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Jeep CEO Says In The Near Future Brand’s Vehicles Will Be Able To Drive Underwater

(Screenshot/Jeep via YouTube)

Andrew Jose Contributor
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Future models of Jeep vehicles might allow drivers to drive completely underwater.

A Thursday video showcasing the car manufacturer’s electric vehicle plans shows a Wrangler driving fully submerged, teasing a possible future offering from Jeep that can drive submerged in water.

Over the course of the upcoming decade, the company plans to electrify its automobiles as part of its quest to become the world’s greenest sports utility vehicle (SUV) brand, Jeep CEO Christian Meunier said, according to The Detroit News. 

Within the next four years, Jeep hopes to have a fully electric vehicle in each market segment, along with self-driving features and the capability of traveling fully submerged in water, Meunier said. (RELATED: Washington Post Op-Ed Calls On Jeep To Drop ‘Cherokee’ Name)

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The present edition of the plug-in hybrid vehicle Wrangler Rubicon 4 Xtreme Recon enables one to drive 21 miles fully electric and comes with a waterproof battery pack. The vehicle also has a fording depth of around 2.5 feet, according to Fox News.

Electric vehicles’ lack of air intakes or exhausts permits them to work without any problems underwater as long as their equipment is adequately waterproofed, the outlet reported.

Jeep has been in the market for about 80 years since it first began manufacturing general-purpose military automobiles during the Second World War. Over the course of those 80 years, the company has been a pioneer in four-wheel drive technology and introduced the world’s first “premium and compact” SUVs, The Detroit News reported.

As it faces competition from other companies such as Ford’s Bronco, CEO Meunier has confidence Jeep will be a top player in the off-road vehicle market.

“Competition is great,” Meunier said at a media roundtable the week of July 12, according to The Detroit News. “There is a craving for freedom to make you go anywhere. I think Bronco is going to be a good competitor, a solid competitor, we don’t deny that. At the same time, it puts us on our toes. It forces us to be better and better and better.”