Stellantis invests in production of electric Ram and Jeep
Stellantis is placing its investments under the banner of “multi-energy technology and manufacturing flexibility.” It means electric cars will be produced alongside combustion engine models. The Sterling Heights assembly plant, in which Stellantis will invest 235.5 million dollars, will be the first Stellantis site in the US to build a fully electric vehicle. It sounds almost astonishing, as Stellantis has been manufacturing electric cars in Europe for years – but the markets tick differently.
Specifically, the Ram 1500 REV, the first battery-electric version of the Ram 1500 pickup truck, will soon roll off the Sterling Heights production line and hit the road at the end of 2024. The model is expected to have a range of up to 800 kilometres, depending on the equipment. The Ram 1500 REV is based on the new STLA Frame platform for large electric vehicles, where the batteries are incorporated directly into the frame. To that end, the structure is wider in the middle to accommodate the battery pack.
Further investments are being made in the conversion of the Warren truck assembly plant for the production of the electrified Jeep Wagoneer, and the Dundee engine plant for the production of battery trays and beam processing for the batteries of the STLA Frame and STLA Large platforms.
“Sterling Heights Assembly has performed an incredible transformation in record time and I want to thank our colleagues for this great achievement,” said Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares. “Gearing up to build our first-ever Ram electric truck and the range-extended version in Michigan is a meaningful moment of pride for our teams. With these investments supporting both Jeep and Ram, we’re adding innovations to our Michigan manufacturing footprint to support a multi-energy approach that is laser-focused on customer demand.”
Moreover, Stellantis will receive as much as $584 in funding from the US government for the conversion of two plants in Indiana and Illinois. The transmission plant in Kokomo, Indiana, will be converted for the production of electric drives with almost 250 million euros. And at the conversion of the vehicle plant in Belvidere, Illinois, EVs will roll off the production line in future – subsidised with 334 million dollars. IStellantis is sticking to its goal of selling all of its cars in Europe as electric vehicles from 2030. In the US, battery-electric vehicles are expected to account for 50 per cent of all cars and commercial vehicles sold.
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