What are Jeep’s Plans for Electric Vehicles?

Mark Daniels is a versatile writer with extensive experience creating interesting, engaging, and unique articles in multiple industries.

Posted on Wednesday 16th January 2019
jeep

Electric vehicle sales have continued in an upward trend over the past few years, with 2017 seeing as much as a 25% increase over 2016. Why? In addition to the growing environmentalist movement, gas prices have stayed just as volatile, rising and falling with each day and in some cases skyrocketing. In May 2018, the average price per gallon in America was almost three dollars, and by January 2019, that number had fallen to an average of $2.22.

In Canada, by comparison, gas reached its peak price of around 1.3 Canadian dollars per liter ($5.20/gallon) in 2013 and has since risen and fallen in an equally volatile fashion every few months. With gas this expensive, it is no wonder that the popularity of the electric vehicle has risen.

The electric vehicle stands as a bastion of independence to some, and an economic savior to others. Whether the reason is budgeting, ease, noise, or the environment, an electric vehicle beats out typical ones across most fronts. Electric vehicles not only boost fuel economy but can also provide additional power, a feature that many Jeep users would be thrilled about. Electric motors often feature a greater and more controllable torque that shows promise for off-roading purposes.

Overall, the statistics for interest in electric vehicles is staggering, with a study showing as many as one in five Americans planning to go electric with their next vehicle purchase.

Jeep and the Electric Vehicle Market

In 2018, Jeep joined other makers on announcing plans to produce electric vehicles. This was following its 2017 announcement on plans to produce a Wrangler plug-in hybrid vehicle that would hit the market by 2020. That Wrangler is in the assembly process domestically, and its Power Electric Module is being produced in Toledo, Ohio. By not only committing to creating a hybrid vehicle, but also assembling it domestically, Jeep further reduces carbon emissions and achieves improvements in sustainability.

Jeep’s plans for electric vehicles don’t stop there, however, as their 2018 announcement states that they have plans in the works for at least eight all-electric versions of some of their most popular models. Those models include the Jeep Renegade, Jeep Compass, Jeep Cherokee, and Jeep Grand Commander. These are planned to hit the markets between now and 2022, and their arrival signals the phasing out of diesel-powered personal vehicles.

While recent improvements have been made to diesel efficiency and cleanliness, phasing it out marks a huge step towards cleaner energy sources without sacrificing performance.

In addition to these plug-in options, Jeep also plans to bring new Battery Electric Vehicles to the market, predominantly in countries like China that have an emphasis on urban vehicle use. By 2010, China had exceeded more than eight billion tons of total Carbon Dioxide emissions, and that number has only grown. Of the amount of emissions caused by transportation, roughly eighty-six percent came from road transportation like trucks and cars. By introducing more affordable alternatives to the traditional gasoline-powered vehicles, Jeep has taken a stand to make a difference in greenhouse gas emissions in more than one of the world’s largest greenhouse emitting countries.

The Competition

Jeep has taken a landmark step in becoming one of the first makers of electric vehicles to embrace the challenge of creating a vehicle that is both electric and off-roading friendly. In the past, electric vehicles and hybrids were thought to be for city dwellers, but with the creation of the plug-in Wrangler and the other models coming, electric has a real chance of becoming a player in the outdoor market.

Competitors like Tesla and Maserati have chosen to take their approach to electric in the luxury vehicle route, while RAM has yet to announce any plans for an electric vehicle.

The Future

While any special add-ons or accessories for these plug in and battery electric vehicles remain unannounced, it’s not hard to imagine the potential for solar power cell accessories. If rooftop solar panels — removable or otherwise — could help recharge the vehicle while it is parked, it would seamlessly add to the image of Jeep being an outdoorsman’s vehicle of choice.

One thing is for sure, electric vehicles are rising in popularity and demand, and do not appear to be just a fad that will die out over time. The future is sustainable, and that is a future Jeep sees itself being part of.

Resources:
  • Cantu, Michael. (2018). “Jeep Wrangler Plug-In Hybrid On Track For 2020 Launch”. MotorTrend.com.
  • GasBuddy. (2019). “Gas Price Charts”. Gasbuddy.com/charts.
  • Gitlin, Jonathan M. (2018). “10 new hybrid and electric Jeeps by 2022 in Fiat Chrysler’s five-year plan”. ArsTechnica.com.
  • Goowdin, Antuan. (2018). “Eight plug-in hybrids coming to Jeep lineup by 2021”. CNET.com.
  • Hanley, Steve. (2018). “Jeep Ready To Leap Into 21st Century With Plug-In Hybrids”. CleanTechnica.com
  • Lambert, Fred. (2018). “FCA announces a bunch of all-electric vehicles: 4 Jeep SUVs, 4 Maserati models, and 2 Fiat cars”.
  • Schmitz, Matt. (2018). “Electric Cars Gain Popularity as Americans Run Low on Excuses”. Cars.com.
  • TradingEconomics. (2018). “Canada Gasoline Prices”. Tradingeconomics.com/canada/gasoline-prices.
  • Wu, Jianping. (2010). “The Transport Contribution to CO2 in China”. Tsinghua University. http://www.cityu.edu.hk/gcacic/workshop/Professor%20Jianping%20Wu_The%20Transport%20Contribution%20of%20Urban%20Traffic%20to%20Climate%20Change%20and%20Environment%20-%20Case%20Study%20Beijing.pdf

test image for this block