Tag Archives: FCA

Daimler Getting Back Into Bed With Chrysler for Battery Biz

<img data-attachment-id=”1680728″ data-permalink=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2019/07/what-ever-happened-to-mercedes-dieselgate/shutterstock_1057775735/” data-orig-file=”http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/daimler-getting-back-into-bed-with-chrysler-for-battery-biz-5.jpg” data-orig-size=”1000,667″ data-comments-opened=”1″ data-image-meta=”{“aperture”:”0″,”credit”:””,”camera”:””,”caption”:””,”created_timestamp”:”0″,”copyright”:””,”focal_length”:”0″,”iso”:”0″,”shutter_speed”:”0″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”1″}” data-image-title=”mercedes logo mercedes-benz hood ornament” data-image-description=”

Pixfly/Shutterstock

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Daimler is getting cozy with Chrysler again, or at least the American side of Stellantis, so they can tackle battery development and production. Those in the know will recall that Chrysler has been passed around more than a bottle of booze at a middle school party. But its long history of partnerships also kept it in business and resulted in some of its better products.

Before the Amero-French merger that resulted in Stellantis, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles was an Italian-American company with facilities dotted around North America. Prior to that, it was known as DaimlerChrysler – resulting in the LX Platform, Pentastar V6, and a wider variety of Jeep Wranglers. Now, Chrysler’s alienated German wife has shown up on the doorstep with a wad of cash and news that she’ll be investing it into the new battery business. 

Daimler has purchased a 33 percent stake of Automotive Cells Company (AAC), which was established and uncreatively named by Stellantis and TotalEnergies, in a bid to ensure Europe parent isn’t left behind in the electric revolution.

“Mercedes-Benz pursues a very ambitious transformation plan and this investment marks a strategic milestone on our path to CO2 neutrality. Together with ACC, we will develop and efficiently produce battery cells and modules in Europe – tailor-made to the specific Mercedes-Benz requirements,” Ola Källenius, CEO of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, explained. “This new partnership allows us to secure supply, to take advantage of economies of scale, and to provide our customers with superior battery technology. On top of that we can help to ensure that Europe remains at the heart of the auto industry – even in an electric era: With Mercedes-Benz as a new partner, ACC aims to more than double capacity at its European sites to support Europe’s industrial competitiveness in the design and manufacturing of battery cells.”

From Daimler:

The entire ACC project will require an investment volume of more than seven billion euros – in a combination of equity, debt and subsidies – to reach a capacity of at least 120 Gigawatt hours in Europe by the end of the decade. Mercedes-Benz will invest a mid-three-digit-million euros amount next year. In total, the investments are expected to remain below one billion Euros. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including agreement on definitive documentation and regulatory approvals.

The German automaker would like to scale up the development and production of next-generation battery cells and modules so it can keep its promise of being an all-electric company by 2030. However, it said it needs a total battery production capacity of more than 200 Gigawatt hours by that time, requiring it to build at least eight facilities and engage in numerous partnerships.

Following Daimler’s formal investment, the company will have an even 33 percent equity stake in ACC – giving it two of the six Supervisory Board seats and equal footing with Total and Stellantis. It’s expected that hardware will begin manifesting within the next couple of years and be shared among the three companies. For now, Daimler will be providing its “technical and production know-how” to help spur development. But more direct involvement is anticipated when the automaker finishes its Drive Systems Campus finishes construction in 2023, with additional European facilities to be considered later.

[Image: Pixfly/Shutterstock]

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Fiat Joins Electric Van Fray with New E-Ducato

Fiat E-Ducato for DHL

Fiat is getting into the electric van market with the new E-Ducato, and partnering with global logistics giant DHL.

It’s not just the light duty arena seeing a substantive increase in battery-electric offerings as the crowded commercial van market just got another competitor: the Fiat E-Ducato.

Stellantis, Fiat’s parent company, told the world it would move quickly to become competitive in the electric vehicle market once the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Group PSA was complete. The deal was done at the end of 2020, and they’re making good on that promise.

The new E-Ducato steps into a very crowded field facing competition like the Mercedes e-Sprinter, Rivan’s new all-electric delivery van, GM’s BrightDrop offering and the king of the segment, Ford and its E-Transit model.

