On various forums, some people are impatient for a Dodge and Chrysler comeback—and they’re starting to get itchy, insisting that nothing is really coming and that the ten years allocated to each brand isn’t real.
It’s a bit early to be dismissing Stellantis’ promises, though. Each brand was promised a ten year trial in 2021; and it’s still 2021. What’s more, while some cars based on existing designs are in development, such as the Dodge Hornet and Lancia Delta, the real product recovery is likely to be years away.
The chart above shows Stellantis’ plans for future platforms, all of which, except some body-on-frame vehicles (presumably Ram pickups), will be electrified in some way—with mild hybrids, regular hybrids, plug-in hybrids, hydrogen fuel cells, or battery-electric setups. Batteries provide extremely fast acceleration, with sprint times that can beat just about all gasoline-powered production vehicles, but have some disadvantages, including range; while hybrids would allow for better responsiveness and fuel economy.
In any case, the new platforms are set to arrive starting in mid-2023. Some compact and midsize cars might arrive before then, based on the Peugeot eCMP platform; and some, like the Hornet (and new Mexican Grand Commander), may be based on the FCA small-car platform. There have long been rumors of a minivan (modified CUSW) based crossover and, for that matter, of a Chinese Grand Commander (modified CUSW) based crossover. These could still arrive, but chances are Stellantis won’t really go all-out on Chrysler and Dodge until 2024-2026. At that point, the company will have its large-car platforms, midsized-car platforms, and body-on-frame platforms finalized and rolling.
So be patient and give Stellantis a chance. It’s early days yet.
