Author: EVAI

BP on Monday unveiled the first of more than 40 planned electric-vehicle charging hubs to be co-located with TravelCenters of America (TA) highway rest stops. Located in Jacksonville, Florida, along the busy I-95 corridor, the first site features six CCS DC fast chargers, configured into 12 bays that each offer a connector. BP, which acquired TA…

Porsche has been spotted testing an electric 718 Cayman Expected to debut in late 2026, it will trail an electric 718 Boxster by about a year The gas-powered 718 Boxster and Cayman end production in 2025 Porsche fans will soon have to get used to the idea of an electric sports car from the brand. Porsche is close to launching its first electric…

Ford is recalling 149,449 Bronco SUVs because of rear shock absorbers that could corrode and shed parts—but it hasn’t yet devised a remedy. The recall covers 2021-2024 Badlands models, and models equipped with the Sasquatch off-road package. Both configurations include long flange rear shocks that can experience corrosion between the…

Infiniti will discontinue its QX50 and QX55 compact crossovers at year’s end, temporarily reducing its lineup by half until a new crossover arrives next year, reports Automotive News. Per the industry trade journal, Infiniti told dealers at the recent National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) show in New Orleans that production of the QX50…

Audi has provided a first look at its rugged Q6 E-Tron Offroad concept The concept features portal axles for increased ground clearance, along with other modifications aimed at off-roading Audi hasn’t announced whether production is planned Audi used last week’s Ski World Cup event in Kitzbühel, Austria, to provide a first look at its Q6…

The Wagoneer S costs $71,995 in its launch-edition form It’s the quickest Jeep ever, besting the Hemi-powered Trackhawk EPA ratings: 303 miles on Falken tires, 270 miles on Pirellis Think urban wagon, not off-roader It’s taken a while to strike out on the EV trail, but now Jeep has its first American-market electric vehicle in the form of…

• Jeep’s first U.S.-market battery-electric vehicle carries a 303-mile range rating and a $71,995 sticker price
• It’s the quickest Jeep in history—better than a Hemi Hellcat
• It’s a Model Y and Lyriq rival for sure—but is it a Jeep?

The 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S is now arriving at dealerships—and it’s about time, if not overdue. The large five-seat electric crossover SUV sits squarely in the premium end of the EV market, and the Launch Edition we tested stickers at $72,000 including the mandatory destination fee. One of two versions is EPA-rated at a combined 303 miles of range; that was the one we drove.

Only about 4,000 model-year 2024 versions were built, all with the high-spec Launch Edition trim. Details on the 2025 Wagoneer S lineup will come “very soon,” execs said, likely at February’s Chicago auto show. They may include both an offroad-focused Trailhawk model and less expensive versions, 

Overall, we found the electric Wagoneer to be a competent, pleasant, relatively quick SUV. If we came away with a question, it was over the car’s fundamental identity: What exactly makes this a Jeep? 

2024 Jeep Wagoneer S

About time, if not overdue

Stellantis, the smallest of Detroit’s resident automakers, has never had a volume electric vehicle to sell. (Two generations of the undeniably “cute” but low-range, subcompact Fiat 500e just don’t cut it.) Now it does.

The electric Wagoneer S is one of two EVs from the former Chrysler that launch within weeks of each other. The second is the polarizing Dodge Charger Daytona, the electric performance car with the audio-enhanced vroom-vroom noises. It’s meant to introduce EV performance to the Hemi crowd—which may well prove to be a tall order.

As a premium electric five-seat SUV, the Wagoneer S should be an easier sell. It sits in a segment that already includes the domestic Cadillac Lyriq and Tesla Model Y, plus imports including the Audi Q6 e-tron, BMW iX, and Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, with more on the way.

In late January, we drove a Wagoneer S roughly 100 miles in and around the San Diego suburb of Carlsbad, California—with temperate weather and the state’s strong adoption of EVs making it the ideal environment in which to test a new electric vehicle.

2024 Jeep Wagoneer S

2024 Wagoneer S: An anodyne EV SUV shape

From the front, the traditional Jeep seven-slot grille has morphed into seven fins on a blanking plate with LED accent lights that illuminate the design. It is, designers said, a “confident face” despite the significant bevel from the hood surface down to those fins. The side profile is adequately Jeepish, and it has the characteristic metal lettering spelling out the model name standing proud on the lower front doors.

It’s at the rear where the Jeep identity gets lost. There’s a “4xe” badge, just like all those plug-in hybrids Jeep has sold, and narrow, full-width LED taillights. The very steeply raked rear window is cleverly disguised by a large basket-handle roof spoiler whose vertical side supports give the Wagoneer S a square, SUV side profile. You only see the massive gap between that raked rear glass and the spoiler from certain angles. It’s all about aerodynamics: the quoted drag coefficient of 0.29 makes the Wagoneer S the slipperiest Jeep ever sold.

