• Jeep’s CEO says the Wagoneer S EV will launch when it’s good and ready, not before.
It's no secret that Jeep has had reliability issues in recent times. Lately, manufacturing quality problems have also been highlighted within certain American plants. Problems recognized and addressed by Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares.
Jeep aims to turn the tide with the brand's first all-electric model. The Wagoneer S is due to make its debut this year. “Due” doesn’t mean it will, though. It still could, but it could also be postponed until Jeep is satisfied with its level of quality.
Brand CEO Antonio Filosa stressed that the division is focusing more on quality than any specific launch date, this when asked if the EV was still coming to market before the end of this year.
He did say the Wagoneer S was close to ready, and that the factory that manufactures it in Toluca, Mexico, had informed him that “quality is improving”. But Filosa was clear: “No launch if the quality isn’t perfect”.
In Filosa’s view, the Wagoneer S carries the responsibility of being the first electric vehicle in Jeep's history in the all-important North American market. “I want perfect quality, and I know that we are close, but close is not good enough. Timing is important, but more important than that is to be perfect for the consumers that will give us the privilege to buy this car.”
This comes at a time when Jeep sales are in decline in North America. Even the Wrangler, sales of which are normally rock steady, has suffered a drop.
To attract consumers put off by inflation and high vehicle prices, Jeep has lowered the pricing of several of its models and is working to reduce inventories. U.S. sales were down 19 percent in the second quarter and 9.3 percent in the first half of the year. Only two models saw sales growth: the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer SUVs.
August was an excellent month, according to Antonio Filosa. He mentioned a 22 percent increase in market share over the previous month, and a 12 percent increase in sales in August, despite the disappearance of the Cherokee and Renegade models, which were still in the lineup at this time last year.
And with the arrival of electric models such as the Wagoneer S, the Recon EV and a possible Renegade EV (the promised affordable model), sales are expected to pick up on a more stable and sustainable basis.
Jeep has always been somewhat conservative in its approach, but it is obviously working to adjust. If it can start by improving the quality of its products, that will be a first step in the right direction.