But it’s not just the big names looking to make inroads in the segment, Fiat’s competing with fringe players like Silicon Valley’s Canoo, Ohio’s Workhorse Group and the even smaller Arrival, which uses “microfactories,” ditching the traditional assembly line approach vehicle manufacturing.

The newest player

Fiat’s new E-Ducato starts at about $50,500, which puts it on par with most of its competition.

Ever-intensifying competition aside, the new E-Ducato is available right here — if here is Europe — and right now. It’s assembled at Fiat’s Atessa, Italy plant, although the electric powertrain will be install at the Mirafiori facility in Turin. No word on if or when a ProMaster version comes to the U.S., although the company did say other variants would follow.

Fiat says it’s comparable to a diesel in its performance levels. The motor puts out 122 horsepower and 206 pound-feet of torque, which should be plenty to get around town. Additionally, it can add another 62 miles of range in less than 30 minutes, Stellantis officials noted.

The E-Ducato offers two different battery options — 47 kWh and 79 kWh, best-in-class for installed electrical capacity. It offers four types of charging modes, although only three are available now. With a 47-kWh battery, it travels up to 145 miles. With a 79-kWh battery, it enjoys a range of about 230 miles.

“For the E-Ducato, we started from the idea of creating not only a ‘green’ vehicle, but also a complete mobility solution, characterized by versatility, reliability, efficiency and sustainability (at both an environmental and an economic level),” said Eric Laforge, head of the Fiat Professional brand, who’s leading charge into large electric vans.

Rivian delivery van for Amazon

Amazon and Rivian are expanding the use of the EV maker’s electric delivery van.

“In short, a working tool to build up your business while respecting the precepts of ecology, a model ready for every mission, uncompromisingly aiming to be the benchmark in the market and to be equipped with the same capabilities as vehicles with internal combustion engines. Its 400 configurations mean it can meet the needs of all professional operators, from freight fleets and construction companies to artisans and municipal service providers.”

Following a familiar path

Like many of the other competitors in the segment, Fiat’s got a real-world partner: DHL. The global delivery giant signed on to help build a better van five years ago, but the relationship intensified when the E-Ducato hit the drawing board.

Unsurprisingly, it will purchase E-Ducatos as part its commitment to electrify most of its last-mile delivery vehicles by 2030, and 60% of its overall fleet electrified. “This means I’m looking for something like 14,000 vehicles we’re gonna buy,” said Alberto Nobis, CEO of DHL Express Europe during the press conference. “We had an opportunity to build this vehicle to our specifications.”

A pre-production version of the BrightDrop EV600 van being tested by FedEx.

It’s unclear if Nobis was committing to buying 14,000 E-Ducatos or simply that many electrified vehicles. However, the partnership between DHL and Stellantis shows the importance of catering to the market.

Similarly Rivan worked with Amazon, which is also a major investor in the company, to create the electric vans it’s currently testing in several cities across the U.S.

Arrival and Workhorse are both working with UPS, GM is partnering with FedEx on its BrightDrop vehicles. Ford and Daimler haven’t announced formal partnerships yet, but they are the two largest players in the segment so getting input likely isn’t a problem.

The new E-Ducato starts at just under $50,500, which puts in the same league as the aforementioned E-Transit which starts at about $45,000.


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Stellantis Laying off 150 Jeep Employees in Illinois

fca
Jeep is laying off 150 workers that would have otherwise been employed at its Belvidere Assembly Plant, which actually produces the Jeep Cherokee instead of the long defunct, full-size Plymouth. Based on the timing, this decision appears to have something to do with the FCA-PSA Group merger that formed Stellantis.

We’re only able to guess the core reasoning. With FCA having abandoned monthly reporting for quarterly, allegedly as a way to promote transparency, we don’t actually know how the Cherokee is performing on the market. It’s something the Detroit Free Press also noted when it broke the story.

While last year’s domestic volume of 135,855 represents a sizable decline from 2019, it wasn’t a typical year where you could say that was indicative of anything more than there being a pandemic that forced a lot of dealerships to close shop or operate under heavy restrictions.

