Update: ‘Tesla Cybertruck Quad Motor,’ ‘Mercedes G 580,’ ‘Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss,’ ‘Scout electric pickup truck,’ and ‘Ineos Fusilier’ updated.
Carmakers are keen to penetrate the EV market in the USA, which is still trailing behind Europe and China. Keeping with the tradition of SUVs, which saw a spree of launches in the past decade, electric off-road vehicles seem to be an area of interest for manufacturers, with a dozen off-road EVs or off-road capable EVs planned to be launched by 2028.
Jeep Wrangler Electric
The next-gen Jeep Wrangler will be an electric-only model, as per a report Auto Express released on May 11, 2023. The British publication sees it coming in 2027 at the earliest.
Former Jeep CEO Christian Meunier had indicated that the Jeep Wrangler Electric’s off-road capability will be off the charts! If you have been following the Jeep Magneto concepts, with the first version shown off driving fully submerged, on the bed of a waterbody, you’d already know Jeep has some ridiculous ideas in mind for the Wrangler EV.
Jeep wants the Wrangler Electric to surpass the 10-level Trail Rating scale. It’s aiming for not even 11 but a 12-level rating on that scale. That would make the Wrangler EV twice as capable as the Recon, to which Jeep has given a Trail Rating of 6. Electrification makes a Jeep more capable, with more torque, smoother driving, and more precise maneuvers, Meunier added.
Tesla Cybertruck Quad Motor
One of the electric off-road vehicles we are particularly excited about is the Tesla Cybertruck. Specifically, we are talking about the Cybertruck Quad Motor that Elon Musk confirmed on Twitter on December 3, 2021. Musk said that the Quad Motor Cybertruck variant will be the first to hit the production lines and that its independent motors would provide “ultra-fast response.”
Currently, the Cybertruck is available in Rear-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive, and Cyberbeast variants. The Cyberbeast, with 845 hp, can tow up to 11,000 lbs. It has a 0 to 60 mph acceleration time of 2.6 seconds and a top speed of 130 mph. On a full charge, Tesla estimates it’ll do 320 miles, or 440+ miles if specified with an available range extender battery pack.
The Cybertruck Quad Motor should be quicker and offer a higher towing capacity. It may arrive at the earliest in 2026.
Release Date: 2026 (Unofficial estimate)
Price: USD 110,000 (Unofficial estimate)
Vanderhall Brawley
The Vanderhall Brawley is the only model in this list not classified as an automobile, in the sense that it is not road legal. It is available in three variants.
The base variant does not have a roof and exhibits the character one expects from an off-roader, just like the Jeep Wrangler with a removable roof. The Brawley has an electric motor at each wheel, and like the Hummer EV, it can crab walk in addition to performing a ‘tank turn’ and low-speed incline crawling. All variants get 140 miles of range, but the top-end GTS variant is available with an optional 200-mile range package. The Brawley could be the most capable of electric off-road vehicles in not just its class but in other segments, too.
Release Date: Vanderhall has not yet announced when deliveries of the Brawley would commence.
Price: The Brawley is priced between USD 34,950-49,950.
Mercedes G 580
Adding to the list of electric off-road vehicles with quad motor capability is the upcoming Mercedes G 580, previously reported to be called ‘Mercedes EQG.’ It will have four electric motors close to the wheels, all individually controllable and producing 579 hp of combined power and 859 lb.-ft. of total torque. This setup should make it more capable than the gas-powered G Wagon! Two battery pack options will be available, including one with an energy storage capacity of 116 kWh.
Building the G 580 on a modified version of the ladder-frame chassis of the other G-Class variants would ensure it offers similar levels of robustness. Another benefit of that, compared to developing it from the ground up on a new EV platform, would be reduced development cost and thus a lower price tag, and a quicker time to market. The chassis is stiffer and the batteries are part of its structure, Edmunds reported after getting a ride in a G 580 prototype.
