First look at electric Jeep SUV ahead of October debut

Jeep remains one of the few carmakers yet to feature an EV in its line-up, but that’s set to change early in 2023 when the US brand launches the compact electric SUV you see here. The first electric Jeep’s name is still under wraps, but it’ll be revealed along with other details at the Paris Motor Show in October.

Spy shots of the baby Jeep EV confirm that the car’s styling is identical to the concept art shared back in March. Up front, there’s a blanked-out version of the brand’s iconic seven-slot grille and the blue ‘e’ badging already worn by plug-in hybrid Jeeps. The rear gets a set of X-shaped tail lights and a gently sloping roofline.

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We can also see the as-yet-unnamed EV sits rather high and has large black plastic bumpers and side cladding, to give it a more off-road-ready look. The same goes for the pronounced wheelarches, while the short front and rear overhangs should help maximise cabin space, and improve approach and departure angles when tackling inclines off-road.

Although its underpinnings are unconfirmed for now, the new Jeep is likely to be a sister model to the existing DS 3 Crossback E-TENSE, Peugeot e-2008 and Vauxhall Mokka-e SUVs. While the Stellantis Group which owns Jeep is working on a new mechanical platform called ‘STLA Small’ that’ll underpin a variety of future small electric models, offering four-wheel drive and up to 300 miles’ driving range, it won’t arrive until 2026.

As a result, we expect that Jeep’s first EV will sit on the same ‘e-CMP’ platform as those DS, Peugeot and Vauxhall models. That would mean at least 100kW rapid-charging capability and a 50kWh battery, which should be enough for a range of just over 200 miles. What’s not clear is whether the new Jeep will be available with four-wheel-drive – until now an essential feature of all the brand’s models.

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We’ll have to wait a few more months to find out if the car gets a dual-motor, four-wheel-drive variant or sticks solely with front-wheel drive. In terms of size, the first Jeep EV will sit below the existing Renegade in Jeep’s line-up, with potential rivals including the Smart #1, Kia Niro EV, Hyundai Kona Electric and MG 4 EV, not to mention its Stellantis stablemates.

This isn’t the only electric model on the way from Jeep: according to Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, this model will be “the first of a comprehensive fully electric Jeep line-up that’ll cover every SUV segment by 2025.” In the meantime, the brand is close to offering petrol-electric plug-in hybrid versions of its entire current line-up, comprising the Renegade, Compass, Grand Cherokee and Wrangler.