“The Stellantis plant in Belvidere, Illinois, is rebalancing its staffing levels as it realigns production to meet global demand for the Jeep Cherokee. Following a review of its operations, 150 people will be indefinitely laid off, starting Feb. 20, 2021. The company will make every effort to place indefinitely laid off hourly employees in open full-time positions as they become available based on seniority,” according to a company statement issued by spokeswoman Jodi Tinson.

By contrast, we’ve heard nothing to suggest there will be any layoffs in Detroit related to the Grand Cherokee. But it didn’t have quite the sales slip that its little brother endured. Stellantis may simply have seen the Cherokee falling a little harder than the rest of the Jeep family while going over the books, and decided it wasn’t worth paying every single one of Belvidere’s 3,374 hourly and 206 salaried employees.

[Image :Stellantis/FCA]

Stellantis Enjoys Warm Welcome from European Investors

  

 

 

Stellantis Chairman John Elkann is meeting with the media tomorrow to talk about the company’s future.

Not every merger involving an automaker these days involves a blank-check company. The newly minted tie-up between Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. and Peugeot S.A. was finalized over the weekend and the resulting company, Stellantis N.V., is enjoying a warm welcome.

At least on the stock market.

The new company’s stock trades on three exchanges and it finished the day on the Paris exchange up nearly 7%, closing at €13.14. It also jumped up 7.7% on the Milan exchange.

The New York Stock Exchange, the third exchange it’s traded on, was not open today due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

(Chrysler is no more as Stellantis comes to life.)

  

 

 

CEO Carlos Tavares has a lot on his corporate plate now that the merger is complete.

The $52 billion merger of near equals creates a massive enterprise with operations on six continents, employs about 400,000 people, sells – at least for the time being – 14 vehicle brands and sells 8.1 million vehicles annually, making it the fourth-largest automaker in the world behind Volkswagen, Toyota and the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.

With all of those possibilities, it’s going to take a press conference Tuesday to start revealing what Stellantis will look like now that’s it’s a living, breathing entity. What brands will stay? How many workers will keep their jobs?

People are nervous because the CEO of the new enterprise, Carlos Tavares, has a history of being fearless when it comes to eliminating unprofitable operations and processes in the pursuit of corporate profit. One need only look at how what he did with former General Motors’ subsidiary Opel. A money-loser for a decade, he had it in the black in one year.

(FCA CEO Manley gets new assignment following Stellantis merger.)

“Stellantis faces a mixed outlook as U.S. stimulus plans may buoy Chrysler vs. a more uncertain outlook for Peugeot in Europe,” Michael Dean, BI automotive analyst told Bloomberg. “Former PSA CEO Carlos Tavares takes the helm and, similar to his handling of PSA’s takeover of Opel in 2017, we anticipate a new strategy in the first 100 days of his stewardship. All regions face a difficult 1H amid continued lockdowns.”

  

 

 

Quirky name aside, investors gave Stellantis a warm welcome when it began trading Monday.

The two companies have worked to allay fears of major cutbacks in France and Italy. While top managers have outlined plans to trim costs by $6 billion following the merger, they insist they will be able to do that without closing any plants. They have outlined 40% of those cost savings coming from purchasing, 40% from combining product development efforts, and 20% from marketing and other operations.

However, it’s unclear how Tavares plans to tackle other issues such as improving the company’s performance in China, the world’s largest automotive market, and bolstering its electrification efforts, especially in the aforementioned China as well as in the U.S. Just addressing those two issues are likely to require billions of dollars and euros. Some of plans for these things and more may get touched on Tuesday, Marco Santino, a partner at consulting firm Oliver Wyman, told Reuters.

(Fiat Chrysler and PSA not exactly a “merger of equals.”)

“He has proven to be the kind of person who prefers action to words, so I don’t think he will make loud statements or try to over-sell targets,” he said.