Edmunds suggested the Mercedes G 580 electric SUV feels more at ease than the gas model on challenging off-road trails. Its special capabilities include doing a tank turn like Rivian’s R1S and R1T. Called ‘G-Turn,’ this is an off-road-only feature, and the driver can activate it with a button on the dashboard.
Autocar reports there are seven driving modes in the electric off-roader: Eco, Comfort, Sport, Trail, Rock, Sand, and Creeper. Each motor sends drive to its respective wheel through a two-speed gearbox with a low-range gear ratio. The battery pack capacity is around 100 kWh, but, as Dr. Emmerich Schiller says, it’s too early to talk about the range. Dr. Schiller is the CEO of Mercedes-Benz G and the Head of the Off-Road Vehicle Product Division at Mercedes-Benz.
Release Date: Debut in April 2024 and launch in H2 2024
Price: The Mercedes G 580 could be priced between USD 140,000-190,000.
Jeep Recon
The Jeep Recon is an off-road SUV conceived as a 100% Jeep 4×4 and 100% electric. It is a true trail-rated model with the capability to cross the Rubicon Trail and drive back home on a single charge. Jeep says that the Recon features the Jeep Selec-Terrain traction management system, a one-touch power top, removable door glass, electronically locking axles, and the latest generation Uconnect infotainment system (incl. travel guides of popular off-road trails).
The Recon will have great off-roading capability, but not nearly as much as the Wrangler. It “will be Trail Rated six on the Rubicon trail,” former Jeep CEO Christian Meunier told Auto Express. “Six is really good,” he added, though he also said that the most capable Jeep, which is at the highest level on the scale – 10 – is the Wrangler (2-door Wrangler Rubicon).
We’ll know more about the Recon when the company conducts its public debut later in 2023. Jeep planned to open reservations for the electric off-roader in the U.S. in early 2023, but it seems there’s been a delay in the plans. However, the company has showcased the models to dealers. Production will take place at a North American factory from 2024.
Release Date: The Recon will debut in 2024.
Price: The Recon should be priced between USD 60,000-75,000.
Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss
GM has launched the Silverado EV in its WT (Work Truck) variant targeted at fleet customers and will gradually add several variants that suit the needs of private customers. The variants following later will include a fully loaded RST First Edition and a Trail Boss. The company wants to have a Silverado EV in multiple segments, with prices going as high as USD 105,000 (excl. DFC).
The Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss should feature twin motors tuned for off-road application. The output figures could be close to that of the Chevrolet Silverado EV RST‘s motors, which will deliver up to 664 hp and more than 780 lb.-ft. of torque in a boost mode called Wide Open Watts mode. The Trail Boss variant should boast off-road tires and a special suspension setup that provides better all-terrain capability.
Release Date: The Chevrolet Silverado EV WT is on sale, and the Chevrolet Silverado Trail Boss could follow in 2025.
Price: The Silverado EV Trail Boss could be priced from around USD 70,000.
Scout electric pickup truck
Scout Motors, Volkswagen Group’s new company specializing in American launches, is developing an electric truck as one of its first models, which it plans to bring to the market in 2027. Designed, engineered, and built in the U.S., it seems like a highly off-road capable model like the Hummer EV Pickup and R1T.
The Scout electric truck, gathering from the teasers, features a short overhang, which may give it a high approach angle. A flat hood, a high shoulder line, a sleek greenhouse, and vertical tail lamps are part of the design. Large wheel wells and high ground clearance will ensure there’s plenty of free space for the wheels to move in off-road situations.
According to a report CAR released on December 23, 2022, the Scout electric truck, codenamed ‘Scout SC417,’ will have two motors, one at each axle, producing a total power of up to 469 hp. A teaser has since all but confirmed it’ll be a crew cab model, which is the most common body style for electric trucks in the U.S. A Scout electric SUV will arrive 6-7 months before this model.
Release Date: The Scout electric truck will debut in a prototype form in Summer 2024 and enter production in 2027.
Price: Estimated in the high USD 40,000s.
