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Automakers are gunning for Tesla with new battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). In May 2024, two new BEVs made their debut from two different automakers. Jeep showed the world its Wagoneer S all-electric SUV, the first all-electric Jeep for the U.S. Weeks later, the Kia Corp had a live premiere of its new Kia EV3 electric compact SUV. Both models are claiming they can take on the Tesla Model Y, and it’s making some journalists a bit yippy. The comparisons just don’t match up when it comes to the winner.
We’re not sure what’s powering the new Wagoneer S, but the brand claims it will be able to generate 600 horsepower and 617 lb-ft of torque and accelerate from 0-60 MPH in just 3.4 seconds. During its premiere, the Wagoneer S was put up against a Tesla Model Y for a little race. Even though the Model Y can 0-60 MPH in 3.5 seconds, it still lost to the Wagoneer S. The EV3 drew the short stick for this one, with reports that its acceleration time is 7.5 seconds. No word on its horsepower just yet.
Sure, the Model Y has simplified things with few buttons and controls, but it was stroking its ego when it thought a 15-inch touchscreen would be the king of the industry. The Jeep Wagoneer S comes with a 12.3-inch center display touchscreen and a 10.25-inch front passenger screen. Beating both of them is the 30-inch widescreen display in the EV3. The Tesla Model Y doesn’t even come with Apple CarPlay or Google Android Auto!
For personal design choice, the EV3 also comes with Kia Connect and apps consumers can download to change the look and theme of their EV3 interior. The Wagoneer S Launch Edition will come with customizable LED lighting and active, direct ambient lighting with up to 64 selectable colors. This is something Kia has been doing for years.
This is where it gets impressive. Kia reported that the EV3 can charge from 10-80 percent in 31 minutes – basically the standard for most BEVs on the market. Tesla thought they had this one licked, able to charge the Model Y to 80 percent in 27 minutes. According to Jeep, the 400-volt, 100-kilowatt-hour battery pack can recharge from 20 to 80 percent in 23 minutes with a DC fast charger. It’s just better.
"The launch of the all-electric Jeep Wagoneer S marks a new chapter in the storied history of the Jeep brand…Building upon nearly a century of innovation and design, this first global EV will introduce a whole new generation of owners to an experience that is distinctly Jeep and 100 percent electric in every way." - Antonio Filosa, Jeep brand CEO, said in a statement
This is where it stings. The 2024 Tesla Model Y has a starting MSRP of $42,990. There is no word on how expensive the Kia EV3 will be, but seeing as how it sits between the EV6 and EV9 in terms of size, it could be as much as 50k, but the Kia Corp claims the EV3 will actually be its most affordable EV yet. Jeep is known for being a little pricey, and with its first all-electric SUV for the U.S. market based on the luxury segment Wagoneer, a starting price of $71,995 (plus destination fee) is going to limit the consumer pool to a certain clientele.
Tesla isn’t such a hot or rare commodity anymore. Older automakers are showing what a couple of decades of experience can do. Jeep and Kia are slaying Tesla, and not too long ago, electric car start-up Rivian topped the charts in the 2023 Consumer Reports Auto Survey and put Tesla in its place. So why wait for a Tesla when you can find better and more affordable BEVs when you shop for a new car online with NowCar?