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Jeep Easing Electrification Into Japanese Market, World to Follow

<img data-attachment-id=”1739330″ data-permalink=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2020/10/jeep-easing-electrification-into-japanese-market-world-to-follow/2019_11_14_6028_wallbox_new4-1/” data-orig-file=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2019_11_14_6028_Wallbox_new4-1.jpg” data-orig-size=”1920,1280″ data-comments-opened=”1″ data-image-meta=”{“aperture”:”14″,”credit”:””,”camera”:”Canon EOS 5DS R”,”caption”:””,”created_timestamp”:”1573744368″,”copyright”:””,”focal_length”:”115″,”iso”:”100″,”shutter_speed”:”1.3″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”1″}” data-image-title=”Jeep Renegade 4xe” data-image-description=”

Jeep/FCA

” data-medium-file=”http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/jeep-easing-electrification-into-japanese-market-world-to-follow-5.jpg” data-large-file=”http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/jeep-easing-electrification-into-japanese-market-world-to-follow.jpg” class=”aligncenter size-large wp-image-1739330″ src=”http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/jeep-easing-electrification-into-japanese-market-world-to-follow.jpg” alt width=”610″ height=”407″ srcset=”http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/jeep-easing-electrification-into-japanese-market-world-to-follow.jpg 610w, http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/jeep-easing-electrification-into-japanese-market-world-to-follow-4.jpg 75w, http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/jeep-easing-electrification-into-japanese-market-world-to-follow-5.jpg 450w, http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/jeep-easing-electrification-into-japanese-market-world-to-follow-6.jpg 768w, http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/jeep-easing-electrification-into-japanese-market-world-to-follow-7.jpg 120w” sizes=”(max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px”>

One of the main reasons Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is partnering with PSA Group is to help soften the financial blows of battery development, we literally just talked about it. But the French automaker has its own reasons for wanting to get into bed with the FCA, namely its rather diverse list of subsidiaries — with Jeep occupying spot número uno.

Despite being offensively American to some, Jeep is the sixth most-popular nameplate in the United States. It also happens to be world-renowned as an off-road brand and had made strong inroads in places you’d never expect. This has forced the brand to rethink its global appeal, requiring Fiat Chrysler to issue some market-specific models like China’s Jeep Commander PHEV and the Renegade 4xe — the latter of which is already sold in Europe and slated to launch this November in Japan. But these models are only the tip of the iceberg as FCA intends on meeting ever-tightening emissions regulations in major markets that aren’t the United States.

Purists will undoubtedly cry foul here. For many, if it isn’t powered entirely by combustible fuels and body-on-frame then it’s an abomination unworthy of the Jeep name. But these people are increasingly finding themselves edged out of the conversation as aggressive mandates in China and Europe leave the company with fewer options. As a positive, these changes are assumed to help improve the brand’s global volume — especially in Japan where Jeep is already the best-selling American brand.

<img data-attachment-id=”1739326″ data-permalink=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2020/10/jeep-easing-electrification-into-japanese-market-world-to-follow/jeep__4xe-17/” data-orig-file=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Jeep__4xe-17-e1603743965756.jpg” data-orig-size=”3184,2123″ data-comments-opened=”1″ data-image-meta=”{“aperture”:”10″,”credit”:”Ph.Alberto Giorgio Alquati”,”camera”:”Canon EOS-1D X”,”caption”:””,”created_timestamp”:”1593507777″,”copyright”:””,”focal_length”:”95″,”iso”:”200″,”shutter_speed”:”0.016666666666667″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”1″}” data-image-title=”Jeep Renegade 4xe” data-image-description=”

Jeep/FCA

” data-medium-file=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Jeep__4xe-17-450×300.jpg” data-large-file=”http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/jeep-easing-electrification-into-japanese-market-world-to-follow-1.jpg” class=”aligncenter size-large wp-image-1739326″ src=”http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/jeep-easing-electrification-into-japanese-market-world-to-follow-1.jpg” alt width=”610″ height=”407″>

While positively dwarfed by the sales enjoyed by practically every Japanese brand selling domestically, Jeep still saw 13,360 deliveries in the Land of the Rising Sun in 2019 — placing it right between Volvo and Peugeot. With help from the Renegade 4xe, Fiat Chrysler thinks it can improve those numbers for 2021. According to Automotive News, the automaker expects to sell roughly 4,000 Renegades in Japan next year to that end. Around 10 and 20 percent of those are presumed to be of the hybrid persuasion.

