Jack’s Full Throttle Digest: The Electric & SUV Surge

Jeep Wagoneer S

Many Jeep lovers are having an issue accessing the Wagoneer as they look for a more eco-friendly offering from the nameplate. Jeep plans on making a splash into the premium sport utility market with the Wagoneer nameplate, especially with their large SUV Grand Wagoneer being a hot seller. The Wagoneer S is a brand-new platform for Jeep as it is the company’s first-ever EV vehicle. Jeep plans to pack the sleek Midsize SUV with dual motors producing 600 horsepower and a claimed range of over 300 miles. Expect the Wagoneer S to hit 60 in under 3.5 seconds with its sleek body with a .29 drag coefficient, sleeker than a Bugatti Chiron. Imagine a Jeep being more aerodynamic than a 250+ mile-an-hour supercar that costs seven figures. Helping this sleekness is the integrated dynamics of the rear roof setup with the lift gate spoiler. Jeep states that the EV will be able to charge from 20-80 percent in 23 minutes with a DC fast charger. As for pricing details, the expensive Model, The Launch edition, will be the first to land on the market with a price over 70,000 dollars. As for standard equipment, the Jeep comes with all-wheel drive, a panoramic roof, McIntosh Audio, and up to 45 inches of useable infotainment screen as optional equipment. Expect full pricing details for the base model as well as other trim levels to be released later. Jeep hopes that the Wagoneer nameplate be the brand's next big thing since the Grand Cherokee.

Cadillac Optiq

Cadillac has already been infiltrating the EV market with the hot Lyriq and the pippin hot Escalade IQ, yet they have not made a splash into the small crossover and EV market, until now. The new Optiq rounds out the EV offerings of the brand and shares its drivetrain with the Chevrolet Equinox EV. Cadillac says that the two motors that are shared should be good for about 300 miles per charge. Expect the cabin to have that Cadillac drip with a 33-inch curved display screen, woven upholstery from recycled materials, and enough passenger space that makes long drives comfortable. As standard, the EV comes with Google Maps and a 19-speaker AKG stereo system. Yet oddly enough Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto seems to be left out of the equation. The lower-end compact SUV gives the company’s EV lineup a good mix as it will hit the showroom floors in the fall of this year. Prices start at around 55,000 dollars and can go up in price to around 65,000 for higher-end models.

Dodge Charger EV

You may think of the Dodge brand as being defined as big and loud cars that stay true to the brand’s heritage of performance and value, however, they are going away from that philosophy with the new EV. The entry-level gets 455 horsepower with 317 miles of range and the Scat Pack model receives 590 horsepower with 260 miles of range. Both models can receive horsepower bumps through the Dodge Direct Connection system. The top model, Banshee, is promised to beat the gas-powered Hellcat in all performance. Yet Dodge cars have always been known for how good they sound with their rowdy V8s. However, the lunatics at Dodge have created an “exhaust” that is tuned to 126 decibels. Although the move to go electric for the company proves to be very controversial, expect the EVs to start at around 50,000 dollars as they try to revolutionize the Brotherhood of Muscle.

Infiniti QX80

For the past few years, Infiniti has been needing to refresh the outdated QX80 as it was one of the last remaining Dinosaurs of large SUVs. With the new 2025 model, they look to obtain the premium SUV market in style. The SUV ditches its V8 for a 450 horsepower twin-turbo V6 as well as a modern chassis with tech-centric features with many safety features such as a better adaptive cruise control system. Expect Fuel economy to be a little under 20 MPG for the city and over 22 for the highway. The new Infiniti checks all the boxes with its features with a 24 Klipsch audio system, Android auto, an infrared system that keeps its occupants comfortable, and massage functions for both the front seats and second row of seats. The QX80 starts around 85,000 dollars with more expensive models costing over 100,000 with the more expensive model Autograph being over 110,000 dollars. Expect the QX80 to go on sale this summer. Expect Cadillac and Lincoln to take the QX80 into account with Infiniti becoming more competitive than ever.

So buckle up and stay tuned as we Rev up the newest Innovations and trends on the market as we hit the road.