EV vehicles are no longer considered a flash in the pan. With climate change imminent and the crisis taken seriously by car companies, the push to switch to electric vehicles has taken on a new urgency. Companies like Volkswagen have vowed that their entire lineup will soon be nothing but EVs. 

The Biden administration has taken the impending climate change very seriously. It is taking steps to undo some of the former administration’s efforts to diminish the environmental impact that combustion engines cause on the environment. President Biden is doing everything to help the EV movement, including taking an unscheduled trip in a Jeep Wrangler PHEV at a recent event. Ford and many other manufacturers are heading in the same direction with their electric vehicle lineup, so it looks as though the message has gotten through loud and clear. 

Biden’s stance on EVs

Biden is a self-professed car guy. So, it’s no surprise that the president will be all-in when it comes to anything car-related. The Biden administration has definitely focused on EVs and the important changes that need to be made in the automotive industry concerning climate change. 

With the skyrocketing popularity of the Jeep Wrangler in recent years, the next logical step for the brand was to introduce an electric version of the vehicle since most car manufacturers are leaning toward EVs now to compete with companies such as Tesla and Volkswagen. Jeep is banking a lot on their future PHEEV and EV products. The next big-ticket EV offering they are planning will be a Jeep Grand Cherokee EV reboot for the 2022 model year.

Biden’s impromptu spin in a Wrangler 4xe

The Jeep Wrangler is popular with many consumers, but most don’t know that there is an electrified version of the vehicle. At a recent press event at the White House, the president unexpectedly expressed interest in taking the new Jeep Wrangler 4xe for a spin, to which Mark Stewart, chief operating officer of Stellantis North America, replied, “(the) keys are in the Jeep.”

With that suggestion, the president hopped in and took a little drive. Sometimes it’s good to be the president.

The increased prices of the Jeep Wrangler 4xe

The Jeep Wrangler 4xe is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, and it sold faster than any other PHEV last quarter. The 4xe, pronounced “4 by e”, pumps out a whopping 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque, which is very impressive considering it’s a PHEV. According to Jalopnik, the Sahara edition Wrangler 4xe now sells for $51,025, a $3,030 price increase. The next step up, the Rubicon 4xe, now starts at $54,725. Finally, at the top of the line is the High Altitude edition that starts at $56,845.

The increased price tag has some consumers grumbling, but it will also help pave the way for future Jeep EVs to stay competitive in the automotive industry. Furthermore, despite the recent price increase on the Wrangler 4xe, EVs are getting more affordable. The technology required for EVs is getting cheaper, and so are the vehicles. Combine the increasing affordability with the fact that the president is even getting behind them, and you’ve got a recipe for success for the automakers and the environment.