From AN:

That overall volume may not sound overwhelming compared with North American Jeep sales, but the hybrid Jeep’s arrival taps into growing Japanese interest in both the brand and electrified vehicles in general, especially hybrids.

“We understand we need to be present with electrified vehicles,” FCA Japan CEO Pontus Häggström said. “Japanese consumers are keen on technology. This is the latest technology the group has.”

Jeep intends on electrifying every single model in its lineup by 2022, specifically so it can continue doing business around the globe. Barring some regulatory changes in the United States, plenty probably won’t be targeting North American customers. But they’ll be handy in other markets where the average engine size is much lower. Jeep’s even going to hybridize the Wrangler (which will be sold in the U.S.) and promised it wouldn’t lose a single shed of its off-road prowess.

<img data-attachment-id=”1739328″ data-permalink=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2020/10/jeep-easing-electrification-into-japanese-market-world-to-follow/jeep-renegade-th_4xe-65/” data-orig-file=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Jeep-Renegade-TH_4xe-65-e1603743978526.jpg” data-orig-size=”3184,2123″ data-comments-opened=”1″ data-image-meta=”{“aperture”:”7.1″,”credit”:”Ph.Alberto Giorgio Alquati”,”camera”:”Canon EOS-1D X”,”caption”:””,”created_timestamp”:”1593514797″,”copyright”:””,”focal_length”:”300″,”iso”:”160″,”shutter_speed”:”0.0015625″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”1″}” data-image-title=”Jeep Renegade 4xe” data-image-description=”

Jeep/FCA

” data-medium-file=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Jeep-Renegade-TH_4xe-65-450×300.jpg” data-large-file=”http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/jeep-easing-electrification-into-japanese-market-world-to-follow-2.jpg” class=”aligncenter size-large wp-image-1739328″ src=”http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/jeep-easing-electrification-into-japanese-market-world-to-follow-2.jpg” alt width=”610″ height=”407″>

In the case of the Renegade 4xe, Fiat Chrysler ditched the standard powerplant for a 1.3-liter gas burner (front axle) and a 60-horsepower electric motor (rear axle) mated to an 11.4 kWh battery. Jeep even has a Trailhawk version of the hybrid that positively trumps the old 2.4-liter Tigershark’s maximum output with combined (electric/ICE) 238 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque.

That’s not too shabby and will undoubtedly make it an appetizing alternative to something like the Suzuki Jimny, which may soon have the non-electric, mini-SUV off-roading world all to itself. Though it was recently removed from the European market after its positively tiny motor failed to meet emission regulations for 2021. Suzuki has gotten around this by selling the tiny 4×4 as a “light commercial vehicle” while it attempts to figure out a more permanent solution. But if that doesn’t illustrate exactly why Jeep is so sprung on hybridization, nothing does.

<img data-attachment-id=”1739324″ data-permalink=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2020/10/jeep-easing-electrification-into-japanese-market-world-to-follow/jee_4xe_01/” data-orig-file=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Jee_4xe_01-e1603743944116.jpg” data-orig-size=”3719,2303″ data-comments-opened=”1″ data-image-meta=”{“aperture”:”13″,”credit”:””,”camera”:”Canon EOS 5D Mark III”,”caption”:””,”created_timestamp”:”1595493298″,”copyright”:””,”focal_length”:”35″,”iso”:”160″,”shutter_speed”:”0.008″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”1″}” data-image-title=”Jeep 4xe family” data-image-description=”

Jeep/FCA

” data-medium-file=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Jee_4xe_01-450×279.jpg” data-large-file=”http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/jeep-easing-electrification-into-japanese-market-world-to-follow-3.jpg” class=”aligncenter size-large wp-image-1739324″ src=”http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/jeep-easing-electrification-into-japanese-market-world-to-follow-3.jpg” alt width=”610″ height=”378″>

[Images: FCA]

