During the Stellantis “Strategic Plan” presentation, CEO Carlos Tavares shared a couple of slides showcasing a new battery-electric vehicle (BEV) Jeep. It’s a tiny compact SUV that has been given the name “Junior,” and we can certainly see why. The new BEV is expected to be placed below the globally popular Renegade model, and will ultimately offer people an even more affordable electric vehicle.
Jeep Junior: Details
The new all-electric Jeep vehicle known as the “Junior” is expected to join and be manufactured alongside other compact BEVs from the automaker, including the Alfa Romeo and Fiat. The Jeep Junior’s production has been in the works for several years, even before the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and Peugeot S.A. (PSA). However, due to the current timeline, the new compact SUV will not be based on the all-new STLA Small architecture, which won’t debut until the 2026 model year. But instead will ride on the second-generation eCMP platform.
The Jeep Junior will likely feature an electronic all-wheel-drive (eAWD) option, while Front-wheel-drive (FWD) will be standard. The sketches of the new Jeep Junior show that the little SUV will share some styling queues with the recently unveiled 2023 Jeep Renegade. The vehicle keeps the “shark fin” D-pillar, a popular design for smaller Jeep vehicles like the Compass. Additionally, it’s clear that the rear door panels will be located in the C-pillar of the car, giving it a sleeker-looking exterior.
The front of the vehicle will not feature the traditional rounded headlights but will instead have LED headlamps located in a curved headlamp design. The LED daytime running light (DRL) runs along the brow of the lens and looks quite sleek. Additionally, we can see LED fog lights fixed up high, similar to the Compass. The Jeep Junior SUV is expected to launch early next year and will be sold exclusively in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region. But if there is high demand, Jeep may consider bringing it to other places, including America.