Jeep Avenger debuts as brand’s first EV

The Jeep Avenger has made its official debut at the Paris Motor Show, with the brand announcing more details about its first-ever fully electric vehicle.

Earlier this year in September, the Avenger was revealed as the entry point into the Jeep range and to support the brand’s global electrification strategy.

The subcompact SUV has also been developed specifically with the European market in mind in order to capture more sales in the rapidly growing electric segment.

With the model set to arrive in showrooms from early next year, it’s a good time to see what the Avenger is all about.

Fully electric drivetrain

Although Jeep is most commonly known for its four-wheel drive capability, the Avenger is surprisingly front-wheel drive only.

It makes use of a single electric motor up front that produces 115kW and 260Nm of torque and is fed by a new 54kWh lithium-ion battery produced by parent company Stellantis.

While that’s enough juice to travel 400km on a single charge, when drained, the battery can be recharged from 20 to 80 per cent in 24 minutes via a 100kW fast charger. Jeep says the Avenger can also travel 30km after charging for three minutes from completely flat.

An 11kW alternating current charger takes 5.5 hours to recharge the battery from dead to full.

The Avenger takes advantage of Jeep’s Selec-Terrain system which offers six driving modes for the electric drivetrain including the usual Normal, Eco, and Sport, but adds Snow, Mud, and Sand if one were to find themselves off the beaten path.

An internal combustion engine variant is also due in the future.

On and off-road capability

Don’t let its size or front-wheel drive layout fool you, the Avenger has been designed with off-road capability in mind.

At 4.08m long, the subcompact SUV is 160mm shorter than the Renegade. It also has short front and rear overhangs which offer 20 degree approach and breakover angles while departure is 32 degrees.

Combined with its 200mm ground clearance, the Avenger is not only useful on the trails but also around town.

Exterior designed with protection in mind

In keeping with the rest of the Jeep brand, the iconic seven-slot front grille makes an appearance on the Avenger which is positioned in front of the headlights to protect them in case of impact.

Another all-terrain design element is the bulging fenders which house 18-inch alloy wheels.

Skid plates and 360 degree plastic cladding surround the lower portions of the Avenger to protect it from any potential damage.

At the rear, the signature ‘X’ tail lights have been designed to look like fuel cans often found mounted to the back of WW2-era Willys Jeeps.

Playful and tech-full interior

The interior of the Avenger is as playful as its exterior with features like ambient lighting stretching across the body-coloured dashboard.

Also included is a convenient storage shell along the bottom of the dashboard alongside 34-litres of storage space.

Leather clad electronically adjustable seats with massage functions and a sunroof can also be found.

A centrally-mounted 10.25-inch touch screen is accessible by both driver and passenger as well as a digital gauge cluster available in 7 and 10.25-inch variants.

Infotainment is handled by Jeep’s Uconnect system that includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. Users can also build their own interface with twelve widgets on up to six pages.

The boot can hold 380-litres of cargo volume while the loading is made easy via the 1m wide rear hatch, 720mm rear sill height, and hands-free power tailgate.

Launch and availability

It isn’t clear whether New Zealand will get the Avenger but considering the Renegade was sold here, it is possible.

The Jeep Avenger will launch in early 2023.