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Watch out Kia EV9! The 2024 Jeep Wagoneer SUV is going electric only with an off-road spin, but will this electric car come to Australia?

Jeep will forgo big V6 or V8 engines for its next-gen Wagoneer, debuting a new large electric platform later in 2024.

Jeep has teased its next upcoming SUV model, the new-generation Wagoneer, which is set to go electric-only in 2024.

The Wagoneer nameplate has existed since 1963 in the USA, as the brand’s original large SUV format, prior to the arrival of the Grand Cherokee in the 90s. It has never been offered in significant volumes in Australia, and we missed out on its 2021 revival as a larger more wagon-like take on the Grand Cherokee.

Jeep revealed little about the next-generation model, other than confirming it will be all-new and a global battery electric only offering. It is set to arrive in its US home market by the third quarter of 2024, before launching “in key markets around the world".

It's unclear if one of those key markets is Australia as Jeep is yet to confirm if it will be built in right-hand drive. CarsGuide has contacted Stellantis Australia for more details.

The brand is promising standard all-wheel drive with terrain management capability, with 441kW of power and a 0-100km/h sprint time of “around 3.5 seconds".

The Wagoneer will also debut a new take on the brand’s design ethos which it says is “driven by aerodynamic efficiency”. It will also debut a new LED-lit version of its signature ‘seven-slot’ grille.

The Wagoneer will debut the new STLA Large platform from parent company Stellantis which is one of four new platforms set to underpin the giant group’s future.

Australia missed out on the larger more wagon-like take on the Grand Cherokee.

It is capable of supporting both 400-volt and 800-volt electric architectures, and is designed around supporting new electric drive motor units which combine gearbox, motor and inverter systems in one housing. Like Hyundai Group’s similar e-GMP platform, the STLA Large platform is capable of supporting front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive.

It is capable of supporting battery capacities between 85 and 118kWh, targeting driving ranges of 800km. The 800-volt architecture will also support ultra-fast charging (beyond 250kW).

Unlike the e-GMP platform though, STLA Large remains capable of supporting combustion and hybrid drivetrains if need be.

The Wagoneer will debut the new STLA Large platform from parent company Stellantis.

Stellantis says this platform will go on to underpin new vehicles from Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, and Maserati, with eight vehicles to be based on it by 2026. It will be followed by STLA Medium, STLA Small, and STLA Frame platforms in the future.

First in Jeep’s next-generation electric line-up in Australia, however, will be the Avenger small SUV which is slated for a Q3 2024 arrival. The Avenger is already a big shift for Jeep, going front-wheel-drive only, at least initially, and is aiming for competitive pricing in the electric small SUV segment.

It is powered by a 115kW/260Nm electric motor and has a WLTP-certified driving range of 400km, while sharing its eCMP platform with the Peugeot e-2008. Despite this and its front-wheel-drive nature, Jeep is promising at least some off-road ability with six driving modes for a variety of terrain conditions.

No doubt Jeep’s Australian division is banking on this new-generation EV product to turn its fortunes around, with sales sliding 30.4 per cent year-on-year to the end of 2023, despite the introduction of the new-generation Grand Cherokee.

Tom White
Senior Journalist
Despite studying ancient history and law at university, it makes sense Tom ended up writing about cars, as he spent the majority of his waking hours finding ways to drive as many as possible. His fascination with automobiles was also accompanied by an affinity for technology growing up, and he is just as comfortable tinkering with gadgets as he is behind the wheel. His time at CarsGuide has given him a nose for industry news and developments at the forefront of car technology.
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