Skip to main content

Jeep joins the EV party with the 600-horsepower Wagoneer S

Front view of a 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S driving on a city street.
Jeep

After getting things rolling with plug-in hybrids, Jeeps’ electrification plans are picking up speed. Scheduled to reach dealerships this fall, the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S is the brand’s first EV for North America.

The Wagoneer name is right up there with Wrangler and Grand Cherokee in Jeep lore. The original Jeep Wagoneer was one of the first truly civilized SUVs and became the namesake for a modern sub-brand encompassing the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, two leviathan gas guzzlers that went on sale as 2022 models. The Wagoneer S shares little with these SUVs besides a name.

Jeep announced the Wagoneer S alongside the more traditional-looking Recon, but opted to launch the Wagoneer S first because it makes better business sense, Jeep CEO Antonio Filosa told Digital Trends. It’s the right size vehicle for a lot of markets outside the U.S., will be the first Wagoneer sold abroad, and requires fewer new arrangements with suppliers, Filosa said, adding that this is an unexpected move for Jeep. This sleeker, more luxurious model is more of a departure from the brand’s norms.

2024 Jeep Wagoneer S interior.
Jeep

In contrast to the relentlessly square design of gasoline Wagoneer models, the Wagoneer S has a streamlined shape much like the controversial Jeep Cherokee that was recently discontinued. The goal was to make the Wagoneer S as aerodynamic as possible to help maximize range, without making it look like a “lozenge,” Ralph Gilles, design boss of Jeep parent Stellantis, said at the vehicle’s reveal. Designers also included a large rear wing straight out of a “Fast and Furious” movie to help with that. The trademark seven-slot grille also lights up, emphasizing that, regardless of what the rest of the styling might say, this is a Jeep.

The Wagoneer S shares the STLA Large platform with the Dodge Charger Daytona from Jeep’s fellow Stellantis brand. Jeep claims its engineers tailored the platform’s dimensions to the Wagoneer S, though. The result is an SUV that’s as wide and tall as a Tesla Model Y, but substantially longer. That doesn’t translate to an advantage in headroom, legroom, or cargo space, however. The Model Y also has a larger frunk.

The first batch of vehicles to reach dealerships will be Launch Edition models with a standard dual-motor powertrain producing 600 horsepower and 617 pound-feet of torque. Jeep claims this will propel the Wagoneer S from zero to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, making it the brand’s quickest production model to date. It’s also 0.1 second quicker than a Model Y Performance but, with a base price of $71,995, the Wagoneer S Launch Edition is pricier.

2024 Jeep Wagoneer S charge port.
Jeep

Because this is a Jeep, the Wagoneer S also offers some degree of off-road capability A version of the Selec-Terrain system from gasoline and plug-in hybrid Jeep models includes Auto, Sport, Eco, Snow, and Sand drive modes, but the 6.4 inches of ground clearance listed on the spec sheet is less than you get with a Subaru Crosstrek. Jeep showed a concept version dubbed the Trailhawk with lifted suspension and more off-road-worthy tires at the Wagoneer S reveal, but it’s not confirmed for production.

A 100.5-kilowatt-hour battery pack will provide more than 300 miles of range per charge, Jeep estimates. The Wagoneer S uses a 400-volt electrical system, rather than 800V, but Jeep still expects a 20% to 80% DC fast charge to take just 23 minutes. Launch Edition models also come with a 48-amp Level 2 AC home charger that can complete a 5% to 80% charge in an estimated 6.8 hours.

The standard infotainment interface includes a 12.3-inch central touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, plus a 10.25-inch touchscreen for the front passenger and a 10-inch head-up display. Stellantis’ Uconnect 5 infotainment system is compatible with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as over-the-air (OTA) updates. A 19-speaker McIntosh audio system is standard on Launch Edition models as well.

The high level of standard equipment is indicative of this EV’s positioning as a Wagoneer rather than an ordinary Jeep, which implies a higher level of luxury. That’s also reflected in a cabin that features high-end materials like ceramic-coated aluminum trim. However, Jeep chose synthetic leather upholstery as a more sustainable option, along with a headliner and carpets made from recycled material. Designers also avoided use of wood trim to give the cabin a more modern feel.

The Wagoneer name is Jeep-speak for “upscale,” but in its launch configuration, the Wagoneer S may have difficulty competing with the Model Y and other similar-sized electric SUVs priced below it. Jeep has a more distinctive EV coming in the form of the Recon, which takes its inspiration from the brand’s signature Wrangler and perhaps would have been a better model to lead with.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
No mere EV, the sensor-stuffed EX90 is Volvo’s towering tech flagship
Front three quarter view of the 2024 Volvo EX90.

