Jeep 4xe Charging Network Will Power EVs At Trailheads Across U.S.
Electric vehicles are getting their time in the sun. And under the stars. And, really, all sorts of places off the beaten path.
Today, Jeep and Electrify America announced that they would work together to install what they’re calling the Jeep 4xe Charging Network, a series of Level 2 electric vehicle chargers “at or near” Jeep Badge of Honor off-road trailheads around the United States in the coming year.
There are 56 of these Badge of Honor trails in 21 states, according to Trails Offroad. The first trails to get charging stations will be one in Moab, Utah and two in California, the Rubicon Trail in Pollock Pines and the Big Bear trail.
Jeep said these locations will be operational later this spring and that all of the Jeep 4xe Charging Stations will be either be connected to the local power grid or will generate their own electricity through solar panels.
Jeep isn’t yet offering an all-electric model, but it is now launching the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid. As a PHEV, the Wrangler 4xe will only need two hours connected to a Level 2 charger to fill up its 17 kilowatt-hour battery pack.
A fully charged Wrangler 4xe pack is good for up to 21 miles of electric range. Even better, for Jeep 4xe owners, is that they will be able to charge for free when using Jeep’s custom mobile app to connect to the stations.
“Electrification opens a new chapter in the Jeep brand story, and it brings an entirely new level of excitement and enjoyment for our enthusiastic owners,” said Christian Meunier, Jeep brand CEO, in a statement.
“Key to making Jeep brand the greenest SUV brand is assuring our owners can enjoy the benefits of electric propulsion wherever they go, including the most iconic off-road trails in the country.”
As part of the annual Jeep Easter Safari this week, Jeep also revealed an all-electric concept vehicle called the Magneto, which deserves a mention here because Jeep said in its station announcement that the chargers will “support future electrified Jeep vehicles.”
Jeep’s trailhead chargers are part of an outdoors-y trend for plug-in vehicles. Start-up EV automaker Rivian recently announced that it would build out its own network of charging stations called the “Adventure Network.”
The DC fast chargers in this system will be limited to work only with Rivian electric vehicles and the company said it plans to install 3,500 fast chargers at over 600 sites by the end of 2023. Rivian will also install over 10,000 Level 2 chargers, called “Waypoints,” that any electric vehicles can use.
Source: forbes
