Stellantis might have been slow to adopt EVs in the U.S., with the new Fiat 500e being sold here about four years after it was first shown. In Europe, however, the brand-heavy automaker is an electric leader thanks to a wide EV lineup from brands such as Peugeot, Citroen, and DS. Now, its North American lineup could soon benefit from that—in the form of a Jeep.
According to CNBC, the U.S. “will have a $25,000 Jeep very soon,” Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said Wednesday at a Bernstein investor conference. Tavares sees 20,000 euros, or about $25,000 USD, as the target price for an entry-level EV that could be more widely adopted than a luxury model.
That viewpoint follows the Jeep Wagoneer S, which will be revealed Thursday evening and has a target range of more than 300 miles and 600 horsepower.
An inexpensive Jeep EV could have a lot in common with the recently launched Citroen e-C3, an all-electric five-door about the size of the last Honda Fit to be sold in the U.S. It uses a 111 horsepower, 44 kWh electric motor and has a roughly 200-mile range based on WLTP, equating to somewhere between 175 and 180 miles for an EPA estimate. Such a vehicle would likely be a jumping-off point for a Jeep that would unlikely traverse anything more than a muddy parking lot.
The Jeep Avenger is another EV not sold in the U.S., and Stellantis still isn’t expected to offer that small SUV here anytime soon. The Poland-assembled model uses a platform not shared with any model sold in the U.S. or Canada and could be more expensive than potential rivals.
While Stellantis has a growing roster of plug-in hybrids, including the popular Jeep Wrangler 4xe, it’s been mostly mum on its EV plans apart from the trio of upcoming electric Jeeps like the Wrangler S. It turned out to be an advantage with direct rivals Ford and General Motors scrambling to alter product plans and add PHEVs amid lagging public charging infrastructure and new car cost concerns. Even the 149-mile Fiat 500e, by the company’s admission, is a niche product and not the start of a big push for Stellantis BEVs in the U.S.
A $25,000 Jeep EV in the U.S. could make significant waves as sub-$40,000 EVs dwindle and popular, inexpensive models like the Chevrolet Bolt and Nissan Leaf take a leave of absence. Still, Stellantis continues to lean pretty hard on the Jeep brand globally. Would an inexpensive EV fit a brand like Fiat or Dodge better?
There’s probably still time to figure that out.
