The president of Stellantis, John Elkann, recently met with the new US president, Donald Trump, to discuss the company’s plans for production in the US.
After the meeting, the company sent a memorandum to Stellantis employees, outlining the renewed strategy of the group, which includes the production of a new mid-size pickup, most likely from Ram, to be manufactured at the now-closed production facility in Belvidere, Illinois, starting in 2027.
If this new strategy from Stellantis is confirmed, the new model will be the first mid-size pickup from Ram since the Dakota, a Dodge model that was discontinued in 2011, just one year after the launch of the Ram brand.
According to “Reuters,” citing a spokesperson from Stellantis, the next mid-size pickup is “planned to make the most of the company’s multi-energy strategy”, offering options with gasoline, plug-in hybrid, and 100% electric powertrains.
It is worth noting that Stellantis signed an agreement with the UAW in 2023, committing to make a significant investment in the Belvidere plant for the production of mid-size pickups by 2027. However, the plant that previously produced the now-discontinued Jeep Cherokee has been in limbo since then.
