Yahoo News Jeep Wrangler EV Due in 2028, New Mid-Size Trucks Coming in 2027
The strike-ending agreement between Stellantis and the UAW produced a document revealing the automaker's plans for its American factories, giving an insight into upcoming models.
The Jeep Wrangler is set to go electric in 2028, but will offer a hybrid model that uses a gas engine as a generator to replenish the battery on the go.
New mid-size truck models are expected to join the Dodge and Jeep lineups in 2027, which could possibly see the return of the Dakota name.
Stellantis and the UAW recently reached a tentative agreement to end the weeks-long strike that had halted production at several factories across the country. While the details are still being ironed out, the ratification process resulted in a document leaking on social media that reveals Stellantis' production plans for the next several years, showing the automaker's road map for how it plans to transition its truck-heavy lineup to electric power.
The document divulges that Jeep's most iconic model, the Wrangler, will continue in its current JL generation at the Toledo Assembly Complex into 2028, with the popular 4xe plug-in-hybrid model receiving an upgrade in 2025. The next-generation Wrangler, dubbed J70, arrives in 2028, but is listed exclusively as an electric or plug-in-hybrid off-roader. That plug-in setup will differ from the current 4xe, instead functioning as a series hybrid where the motor serves a generator to recharge the battery rather than power the wheels.
The related Jeep Gladiator pickup is on a similar path, with an upgraded plug-in hybrid in 2025 as the current JT generation carries on into 2028. But a next-generation Gladiator isn't listed at the Toledo plant. Instead, it appears Stellantis will invest $1.5 billion into the Belvidere, Illinois factory to build new midsize trucks in 2027. The use of plural and lack of brand specificity implies that this plan includes both Jeep and Dodge–branded models, possibly reviving the Dakota nameplate. No powertrain details were given, but the document projects a production run of 80,000 to 100,000 units annually. A new battery plant will also be built in Belvidere, amounting to a $3.2 billion investment.
In 2025 the gigantic Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer models will receive a refresh, with a second update planned for 2027. Meanwhile, a new variant of the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer will join the Warren Truck Assembly in 2025 riding on the STLA Frame platform that underpins the upcoming RAM 1500 REV. Initially this model will feature a range-extender plug-in-hybrid setup, with an electric model entering the mix on the same platform in 2027.
The electric Ram 1500 REV will start rolling off the line at the Sterling Heights factory in 2024, and the document indicates there will also be a range-extender model, previously confirmed by the company's CEO. The gas-powered truck will also receive an update in 2024.
At the Detroit Assembly Complex, the Jeep Grand Cherokee—both the two-row and three-row L models—will continue in the current generation through 2027, with a refresh planned for 2024. A next-generation model launches in 2027, with the document indicating both gas-powered and EV models are on the way. But first the Grand Cherokee's corporate cousin, the Dodge Durango, will receive a new generation in 2026 with internal-combustion and battery-powered models, likely sharing powertrains with the Jeep.
Several models weren't included in this list since they aren't built in America: the Jeep Compass, Jeep Renegade, Dodge Hornet, Chrysler Pacifica, and Ram ProMaster van. The Jeep Cherokee, meanwhile, dies off after the 2023 model year, freeing up space in Belvidere and Toledo. There was no mention of the Recon concept shown last year that was expected to arrive for 2024, with the Wagoneer S concept revealed at the same time expected to morph into the Grand Cherokee EV, albeit on a delayed timeframe from the original plan.
The successors to the Canadian-built Dodge Charger and Challenger are also absent from the document, as is the South American-market Ram Rampage compact truck, which had been theorized as U.S.-bound after prototypes were seen stateside. While the document doesn't provide a complete picture of what's to come from Stellantis before 2030, it gives a pretty good lay of the land for the automaker's planned transition towards electric vehicles.
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