Lucas Bell 
America’s automakers have made headlines in recent months as it relates to their plans for electric vehicles. GM kicked off the festivities by announcing their plans to go carbon neutral by 2040, while Ford has committed to being an all-electric company in Europe by 2030. All the while we’ve heard very little from Stellantis about their EV strategy. This has been somewhat surprising, considering this was a major reason why the company, now the world’s fourth-largest automaker, merged in the first place. That changed today however, as Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares addressed viewers during the company’s first general shareholder meeting. The FCA-PSA conglomerate has some serious plans underway to keep up with the industry wide push towards electrification, including releasing four new electric vehicle platforms. Most importantly for our readers however, it appears that hybrid and electric muscle cars, pickups and SUVs are closer than we thought. So, if you were hoping (or not hoping) for an electrified Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, Jeep SUV or Ram truck, read on.
According to a report from The Detroit News, Stellantis aims to have an electrified variant of 96 percent of the vehicles they sell in the U.S. by 2025. Furthermore, the automaker will offer a completely electric variant of all of their models by 2030. Stellantis will get this underway this year, as they move to add 10 new electrified models globally in 2021, bringing their total up to 39. In the States, Stellantis only offers two full-hybrid models: the Chrysler Pacifica and the Jeep Wrangler 4xe. This will change when the Jeep adds the Grand Cherokee 4xe and Gladiator 4xe down the road. Furthermore, this announcement all but confirms that the Dodge Challenger and Charger muscle car family will get some hybrid technology in the near future. Stellantis’ Ralph Gilles recently hinted that he believes hybrid powertrains will underpin the next chapter of the muscle car horsepower wars.
“Please recognize we are now accelerating this electrification move, and please recognize we are perfectly on-time and ready to deliver on the zero-emission mobility expectations for the markets in which we operate,” said Tavares during the meeting.
In order to accomplish this rapid electrification without breaking the bank, Stellantis is set to roll out four new EV platforms in the coming years. The first to arrive will be an electric truck and SUV platform, which Tavares noted should provide no less than 310 miles of range. After that, medium and large car platforms are due to arrive in 2023. These will be the platforms that could carry fully electric muscle car offerings, and they promise to provide more than 435 miles and 497 miles of range, respectively. The brand’s small car platform will debut for 2026 with around 310 miles of range. All of these platforms will be global products, and will underpin vehicles across 14 brands.
Those medium and large car electric vehicle platforms are particularly interesting for muscle car fans. We know that the next-gen Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger are due out around that time period, which could mean they become EVs during their next generation. That said, rumors have suggested that Dodge will sell the older muscle car models alongside their replacements, just like the Ram 1500 Classic. Perhaps with the help of hybrid technology, this could remain the case. That said, prepare for a wave of new electric vehicles to come from Stellantis in the coming months and years.
