SUVs have dominated the automotive world for a few years. They have overrun minivans and undermined the dominance of sedans over the entire auto market. With the switch to electrification, they will still multiply even if, oddly enough, we are advocating that electrification is more environmentally friendly and at the same time slipping batteries into vehicles that are heavier, less aerodynamic, and consuming more than the sedans they often consume take on the technical basis … but That is the case and manufacturers are surfing this SUV wave by revealing more and more new models.
Full of SUVs
The Stellantis group, born from the union of PSA and FCA groups, includes within its brands a large number of SUVs with the Jeep brand of course, but also with Peugeot and its emblematic models, the Peugeot 2008, 3008 and 5008 (and the new 408 sedan-SUV) and these Stellantis is not the only SUV because other brands such as Alfa Romeo, Citroën, DS Automobiles, Fiat and Opel have one or more vehicles of this type in their range.
Peugeot 2008 adds its technical base
Although there is a large SUV division within it, the Stylants always wanted more and the group decided to strike hard in the city SUV segment. This is how three SUVs are set to arrive in cities in the coming months. So that the brands can produce these models while reducing development costs as much as possible, a common technical base is the Peugeot 2008 base. This is the e-CMP platform that can accommodate thermal and electric motors, because it is necessary to provide the future and the planned transition to all-electric for some Group brands. So DS should go all-electric in 2024, meaning we’ll keep the hybrids for a while. There won’t be a new heat engine. For Jeep it will be 2027, Fiat 2027, Opel 2028 … But beware, this applies to Europe, because in other markets internal combustion engines will still have the right to sell them, and this is after 2035 (the date when heat sale will be banned in Europe*). It’s really hard to see an all-electric Jeep in 2025 on the North American continent, which is too many sales for this manufacturer.
For second city jeep SUV
Let’s stay in Jeep for a moment and talk about the new city SUV based on Peugeot 2008. We already know what it’ll look like since Stellants revealed concept car images at the beginning of the year. It’s a small model that we have practically no information other than these two photos. However, we know that it will be in the range below the Jeep Renegade, a city SUV like it, and that it will only have two-wheel drive, even if a 4×4 project has been contemplated for some time with two electric motors, but that this project can finally be implemented on the replacement Renegade. This “Baby” jeep will be produced at the group’s plant in Tychy, Poland. If this is the first 100% electric Jeep, then there will also be combustion engines under the hood of this model. Moreover, the prototypes that are currently undergoing development tests are equipped with internal combustion engines.
Another Stellantis city SUV will also be produced in Tychy, which will be dedicated to the Alfa Romeo brand. The car we now call the Brennero, but could be called the Palade, will also base the 2008 Peugeot in addition to its heat and electric motors. Heat engines, because from now until 2035 there will always be a possibility of selling heat engines. So there will be a 1.2 PureTech petrol engine under the hood which should receive the support of a micro-hybrid system to consume less and get lower CO2 emissions. While the “Baby” Jeep will arrive in the first half of 2023, the Alfa Romeo Brennero will only arrive in 2024.
The third and last SUV to be produced in Poland, it’s a Fiat model that should take the style of the Centoventi concept car. Moreover, in the documents sent during the presentation of the concept car at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, there is an illustration of a fighter model on this Centoventi base that could correspond to this futuristic model. For Fiat, as for Jeep, it is the second SUV in the city as it will come to position itself under the Fiat 500 X. It is the Fiat 500 X whose generation will change in 2024. It is supposed to gain a few centimeters along the way and take 2008 Peugeot platform car. This is the technical basis that will serve the new city SUV and the future Centoventi family because it is a true model family. In fact, Fiat will replace the Panda, and since small city cars are no longer popular, the replacement for the Panda will be the Centoventi which will be a city SUV. It will be located in the city structure and perhaps considered the heiress of Fiat Punto (she can also borrow this name), and will also be present in the city’s SUV. The city SUV could be the first model of this new family of low-cost practical models and could hit the market in 2024.
By doubling as SUVs in the city, the Stellantis Group wants to become a major player in the segment and gain market share from some of its competitors such as Renault Captur and Nissan Juke, but also the trio of Volkswagen: Volkswagen T-Cross, Taigo and Barter.
*Frans Timmermans, Vice-Chairman of the committee responsible for the Green Charter, indicated that the committee will conduct an evaluation of plug-in hybrid engines in 2026, in order to see if there is a possibility to keep this technology in place beyond 2035. Synthetic fuels will also be considered. at this time.
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