Jeep® Finds The Best Place To Charge Your Renegade 4xe In The UK:

Jeep® launched its first electrified offering into the UK marketplace with the Renegade 4xe back in September. With the electric car market expanding across Europe due to heavy restrictions on emissions and high fuel prices, the UK is the perfect place to embrace the compact plug-in SUV. But where is a best place in the UK to take advantage of the Renegade 4xe’s plug-in ability?

This past week, the Jeep brand revealed that Coventry is the best place in mainland Britain for plug-in vehicle owners to charge their vehicles, but it lags behind the Outer Hebrides overall. Analysis of the latest government data revealed there is currently one charging device for every 15 plug-in vehicles registered in the UK, while in Coventry there is one device per 2.3 registered plug-in vehicle owners.

EV and plug-in hybrid owners living in the Outer Hebrides are better off though with the Na h-Eileanan Siar local authority having one charger for every 2.13 vehicles. Other areas leading the charge were Fermanagh and Omagh, in Northern Ireland (2.5 vehicles per charger), Wandsworth in London (2.6) and the Isle of Anglesey (2.8).

Following the findings, Jeep has created an interactive map showcasing the number of registered plug-in vehicles per public charging device by local authorities. 

To broaden the public’s view on the “EVolution” of the automobile, Jeep surveyed 2,000 UK motorists made up of 1,600 who own diesel, gasoline, and hybrid owners as well as 400 owners of plug-in hybrid or pure electric vehicles. Jeep found the average motorist drives just 26 miles per day in the UK with 60% of gasoline or diesel owners driving less than 20 miles per day.

It also brought up that 79% of motorists think that the UK government should be investing more in improving the public charging infrastructure and 76% said there should be greater investment in on-street charging where motorists don’t have off-street parking.

The study was carried out via OnePoll, which also found 1 in 5 gasoline and diesel drivers support the introduction of road pricing to offset the loss in fuel duty revenue. For those who aren’t familiar fuel duty is included in the price of gasoline, diesel, and other fuels used in vehicles or for heating. People living in the UK pay a standard value-added tax (VAT) rate of 20% on most fuel (5% on domestic heating fuel). 

The research goes hand and hand with the September launch of the 2020 Jeep Reneagde 4xe in the UK. Jeep’s plug-in hybrid pairs a 1.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, located between the rear axle, which is powered by an 11.4 kWh battery that can recharged while driving or through an external power outlet or charge point. When on its own, the 1.3-liter turbo delivers two different power levels of 130 horsepower or 180 horsepower. When combined with the 60 horsepower delivered by the electric motor, it gives the Longitude (Latitude in North America) and Limited models 190 horsepower of output and 240 horsepower in the Trailhawk model.

The combination of combination engine and the electric units guarantees performance and maximum driving experience with a 0 to 62 mph in 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 81 mph in full-electric mode and 124 mph in hybrid mode.

Renegade 4xe can run up to 26 miles on just battery power, the same figure the average British motorist drives daily. The 1.3-liter turbo ensures that the driver can continue on their trip, well after the initial charge has been depleted. 

“Our research shows the public is supportive of the move towards electric vehicles, and it shouldn’t be a surprise that those who have made the switch are more in favor of the transition”, said Damien Dally, Jeep UK Manager. “With 71% of [gasoline], diesel, and hybrid drivers covering fewer than 30 miles per day on average, a plug-in hybrid would give them the benefit of zero-emission driving while providing the comfort of a [gasoline] engine to fall back on for longer journeys as well.”

According to the report, these are the municipalities ranked with the average plug-in vehicles per charging point…

Na h-Eileanan Siar – 2.13
Coventry – 2.33
Fermanagh and Omagh – 2.50
Wandsworth – 2.60
Isle of Anglesey – 2.80
Brighton and Hove – 2.83
Sunderland – 2.94
Eden – 2.95
Pembrokeshire – 2.95
Middlesbrough – 2.97
Gwynedd – 3.16
Stockton-on-Tees – 3.19
Shetland Islands – 3.29
Dumfries & Galloway – 3.37
Argyll & Bute – 3.38
Greenwich – 3.40
Highland – 3.57
Lambeth – 3.63
East Lothian – 3.73
Boston – 3.79
Plymouth – 3.89
Islington – 3.93
Liverpool – 3.96
Southwark – 4.00
Hyndburn – 4.04
Copeland – 4.32

The information plays an important role not only for the UK, but for other markets as well. As the Jeep brand continues to grow its electrfied portfolio with the recently launched Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4xe and future offerings of the next-generation Grand Cherokee and the all-new Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer trims.

Currently, the Renegade 4xe is the only electrified offering in the UK marketplace. But we are sure more electrified models will be arriving in the UK soon from the American SUV brand.