I think one of the big mistakes car makers make is converting an existing car over to and EV. What makes sense for an ICE car doesn’t necessarily translate well to an EV. A Wrangler EV is maybe not the best way to go forward. Much like Dodge with their “Muscle Car” EV concept.
I see a future for the Wrangler but Jeep and Jeep/offroad community will need to be open for some change.
I don’t think they do it thinking this is the best EV that can be made. They do it thinking this is the best compromise for us now. There was no way F150 could offer an EV truck designed from ground up at $40K in the time frame they did. Some executive said Rivian and Tesla are going to take our lunch money if we don’t do something now as a stop gap measure to show we are still in the game until we can make a real EV. Engineers looked at numbers and deadlines and figured the only way they can do it is using economy of scale that is already on their side and using many of the same processes they have down packed already. Of course the product could not compete with a CT that was designed from day one to be an EV but Ford and Tesla play in different play grounds. Tesla never had a truck. The downsides of Ford compromise is obvious but the upside of it is that someone is going to be able to get a much better electric F150 than equivalent Ice F150 at the same price. That is not a bad thing.
Of you are asking about the current Federal tax rebate in the United States, your won't know for sure if you are getting it until after you file your income tax return after taking delivery of the EV or plugin hybrid. There are websites that track the progress of each automaker towards the 200,000 and during the phaseout period, so it will be worth it for you to find one of them and keep your eye on Ford's status. Since it's a tax rebate, you get it when you file your income tax return if you have enough tax liability.
Coming from a 2011 Tundra, I hear you on both counts.
I would add Salton Sea because of its vast and weird terrain, plus the Rubicon or anything in that area. But I could go on, there are so many "must wheel" places in the Southwest. The CT will be interesting as we have so many VERY tight trails, but it also has monstrous approach/departure angles and clearance. There will be penalties and advantages. Places like The Crack at Moab will become a stroll in the park, while the hot tub could be death. With rear steering, many of the obstacles near me will become much easier.
You shouldn't feel silly; your desire for Cybertruck is not unusual nor is it irrational - Never Wanted a Truck, Never Needed One: Why CyberTruck? Why Now?
