Stellantis' future takes a wild turn after CEO exit

Sometimes, luck is your best friend.

With the change in administration came a change in presidential priorities, ones that proved fortunate for Stellantis. The changes could even give the beleaguered European automaker a chance to reverse the declining fortunes of its American operations.

Stellantis changes course

Now led by John Elkann, the Executive Director and Chairman of Stellantis, the company has announced investments of $5 billion in the United States. Stellantis has shuffled its top managers, canceled planned layoffs, and adjusted product plans in light of the Trump Administration’s changing energy priorities.

This gives the automaker breathing room to roll out new hybrids, electric vehicles, and even conventional vehicles as mainstream car buyers balk at the perceived compromises inherent in electric vehicles.

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The changes come under Stellantis’ Chief Operating Officer for the Americas and U.S. Brands, Antonio Filosa, who is widely rumored to be Stellantis’ next CEO, a slot expected to be filled within six months.

Rebellion within dealer ranks

CEO Carlos Tavares’s departure in December came after U.S. dealers issued a rare public rebuke in September, castigating the company’s direction. It’s no wonder. Tavares raised prices aggressively and was hesitant to offer discounts in the wake of sliding sales. Dealer lots were filled with unsold vehicles, some from 2023, as the company was producing 2025s.

But things have changed under Filosa and Elkann. Late last year, the company reduced inventories by more than 100,000 vehicles, but it wasn’t enough to offset 2024’s declining sales. Alfa Romeo sales declined 19%, Chrysler slumped 7%, Dodge dropped 29%, Jeep sank 9%, and Ram declined 19%. Only Fiat saw sales rise, increasing 154%. However, its volume of 1,528 vehicles is as small as the 500e.

What’s due in Jeep showrooms

Of the brands looking for a reversal in fortunes, none seem as critical as Jeep, which is sold worldwide.

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The main reason for the brand’s sagging market share last year was the lack of a Jeep Cherokee, which ended production in 2023. This left Jeep without a compact SUV, North America’s biggest segment. That should change with the arrival of a new Cherokee in 2025, which will come with a hybrid drivetrain, although whether it’s a plug-in hybrid is unknown. Further out, don’t be surprised if the new Cherokee will be fully electrified.

But it’s far from Jeep’s only new hybrid, as the Jeep Gladiator 4xe plug-in hybrid is slated to appear in showrooms later this year. Power comes from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and two electric motors that produce 375 horsepower, 470 pound-feet of torque, and 22 miles of electric-only driving range. A Class II trailer hitch is standard, and a Class IV hitch is optional.

Jeep plugs in

But Jeep isn’t merely fielding hybrids. The legendary off-road brand is also fielding electric vehicles.

The initial salvo came with the new Jeep Wagoneer S. About the size of a Grand Cherokee and fitted with two rows, Jeep’s first EV has a 250-kWh motor on each axle that produce 600 horsepower, 617 pound-feet of torque, and a 3.4-second 0-60 mph run. The all-wheel-drive Wagoneer S can also tow 3,400 pounds and features a range of 303 miles. Initially offered in fully loaded Launch Edition trim, prices start at $71,995, including destination.

It will be followed later this year by the Jeep Recon, an off-road 4×4 EV with an available power-folding rooftop and removable doors. Jeep currently produces the Avenger EV for the overseas market, but it’s deemed too small for the American market, even though it’s larger than the 1940 Willy Jeep MB.

Ram recuperates

Stellantis rehired Tim Kuniskis as CEO of Ram earlier this year, and he quickly moved to change product plans. Ram lost its status as the third best-selling vehicle in the United States in 2024 for the first time in years due to the botched launch of the all-new Ram 1500 light-duty pick-up and the end of production for the affordable Ram Classic last year.

On his first day back, Kuniskis pulled the launch of the new Ram 1500 Ramcharger ahead of the battery electric Ram 1500 REV, an easy call given that buyers are resisting EVs but embracing hybrids.

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The 1500 Ramcharger pairs Stellantis’s 3.6-liter V-6 with a 130-kilowatt generator and 92-kWh battery pack. This combination provides 663 horsepower, 2,625 pounds of payload capacity, 14,000 pounds of towing capacity, and a 690-mile range while allowing the vehicle to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. Later this year, the Ram 1500 REV EV will debut with a 350-mile range and identical payload and towing capacity as its range-extended sibling.

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A midsize Ram Dakota pick-up with multiple powertrains could also be on the way for 2026, as the brand needs a more affordable model now that the Ram Classic has been nixed.

Final thoughts

As for the rest of the lineup, Dodge launched the Charger Daytona two-door hatchback EV late last year. It will soon be joined by a two-door hatchback or four-door sedan variant, offering a twin-turbo inline-six rated at 420 or 550 horsepower with all-wheel drive. The Hemi V-8 is history, but a more powerful SRT Banshee is rumored to be joining the Charger Daytona line-up for 2026.

If you want a Hemi, you’ll have to settle for a Durango SUV, now in its final year before the arrival of its replacement, the Stealth, by 2026.

And if you need an idea of how well Alfa Romeo is faring in the U.S., consider that each of its models, the Giulia, Stelvio, and Tonale, will only come in one trim along with a Tributo Italiano special edition. 

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