Stellantis announces future product plans, including electric Wrangler and new midsize pickup
As part of its new UAW labor negotiations, Stellantis has shared plans for its future U.S. production. This news includes plenty of truck and SUV production timing, some of which is not a big surprise, like the 2027 introduction of hybrid and battery-only versions of the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer.
Off-roaders got plenty of news as well, however, as the popular 4XE hybrid powertrain will finally come to the Jeep Gladiator in 2025, as will an upgrade to the current powerplant. We’ll get an all-new Wrangler in 2028, to include an electric-only powertrain as well as a hybrid with a range extender. It looks like 2027 will be the last year for ICE-only Wranglers. An all-new Durango is set for 2026 release, which means the current Durango, which will be on sale through 2025, will be among the oldest models in production, as it went on sale as a 2011 model.
The most exciting news is that we’ve got confirmation of an upcoming mid-size pickup set to be built at the Belvidere, Illinois, plant starting in 2027. This is a packed field, with solid entries from Nissan, Toyota, Ford, and the GM twins. However, Ram has proven that it can make great interiors and build mass-market as well as enthusiast pickups that drive sales and showroom traffic.
A new Ram 1500 is scheduled to debut next year, along with a refreshed version of the current Ram 1500 that will continue to be sold alongside the new model. That new Ram will likely give us our best look at whatever design direction the pickup brand will go as it brings out its new Dakota, or whatever this new midsizer will be called. For whatever it’s worth, we’re pulling for a return of the Dakota name so that a future off-roader can be called Badlands.
I had to do a triple take to figure out if that Jeep in the teaser photo was a real truck or a toy
My one neighbor was asking my other neighbor if his golf cart was a 36V or 48V. I told them we will all be talking about cars that way in a few years. I keep thinking I should have been born about 30 years earlier because I just am not wired for where the car market is going.
Not that I’m in that world, but electric off roading seems like a bad idea. What happens when you run out of electrons?
Out of electrons while offloading in your electric jeep? Just unstrap the electric version of a Jerry can–oh, wait a minute–it hasn’t been invented yet…unless you’re towing a trailer with a generator and have an hour or so to kill.
Isn’t the Ramcharger propelled exactly the same way as the first Chevy Volt? Recall reading about the ‘mooing’ of the steady throttle Volt engine when running, Hope Mopar can do better. Back to the Future already?
Hard to be excited about these announcements.
In ‘I wish it was the news land’…
Stellantis announces a name change to Chrysler-Dodge-Plymouth and will only be offering internal combustion engines with Hemi heads in all production cars, vans, and trucks. Displacements will start at 6.1 liters. That’s right, vans too!
As others have noted, it’s hard to be excited about another electric or hybrid anything.
Jonothan + Miller Add DeSoto Too !! And nothing wrong starting with a 225 Slant Six.
Government intervention is trying to fix too many things that were never broken !
Free Market where the consumer decides the winners,
I’m kind of surprised when people bring up current problems with EVs. It’s like they think those problems will never be overcome. Of course there have been problems as with any new technology but they are being worked out very much like they were with the first ICE vehicles as shown in this video from Mercedes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsGrFYD5Nfs&vl=en