The all-new 2023 Jeep® Avenger (JJ) was named 2023 “European Car of the Year” at the Brussels Motor Show on Friday.
A panel of 59 automotive journalists from 23 different European counties ranked their favorite new vehicles from the past year. The Avenger was ranked first by 21 of the journalists, giving the new B-UV a total of 328 points and propelling it ahead of other vehicles like the Volkswagen I.D. Buzz and Nissan Ariya.
Not available in North America, the Avenger slots in below the Renegade in terms of size in the Jeep portfolio. It is also the first-ever battery-electric vehicle (BEV), showcasing the brand’s commitment to electrification.
Produced in the highly-efficient Stellantis plant in Tychy, Poland, the new Avenger is equipped with standard Selec-Terrain® and Hill Descent Control (HDC) which, together with its outstanding approach and departure angles and the vehicle’s ground clearance, bring impressive levels of capability into the segment.
Developed with the specific needs of European customers in mind, the new Avenger is a small B-SUV, at just four meters in length (160.6 inches), it is positioned in the rapidly growing B-UV segment (the second biggest European segment in terms of volume).
The Avenger features a new generation of electric propulsion system, which combines a new electric motor (e-motor) and a new battery.
Using a 400-volt electric powertrain, it is the first one to be launched by Emotors, a joint venture between Stellantis and Nidec Leroy-Somer Holding. The new e-motor will produce 115 kW (156 horsepower) and 260 N⋅m (192 lb.-ft.) of torque.
The new 54 kWh battery (also produced by Stellantis), offers a high energy density and an excellent ratio between nominal and usable energy. Specifically, the battery pack is made up of 17 modules and 102 cells utilizing NMC 811 Lithium-Ion chemistry and delivers 400 kilometers (249 miles) of range using the WLTP cycle, which becomes 550 kilometers (342 miles) in the urban cycle.
The battery, which was tested for over 2 million kilometers (1.24 million miles), is extremely compact, and non-intrusive, and is found under the front and rear seats and central tunnel. Furthermore, it is protected by a high ground clearance and underbody skid plates during off-road driving.
Using a 100 kW Mode 4 cable in direct current (DC) connected to a fast public charger, three minutes of charge is enough to provide a travel distance of 30 kilometers (18.6 miles). Also, 24 minutes is sufficient to charge the batteries from 20 to 80% charge.
Considering that most European users travel an average of 30 kilometers a day, it is likely that the vehicle can be driven for days before needing to be recharged. Meanwhile, with an 11 kW Mode 3 cable for alternating current (AC) connected to a Mopar Wallbox or a public station, the Avenger can be charged from 0% to 100% in 5.5 hours.
Jeep CEO Christian Meunier, has stated several times that their is “no real market potential in North America” for the subcompact Avenger. Instead, the Avenger will continue to expand its offering globally outside its North America, with plans to take the B-UV to Japan and South Korea before the end of Q1 2023.
