Stellantis investing $406 million in 3 Mich. plants

Stellantis is investing more than $406 million into three Michigan plants to build electrified Ram pickups and Jeep Wagoneer SUVs.

The automaker said it will spend $235.5 million updating the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant to build the fully electric Ram 1500 REV and range-extended electric Ramcharger on the same assembly line as the gasoline-powered Ram 1500 pickup. To do this, the company said it partnered with "equipment suppliers and contractors to carefully plan and execute the installation of a new conveyor system, new automation for BEV-specific processes, and the retooling and rearrangement of workstations in general assembly."

Stellantis said the Sterling Heights facility will be its first U.S. plant to make electric vehicles. Production of the Ram REV is scheduled to begin before the end of this year.

About $97.6 million will go to the Warren Truck Assembly Plant so it can build an electrified version of the Jeep Wagoneer. Jeep CEO Antonio Filosa has said the SUV will get a range-extended electric powertrain similar to the Ramcharger in 2025.

Stellantis said the electrified Wagoneer will be built on the same line as the gasoline Wagoneers and Grand Wagoneers.

The Dundee Engine Plant is getting more than $73 million for a retooling to assemble, weld and test battery trays for the STLA Frame architecture that underpins the REV and Ramcharger starting this year, and to machine front and rear beams for the STLA Large architecture starting in 2026.

Those new components will be built alongside the GME-T4 EVO engine launching later this year, and the new 1.6-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged engine with direct fuel injection and flexibility for hybrid-electric vehicle applications that will launch next year.

“Sterling Heights Assembly has performed an incredible transformation in record time and I want to thank our colleagues for this great achievement,” Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said in a Sept. 11 statement. “Gearing up to build our first-ever Ram electric truck and the range-extended version in Michigan is a meaningful moment of pride for our teams. With these investments supporting both Jeep and Ram, we’re adding innovations to our Michigan manufacturing footprint to support a multi-energy approach that is laser-focused on customer demand.”