Jeep Avenger EV — It Is A Jeep!

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The intense yellow Jeep Avenger electrical car actually attracts the attention as you drive down one of many major arterial roads in Brisbane. He’s getting plenty of publicity, and in accordance with the younger salesman who spent the morning with us, plenty of enquiries. At the least 5 every week. Although, he admitted not as a lot as the BYD Shark, additionally bought right here. It’s powertrain identification is delicate, however not it’s Jeep heritage.

Let’s get the negatives out of the best way first up — this isn’t a household car. Loads of those that come to see it are dissatisfied on the measurement, describing it as “cute.” You’d be onerous pressed, actually, to suit 4 Aussie sized blokes or Shielas into it. Nevertheless, 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 believe it is going to attraction to the 18–25-year-olds, positively a distinct segment market. Metropolis and seaside!

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

Nevertheless, in right this moment’s size-conscious automotive market, the Polish made Jeep Avenger EV comes off worse when in comparison with the competitors. However does measurement actually matter in relation to an off-road targeted car, or is it extra concerning 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 convey 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 making ready for the longer term by putting in extra EV chargers.

The time we spent with the salesperson was informative and informal. In all probability that is essentially the most standout characteristic of the shopping for expertise now. The salespeople know their product. Our man will get to take vehicles house for the weekend (this explicit dealership additionally sells BYD and the Fiat 500e), so he was very accustomed to all facets of the Jeep — and a number of the competitors, as his dad and mom 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 stress off him a bit. However I additionally instructed him I’d be writing it up for CleanTechnica and hoped for hundreds of hits.

We had a wander across the automotive and took plenty of photographs. Liked the attractive blue ‘e’ on the again. The console of the Jeep appeared to have a superb stability between display and bodily buttons. The inside is just like the Fiat 500e’s. The Avenger has a spread of about 400 km and does 0–100 km/h in about 9 seconds. (And, sure, Majella needed to examine 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 finished 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 ceaselessly is “Can I cost my automotive at a Tesla Supercharger?” Identical to most nations, some Superchargers you may and a few you may’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 comes with a house button, so when you get misplaced within the menus, you may return to the start.

What concerning 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 convey us to an entire cease. The suspension was onerous and “chunky,” as you’ll count on in an off-road succesful car. 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 mentioned the automotive felt heavy to drive.

The accessible colors embody pink. So, we have been pleased. 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 high quality you may combine colors in a single mannequin. For instance, you may have a Ruby colored Jeep with a Volcano (black) roof. If we may mix the Solar with the Ruby, we may have an actual Avenger — Iron Man!

Extra technical particulars could be discovered within the Jeep brochure, and from this European assessment.

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

The Jeep Avenger has already acquired many awards: European Automobile of the 12 months for 2023, and Finest Small Automobile 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 car, it is going to fill a distinct segment within the EV product lineup, hopefully consuming into the market share of the RAV4 (HEV).