Volvo has reinvented its image over the past decade, taking its cars from stodgy to stylish, and keeping pace with tech developments. Now, it’s trying to do that once again.
The 2024 Volvo EX90 is the Swedish automaker’s new flagship — and it’s electric. This three-row, seven-seat SUV packs all of Volvo’s latest infotainment and safety tech, so its electric powertrain is an important statement of Volvo’s commitment to going all-electric in the future.
The EX90 isn’t a standalone EV. Its styling and tech will set the tone for future Volvos. The business case isn’t EV-specific either. The EX90 has the same form factor as Volvo’s popular XC90 SUV, which it one-ups in tech. Volvo isn’t trying to prove that it can make an EV; it’s already done that with the XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge. It’s just trying to make a good car.
“There are no gimmicks in the EX90.” Volvo Cars CEO Jim Rowan said in a keynote at the EV’s reveal in Stockholm. “All the technology that’s there is there for a reason.” And boy, is there a lot of it.

Stylish and sustainable
The EX90 is a conventional SUV design with the sharp edges shaved away. There isn’t even a hint of a grille, the door handles sit flush with the bodywork, and the wheels have smooth inserts between the spokes. It’s all to help minimize aerodynamic drag — an important consideration for an EV, as it helps increase range.
The result is a coefficient of drag (Cd) of 0.29, compared to 0.33 for the current Volvo XC90 three-row SUV (lower numbers are better). The EX90 isn’t the slipperiest electric SUV around; the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV has a 0.26 Cd. But Volvo’s designers retained a more traditional SUV shape, in line with the gasoline Volvo XC90, without resorting to the Jell-O mold shape of the Mercedes.
“The profile and a bit of the plan view is a bit rounder than maybe we’ve done in the past,” Volvo exterior design boss T. Jon Mayer told Digital Trends. “It’s not a jellybean blob by any means, but there are very minute details of how much roundness you put around the edges. This detail work, as well as a longer rear overhang, help keep air flowing smoothly around the car while following the minimalist ethos of Scandinavian design, keeping the bodywork visually clean.
The EX90 is a conventional SUV design with the sharp edges shaved away.

Read more
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV preview: The EV lineup grows again
Front three quarter view of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV.

As Mercedes-Benz has steadily expanded its EQ range of electric cars, the lineup has become a bit like the late stages of a Tetris game. It’s mostly complete, but with a few gaps still left. And the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV is the piece that perfectly fits one of them.
Mercedes recently launched two other electric SUVs at opposite ends of the price spectrum. The EQS SUV is positioned as the lineup’s flagship, while the EQB is the entry-level model. The EQE SUV slots between those two in size and, presumably, price. The latter hasn’t been confirmed yet, and likely won’t be until the EQE SUV’s planned March 2023 on-sale date.

Design
As the name says, the EQE SUV is a utility-vehicle version of the EQE sedan, which will likely beat it to showrooms by a few months. Mercedes did the same thing with the EQS, which is available in both SUV and sedan body styles.
With its tall, upright profile, the EQE SUV definitely looks like a proper SUV compared to the low-slung EQE sedan. Park it next to an EQS SUV, though, and you’ll have to get out a measuring tape to spot the differences.
The EQE SUV is 0.6 inch narrower and 1.2 inches lower than the EQS SUV, but the most significant difference is in length. The EQE SUV is 10.3 inches shorter than the EQS SUV, with a 2.1-inch shorter wheelbase. And while the EQS SUV has three-row seating, the EQE SUV has two rows. Based on our experience with the EQS SUV’s third row, that’s not a big loss.
The interior design theme carries over from other Mercedes EQ models, with an expansive sloping dashboard designed to accommodate many screens, and multicolor ambient lighting that should look pretty dramatic at night. However, leatherette upholstery is standard, rather than real leather, which Mercedes is now spinning as a vegan option.

Read more
Sporty Polestar 3 SUV is an EV guiding star
Front three quarter view of the Polestar 3.

For Volvo’s EV-focused Polestar spinoff brand, the third time really is the charm.
The brand’s first model, the Polestar 1 plug-in hybrid coupe, was built in low volumes and still had a combustion engine. The current Polestar 2 is a derivative of the Volvo C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge. With the Polestar 3, the brand is really finding its footing.
Scheduled to go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2023, the Polestar 3 is the brand’s first SUV, and while it still shares much hardware and software with parent Volvo, it’s next-generation tech that’s blended with a unique design aesthetic and a greater emphasis on performance.

Design
Where the Polestar 1 and Polestar 2 recycled styling from old Volvo concept cars, the five-seat Polestar 3 debuts a new brand-specific design language. The scrunched-up “face” and minimal air-intake opening advertise the 3’s electric powertrain, while the pinched rear side glass gives it a more streamlined appearance than other SUVs — particularly those of parent Volvo. The headlights look like an enlarged version of the “Thor’s Hammer” LED elements from current Volvos, however.
While not officially confirmed, the Polestar 3 is expected to be twinned with the Volvo EX90, the parent brand’s upcoming all-electric flagship SUV. Both are expected to use Volvo’s SPA2 platform, a successor to the SPA (Scalable Product Architecture) platform underpinning most current Volvo models.
Because eliminating tailpipe emissions doesn’t totally erase a vehicle’s environmental impact, Polestar also emphasized sustainable materials, such as wool upholstery that, the automaker claims, can be certified as sustainably produced. Polestar also plans to conduct a lifecycle assessment of the 3’s environmental impact when production starts, and follow up with additional assessments through the production run to look for ways of reducing its carbon footprint.

Read more