The future of the automobile may not be as bleak as one would assume. With manufactures such as Audi announcing that the development of internal combustion engines has ended. That means no more screaming V10s in the R8 or fire-spitting 5-cylinders in the RS3. Car companies are realizing that change is inevitable. Government legislation has started to step in to accelerate the process. With Tesla having such a stronghold on the EV market, legacy car brands are having to play catch up. The writing is on the wall and companies are taking some extreme measures to gain a bigger slice of the ever-growing electric sector. For example, Ford naming their first mainstream EV the Mustang Mach-E has been a polarizing topic to say the least. The Mustang name is the most iconic piece of intellectual property that Ford has, right up there with Corvette in terms of recognizable American symbols. How could Ford attach the Mustang to something that is so inherently not Mustang? The Mach-E is not a sports car with a snarling V8, but the polar opposite, an electric crossover. From Ford’s perspective it was the right decision to use the Mustang name, even to the dismay of car enthusiasts. As for mentioned, all legacy companies are playing catch up to Tesla. Ford having attached their most recognizable piece of IP to this EV makes it already a household name. Car buyers would have an easier time buying a car with a known name then a product that is has no history.  Now looking at the car, the range and price make it very competitive to the Tesla Model Y. The styling also takes iconic elements from previous Mustangs. Reviewers, state that the driving experience is pleasantly more exciting than one would expect from a EV Crossover. The Mach-E is an excellent product that launched Ford into a new marketplace. Then again it had to be great. So much rides on the first product in a new market for the brand to have future success in that market. If the Mach-E was a pile of garbage, Ford would have a very rough time gaining back those customers with future EV’s. It is much more difficult to gain customers compared to loosing them.

Another American EV that has been exciting me is the Wrangler 4xe. In terms of Icons, the Jeep Wrangler is a level higher than the Mustang and Corvette. It has been that way since the little Jeep helped defeat the Nazi’s in the 2^nd World War. There have been many owners of the Jeep brand since its inception, but through it all, the soul of the Wrangler has stayed true to its simple beginnings. The Wrangler is still body on frame with 2 live axels, and of course removable roof and doors. Due to these hallmarks, compromises must be made in other places. Such as fuel economy, road noise, and highway drivability. Most Jeep people don’t care about these because the positives outweigh the negatives and “It’s a Jeep thing”. Like the Mach-E, these American Icons must evolve or eventually fade away. The Wrangler 4xe is the next step in that evolution. A vehicle that contains all the aforementioned hallmarks of a Wrangler with a new sustainable drivetrain. The 4xe is not a fully electric vehicle but, a plug-in hybrid. The car has 49 miles of pure electric driving, then a gas engine kicks in. I believe this was a very smart idea by Jeep. The Electric Vehicle infrastructure is far from complete and many years before it can be compared to the fossil fuel system. Jeepers love going on adventures into the back country far from civilization. It is annoying to run out of charge in a urban environment but a whole new level of inconvenience to run out of charge out in the boonies. The 4xe drivetrain solves that issue. Jeepers can still do the activity they love, now with technology that will save the very environments they are exploring. Jeep has recently announced that it is installing charging stations on some of the most famous off-road trails. Starting with; Moab, The Rubicon trail, and Big Bear National Park, charging stations will be installed at the trailhead further encouraging people to look to EV’s. It will be a long time before one could off-road anywhere without the range anxiety but, it is a step in the right direction.

Our American Icons are changing before our eyes. I believe this is a very good thing. Jeep is keeping all the things we love about the Wrangler and updating it to fit our times. Ford is reimagining the Mustang into something sustainable. Pretty soon V8s will not be around. Would you rather have an electric Mustang or no Mustang at all. The automotive marketplace is in a metamorphosis, companies need to evolve or risk dying out.