What’s Next for the Electric Vehicle? Stellantis Has an Idea
Elizabeth Blackstock
|
The electric vehicle is the future. But what can we expect?
You might not recognize the Stellantis name just yet, but you will soon. It’s the name given to the merger that took place between Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and European-based Group PSA, which made the Renault, Peugeot, and Citroën brands. And with a big merger has come some big plans: namely, Stellantis is expanding its electric vehicle repertoire.
The automotive company hosted a brief about its upcoming electric plans. Most of them are just outlines of things to come in the future, but that’s okay — we’ll get you briefed on everything you can expect from some of your favorite brands.
Related: What on Earth Is Stellantis? Your Guide to the Wild World of Automotive Brands and the Corporations That Own Them
What’s the General Plan?
Keep the year 2026 in mind: that’s when many of Stellantis’ goals will come to fruition. That’s when the company wants to be a key player in the electric vehicle world, where it would not only be making money but would be crafting products like batteries that could be sold to other companies.
By 2030, Stellantis plans on having 70% of sales in Europe and over 40% in the United States to be low-emission vehicles — which would include things like hybrids or even fully-electric vehicles.
Related: This Is the Future of Electric Technology
What to Expect from Each Brand
Every single brand under the Stellantis banner will have electrified solutions, which include partially-electric options. We don’t know a ton of specifics yet, but we know for sure we can expect the following:
- Ram plans to have a full battery-electric 1500 pickup by 2024
- Dodge plans to offer an electrified performance car, called the eMuscle, by around 2024
- Jeep plans to continue with the 4xe plug-in hybrid models and also intends on introducing a fully-electric car soon after
Right now, patience will be key — but with Stellantis aiming to really ramp up its electric production, we can expect firmer details soon.
Related: Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid: 8 Reasons to Love It
Charging up for the next big adventure. Photo: Stellantis
The Technology Involved
Stellantis plans on introducing four different kinds of battery platforms upon which each of its new cars will be built, which include:
- STLA Small, with a range up to 300 miles
- STLA Medium, with a range up to 440 miles
- STLA Large, with a range up to 500 miles
- STLA Frame, with a range up to 500 miles
Each of those platforms will be tailored to the kind of vehicle in question, whether you’re driving a truck, an energy-dense sports car, or a minivan. There are going to be two different battery compositions, one that’s highly energy-dense and one that’s free of some of the difficult-to-source elements that can be difficult to mine and recycle.
Even better, you’ll be able to secure 20 miles of range per minute of charge with Stellantis’ new high-powered chargers.
What does that mean for you, the consumer? Basically, you’ll be choosing between different battery styles the same way you choose between different engines or powertrain options (think: conventional gas versus plug-in hybrid).
You’ll also be able to secure battery and hardware updates over-the-air, which means software can be improved without you needing to take it into the dealership.
Tag Lines of the Future
What’s the most efficient way to go from Point A to Point B? Well, for starters, you need to have a plan, and that’s what Stellantis has done with a series of tag lines that express the goals of each brand. We’ve included the brands you’ll be most likely to buy here in North America.
- Alfa Romeo – “From 2024, Alfa Romeo Becomes Alfa e-Romeo”
- Chrysler – “Clean Technology for a New Generation of Families”
- Dodge – “Tear Up the Streets… Not the Planet”
- Fiat – “It’s Only Green When It’s Green for All”
- Jeep – “Zero Emission Freedom”
- Ram – “Built to Serve a Sustainable Planet”
- Commercial Vehicles – “The Global Leader in e-Commercial Vehicles”
Let’s be honest — some of these tag lines sound a little silly, but that’s more than okay. Stellantis has given each brand a direction to follow. So, when Jeep says it’s aiming for “zero emission freedom,” it means that the brand is trying to preserve Jeep’s off-road mobility while also doing better for the environment. Not bad, huh?