Jeep Avenger EV 1st Edition Goes on Sale in Europe

• Jeep Avenger EV 1st Edition goes on sale in Europe for 39,500 euros, offering up to 250 miles of range in the WLTP cycle

• The Avenger EV is front-wheel-drive but has 7.9 inches of ground clearance and some off-road modes, giving it modest off-the-pavement capability.

• Jeep has other, larger EVs in the works for the US market, but the Avenger is the first to arrive in this new batch of models.

The first mass-market battery-electric Jeep is now on sale, at least on the other side of the Atlantic, with Jeep dealers in a number of European countries opening orders for the 1st edition model.

The Avenger itself was revealed in full at this fall's Paris motor show, promising a compact footprint along with a 54-kWh battery. The exterior design gives very little clue to the fact that it's shorter in length than both the Renegade and the Compass, with an overall length of 161 inches.

So it's more of a city runabout than a trail-oriented machine, with 156 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque sent to the front wheels, and the front wheels only. It still has 7.9 inches of ground clearance and driving modes to handle some moderately rough terrain if the situation calls for it.

But it will offer European buyers up to 250 miles in the WLTP cycle (up to 342 miles in the city), trading some power for range around town. Moreover, the Avenger promises 18 miles of range with just three minutes of fast charging.

Being small and relatively inexpensive doesn't mean that Jeep has skimped on interior tech.

"Its combined advanced driver assist systems provide Level 2 Autonomous Driving capability. For example, it can help you maintain a safe distance from the car ahead, and keep you in the center of your lane," the automaker says.

The Avenger will also feature a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, sitting high on the dash, and a digital display cluster.

The 1st Edition is available to order in Europe now, and in the tradition of such debuts it's the one with all the options, and hence carries a €39,500 price tag, which translates to about $41,500. That's certainly not bad for something small and electric these days, even without a dual-motor layout, and the base version promises to be even more affordable. In fact, the base model should be a full $10,000 south of the 1st Edition.

The big questions is: Just when will we see it stateside, even without all-wheel drive?

Of course, Jeep appears focused on EV models stateside that will be trail-rated, at the very least, to avoid the Avenger being called a toy for urbanites. That's why we're not getting the Avenger. Yet.

But automaker also showed a dual-motor, 4WD version at the Paris motor show, so at least Jeep is thinking about such a model. We wouldn't write it off yet.