Please welcome the latest Jeep EV to the stage. The Jeepster is a tiny but mighty ride that doesn’t precisely align with the traditional Jeep brand. The Junior Jeepster might not have all-wheel drive when it arrives. 

What to expect with the Jeepster 

The Junior Jeepster could be the first Jeep that isn’t designed for Americans, but that’s fine. As far as we know, the tiny electric Jeep might not even come to North America. That’s a little upsetting because we would like to drive every model. 

And when we say tiny, we aren’t exaggerating. The Jeepster will slot below the Jeep Renegade. The Renegade is 166.6 inches long and 74.2 inches wide. It provides up to 18.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and up to 50.8 cubes total. 

It’s hard to imagine riding in an even smaller Jeep, but perhaps it makes more sense in Europe. The tiny Jeep should fit perfectly on narrow, crowded streets. We are impressed by the Renegade’s 18.1-degree turning radius, so the EV could be even easier to navigate through tight areas. 

How much power does the Junior Jeep have? 

We’re still waiting on official figures for the Jeepster. It will be available with an internal combustion engine, an electric powertrain, and a hybrid setup. The gas-powered model will arrive first, and the electric model will enter production by April 2023. 

The gas-powered model could share a 1.2-liter Peugeot engine. Also, the Peugeot e-2008 pairs a 50-kWh battery with an electric motor to generate 134 hp and a range of up to 193 miles on the WLTP cycle. 

Again, this is a little weak for American standards. We would like to see more muscle and at least a 300-mile range. But the Jeepster could have more power and range than previous Peugeot models. 

Also, the Junior ride isn’t alone. It will have Fiat and Alfa Romeo twins. Technically, there will be three similar models, so these tiny rides are triplets. They probably won’t be fraternal, meaning they won’t look identical. 

The Jeep Jeepster is set apart with a brawny look. It has a squared-off front facia and a boxy rear-end like larger Jeep models. Sharp lines give the sides a unique shape, and it has a matching seven-slot grille. 

It looks like a smaller Jeep Grand Cherokee, which could make sense for its project name, Junior. The baby Jeep borrowed wheel designs and styling cues from the Jeep Renegade as well. 

Can the baby Jeep go off-roading? 

We will be shocked if the Jeep Jeepster arrives without four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. But it rides on the CMP platform that’s used by multiple vehicles in the Peugeot-Citroen family and isn’t designed for AWD. 

But there might be a workaround for the new electric Jeep. A combustion engine could turn the front wheels while an electric motor sends power to the rear. The Alfa Romeo model might gain the ability to turn both axles and share its setup with Jeep. 

There’s still a lot we don’t know about the Jeepster. Also, we wonder what niche it will fill that the Jeep Ranger 4xe isn’t. Perhaps the smaller Jeep will be more affordable with less power, range, and capabilities? Still, we would like to see the tiny affordable baby in America.