Stellantis Urban SUV: the winning trio?
SUVs have dominated the automotive world for several years. They gobbled up minivans and undermined the dominance of sedans in the entire automobile market. With the switch to electric, they will only multiply, even if it is curious that we are pushing for more ecological electricity while putting batteries in vehicles that are heavier, less aerodynamic and more consuming than sedans, from which they often take them the technical basis… But it is so and the manufacturers are surfing on this SUV wave by introducing more and more new models.
Full of SUVs
The Stellantis Group, born from the union of the PSA and FCA groups, has among its brands a large number of SUVs, of course with the Jeep brand, but also with Peugeot and its emblematic models, the Peugeot 2008, 3008 and 5008 (and the new sedan SUV 408) And these are not the only SUVs from Stellantis, because other brands such as Alfa Romeo, Citroën, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Opel also have one or more vehicles of this type in their range.
The Peugeot 2008 lends its technical base
Despite having a large SUV division, Stellantis always wants more and the group has decided to hit hard in the city SUV segment. Three city SUVs are to arrive in the coming months. In order for the brands to be able to produce these models while limiting development costs as much as possible, a common technical base, that of the Peugeot 2008. This is the e-CMP platform, able to accommodate thermal and electric engines, since it is necessary for the future and the planned transition to all-electric for some of the group’s brands. For example, DS Automobiles is supposed to drive fully electric in 2024, which means we will keep hybrid engines for a while, there will be no more new combustion engines. For Jeep that means 2027, for Fiat 2027, for Opel 2028… But be careful, that applies to Europe, because combustion engines still have the right to be sold in other markets, and that after 2035 (date of the thermal ban). Sale in Europe*). Indeed, it is difficult to imagine that Jeep will go all-electric in the North American continent in 2025, which represents a very large number of sales for this manufacturer.
A second city SUV for Jeep
Let’s stay with Jeep for a moment to talk about the new Peugeot 2008-based city SUV. And we already know what it will look like since Stellantis unveiled photos of a concept car earlier this year. It is a small model of which we have practically no information other than these two images. However, we do know that in the range below the Jeep Renegade there will be a city SUV that will only have two-wheel drive, although a 4×4 project with two electric motors was considered for a while, but the This project finally managed to reach the replacement of the Renegade to be implemented. This “baby” jeep will be produced at the group’s plant in Tychy, Poland. If this is the first 100% electric Jeep, there will be internal combustion engines under the hood on this model too. In addition, the prototypes currently undergoing development testing are equipped with combustion engines.
Another Stellantis city SUV, intended for the Alfa Romeo brand, is also produced in Tychy. The one we now call Brennero, but which could be called Palade, will also adopt a Peugeot 2008 base, as well as its thermal and electric engines. Heat engines because until 2035 there will always be an opportunity to sell heat engines. Under the hood, therefore, there will be a 1.2 PureTech petrol engine, which should receive the support of a micro-hybridization system in order to consume less and achieve a reduction in CO2 emissions. While the “baby” jeep will arrive in the first half of 2023, the Alfa Romeo Brennero won’t arrive until 2024.
As the third and last city SUV produced in Poland, it is a model from Fiat that is intended to take up the style of the Centoventi concept car. In addition, in the documents submitted during the presentation of the concept car at the Geneva Motor Show 2019, there is an image of a model fighter based on this Centoventi, which could correspond to this future model. For Fiat, as for Jeep, it is a second city SUV since it will be positioned below the Fiat 500 X. A Fiat 500 X changing generations in 2024. He should gain a few centimeters along the way and say goodbye to the Peugeot 2008 platform. This technical basis will serve the new city SUV and the future Centoventi family, since it is a real family of models. In fact, Fiat will replace the Panda, and since mini city cars are no longer popular, the replacement for the Panda will be this Centoventi, which will be a versatile city car. It will exist in the city body and maybe be considered a legacy of the Fiat Punto (it might also borrow that name), it will also exist in city SUVs. A city SUV that could be the first model in this new family of practical and affordable models, to be launched in 2024.
By proliferating urban SUVs, the Stellantis Group aims to become a major player in the sector, taking market share from some of its rivals such as Renault Captur and Nissan Juke, but also from Volkswagen’s trio: Volkswagen T-Cross, Taigo and Barter.
*Frans Timmermans, Commission Vice-President responsible for the Green Pact, indicated that the Commission will take stock of plug-in hybrid engines in 2026 to see if it is possible to keep this technology after 2035. Synthetic fuels will also be considered at this point.
