Update (December 15, 2024): ‘Specifications’ and ‘Release Date’ sections updated.
On February 28, 2023, the Jeep Cherokee, introduced in 1974, saw the end of production after five model generations. An electrified sixth-generation Jeep Cherokee is expected to arrive in the U.S. towards the end of next year, along with an all-electric variant that will join the line-up in due course.
The Jeep Cherokee Electric can be an alternative to the off-road focused Jeep Recon, and performance-focused Wagoneer S, for customers who want more of an urban commuter. In this article, we lay down every detail reported about the future Jeep SUV.
Design
During his presentation at Stellantis’ EV Day 2021 event on July 8, 2021, Chief Design Officer Ralph Gilles teased a boxy electric SUV that could be a Jeep Cherokee Electric. Talking about the modularity of the STLA Large platform, Gilles showed the silhouette of “a heart-of-market SUV” that looked like a more practical Wagoneer S.
The vehicle has a traditional seven-slot grille, a flatter roofline, and a wider and curvy quarter glass panel, compared to the Wagoneer S. We wouldn’t be surprised if most of its basic design is shared with the performance SUV, featuring changes to the front and rear of the shell for a more ‘mainstream’ look.
Specifications
Jeep CEO Antonio Filosa has suggested the company will not offer the next-gen Cherokee (codename: KM) as an EV at launch. Without confirming the name, Filosa said in an interview that the upcoming SUV won’t be an electric model “at first,” MotorTrend reported on May 31, 2024.
Speaking at the Los Angeles Auto Show 2024, Filosa confirmed that a new hybrid SUV will join the ranks in 2025, replacing the Cherokee series, as reported by Detroit News, on November 21, 2024. With global EV demand slowing, Jeep may be focusing on gas models initially to keep prices competitive, and meet the immediate demands of the midsize SUV segment. While an official Cherokee EV announcement is still some time off, there are already hints about what to expect.
STLA Large Platform
As for the STLA Large platform itself, Gilles said it “has outstanding fundamentals with the batteries nice and low, the EDM motors at the edges, allowing for a variety of wheel sizes, suspension heights, and width.” “All these components are out of the way allowing us to do just about whatever we want on the top surface,” the group-level design boss added.
The STLA Large platform will be suitable for vehicles in the mid-size to full-size segments with a length of 4.70-5.40 m (185.0-212.6 in.) and a width of 1.90-2.03 m (74.8-79.9 in.), Patrice Lucas, the then-Cross Car Line & Project Engineering, Stellantis, said. Going by the teaser and the provisional specifications, the Cherokee Electric should offer class-leading boot space, head & knee-room, and an airy greenhouse for comfortable road trips.
Battery, Motor & Charging
Dual motors enabling an all-wheel drive drivetrain layout will likely be standard in the Jeep Cherokee Electric. Customers may get to choose from multiple power levels of 250-350 hp. The battery pack powering the motors of the Cherokee EV will likely have a gross energy storage capacity of 80-90 kWh, though the usable storage capacity will likely be slightly lower.
With an operating voltage of 400 volts, the battery pack may take around 30 minutes for a 5-80% DC fast-charging session. The STLA Large platform does allow companies to equip the EV with an 800-volt battery pack, but Jeep may resort to a lower-voltage unit to price the Cherokee Electric more competitively.
Range & Capability
Being a large, boxy SUV, the Jeep Cherokee Electric might settle for a maximum EPA-est. range of 275-300 miles. Given that it is a Jeep SUV, we anticipate that the high-spec variants will possess impressive off-road capabilities, with Auto, Sport, Eco, Snow, and Sand modes that make the SUV usable on all terrains.
On the Jeep Cherokee Hybrid
Before the all-electric version, the resurrected Cherokee will launch with a new turbocharged 1.6-liter hybrid powertrain. Originally announced two years ago as part of a major investment in Michigan’s Dundee Engine Plant, it will be paired with a new three-speed hybrid-optimized transmission, according to a report by Mopar Insiders, filed on December 2, 2024.
Mopar Insiders has also learned that Jeep’s marketing team has planned three versions of the 2026 Cherokee Hybrid: Sport, Latitude, and Limited. The company doesn’t appear to have plans for a FWD model.
Release date
At the Stellantis Investor Day 2024, Filosa talked about Jeep re-entering the mid-size SUV segment in the U.S. with three models: the Wagoneer S, Recon, and a “new mainstream UV” (H2 2025). We understand that the third SUV is the Cherokee relaunch, with a multi-energy line-up, starting with the gas-electric versions, with dealers likely to receive the initial cars in the last quarter of 2025.
In the 4.6 million units mid-size SUV segment, we will enter with three products: what we presented just 2 weeks ago, the fantastic Jeep Wagoneer S; by the end of the year we will present Jeep Recon, by Half two of next year, we will have a new mainstream UV.
Antonio Filosa, Jeep Brand CEO, talking about Jeep’s growth plan in the U.S., at the Stellantis Investor Day on June 13, 2024.
Price
The reborn Cherokee will sandwich the Compass and the Grand Cherokee, with expected prices starting at around USD 35,000 for the hybrid versions, and the eventual all-electric model expected to begin at under USD 50,000.
The company’s Toluca Assembly Plant in Mexico (which will also make the Recon and Wagoneer S) is expected to be the main production site for the new Cherokee, with Stellantis’s Italian plant in Melfi also emerging as a candidate for European-spec Cherokees.
TopElectricSUV says
The Cherokee Electric will likely be an ideal choice for customers who want an electric mid-size SUV that’s tough and spacious, but not necessarily as off-road-focused as the Jeep Recon.
Featured Image Source: YouTube/Stellantis
An automobile engineer by training, I’ve analyzed the global car market since 2005, with a keen focus on EVs since 2008. My journey in online automotive publishing spans 17 years, during which I have reviewed cutting-edge automotive technologies and interviewed leading global CEOs and vehicle developers.
