2024 Jeep Wagoneer S EV arrives fully loaded to take on Tesla (2024)

The 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S is the first of a number of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) set to hit North American roads by 2025. The Wagoneer S is a midsized crossover that will be joined by the Wrangler-like Recon and the Brampton-built Compass. The European Avenger EV is not coming to Canada at this point, however, Stellantis CEO, Carlos Tavares, said there will be a US$25,000 Jeep EV coming, “very soon.” These vehicles are part of Jeep’s longer-term plan. It calls for 50% of all passenger car and light-duty truck sales in North America to be BEVs by the end of 2030. The vehicles will range from plug-in hybrids and EVs to range-extended EVs.

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What is the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S?

The Wagoneer S is a new-from-the-road-up all-electric crossover that has a sharp look with LEDs in the headlights, daytime running lights and taillights — even the customizable interior lighting with up to 64 colours uses LEDs. The Wagoneer S rides on the company’s STLA Large platform that was designed to accommodate both 400- and 800-volt electric architectures. The 100.5 kilowatt-hour battery powers two electric motors that deliver a run to 96 km/h (60 mph) in just 3.4 seconds. That’s a full second faster than the Grand Cherokee SRT and a tenth of a second faster than the 707 horsepower Trackhawk. Now these numbers are doubly impressive given the Wagoneer S Launch Edition has a curb weight of 2,570-kilograms!

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Is the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S Launch Edition fully loaded?

Yes, it arrives fully loaded. Inside, it mirrors the gas-powered Wagoneer, but places a clearer emphasis on technology — there are four displays and a total of 45-inches of screen space! The Launch Edition includes a black roof and trim, an illuminated seven-slot grille, 20-inch wheels and a dual-pane panoramic sunroof. A nice touch is found in the heated and ventilated front and rear seats. Bonus points for a front seat memory setup that stores seat and steering wheel position, as well as the pre-set radio stations. The icing comes in the form of the 19-speaker McIntosh sound system. The equipment list is so extensive only the Radar Red interior and trailer tow packages are on the option list.

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The Wagoneer S Launch Edition also has a full suite of safety aids including Active Drive Assist. Sadly, it requires the Hands-Free Active Driving Assist Jeep Connect Package. Yes, the Launch Edition comes with a three-year trial period, but it then becomes a subscription, as in a pay-to-play feature. More proof Jeep is moving to a subscription base is found in the fact satellite radio and TomTom Traffic and Travel become paid items when the three month trial periods end.

How big is the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S?

Jeep’s new BEV is 4,886-millimetres long, 2,123-mm wide, 1,645-mm tall, and it rides on a 2,870-mm wheelbase. This gives the Wagoneer generous rear seat space. The legroom, at 965-mm, means there’s lots of stretch out space and there’s enough width to carry three adults if they don’t mind being a little friendly. Behind that is 866-litres of cargo space with another 85-litres to be found in the frunk. The cargo space maxes out at 1,727L with the seats folded flat.

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Will the Wagoneer S survive an off-road excursion?

For the adventurous, Jeep lists its traditional off-road numbers. The electric Wagoneer S has a 19.2-degree approach angle, a ramp breakover angle of 14-degrees and a departure angle of 23.4-degrees. To build on the basics, Jeep revealed the Trailhawk concept. It jacks the ride height up by 76-mm, gives it a more rugged look including orange tow hooks and a roof rack that’s fully functional and not just for show. It also adds some neat interior features — the door pockets use straps that are secured by Allen screws. The clever part is the strap configuration can be adapted to whatever it is holding.

What powers the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S?

The Wagoneer S arrives with four-wheel-drive, thanks to the two electric drive modules (EDMs). Each EDM combines the electric motor, single-speed transmission and power electronics into a single, compact unit with one powering each axle. The only difference is the front EDM includes an axle-disconnect system. This reduces the parasitic losses on the highway, which helps to improve the driving range. Now to the important numbers — the two motors produce 600 horsepower and 617 pound-feet of instant-on torque! One tidbit that did surface was prospective owners will be able to buy more power through an over-the-air update — my mind instantly went to a Trackhawk version of the Trailhawk concept shown!