FCA Strengthens Relationship With Waymo; ProMaster On Deck

<img data-attachment-id="1729016" data-permalink="https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2020/07/fca-strengthens-relationship-with-waymo-promaster-on-deck/fca-and-waymo-further-expand-autonomous-driving-technology-partn-2/" data-orig-file="https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/BU020_073EVrva7r8rg3ish0ali1og3knvkn.jpg" data-orig-size="2141,1204" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"FCA and\u00a0Waymo Further Expand Autonomous Driving\u00a0Technology Partnership and Sign Exclusive Agreement for Light Commercial Vehicles","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"FCA and\u00a0Waymo Further Expand Autonomous Driving\u00a0Technology Partn","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="FCA and Waymo Further Expand Autonomous Driving Technology Partn" data-image-description="

FCA

” data-medium-file=”http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fca-strengthens-relationship-with-waymo-promaster-on-deck-3.jpg” data-large-file=”http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fca-strengthens-relationship-with-waymo-promaster-on-deck.jpg” class=”aligncenter size-large wp-image-1729016″ src=”http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fca-strengthens-relationship-with-waymo-promaster-on-deck.jpg” alt width=”610″ height=”343″ srcset=”http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fca-strengthens-relationship-with-waymo-promaster-on-deck.jpg 610w, http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fca-strengthens-relationship-with-waymo-promaster-on-deck-2.jpg 75w, http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fca-strengthens-relationship-with-waymo-promaster-on-deck-3.jpg 450w, http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fca-strengthens-relationship-with-waymo-promaster-on-deck-4.jpg 768w, http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fca-strengthens-relationship-with-waymo-promaster-on-deck-5.jpg 120w, http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fca-strengthens-relationship-with-waymo-promaster-on-deck-6.jpg 800w” sizes=”(max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px”>

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Waymo jointly announced plans to expand their autonomous driving partnership on Wednesday, with a new focus on delivery vehicles. The Google affiliate already uses Chrysler’s Pacifica as the primary testing platform for its autonomous taxi services, and it appears it isn’t eager to rock the boat, now that it needs something more utilitarian as it moves toward SAE Level 4.

While not completely self-driving, such vehicles would be capable of performing all necessary tasks under certain conditions. They may be designed for a specific purpose and lack traditional vehicle controls. Waymo seems to think they’d be ideal units for transporting goods and has asked FCA to hand over Ram ProMaster vans for conversion into test mules. It also asked the automaker to become its sole partner on the project — which is assumed to carry over once the company merges with Groupe PSA to become the Stellantis corporation. 

FCA began providing its Pacifica Hybrid minivans to Waymo to test self-driving technology half a decade ago, leading to the firm’s Phoenix-based ride-hailing service (which tests the autonomous cab concept. While the unit has also been modified to take on delivery duties, Waymo believed a dedicated platform would be best. The ProMaster is starting the party — with both companies suggesting it would be easier to configure for a multitude of purposes — and will eventually be joined by other models as FCA remains a “preferred partner” in the development program for commercial vehicles (Class 1-3).

“FCA was our first OEM partner and we’ve come a long way together,” John Krafcik, CEO of Waymo, said in a prepared statement. “The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans were the first vehicles in our Waymo One fleet and, guided by the Waymo Driver, have now safely and reliably driven more fully autonomous miles than any other vehicle on the planet. Today, we’re expanding our partnership with FCA with the Waymo Driver as the exclusive L4 autonomy solution for this global automotive company. Together, we’ll introduce the Waymo Driver throughout the FCA brand portfolio, opening up new frontiers for ride-hailing, commercial delivery and personal-use vehicles around the world.”

While the company has contracts to outfit other vehicles for testing purposes, the Chrysler got there first and has arguably offered the most constancy. Some of the all-electric models selected by Waymo (e.g. Jaguar’s I-Pace) have confronted production issues and have been rumored to be slow upon arrival. That doesn’t seem to have discouraged Waymo from using them; however, FCA products have become synonymous with the brand and vastly outnumber anything else in its fleet.

“Our now four-year partnership with Waymo continues to break new ground. By incorporating the Waymo Driver, the world’s leading self-driving technology, into our Pacifica minivans, we became the only partnership actually deploying fully autonomous technology in the real world, on public roads. With this next step, deepening our relationship with the very best technology partner in this space, we’re turning to the needs of our commercial customers by jointly enabling self-driving for light commercial vehicles, starting with the Ram ProMaster,” Fiat Chrysler CEO Mike Manley explained.

