the kind of number sports car designers aim for. It rides on 20-inch wheels.
Luxurious, Screen-Filled Cabin
Inside, it earns its Wagoneer name. The gas-powered Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are Jeep’s most luxurious vehicles. The Wagoneer S keeps up, with faux leather upholstery (a gorgeous cherry red in the Launch Edition shown to the press) and heated and ventilated seats in both front and rear. A panoramic sunroof, heated steering wheel, 19-speaker McIntosh audio system, and a standard head-up display add to the luxe feel.
And, like other Wagoneer models, it’s heavy on screens. The driver gets a 12.3-inch display screen. A matching 12.3-inch touchscreen handles infotainment duties. And passengers get a 10.25-inch screen of their own.
It’s all standard for now. At launch, Jeep will only sell the fully loaded Launch Edition. We expect less expensive future trims to forego some of the goodies or make them added-cost options.
0-60 In 3.4 Seconds
You might expect the first electric Jeep in the U.S. to be an off-road specialist. But the Wagoneer S is something different. It boasts 600 horsepower from a pair of electric motors, one per axle, making every Wagoneer S all-wheel drive (AWD). Jeep says it gets from zero to 60 mph in a sports-car-like 3.4 seconds.
The company predicts a driving range of “more than 300 miles,” though the EPA hasn’t published an official figure yet. Jeep says its 100-kWh battery pack can charge from 20% to 80% in just 23 minutes when connected to a DC fast charger.
We’d note, however, that most manufacturers post a figure from 10% to 80%, not 20% to 80%. Jeep may be obscuring the numbers slightly because the Wagoneer S uses a 400-volt architecture, half the capacity of the 800-volt systems common to Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagen, and several rivals.
Off-Road EV Coming Later
The Wagoneer S is an impressive package, visually stunning, and posting excellent performance numbers. But it’s pricey, coming not long after Jeep promised to lower prices and pause plans for a high-end Wagoneer sub-brand.
It’s also not the off-roader fans might have expected. That one is coming, however. Jeep will release a second EV, the Recon, later this year. It’s the kind of doors-off, hit-the-trail model you might have expected.
Many manufacturers enter the EV space with a higher-priced model and rely on early sales and lessons learned to bring costs down for future models. The Wagoneer S may be the kind of high-priced proof-of-concept that leads to more affordable Jeep EVs in the future.
It has the quickness to compete with Tesla’s Performance models and steal buyers from a few luxury EVs. We’ll bring you driving impressions soon.