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What’s the expected driving range?

The 100.5-kWh lithium-ion nickel manganese cobalt battery pack will deliver “over” 480-kilometres (300 miles) of driving range on a full charge. At this point, the official range is yet to be announced, but if the Wagoneer S lives up to advanced billing and surpasses the 500-km driving range mark it would have an edge in a market where the range currently sits in the low-to-mid 400-km area.

A big part of the range equation boils down to the aerodynamics and regenerative braking. The Wagoneer S has a drag coefficient of 0.29. This makes it the slipperiest Jeep to date and approximately 15% better than the average SUV. A big part of the aero is the cool-looking D-Wing rear spoiler.

Regenerative braking adds to the range by harvesting otherwise waste energy. The electric motors not only harvest the kinetic power in the vehicle and feed it to the battery, it delivers electric “engine” braking. In this case, there are two levels of regen. The first delivers modest braking. The second is Max-regen, which gives the driver a one-pedal drive.

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Charging the Jeep Wagoneer S

The Wagoneer S charges its 100.5-kWh battery from 20-to-80% in 23 minutes when plugged into a DC fast-charger. When hooked up to a Level 2 home charger it takes 6.8 hours to charge from 5-to-80%. The good news is the Wagoneer S Launch Edition includes a Level 2 home charger in the price. However, the customer can choose to cash the charger in for the equivalent in public charging credits. The Free2move Charge Go app allows the owner to find, activate and pay for charging and it keeps a handle on the charging history.

How will the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S handle?

To improve the driving experience, the STLA Large platform has been strengthened — it is 35% stiffer than previous midsize Jeeps. Now, there was not a lot wrong with the Grand Cherokee or gas-powered Wagoneer, so this tidbit promises even better ride and handling. Throw in the low centre of gravity provided by the battery and the large P235/50R20 tires, and the response to driver input promises to be clean and crisp. Of course, the Wagoneer S gets Jeep’s Selec-Terrain traction management system. In this case, it has Auto, Sport, Eco, Snow and Sand modes.

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The Wagoneer S’s cabin is both classy and comfortable

Jeep can legitimately lay claim to starting the modern luxury SUV segment when it pulled the wraps off the original Wagoneer back in 1963. At the time, it arrived with a sharper cabin and creature comforts that were a cut above the expected norm. The Wagoneer S continues the tradition. It’s classy with the first impression being one of technology and more technology. For example, there are four displays giving a total of 45-inches of screen. It starts with the all-new 12.3-inch display for the reconfigurable instrumentation. It features different menus including BEV-specific elements like charge level, battery health and remaining driving range. When parked and plugged into a charger, the cluster also displays the charging status of the battery. This driving information is augmented by a 10-inch head-up display.

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Up next is the 12.3-inch multimedia screen that houses the latest Uconnect 5 software. It’s generally regarded as one of the best in the business. This time around it is clearer and faster, which makes it even easier to use. It works wirelessly with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. One of the neat menus gives access to old style VU meters for the 1,160-watt McIntosh sound system — the VU meters show sound intensity. Below the main multimedia screen is another 10.25-inch touchscreen for the dual-zone climate control functions. When it’s not needed it lifts out of the way to reveal the USB-C and HDMI inputs.

To the right of the infotainment screen is another 10.25-inch interactive display for the passenger. As it “talks” directly to the main multimedia display, the front passenger can send the driver directions by simply touching their screen, which dispatches the info. Is this what the backseat driver of the future looks like? If it is, it’s time to hang up my perforated driving gloves!

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Elsewhere, there’s no longer a leather option — the Wagoneer S uses perforated Sicily leatherette for the 16-way power seats with massage function and recycled materials in the carpets. This and ditching the chrome accents make the Wagoneer S even more environmentally friendly.

What will the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S cost in Canada?

The 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S Launch Edition has a Canadian MSRP of $88,995. Deliveries of the new BEV are expected this fall.

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