But we saw nothing at the rear that definitely said Jeep. In fact, coming up to a black SUV ahead at a stoplight, we pegged it as either a Kia or the new Honda Prologue—until we realized it was another Wagoneer S. That’s not great brand ID. The Launch Editions feature a standard glass roof, all-black paint and trim above the beltline, and black alloy 20-inch wheels. 

Inside, it’s the same story. The materials, contrast stitching, and multiple displays say “premium SUV,” but it’s not clear to us they really say “Jeep.” Buyers will be the judge of that. One small touch of butch was a starburst pattern on the matte black plastic that now seems to be supplanting the hackneyed shiny piano-black trim in car interiors.

Those displays include a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch center touchscreen display, a 10-inch head-up display for the driver, a 10.3-inch touchscreen at the right of the dash for the front passenger, and a final 10.3-inch display for the HVAC controls. The control and infotainment software worked fine, though it seemed slow to load once in a while.

En route, it was nice to be able to re-aim the vents (we’re lookin’ at you, Rivian), though some of the controls (e.g. window switches, lock buttons) seemed oddly small for a Jeep. Parts bin, perhaps? We liked the optional red upholstery, which along with the glass roof brightened the interior considerably.

2024 Jeep Wagoneer S

2024 Jeep Wagoneer S

2024 Jeep Wagoneer S

2024 Jeep Wagoneer S

Quickest, most wind-cheating Jeep ever

Superlatives always excite car marketers, so right up front we learned the Wagoneer S is not just the most aerodynamic but also the quickest Jeep ever, with its pair of 250-kw (335-hp) motors delivering a 0-to-60-mph acceleration time of 3.4 seconds. That’s one-tenth of a second faster than the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, with its supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engine producing 707 horsepower.

The 100.5-kwh (gross capacity) battery uses nickel-manganese-cobalt cells imported by Samsung SDI until a new Stellantis-Samsung joint-venture cell plant in Kokomo, Indiana, comes online early in 2027. The Wagoneer S pack uses 400-volt architecture and doesn’t have the ability to charge at 800 volts as do most Hyundai and Kia EVs. Level 2 charging time from 5-80% is quoted at almost seven hours, and Jeep says the Wagoneer S can fast-charge from 20-80% in 23 minutes (under ideal circumstances, of course).

The headline range rating for the Wagoneer S is 303 miles, and our test vehicle rode on the Falken tires that gave that higher 303-mile rating. We didn’t drive a Wagoneer S on the Pirellis that, as the EPA site shows, busts the rating down more than 10 percent—to 270 miles. The test car, however, started off showing just 258 miles at 95% battery capacity. It likely reflected aggressive driving by Jeep before we got it, as the range algorithm calculates on the last 50 miles of driving. Our drive wasn’t long enough to conclude much on efficiency; we’d guess 2.5 mi/kwh.

2024 Jeep Wagoneer S

Predictably heavy, suitably quick

Behind the wheel and on the road, a curb weight approaching 3 tons (5,667 pounds) was evident, but we found the power generous and fully suitable for short bursts of fast acceleration on, say, uphill on-ramps. The Wagoneer S is predominantly rear-wheel drive, with the “Automatic” driving mode biased 40:60 front to rear. The “Sport” mode ups that to 20:80 to the rear. 

We started our drive in “Eco” mode, which is 100% rear-wheel drive unless the front motor is required to maintain traction. Eco required more pedal effort to keep up with traffic, but likely would be suitable for many drivers. The low-speed pedestrian alert noise, by the way, is a pleasantly meditative hum.

Jeep’s regenerative braking wasn’t entirely to our liking: it was almost unnoticeable in the lower setting, but too abrupt in the high setting. For the record, maximum regen produces 0.2 to 0.3g, while the minimum is only 0.04 to 0.08g—a pretty wide range. Perhaps Jeep’s drivetrain-software engineers can drive a selection of EVs from more experienced makers to feel how they round the edges of their algorithms.

While not the most capacious five-seat utility vehicle on the market, the electric Wagoneer S had suitable space for four adults to travel in comfort and five if required. Even the front seats had a slightly knees-up position at its lowest setting, reflecting the thick battery under the floor and a roofline lowered to reduce drag. 

It’s worth noting that both our test cars had slight judders during specific low-speed maneuvers. The first one was diagnosed as a malfunctioning front-axle disconnect, and we swapped into a second car halfway through. That one behaved flawlessly until the very end, when reversing produced a minor judder. We didn’t hear the resolution on that one.

2024 Jeep Wagoneer S

Targeting whom, exactly?

Jeep’s new leader, senior vice president Bob Broderdorf, said the brand will target three groups of potential buyers for the Wagoneer S. First are owners of 4xe plug-in hybrid versions of the Wrangler (since 2021) and the Grand Cherokee (since 2022). That’s plausible, except (a) plug-in hybrids are hard to explain to shoppers; and (b) it’s entirely unclear whether many, some, or even any of those owners ever plug in their PHEVs—because Jeep refuses to release data on their plugging-in behavior. Count that group a “maybe.”

