For a brand with one of the easiest designs to recognize, Jeep is doing an incredibly good job at keeping its test vehicles away from prying eyes. Even so, the next-generation Cherokee is expected to become the fourth all-electric model in the Jeep line-up, and here’s why.
For starters, the current Cherokee is long in the tooth, with the model having entered production back in 2013 (2014MY). The mid-size offering received a facelift in 2018 (2019MY), which got rid of the split headlight look that had led to the “lemon sucker” memes. And, given the overly competitive nature of the segment, the age of the current fifth-gen Cherokee is reflected in the dwindling sales.
There will be a new Cherokee, Jeep said
Now, Jeep has assured us there is a future for the Cherokee, albeit only mentioning an increase in size and steering clear of delivering any other details. Spy media? No test vehicle has been spotted to date, which could be a clue towards the EV future we’re discussing.
After all, if you’re going to completely change the energy source of a model that’s been one of your brand’s pillars, you’ll want to keep the operation well guarded.
For one, Jeep has managed to do that for the three EVs it presented before last month’s Detroit Auto Show. We’re talking about the Europe-only 2023 Avenger compact crossover, along with the global 2024 Recon—an EV Wrangler alternative—and 2024 Wagoneer S, a more lavish offering.
During that announcement, Jeep said a fourth all-electric model would follow and this could be the next-gen Cherokee. After all, the Cherokee is a vehicle with worldwide appeal and the company has vowed to only sell EVs in Europe by 2030—that figure goes down to 50% for North America.
An unofficial rendering of the next-gen Jeep Cherokee
Given the total lack of information and spy material, we’ve brought along a rendering that attempts to portray the next-generation Jeep Cherokee.
Released by AutoYa over on YouTube, the 2D effort captures Jeep’s latest styling language, mixing this with the current Cherokee. Design features from the said EVs are naturally included here and, if full electrification is indeed happening, we’d expect such styling to be wrapped around the SLTA Large EV platform.
The architecture, which will also serve the Recon and the Wagoneer S, is scheduled to enter production next year, offering a range of approximately 500 miles (800 km) and accommodating batteries with capacities between 101 and 118 kWh.
With the second-gen Cherokee introduced in 1984, which packed a unibody construction, arguably making for the first modern SUV, we’re looking forward to seeing how this iconic nameplate transitions into the future.
