The new Jeep Avenger, the brand’s first battery electric vehicle (BEV ), was unveiled recently and expected to arrive here next month.
The first Avenger will be front-wheel drive, but models with two electric motors and four-wheel drive will follow later.
The Avenger was designed and is being built in Europe. It is also the first Jeep BEV with zero emissions, which Jeep says embodies its brand DNA.
The Avenger is compact outside, but roomy inside, with flexibility and space for people and gear. Jeep claims it is both dynamic and easy to handle at the same time.
It claims the Avenger is very capable, technologically advanced, and safe. With hands-on automated driving capability, it is a "perfect vehicle for both off-road and city life".
Jeep says the Avenger offers class-leading energy consumption at 15.4kWh per 100Km in the WLTP cycle. This result is made possible by the efficiency of the new propulsion system, but also by the extreme lightness of the vehicle – only 1,500 kilograms. This is due to the compactness of the vehicle, but also to its extreme weight efficiency.
To extend the autonomy range, each specific Avenger element has been developed to achieve maximum performance and efficiency. The starting point was the light and efficient eCMP2 electric platform.
The new electric motor improved range by five per cent, the new battery gives another 12 per cent benefit, while five per cent more was obtained by working on aerodynamics, gear ratio and tyres. Also, the standard heat pump contributes as it increases the range by up to 10 per cent in extreme hot and cold conditions.
Jeep claims the new electric powertrain combines a unique 400-volt electric motor to offer a stress-free range of up to 400km WLTP and up to 550km in city driving.
Another key element of Avenger’s electric propulsion is the charging system. The standard on-board charger delivers fast-charging capability of 100kW in direct current (corresponding to 20 to 80 per cent charge in 24 minutes in fast-charging mode ), and 11kW in alternating current (corresponding to zero to 100 per cent charge in fove hours and a half when connected to a public station ).
The single electric motor develops 154hp and 260Nm of torque, and the 54kWh battery promises a one-charge range of up to 400km.
The plans for Ireland (with new distributors, the Gowan Group ) are along the lines of the global strategy for the Jeep brand. By 2025 every Jeep model should have at least one electric or plug-in hybrid version. Five years later (2030 ) all of its European models should be fully-electric, with electric models targeted to make up more than half of all sales worldwide.
Jeep says there will be a new Grand Cherokee with '4xe' plug-in hybrid power in 2024. Then late next year there will be major updates and upgrades for the mid-sized Compass and the compact Renegade, and in 2025 the big Wagoneer S - a large SUV on a new electric car platform. It will have two electric motors for four-wheel drive, plus the option of a big battery with a possible range of up to circa 700km.