The second group is diehards in “the Jeep space,” the true 4×4 crowd who prize Jeeps for their go-anywhere, climb-anything qualities. Think “Trail Rated,” breakover angles, Rubicon Trail, etc. Will the Wagoneer S do off-roading? It didn’t come up in the media briefing—and its 6.4 inches of ground clearance will keep it away from the kinds of rock-climbing the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk 4xe (at 10.9 inches) can do. Sure, Jeep aired a Wagoneer S ad with the line, “Beautiful things can still get dirty”—but there, “dirty” seems to mean damp and a bit muddy.

To win over Jeep-space buyers, execs strongly hinted they will add a production version of the Wagoneer S Trailhawk Concept it unveiled the same day as the production car. The Trailhawk rides on rugged 31.5-inch all-terrain tires, features a higher ground clearance, and adds a driver-selectable electronic rear-axle locker and a new Rock driving mode.

Finally, Jeep intends to target buyers of domestic EVs in the same segment. Its Wagoneer full-size SUV (the gasoline one) has drawn buyers from Ford and GM competitors, so Jeep feels it can poach some Chevrolet Blazer EV or Cadillac Lyriq or perhaps Tesla Model Y or Rivian R1S owners. Those now driving Audi, BMW, or Mercedes-Benz competitors? We’re not so sure.

2024 Jeep Wagoneer S

Luxury + Jeep … all-electric, or ‘multi-energy’?

Jeep execs hinted the Trailhawk would show up as part of the Wagoneer S range in due course, along with less pricey versions (very likely a single-motor, rear-wheel-drive version with a higher range rating). Presuming a Trailhawk appears, we’ll wait to see what its off-road capabilities are and how the extra gear and ride height affect rated range.

The electric Wagoneer S is built on the STLA Large unibody “multi-energy” platform that also underpins the electric Charger Daytona. We already know the Charger will be offered with a gasoline inline-6 powertrain along with its battery-electric Daytona version. 

Jeep execs declined to speak about any future versions of the Wagoneer S—but whether or not the company sells suitable numbers of the electric Wagoneer S, a plug-in hybrid gasoline version appears likely in the lineup within a few years.

Meanwhile, Jeep finally has a respectable, 303-mile battery-electric SUV entry. Now all it has to do is sell it.

Stellantis provided airfare, lodging, and meals to enable Green Car Reports to bring you this first-person drive report.

What kind of vehicle is the 2025 Mini Cooper? What does it compare to? It’s a small front-wheel-drive hatchback and convertible that relies on retro styling and agile moves to command prices above its weight. It has few direct competitors, but buyers might also consider the Fiat 500e, Kia Soul, and BMW X1. Is the 2025 Mini Cooper a good car?…

Cold-weather range loss remains a seasonal form of range anxiety for many electric vehicle shoppers, but a new Genesis concept car aims to prove that EVs can thrive in the cold.

Introduced at the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the Genesis GV60 Mountain Intervention Vehicle concept turns the automaker’s GV60 electric crossover into an off-road rescue vehicle.

To make the GV60 better suited for this role, Genesis swapped the wheels for tracks, adding carbon-fiber fender flares to protect them—and presumably to keep bystanders from being pelted by snow thrown up by them.

Genesis GV60 Mountain Intervention Vehicle concept

Other modifications include sport seats, additional communication equipment, an equipment rack, and modular equipment mounting points on the rear hatch. The GV60’s vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability allows it to serve as a power source for gear stored onboard, Genesis noted.

The GV60 Mountain Intervention Vehicle is a one-off concept, but Genesis is testing ways to improve the efficiency of EVs in cold weather. Just recently the automaker discussed using the 48-volt electrical systems in its current EVs to power heated windshields that could remove frost more quickly than conventional 12-volt solutions—while using less electricity.

EV range loss in cold weather is real, although the extent to which it affects real-world driving habits is less clear. For many EV drivers, it simply means more charging, which can often be done at home. Drivers of internal-combustion cars—which can also see fuel economy dip in colder temperatures—still have to trudge out to gas stations more often in winter.

Genesis GV60 Mountain Intervention Vehicle concept

The GV60 arrived in the U.S. as a 2023 model and gets a handful of updates for 2026, including a 27-inch dashboard display and tiny styling tweaks. Genesis hasn’t confirmed U.S. specs yet, but the GV60 could also get a larger battery pack like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, with which it shares the Hyundai E-GMP platform.

A GV60 Magma performance variant is also expected to arrive as a 2026 model, ushering in the new Genesis Magma performance sub-brand announced at last year’s New York auto show.

The Goodwood Revival is one of the greatest gatherings of vintage race cars on the planet, but this year it will celebrate a decidedly un-sporty vehicle. An opening parade for the 2025 Goodwood Revival will feature “the most varied collection” of Volkswagen Type 2 Split Screen vans and pickups in the world, organizers boasted. It comes after last…