Munro MK_1
The Munro MK_1, claimed to be the world’s most capable pure electric 4×4, made its debut on December 5, 2022. The new off-roader from the Scottish EV start-up will be available in the U.S. through Wyre, a local EV sales and leasing company. The MK_1 is a proper SUV with body-on-frame construction and solid axles. It has aluminum body panels and a fully galvanized, high-strength steel chassis.
The MK_1 offers 480 mm (18.9 in.) of ground clearance, 1,000 kg (2,218 lbs.) of payload capacity, and 3,500 kg (7,700 lbs.) of towing capacity. It has an approach angle of 84 degrees, a departure angle of 51 degrees, and a ramp breakover angle of 148 degrees. All variants pack a single permanent magnet axial flux motor & permanent four-wheel drive.
The Utility and Range variants produce 220 kW (295 hp) & 600 Nm (443 lb.-ft.), while the Performance variant develops 280 kW (375 hp) & 700 Nm (516 lb.-ft.). The latter also has an electronically-capped top speed of 80 mph and can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds. There’s a two-speed transfer case with a standard center-locking differential, with front & rear-locking differentials available as options.
The base model gets a 61.2 kWh battery pack with 141 miles of range, with the other two featuring an 82.4 kWh pack with 190 miles of range – likely under the WLTP cycle. The Performance variant of the MK_1 can accept 94 kW DC fast charging, with the Utility variant limited to 70 kW. The maximum AC charging rate varies between 6.6-22 kW, with 15-100% charge taking 6.9 and 3.0 hours respectively. When connected to a DC fast-charger, the MK_1’s batteries can go from 15-80% charge in 36 minutes.
Prices in the U.K. range between GBP 59,994-83,994 (USD 76,223-106,715), with bookings underway at GBP 1,000 (USD 1,271). Customer deliveries will start later this year, with production for the European market taking place in Glasgow, Scotland. Munro CEO Russ Peterson said U.S.-bound units will be produced locally to detract import duty, Car and Driver reported on December 6, 2022. The American publication also mentioned that the MK_1 will be coming to the U.S. in limited numbers in 2023.
Release Date: Late 2023 (expected)
Price: USD 75,000 (estimated)
Ineos Fusilier SUV
The Ineos Fusilier is a squarish electric 4×4 SUV strongly reminiscent of the Mercedes G-Class, which will soon gain a pure-electric variant. Interestingly, Magna is involved in the development and will manufacture it alongside that German model in Graz, Austria. However, built on a bespoke skateboard platform with a steel hat and underbody, and aluminum doors and closures, the Ineos Fusilier is a completely different vehicle.
With its short overhangs and wheelbase, the Ineos Fusilier clearly looks purposed for off-road adventures. It will be a dual-motor AWD model, and it will be available in a range-extender variant as well, with a small gas engine and a generator that charges the battery pack. The range-extender variant would have a smaller battery pack and thus might be cheaper.
Ineos Automotive is yet to disclose the complete details of the Fusilier, but it promises the compact SUV will be a serious off-road vehicle even though it doesn’t sit on a latter frame like the Grenadier. The company will test this electric off-roader rigorously on the Schökl mountain. It plans to launch it in 2027, which is probably why it’s saving both interior and specifications for a later date.
The Fusilier should be available in the U.S., as Ineos Automotive has recently launched the Grenadier here. Jim Ratcliffe, chairman and founder of Ineos, said, “This is 25, 50, 75 thousand cars a year,” when answering audience questions about Ineos Automotive’s vision at the Financial Times’ ‘Leading Through Disruption’ event on October 11, 2022 (via YouTube).
Release Date: 2027
Price: Around USD 50,000
Land Rover Defender EV
The Land Rover Defender is currently one of the most capable off-road vehicles on the market. The final chink in its armor is the lack of an all-electric version. However, as per Auto Express magazine, that will not stay that way for too long. The British automaker will be electrifying the boxy off-roader, most probably during the SUV’s mid-life update, with the debut planned in 2025.
