Jeep EVs confirmed for Australia: Recon and Wagoneer S, Avenger may follow

“We have the (electric) Recon and Wagoneer S, which are secured for Australia."

Jeep has outlined its electric vision for the Australian market with not one, but two battery-powered models coming Down Under – and a third poised to join them.

The trio of seven-slot EVs will roll out globally over the next couple of years and while exact Australian arrival times are yet to be confirmed, the Recon and Wagoneer S are confirmed to lead Jeep’s local electric charge.

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The new electric Jeep Recon is coming to Australia

Speaking at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Jeep Brand CEO Christian Meunier said a pair of electric vehicles will form an important part of Jeep’s reformation in Australia.

“We have the Recon and Wagoneer S, which are secured for Australia,” he said.

“Australia was very much behind two or three years ago and electrification was not even talked about, but I kept questioning and questioning – and look at what happened in the meantime. New Zealand is going 100 per cent full speed ahead, and Australia is catching up, and it will get there.”

The arrival of electrified Jeeps aligns with the ‘promise’ component of Jeep Australia managing director Kevin Flynn’s three-part strategy which, he says, will grow local market share to 4.0 percent by earning back the trust of customers and the introduction of compelling new models.

“Now we’re moving into ‘promise’. We’ve got all of those things that we said we would change, packaged – and you can rely on it,” he said in March.

Until now, a plug-in hybrid Jeep has been the only electrified model spoken about for the Australian market, but Meunier’s confirmation means local dealers will have serious zero-emissions option to compete with growing EV offerings from rival brands.

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The electric Jeep Avenger is not yet confirmed for Australia

As for who Jeep regards as a direct rival?

Meunier offered an insight here too, explaining that the company was done with its strategy to lure customers in with bargain basement price-tags, instead choosing to compete with more premium offerings.

“One of the reasons Australia was struggling was that they were chasing volume and not achieving it. They were pushing the metal but were not brand focused, and the dealers were not making money.

“We’ve stopped all these entry versions, we’ve enriched the portfolio, we’ve made it more premium. We’re not going after the Koreans or the Chinese – we don’t sell transportation, we sell adventure, we sell lifestyle.”

With the Wagoneer S imminent for the line-up, Jeep’s Australian range will gain a coupe-profiled large SUV with 447kW to do battle with the likes of Mercedes EQE and EQS SUVs and Tesla Model X, for example.

While its smaller mid-sized Recon will represent a more lifestyle-focused Jeep offering with folding roof and removable door features and proportions similar to the Wrangler.

Details regarding both models are think on the ground at this stage but both models are expected to launch globally in 2024, with an Australian arrival date and more information expected to be announced soon after.

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The electric Jeep Wagoneer S

Yet to be confirmed is the Avenger small electric SUV, which would complete Jeep’s electric holy trinity. And while Meunier said the third model would be built in RHD, it’s still a “maybe” for Australia at the time of asking.

“Avenger is going to go to the UK, and Japan, and we’re looking at maybe Australia if there is a market for it. The future models for the vast majority of the product are going to be right-hand drive as well.”

That said, a 4Xe electric version of the Gladiator is not yet confirmed for right-hand-drive production, and therefore unlikely for Australia for now.

With relatively meager RHD pickings for the world’s manufacturers, many brands push markets such as the UK, Japan and Australia to the bottom of the production pile, but Meunier said that’s not how Jeep regards those markets – and used the success of Opel (in Europe) since being taken into the fold in 2019.

“GM had struggled for so many years with Opel in Europe, and Opel is now part of Stellantis and very profitable,” he said. “So I think there are a lot of things you can do differently. You can be profitable with RHD as long as you bring the right product with the right powertrains in the right segment.”

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Meunier says the Grand Cherokee 4xe is all any V8-loving driver should want

While Jeep is preparing the ground for an electric assault around the world and Australia, Meunier said thirsty V8s and torque diesels would “go away” as part of the transition, with many of their virtues satisfied by electric.

“Diesel is going to go away because it’s going to die in Europe and because a big volume was coming from Europe and the European manufacturers were really, really promoting diesel. Diesel is going to go away – it’s a matter of time.

“V8 is not the future either. I’m driving a Grand Cherokee 4Xe right now and this thing drives like a V8 or somewhat better”.