Stellantis officially launched its electrification strategy yesterday, giving an overview of what to expect in the next 10 years at the Franco-Italian-American giant. On the sly, the Jeep grand cherokee two-row was unveiled as a shortened version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee L, but also as a future electrified model. Indeed, Jeep will put under the hood of this Jeep a plug-in hybrid engine, by making a version 4xe.
This is the first time that we see images of the two-row version of the Jeep grand cherokee. Unsurprisingly, it’s essentially a shorter, chunkier version of the three-row Jeep Grand Cherokee L, already on show for over six months. The general lines are therefore instantly recognizable, especially at the front.
What catches the most attention, however, is the fact that a plug-in hybrid 4xe version will be offered. We do not know more, however, given that Jeep was content to unveil these few images of the model as part of the Stellantis conference on future electrification projects. It’s a safe bet, however, that the mechanics will be the same as that of the Jeep Wrangler 4xe, composed of a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder assisted by two electric motors, good for a power of 375 horsepower and a torque of 470 lb-ft.
This news is timely as the three-row version, the Jeep Grand Cherokee L, arrives at dealerships with engines that could not be more conventional. Indeed, even if the model is renewed, it uses the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 or the 5.7-liter Hemi V8, two engines whose design is not particularly modern. However, there is no indication, at least for the moment, that the plug-in hybrid powertrain is installed in the Jeep Grand Cherokee L.
Stellantis has however claimed that the vast majority of its products – 98% to be precise – will be equipped with an electrified powertrain by 2025. It is therefore to be expected that other models, such as the new Jeep Wagoneer, comes with some form of electrification within a few years.
In the meantime, the Jeep Grand Cherokee will be unveiled to the public for the first time at the New York Auto Show, the 2021 edition of which will take place next August.