All three variants of the Defender are to be fully electrified, and the British magazine expects Land Rover to move them to the Flex Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA) platform, which already underpins models such as the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, ready for EV powertrains. The publication also cited an insider, suggesting the Defender EV could get a 100 kWh battery that may allow for a range of up to 300 miles (presumed to be WLTP range).
Release Date: The Defender EV is expected to reach customers in 2026 (as per Auto Express magazine).
Price: Could cost around USD 100,000.
Land Rover Defender Sport
JLR is planning a second Defender model based on the EMA, its upcoming dedicated EV platform. EMA will be “an all-electrified architecture for mid-sized Land Rovers, Range Rover, Defender, and Discovery brands,” Adrian Mardell, JLR’s CEO, said at the annual investor day on June 12, 2023. At the same event, Barbara Bergmeier, Executive Director of Industrial Operations, JLR, said that “Halewood (UK) will be home to the vehicles based on the EMA platform.”
The second Defender EV should be designed from the ground up, helping it be more space-efficient. It should be cheaper per charge, too, thanks to its dedicated EV platform. It could be smaller and might not be as serious of an off-roader, so we expect it to be launched with the ‘Sport’ prefix, in line with JLR’s familiar nomenclature already applied to the Discovery and Range Rover sub-brands.
Although smaller and less extreme, the Defender EV will likely be more advanced. It may have double the system voltage – ~800 volts, meaning it may support charging at significantly higher rates of up to 350 kW. It may use batteries with higher energy density, which are lighter and occupy lesser space. It may employ more efficient and more torque-dense motors.
Release Date: The potential Defender Sport may arrive in 2027 and rival the mini G-Class EV and the top-end configurations of the Rivian R2S.
Price: Could cost around USD 70,000.
Suzuki Jimny Electric
In its press release dated January 26, 2023, Suzuki said that the company plans to become carbon neutral in Japan and Europe by 2050. By 2030, the Japanese brand is hoping sales of its EV models to account for 80% of overall sales in Europe, where it will launch 5 new pure-electric models starting in 2024. While Suzuki hasn’t officially mentioned it, we are confident that one of these new EV models will be the Jimny Electric, by the unmistakable silhouette teased in the official presentation.
Considering the nameplate’s long-standing legacy, Suzuki would not want to not alter the characteristic boxy design of the Jimny too much when it goes all-electric. Therefore, it’s likely that the Jimny EV could also retain other design traits the gas-powered model is famous for – like circular headlamps, short front & rear overhangs, high ground clearance, and a large glass area. The standard four-seat layout would be continued, though a digital driver’s display and more advanced safety features can also be expected.
Release Date: Expected to be launched in the first markets by around 2027.
Price: Estimated to start at around EUR 25,000 (USD 27,156).
Audi Electric off-roader
Audi is really hoping to make a rugged SUV in the premium segment to take on the likes of the Land Rover Defender (EV) and Mercedes-Benz G 580, CAR Magazine reported on January 26, 2023. Speaking to the British publication at the ActiveSphere concept’s preview was Audi’s Head of Design, Marc Lichte. Lichte told CAR that the planned all-electric off-roader could use the EV platform underpinning the Scout truck. This could also mean American production for the Audi off-road vehicle.
Lichte also told the publication that the all-new Audi Electric off-roader will borrow design inspirations from the ActiveSphere concept – including the latter’s pronounced wheel arches and peculiar-looking side sills. We expect the new model to feature a high ground clearance, driver-selectable off-road modes, and likely an all-vegan cabin upholstery option. Lichte said that platform-sharing allowed the e-tron GT’s development to be fast yet cost-effective, which could be the case for the planned Audi Electric off-roader as well, CAR Magazine noted.
Release Date: Expected to be launched around 2026.
Price: Estimated to start at around USD 75,000.
A Mechanical Engineer by qualification, I started out as an automotive editor of a regional magazine in 2011. In my 11 years of experience in creating automotive content, I’ve traveled around the world to review, analyze and report on the world’s top electrified cars.
