During its Stellantis EV Day presentation, Jeep offered the first official look at the two-row Grand Cherokee 4xe. The brand also used the six-minute video as an opportunity to show off its plan for the future, including wild ideas like pairing with a drone and autonomous off-roading.
Spy shots already show the Grand Cherokee 4xe, so the model's official confirmation isn't a huge revelation. Compared to the three-row Grand Cherokee L, the two-row variant has a shorter rear end and less glass along the side. There are minor styling tweaks, including a revised front fascia.
Gallery: Jeep Stellantis EV Day Video
According to Jeep's video, the brand's vehicles will be capable of biometric recognition in 2025. This will let a model identify its owner so that the SUV can automatically unlock the doors and start the engine.
The company is also developing peer-to-peer charging. This means that if one vehicle's battery is getting low, then an owner could plug into another machine and recoup some range.
Jeep shows off drone-pairing tech, too. In the video, the aircraft serves the purpose of illuminating the path farther ahead than the headlights are able to.
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For 2030, Jeep suggests autonomous off-roading would be possible. The vehicle drives at low speed while its owners are going on a hike. The owners would be able to track the machine remotely to know where it is. Presumably, people could follow one trail while the SUV takes a different path to meet them at a destination.
Another feature would provide fold-flat seating and autonomous driving. Occupants could lie down and stargaze out of the roof while the SUV motors down the trail.
Jeep pledges to have a 4xe plug-in hybrid vehicle in every SUV segment by 2025. There's a mystery at the end of the video when the company flashes the silhouettes of these future models (see above). After discussing it among the Motor1.com team, we agree there's a resemblance to the Renegade. However, the proportions look smaller, and this seems to be a two-door, judging by the size. Maybe Jeep's artist simply stylize the profile of the Renegade, or perhaps the automaker is teasing a little off-roader for the future.
Source: Stellantis via YouTube