Forward-looking: Jeep had its fun stuffing 707 horsepower, 6.2 liter supercharged Hellcat engines in Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawks, but the auto world is bound and determined to go electric and Jeep is just along for the ride. The Stellantis-owned automaker's first official EV is the Wagoneer S, a premium battery-electric vehicle (BEV) boasting a range of more than 300 miles on a single charge.
The electric powertrain generates 600 horsepower, and more than 800 Nm of instant torque, which is enough to propel the SUV from zero to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds. That is quick, especially for a big and heavy luxury SUV.
Elsewhere, owners can look forward to Jeep's proprietary Selec-Terrain traction management system with five dedicated driving mods including sport, eco, snow, sand, and auto. Jeep says the Launch Edition (destined for the US only) will feature amenities like a seven-slot illuminated grille, 20-inch gloss black wheels, gloss black and dark neutral gray exterior elements, and a dual-pane panoramic sunroof.
The grille has been completely redesigned, considering it is no longer responsible for feeding fresh air to a massive engine under the hood. As for the trim, Jeep said it avoided chrome as they looked to incorporate more environmentally friendly processes and materials into the build.
As for tech on the inside, owners will have access to 45 inches of usable screen space – a metric that Jeep claims is the best in its class. Premium ventilated and heated seats in the front and rear are also standard.
The sound system shouldn't be a concern, either, considering the Wagoneer S comes equipped with 19 speakers including a 12-inch subwoofer and an amplifier pushing 1,160 watts courtesy of McIntosh Audio.
The Wagoneer S packs a 400-volt, 100-kilowatt-hour battery that can charge from 20 percent to 80 percent in just 23 minutes when using a DC fast charger. Every Wagoneer S Launch Edition includes a 48-amp Level 2 home charger or public charging credits of equal value via Free2move Charge, Stellantis' charging ecosystem.
Jeep said the EV is being built on the STLA Large platform, which is also expected to serve the upcoming all electric Dodge Charger Daytona SRT. It is not a direct fit, however, as engineers had to adjust the length, width, suspension, and powertrain bits specifically for the Wagoneer S. The team was also able to improve body torsion stiffness by 35 percent compared to earlier mid-sized Jeep SUVs for an even better ride.
And for those that really like to geek out on the numbers, the Wagoneer S has a coefficient of drag of 0.29, the lowest for any Jeep ever and roughly 15 percent better than the average SUV.
The Jeep Wagoneer S will be launching initially in the US and Canada in the second half of 2024 before eventually finding its way to additional global markets. Pricing starts at $71,995 including destination fee.