IF Stellantis has made one thing clear in recent months, it’s a desire to end the EV escapade as quickly as possible.
However, this choice could be one that the carmaker quickly regrets, especially as its domestic competitors keep their options open.
Stellantis’ September moves make the direction it intends to go in all too clear[/caption]
The Chrysler Pacifica is one of Stellantis’ many PHEVs[/caption]
Stellantis brands Jeep, Dodge, and Ram have all shown signs of shying away from battery EV development in recent weeks.
The parent company has also joined in by bringing back the HEMI V8 for use by all three brands.
On Jeep’s part, the planned Gladiator 4xe plug-in hybrid EV has been officially cancelled, as has Ram’s high-range Rev all-electric full-size pickup.
Dodge then cancelled the highly anticipated Charger Daytona SRT Banshee project, which was poised to become one of, if not the most powerful Charger of all time.
Despite the success its competitors are finding with EV offerings, Stellantis feels that “consumer opinion has changed a little bit on BEVs,” said Micky Bly, senior vice president of propulsion systems, to InsideEVs.
However, Stellantis’ launch of halo BEVs for its flagship brands, the Jeep Wagoneer S and the Dodge Charger Daytona, is likely contributing to this perceived change.
“It didn’t help that Stellantis had a lot of challenges with their software, especially on Wagoneer S and Charger Daytona,” said Sam Abuelsamid, vice president of market research at automotive consultancy Telemetry.
Some of the software issues included “bricked” vehicles, throwing false error codes, randomly going into limp mode and making the car all but undrivable, and random warning lights flashing.
Combined with Chrysler’s apparent lack of interest in producing any fully electric vehicles at all, Stellantis’ American brands are clearly hitting the brakes on EV investment.
Likely influencing these decisions is the efforts President Donald Trump has made to shift the auto industry away from EVs.
The most obvious example of this is the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which is responsible for the discontinuation of the $7,500 EV purchase tax credit from the end of September onward.
The Trump administration’s tariffs have also driven up the prices of imported cars as well as those of the materials needed to make batteries suitable for EV use.
Likewise, the end of the second Trump administration could pave the way for an over-corrective swing back in the direction of electrification, a reality which Bly admits is possible.
“There could be another transition between three and five years from now on the policy side of the country,” he said.
Electric vehicles vs gas
Pros and cons of EVs vs gasoline-powered vehicles
EV PROS:
- Convenient (when charging at home)
- Cheaper (depending on state or city)
- Cheaper maintenance, due to lack of mechanical parts
- Great for commuting
- Reduced CO2 emissions
- Federal and state tax incentives
- More performance (speed, handling – depending on the make and model)
EV CONS:
- Higher initial cost
- Higher insurance rates
- More frequent tire and brake replacement intervals
- Higher curb weight (thus causing more rapid wear on crucial parts)
- Low resale value
- High depreciation rates
- Lack of charging infrastructure
- Unreliable public charging (related: slow charging times)
- Poor winter and summer performance
- Lack of clean energy alternatives means more “dirty energy” from coal and nuclear sources
- Range anxiety
GAS PROS:
- Highly developed refueling infrastructure
- Fast refueling
- Cheaper insurance rates, depending on make, model, and configuration
- Established repair industry
- Lower initial cost
- Higher range before refueling, especially with hybrids
- Many manufacturers produce nearly emission-less engines
- Cheaper refueling, depending on the location
GAS CONS:
- Finite resource (related: heavy dependence on petroleum)
- Carbon emissions/greenhouse gases
- Higher repair costs
- Higher insurance rates, depending on make, model, and configuration
- Varying costs at the pump, depending on state, city, and county
Source: Car & Driver, Perch Energy, AutoWeek
Bly also emphasized that many international markets will lean toward internal combustion engine options.
However, Stellantis is a global company, and there is just as large an international market share for EVs as there is for ICE vehicles.
China and Europe are the two most potentially profitable examples for the EV market.
Rumors are swirling of Stellantis launching an ICE variant in the coming years, while the HEMI V8’s revival all but confirms the Charger platform’s petrol pivot.
Stellantis has continued to emphasize PHEV integration in its vehicles and is calling this current approach, which includes forgoing BEVs, a “Multi-Energy” strategy.
Jeep Wagoneer S BEV[/caption]
Ram 1500 REV full-size all-electric pickup (now cancelled)[/caption]
Dodge Hornet PHEV CUV[/caption]
