The last time US President Joe Biden was invited on Jay Leno's Garage was in 2016, when he was Vice President. At the time, he drove Jay Leno in his personal 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray.
Fast forward to 2022, and Joe Biden is back on Jay Leno's Garage. This time, though, he got to drive an all-electric vehicle, the 1978 Ford F-100 Eluminator custom concept that features a 480-horsepower dual-motor electric powertrain.
Some things never change, though, such as Joe Biden laying down rubber any chance he gets to go for a drive. This also happened in the season finale of the Jay Leno's Garage show that aired October 26 on CNBC Prime. As you probably know, current and former US Presidents and Vice Presidents aren't allowed to drive on the open road, and driving is really something that Joe Biden is missing.
So when he got to drive the Ford F-100 Eluminator at a Secret Service training ground, he made the most of it. Joined by Jay Leno in the passenger seat, the President was really impressed with the Eluminator, particularly its silent operation, instant acceleration and quicker response compared to an ICE truck.
The F-100 Eluminator was featured on the show for a good reason, because it proves that classics can be given a new lease on life by being converted to electric power. It's the future of hot-rodding, as Jay Leno puts it. Joe Biden, who is a big promoter of electric vehicles made in North America, couldn't agree more. He found the truck to be incredible and seemed to enjoy every minute spent behind the wheel.
The cool thing about the F-100 Eluminator is it features Ford's first electric crate motor, which is sourced from a Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition. It makes 281 horsepower and 317 lb-ft (429 Nm) of torque on its own, and can be bought through Ford Performance Parts for $3,900.
Targeting builders looking for a transverse-oriented powertrain, the electric crate motor can electrify a range of vehicles from modern to vintage cars, trucks and SUVs.
The segment with Joe Biden was longer than shown in the above videos, and the President and Jay Leno also got to discuss the future of electric vehicles in America while in the F-100 Eluminator. Later in the episode, Biden raced Michael Powell, the late Secretary of State Colin Powell's son, in his 1967 Corvette, but despite reaching 118 mph (190 km/h) at one point, he lost. The full episode is available on CNBC Prime.
