Jeep is setting ambitious goals for 2024. They want to sell a whopping 1 million cars in the US this year! That’s a big jump considering they only sold 643,000 cars in 2023. Their CEO, Antonio Filosa, knows it’s a challenge, but he says they have to take advantage of opportunities or someone else will.
Part of their plan might involve offering gas-powered versions of their new electric vehicles. Remember the Jeep Recon, their first electric off-roader? And the Wagoneer S, their electric luxury SUV? Well, Jeep is considering making gas-powered versions of both those models too!
This might surprise some people who were excited about Jeep going electric. But it seems Jeep is hedging its bets to reach that big sales target. They want to attract both electric car fans and people who prefer traditional gas-powered engines.
So, how will Jeep reach their goal of selling 1 million cars this year? A big part of the plan involves their new electric SUVs, the Wagoneer S, and the Recon. These are supposed to be big sellers, but they’ll be facing tough competition, especially from the popular Tesla Model Y.
Here’s the twist: Jeep’s new electric platform is actually flexible. While it can be used for electric vehicles, it can also be adapted for gasoline engines, or even hybrids! This means Jeep is considering offering both electric and gas-powered versions of the Wagoneer S and Recon.
Jeep’s CEO, Antonio Filosa, makes it clear they don’t want to miss out on any sales opportunities. He says if there’s a market for gas-powered versions of these electric Jeeps, they’re going to build them! This way, they can appeal to both electric car fans and people who prefer traditional gas-powered engines.
Dodge is doing something similar with their Charger muscle car. First electric, then gas-powered versions will hit the market. This strategy might work for a muscle car, but Jeep already has a gas-powered off-roader, the Wrangler. Adding a gas-powered Recon might seem redundant.
The Wagoneer S, if offered in gas, would also compete with Jeep’s own Cherokee in the midsize SUV market. This could lead to confusion for consumers and hurt sales of both vehicles.
This strategy isn’t entirely new for Jeep’s parent company, Stellantis. They did the same thing with the Ram pickup truck, offering both electric and gas-powered versions. Whether this will be a successful strategy for Jeep with the Wagoneer S and Recon remains to be seen.
