Talk has gotten very serious in the past two years regarding the development of electric-powered pickup trucks and their pending arrival on the market. But among the upstarts (Tesla, Rivian) and the big guns (Ford, GM) active in the field, one company has stayed silent on the matter: Ram, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ truck division.
Now, the company has spoken on the subject, and it was to tell us not about the coming of an electric Ram, but about its plan to… wait and see how the others do with their products. More specifically, FCA CEO Mike Manley told The Detroit News that IF demand proved strong, and IF the company’s market share started to take a hit, it was ready and willing to take the electric leap.
Manley explained further that the company holds its own distinct views regarding the timeline for introducing electric trucks, especially in North America.
"The reason we haven’t spoken much about electric pickup trucks is not because we view that market as nonexistent. We haven’t revealed everything. But obviously pickup trucks are a key franchise for us, and we’re not going to sit on the sidelines if there is a danger that our position gets diluted going forward."
- Mike Manley, FCA CEO
FCA has shown its intentions when it comes to electrifying Jeep-brand vehicles, notably in announcing it is introducing plug-in hybrid versions of the Wrangler, Renegade and Compass around the globe.
Here’s what’s behind the company’s reasoning, in a nutshell: Since its coffers aren’t exactly overflowing at present, it’s chosen to take a wait-and-see approach. It will look at how strongly consumers embrace electric pickups before it makes any moves; you can bet that if they prove popular, the company will move quickly to enter the field of play.
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