Jeep Avenger EV — It Is A Jeep!

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The intense yellow Jeep Avenger electrical automobile actually attracts the attention as you drive down one of many essential arterial roads in Brisbane. He’s getting a number of publicity, and based on the younger salesman who spent the morning with us, a number of enquiries. No less than 5 per week. Although, he admitted not as a lot because the BYD Shark, additionally bought right here. It’s powertrain identification is refined, however not it’s Jeep heritage.

Let’s get the negatives out of the best way first up — this isn’t a household automobile. A whole lot of those that come to see it are dissatisfied on the dimension, describing it as “cute.” You’ll be onerous pressed, actually, to suit 4 Aussie sized blokes or Shielas into it. Nonetheless, what I see in my thoughts’s eye when taking a look at this spectacular European styled enjoyable automotive is echoes of the Mini Moke life-style — surfboard on the highest, beers within the again, and a protracted summer time of enjoyable in entrance of us. When requested my candid opinion, I commented — I feel it can enchantment to the 18–25-year-olds, positively a distinct segment market. Metropolis and seaside!

My neighbours’ 19-year-old daughter would actually take pleasure in it. She is at the moment driving mum’s big SUV Jeep. Out of curiosity I checked the dimensions specs with the World Struggle II Jeep: the Willys MB. It was about 132 inches lengthy, 62 inches large, and 69¾ inches excessive. The Avenger’s specs are given in metres, so a direct comparability can be: Willy 3.35 m lengthy 1.57 m large, and 1.77 m tall. The Avenger is 4.084 m lengthy, 1.797 m large and 1.534 m tall. So, one might argue that the Avenger is larger than the unique Jeep by a small margin. It’s a retro dimension!

Nonetheless, in at this time’s size-conscious automotive market, the Polish made Jeep Avenger EV comes off worse when in comparison with the competitors. However does dimension actually matter on the subject of an off-road targeted automobile, or is it extra in regards to the enjoyable issue when evaluating Willys. The seller’s lot had many Jeep fashions to select from. Hopefully Stellantis (who owns Jeep) will proceed to deliver out bigger BEV Jeeps. One benefit of a dealership that gives a wide range of manufacturers is that purchasers can cross store in the identical location. One enquirer who discovered the Avenger too small went on to buy a BYD Sealion 06. The dealership is getting ready for the longer term by putting in extra EV chargers.

The time we spent with the salesperson was informative and informal. Most likely that is essentially the most standout characteristic of the shopping for expertise now. The salespeople know their product. Our man will get to take automobiles house for the weekend (this specific dealership additionally sells BYD and the Fiat 500e), so he was very accustomed to all elements of the Jeep — and a few of the competitors, as his mother and father have a Polestar 2 and a Tesla Mannequin 3. Thoughts you, I did inform him why we have been there and that we wouldn’t be shopping for the automotive, in order that took the strain off him a bit. However I additionally informed him I might be writing it up for CleanTechnica and hoped for hundreds of hits.

We had a wander across the automotive and took a number of pictures. Liked the horny blue ‘e’ on the again. The console of the Jeep appeared to have an excellent stability between display screen and bodily buttons. The inside is just like the Fiat 500e’s. The Avenger has a variety of about 400 km and does 0–100 km/h in about 9 seconds. (And, sure, Majella needed to test that out safely on the freeway!) It has a 54-kW battery. We didn’t have the chance to take the Avenger off highway, however the salesman assured us that a number of of the workers on the dealership had executed so.

The Avenger comes with a charging cable and is ready to obtain over-the-air updates. One of many questions the salesperson will get often is “Can I cost my automotive at a Tesla Supercharger?” Similar to most international locations, some Superchargers you’ll be able to and a few you’ll be able to’t. Sitting within the again, I missed the backseat air-con in my Tesla. The Avenger comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. One nice characteristic is that the display screen comes with a house button, so when you get misplaced within the menus, you’ll be able to return to the start.

What in regards to the drive? The automotive was charged up and able to go! We’re used to one-pedal driving, however this Jeep didn’t have that — Majella needed to maintain making use of the brakes, which turned annoying. Regen slowed us down, however wouldn’t deliver us to an entire cease. The suspension was onerous and “chunky,” as you’d count on in an off-road succesful automobile. The Avenger weighs in at 1520 kg (3351 lb), simply barely lighter than our Tesla Mannequin 3 (3582 lb). I point out this as a result of Majella stated the automotive felt heavy to drive.

The out there colors embody crimson. So, we have been blissful. The names of the colors emphasise that that is an EV designed to go off highway: Ruby, Snow Volcano, Solar, Granite, Lake, Stone. I can see the younger skilled telling his mates, “I’m off for the weekend to get some Solar by the Lake in my Granite Avenger!” Or some such nonsense. On the prime quality you’ll be able to combine colors in a single mannequin. For instance, you’ll be able to have a Ruby colored Jeep with a Volcano (black) roof. If we might mix the Solar with the Ruby, we might have an actual Avenger — Iron Man!

Extra technical particulars will be discovered within the Jeep brochure, and from this European overview.

Australia is in the course of a worth conflict triggered by an inflow of Chinese language-made automobiles. I’m unsure how Stellantis will take care of this. Nonetheless, a base-level Jeep is marketed as about the identical worth as a Hyundai Kona Electrical or a BYD Atto 3 at current. Jeep diminished the worth of the bottom mannequin by AUD$4,000 previous to launch, making it lower than AUD$50,000. Nonetheless, the web site nonetheless lists the worth as round AUD$54,000. Watch this area, there be dragons lurking!

The Jeep Avenger has already obtained many awards: European Automotive of the Yr for 2023, and Finest Small Automotive on the 2023 Autocar Awards. This Jeep received’t be going to conflict and it actually received’t tow your caravan round Australia, however as city-based enjoyable automobile, it can fill a distinct segment within the EV product lineup, hopefully consuming into the market share of the RAV4 (HEV).