- Stellantis is investing billions in the USA to launch five new vehicles.
- Belvidere Assembly will reopen to build the Jeep Cherokee and Compass.
- Mid-size truck will be built in Ohio, while new Durango comes from Detroit.
Stellantis made a mess of their North American operations, but they’re working to clean up the fallout left behind by Carlos Tavares. We’ve already seen this starting to play out as Ram brought back the Hemi, while also killing off their fully electric pickup.
The revival plan is now kicking into high gear as the automaker has announced a massive $13 (£9.8 / €11.2) billion investment in the United States. Stellantis says it’s the “largest single investment in [the] company’s 100-year history, which benefits all U.S. assembly plants.”
More: New Jeep Compass Embraces Electrification With 375 HP To Prove It
The funds will support the introduction of five new vehicles in “key segments” as well as the production of an all-new four-cylinder engine. The investment also promises to create more than 5,000 new jobs at plants in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana.
The new models will be in addition to “19 refreshed products” slated for production at U.S. assembly plants, along with “updated powertrains” set to roll out by 2029.
New Products And A Return To Belvidere
The idled Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois will resume production in 2027 as it will build the new Cherokee and Compass for the U.S. market. This should help to avoid tariff issues and the move is expected to create around 3,300 jobs.
While Belvidere was originally slated to make a new mid-size truck, Stellantis has decided to shift its production to Toledo, Ohio. This makes a lot of sense as Toledo Assembly currently builds the Jeep Gladiator and Wrangler.
The unnamed model, believed to be the Ram Dakota successor, is expected to be launched in 2028. Adding it to the plant will result in a new shift of approximately 900 people.
Michigan is the big winner as it receives multiple products. The Warren Truck Plant will build an all-new large SUV that offers an internal combustion engine as well as a range-extended powertrain.
Production is scheduled to begin in 2028 and it sounds like this could be the next-generation Jeep Grand Wagoneer or a twin of that model. This remains to be seen, but Stellantis will spend nearly $100 (£75 / €86) million on retooling and the program could add more than 900 new jobs.
Further south in Detroit, Jefferson Assembly will build the next-generation Dodge Durango. It’s scheduled to go into production in 2029 thanks to an investment of $130 (£98 / €112) million.
Last but not least, Stellantis is investing in Kokomo, Indiana to build an all-new GMET4 EVO engine. It goes into production next year and it’s being billed as a “strategic powertrain.”
