One year ago, Stellantis announced plans to add an electrified 4xe plug-in hybrid Jeep Gladiator to North America by the end of 2025. The electrified Jeep Gladiator never made it into production.
The automaker will no longer include an electrified Gladiator in its Jeep lineup as it reassesses its product strategy, the company told TechCrunch in an emailed statement. The company cited changing customer preferences as a primary driver of its decision.
“The Jeep Gladiator carries its rugged styling and authentic design into 2026 while adding incredible new content straight from the factory,” the statement reads. “It will continue to serve as the industry’s only open-air pickup truck, combining legendary Jeep 4×4 capability with exceptional everyday versatility. As customers’ propulsion preferences for battery-electric trucks continue to evolve, Stellantis is reassessing its product strategy and will no longer include an electrified Gladiator variant in the Jeep lineup. The Jeep brand has already begun reinvesting funding to ensure the long-term growth of the Jeep Gladiator and will introduce even more customer-requested factory features, customization, and additional powertrain options in the near future.”
The Gladiator is the latest electrified vehicle hopeful to get the axe. Last week, Stellantis said it would no longer develop a battery-electric full-size pickup under its Ram brand, a vehicle that was supposed to be part of the automaker’s U.S. product offensive to sell more than 25 all-new BEVs by the end of the decade.
Stellantis cited low demand for full-size battery-electric trucks as the primary reason. The automaker will instead pursue an extended-range truck that gets an estimated 690 miles of range through a novel — but not unheard of — approach of combining a battery with a gas generator.
Stellantis isn’t the only automaker to pullback on once grand plans around electric vehicles. Many major automakers, including Ford, GM, Mercedes, and VW Group have made pledges to invest billions of dollars in electric vehicles only to pivot later. A combination of lower-than-expected demand, saturation amid the luxury EV market, and the imminent end of the U.S. federal EV tax credit have been cited as reasons for changing business strategies.
Some of these companies have shifted energy and dollars toward lower-cost EVs, which a larger swath of the population can afford, but the vehicles come with slimmer margins.
Newcomer Slate is developing a minimalist electric pickup that’s expected to cost under $30,000. Ford has delayed the launch of two next-generation electric vehicles, including a full-size electric pickup, to focus on smaller and more affordable models. In August, Ford announced it would invest $2 billion to transform its Louisville Assembly Plant into a factory capable of making a new generation of affordable EVs, starting with a mid-sized pickup truck with a base price of $30,000 that is slated to launch in 2027.
