2019 Jeep Renegade PHEV confirmed

It’s a little way off, but if you can wait until the next decade, Jeep might finally offer you the chance to get your hands the first electrified model to wear the classic seven-slot grille – the Renegade PHEV.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Australia is yet to confirm the plug-in hybrid version of the cheekiest Jeep for our market, but it is now official that the model will go on sale in selected global regions from 2020.

The news isn’t entirely unexpected. An FCA social media post originating from the company’s Capital Markets Day earlier this year announced the imminent arrival of a bevy of electrified Fiat 500 variants, and while it did not specifically mention the Renegade, the two cars are platform mates and roll down the same production line in Melfi, Italy.

“FCA announces @Fiat 500 #GreenFamily - full BEV of class-leading #Fiat500 and all-new #Giardiniera model will be joined by #hybrid versions on the #Fiat500X and #Fiat500L to create a fully electrified #Fiat500 family.”

https://twitter.com/fcagroup/status/1002524923909287936

Putting two and two together, an electrified Renegade was a matter of not if, but when.

With the variant now confirmed, pre-production versions will roll-out before the decade is out, bearing the first fruits of a €200m (A$324m) investment to develop FCA’s first electrified drivetrain.

No technical details regarding performance, range or charging times have yet been made public but the Renegade is expected to align closely with its electrified 500X stablemate, although, unlike the Fiat, no full electric version is officially on the cards at this stage.

The announcement of a plug-in Jeep ties in to the company’s alternative energy strategy, and there will be many more to follow the Renegade if FCA is to stick to its schedule.

“By 2022, FCA will offer 12 electrified propulsion systems (BEV, PHEV, full-hybrid and two mild-hybrid) in global architectures spanning the full range of vehicle segments; 30 nameplates will feature one or more of these systems,” it said in a separate post.

https://twitter.com/fcagroup/status/1002522479858987009

FCA’s charge into electrification was initiated by the plug-in hybrid version of the Pacifica Minivan earlier this year and the mild hybrid Ram 1500 large pick up.