Jeep Grand Cherokee PHEV arrives as brand ditches combustion
Plug-in hybrid SUV lands in Europe ahead of Jeep ditching pure-combustion in 2022 and launching a family of EVs by 2025
Jeep's new Grand Cherokee flagship will be available to pre-order in the UK from next week exclusively in 375bhp plug-in hybrid guise, playing a core role in the 4x4 brand's pledge to go all-electrified in Europe.
It is Jeep's third PHEV model to launch in Europe, following 4xe versions of the smaller Renegade and Compass crossovers, and arrives as the company embarks on an ambitious strategy to bolster its presence in Europe and electrify its line-up.
The firm will stop selling pure-combustion models in Europe – with the exception of Italy – this year, offering only 4xe-badged plug-in hybrids and mild hybrids in the run-up to all-out electrification. It will subsequently add a pure-electric model in "every major SUV segment" by 2025, CEO Christian Meunier confirmed, by which point 70% of its global sales will be electrified.
Jeep is already the best-selling low-emissions vehicle brand in Italy, where the Compass and Renegade are built, and the new Wrangler 4xe is claimed to be the best-selling PHEV in Jeep's US home market, accounting for 25% of the company's volume in the region.
The phase-out of pure-combustion models in Europe this year means the Wrangler 4xe, with the same drivetrain and up to 25 miles of EV range, will arrive here later this year.
Meunier told reporters: "We are accelerating electrification, amplifying 4x4 capability and the spirit of freedom with electrification.
"It's not only about being more green. It's about emphasising and improving the capabilities of our Jeeps – making them more fun, exciting, sustainable and being able to drive off road quietly."
Details of Jeep's first pure-EV remain thin on the ground, but Meunier pointed to the Wrangler-based Magneto EV concept – "more Jeep than Jeep" – as a sign of its priorities during the shift to electrification.
Meunier said "the order doesn't matter" when it comes to electrifying the Jeep portfolio, but there will be "a few BEVs before the Wrangler".
Asked if the brand's electrification push will take it into new segments, Meunier told Autocar: "Stay tuned. You'll get some news in the next few months. Jeep is a global brand and we're meant to cover the entire range of SUVs - true SUVs, not raised hatchbacks.
"We're not completely expanded to 100% and we still have a few bullets in our pocket."
The Grand Cherokee mates a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a pair of electric motors for combined outputs of 375bhp and 470lb ft and it is equipped with a 17kWh battery, which gives a claimed 32 miles of EV range in urban areas.
Pre-orders for the model start on 24 February in the UK and it will come here first in Europe-specific, limited-edition Summit Reserve trim. This is marked out by its 21in polished alloy wheels, a contrasting black roof and comprehensive kit list.
It comes with level two autonomous driving functionality, a 10.0in colour head-up display, a separate infotainment screen for the front passenger and a digital rear-view mirror.
Jeep has yet to reveal pricing for the Grand Cherokee line-up in Europe, but it is expected to be priced as a rival to the Land Rover Discovery Sport P300e and BMW X3 xDrive30e, which means around £50,000.
Jeep has not ruled out importing the three-row Grand Cherokee L to Europe, following a strong start for the seven-seater in the US, where it now holds a 20% market share in its segment.