FCA, Jeep Begin Development Of Battery-Powered SUVs

For the most part, the majority of electric plug-in vehicles today are sedans and compact cars. Tesla's Model X is one of the few battery-electric SUV's, but that could be about to change. Jeep CEO Michael Manley said that the brand has battery-based cars that are currently "under active development," and according to the company, they might not be very far from launching such vehicles.

Electric plug-in vehicles are faced with the stigma that they are slow and not good for much other than lowering the driver's fuel bill. But Manley has said that because electric powered cars offer a good deal of low-end torque, that a plug-in Jeep would be very well suited for off-road applications.

While a plug-in electric offering from Jeep might surprise some, this would simply be the latest move by FCA to further embrace the alternative powertrain. The brand released an electric version of the Fiat 500 a few years back and they recently announced that the new Chrysler Pacifica minivan would be available as a plug-in. 

FCA "will have to incorporate some electrification," said Manley, if they expect to keep selling in a number of key markets like China and Europe. Both countries are beginning a push towards alternative fuel sources, with China placing an emphasis on electric cars to help solve the country's air pollution issues and Europe beginning to transition away from diesel-powered vehicles. Germany has already mandated that all new vehicles sold there must be zero-emission models by 2030. 

This means Jeep could potentially release several electric models so that they can continue to compete in these critical markets, as well as the U.S which is requiring manufacturers to meet a 54.5 mpg benchmark by 2025. The Jeep Renegade, the baby of the lineup, is assembled in China and could be one of the first models offered as an EV in that country.

Manley also said that EV's could make up as much as 20 percent of FCA's fleet within the next decade.