Stellantis, the automotive giant, has unveiled its readiness to provide its forthcoming battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) with combustion engines if consumer demand dictates. This potential shift in strategy could begin with the upcoming Jeep Wagoneer S, marking a strategic pivot in response to the evolving landscape of electric vehicle adoption.
Addressing concerns about the transition to electric vehicles, Stellantis Chief Financial Officer Natalie Knight announced during an event focused on the brand’s first-quarter delivery and financial figures that the Wagoneer S would initially be offered as a BEV, with a hybrid or gas-only version potentially following suit based on market demand.
“The majority of our products are either ICE vehicles or intended to utilize those multi-energy platforms that we have,” Knight stated. “This is a great opportunity for us, compared to our peers, having the multi-energy platforms for all of our products in development and having the agility to move between them.”
Stellantis aims to align its product offerings with consumer preferences while also signaling its commitment to electrification. Of the 25 new vehicles set to launch this year, 18 will initially be available as BEVs. By 2030, Stellantis plans to have 75 battery-electric vehicle nameplates and aims to sell 5 million BEVs annually.
“Our goal is to put ourselves in the position where, on the one hand, we can show the market that we know where things are moving and we’re committed very much to the EV market but, on the other hand, we have the flexibility to go and grow where the consumer demand is,” Knight explained. “We want to stay close to the consumer, and if we see there’s an opportunity with those models that we introduced as a BEV first, we’ll look at that,” she added, per WardsAuto.
Stellantis’s adaptable approach is already proving successful, as evidenced by the performance of its plug-in hybrid models. In the first quarter of 2024, the Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Dodge Hornet were the top three best-selling plug-in hybrids in the country.
