In 2012, barely 130,000 electric vehicles were sold worldwide. Nine years later, about the same quantity was sold weekly, resulting in just under seven million worldwide electric car sales in 2021.
The switch from combustion engines to battery-powered vehicles is playing out at a seemingly exponential rate. Many automakers are stepping into the EV bullring, but Jeep is determined to be the ace in the global SUV electrification game. What’s the plan, what’s the catch, and who are the other players? Read on for a quick peep into the future of the SUV.
What’s Jeep Got Coming?
Determined to see a full lineup of electric SUVs by 2025, Jeep is introducing three new SUVs: Recon, Avenger, and an all-electric Wagoneer. The reputable American SUV manufacturer has made a name in that market with some of the strongest gasoline-powered SUVs. And it is confident to become the best with the introduction of its electric workhorses.
Speaking about the plan, Christian Meunier, the CEO of Jeep, said, “driven by the success of our electrified 4xe portfolio in North America and Europe, we are designing and developing the most capable and sustainable Jeep SUVs to date, on our path to becoming the leading zero-emission SUV brand in the world. This is a forward-thinking strategy to help ensure millions of Jeep fans around the world continue to have a planet to explore, embrace and protect. Electrification is great for our brand, making it even more capable, exciting, sustainable, and fun.”
The Jeep Recon will boast insane off-road capabilities, enough to challenge most terrains. Meunier confidently promised that “the all-new, all-electric Jeep Recon has the capability to cross the mighty Rubicon Trail, one of the most challenging off-road trails in the U.S., and reach the end of the trail with enough range to drive back to town and recharge.”
Perhaps, Jeep takes more pride in the aerodynamic features of the all-electric Wagoneer (called Wagoneer S) because the CEO didn’t mention much about the off-road capabilities.
The all-new Jeep Avenger will not be on American roads as it targets the European SUV market. The head of Jeep Europe at Stellantis, Antonella Bruno, said: “This (Avenger) modern, fun and emotional SUV will appeal to a growing set of customers looking for a capable, compact, modern and all-electric Jeep brand alternative to the current players.” We don’t know what an emotional SUV is, but Jeep will be breaking our hearts if the Avenger is anything other than top-quality.
Jeep hopes that, by 2030, electric vehicles will account for 50% of its sales in the U.S and 100% in Europe. That looks like a perfect plan to become market leaders, except that the other guys are not sleeping.
It’s a Big Party
Generally, almost all the world’s big car makers have announced the plan to join in what is considered the biggest revolution in the automotive world in a long time. Tesla currently leads the EV sector by a mile, but many players are about to give the Elon Musk-owned company a run for its money.
For example, Jaguar Land Rover’s move to pivot away from its heritage and become all-electric by 2025 is underway. All things being equal, Volvo will go fully electric five years later, and General Motors will follow suit. Volkswagen is also working to make 70% of its sale electric by 2023.
Top automakers planning to go fully electric within the next ten years suggest that the transition to EVs could be completed sooner than predicted.
What Are the Driving Forces Behind The EV Revolution?
Electric vehicles are cheaper, new government policies are supporting the sale of EVs, and more automakers want to jump on the trend. At the moment, everything is in support of global vehicle electrification.
Determined to phase them out, California air regulators voted to ban new gas car sales by 2035. It’s a stringent rule, but many states will likely follow suit. In a more lenient move, Joe Biden signed an executive order to ensure that 50% of all new vehicles sold in 2030 are electric. As expected, the biggest U.S automakers are not kicking against the move. Many governments across the globe have set a deadline to end the manufacturing and sale of new gasoline cars, increasing the chances of an EV takeover.
Although the EV story started around 1832 when the first crude electric car was developed by Robert Anderson, the vehicles were not appealing until about two decades ago. This is because they used to have a short range of miles and were costly to develop and purchase.
But today, with vehicles like the 2023 VW ID.4, EVs are becoming cost-competitive with gas cars. What’s more? Many EVs offer over 300 miles of range with fast-charging capabilities. The only problems at the moment might be the nonavailability of charging stations in some locations and questions over the battery technology’s safety.
Global SUV’s Position
As the Global SUV community, we are happy that the biggest automakers are redefining the Global SUV sector. We are made up of both gasoline-powered vehicles and EV faithful, and we are keenly watching the progress of things. But at the moment, we are excited that more electric off-roaders are coming into our space. We wish Jeep the best of luck on the new adventure. But not without mentioning that the fight for the top spot will be intense.
Gabriel Olakunori
Gabriel likes to argue (blindly) that SUVs are a part of nature, but he seems to have a point whenever you walk in the snow, through the bone-dry desert, splendid park-like boulevard, plains, and rocky roads. He has over five years of experience writing across a broad spectrum of topics, with quite a number in the automotive industry. If he is not at the desk w̶r̶i̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ having fun, he is at the wheel d̶r̶i̶v̶i̶n̶g̶ having fun. Both activities take him to the same destination: Utopia. He loves SUVs simply because they are all-inclusive, but he cannot turn down an offer to drive or write about any vehicle.
