Jeep Small SUV Production To Begin Next Year; Electric Variant By 2023

upcoming Jeep sub-4-metre SUV front angle rendering

Jeep compact crossover will sit below the Renegade in the global lineup and it will be based on the CMP architecture

According to an international media report that emerged on the interweb, Jeep will be putting its smallest crossover into production by November next year. Internally codenamed Project 516, it will be positioned below the Renegade and will be manufactured at the Tychy plant in Poland. It will sit on the CMP architecture, extensively used across brands coming under Stellantis.

The platform can be found in Citroen, Peugeot, Opel, Vauxhall and DS brands and thus using it in a Jeep will certainly keep the production costs down. The report went on to say that the Jeep crossover will be introduced with petrol powertrains while an electric variant is not far away. Within just five months since the debut of the IC-engined Jeep crossover, its zero-emission variant will enter production.

The American SUV specialist will more likely be expanding its range further as a mild-hybrid variant will follow up as early as January 2024. The entry-level Jeep crossover will use powertrains from PSA and up to 1,10,000 units could be produced per annum. The mild-hybrid variant will have a front-wheel-drive layout with an electric motor positioned between the engine and gearbox.

upcoming Jeep sub-4-metre SUV rear angle rendering

By April 2023, the small crossover will be accompanied by a Fiat crossover codenamed Project 364 and is said to be inspired by the Centoventi concept unveiled in early 2019. Stellantis will target building 1,30,000 units of the Italian crossover annually. The report also noted that Alfa Romero Brennero crossover has not received the green light for production yet.

It could go into production in October 2023 though as an EV while a mild-hybrid variant could join the lineup half a year later before the arrival of an AWD system in 2024. Jeep India has been working on launching a three-row UV based on the Compass while the locally assembled Grand Cherokee is also in the pipeline.

However, a compact SUV slotting below the Compass is highly anticipated and it will more likely utilise Citroen’s CMP platform that will underpin the upcoming CC21 sub-four-metre SUV bound for early 2022. The timeline of the Project 516 may coincide with the India-spec compact SUV and the Ranjangaon facility could play a key role in exporting the model to RHD markets.

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