Jeep has said publicly on more than once occasion lately that it plans to introduce an affordable electric SUV, with the goal of pricing it at or under $25,000 USD. Yesterday the automaker confirmed it’s going to bring back the Renegade name for that. The Renegade EV will be a de facto new generation of the SUV model, which was retired at the end of 2023.
The electric SUV should debut for 2027, with all-new styling and little in common with the defunct Renegade other than the nomenclature, and perhaps the overall dimensions.
Jeep CEO Antonio Filosa confirmed the model at an investor presentation. And as you'd expect these days, the manufacturer figures it’s wise not to rule out gas-engine and/or hybrid powertrains.
In any case the big news with this future small BEV is the promised price tag. It’s not clear if that $25,000 figure includes any EV discounts that might be applicable. That would be surprising, but the question has been raised.
Also on stage during the presentation was Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, who said the company will have to produce lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries to make that $25,000 price possible in the U.S. At present, the company cannot produce the cheaper LFP batteries in the U.S., which could represent an obstacle to obtaining federal tax credits.
In other words, good as that price point sounds, several conditions have to converge for the model to be priced at that level when it launches for 2027, so we’ll see.
Several other electric models are expected from Jeep, but apart from the Wagoneer S, which is confirmed for this year, there’s still a lot we don’t know about the Recon and the other electrified model variants expected from the brand.