“Adding Waymo’s commitment to partner with us to deploy its L4 fully autonomous technology across our entire product portfolio, our partnership is setting the pace for the safe and sustainable mobility solutions that will help define the automotive world in the years and decades to come.”

Despite Krafcik’s occasional talk about subscription models and the changing nature of vehicle ownership leaving us intermittently annoyed, Waymo is viewed as the industry leader in autonomous development. It also has one of the better track records for safety. Still, there’s no sense of when these new programs will begin or a timeline for when we might expect to see sensor-enhanced ProMasters roaming the countryside.

<img data-attachment-id="1729014" data-permalink="https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2020/07/fca-strengthens-relationship-with-waymo-promaster-on-deck/fca-and-waymo-further-expand-autonomous-driving-technology-partn/" data-orig-file="https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/BU020_072EVc8dtsqcs1810sfm5akjefc94r8.jpg" data-orig-size="3000,2001" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"FCA and\u00a0Waymo Further Expand Autonomous Driving\u00a0Technology Partnership and Sign Exclusive Agreement for Light Commercial Vehicles","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"FCA and\u00a0Waymo Further Expand Autonomous Driving\u00a0Technology Partn","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="FCA and Waymo Further Expand Autonomous Driving Technology Partn" data-image-description="

FCA

” data-medium-file=”http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fca-strengthens-relationship-with-waymo-promaster-on-deck-8.jpg” data-large-file=”http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fca-strengthens-relationship-with-waymo-promaster-on-deck-1.jpg” class=”aligncenter size-large wp-image-1729014″ src=”http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fca-strengthens-relationship-with-waymo-promaster-on-deck-1.jpg” alt width=”610″ height=”407″ srcset=”http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fca-strengthens-relationship-with-waymo-promaster-on-deck-1.jpg 610w, http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fca-strengthens-relationship-with-waymo-promaster-on-deck-7.jpg 75w, http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fca-strengthens-relationship-with-waymo-promaster-on-deck-8.jpg 450w, http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fca-strengthens-relationship-with-waymo-promaster-on-deck-9.jpg 768w, http://automotivezen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fca-strengthens-relationship-with-waymo-promaster-on-deck-10.jpg 120w” sizes=”(max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px”>

[Images: FCA]

FCA CEO Manley Says Hybrid Wrangler Arriving By End of 2020

FCA CEO Mike Manley told attendees at the company’s annual shareholder meeting held online that the new Jeep Wrangler would be here by the end of 2020.

After sitting on the sidelines when it came to electric vehicles and their derivatives Fiat Chrysler revealed it’s now in the game with the introduction of the Jeep Wrangler plug-in hybrid.

FCA CEO Mike Manley discussed the importance of the new entry during the company’s annual general meeting held online Friday. Prior to the Wrangler, the company’s only real efforts at electrification were the current Chrysler Pacifica hybrid and a past iteration of the Fiat 500e.

That vehicle was so reviled by then-CEO Sergio Marchionne, he implored people not to buy it because he said the company lost too much money on the sale of each vehicle. The new Wrangler hybrid will usher in a new era at FCA.

(Jeep bringing three plug-in hybrids to CES.)

“Jeep’s icon the Wrangler will arrive on the market with a 4xe version that will be on the front line of our electrification strategy in North America,” he said during the automaker’s annual general meeting held online because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Detroit News.

All Jeep plug-in hybrids will adopt this badge in the future, starting with the new Wrangler hybrid.

Going forward, all electrified Jeep products will carry a special “4xe” badge. Now the arrival of the hybrid Wrangler wasn’t really a surprise, as had been discussed for some time and made an earlier appearance at CES in Las Vegas in January.

No real details were given at the time, but now Manley said it will be available in the U.S. by the end of this year. China and Europe will get it sometime in the first quarter of 2021. Manley didn’t offer up what Jeep models are next to be electrified, if you will.

(Click Here for an earlier look at Jeep’s PHEV plans.)

However, at CES the Wrangler was joined by Compass and Renegade hybrid vehicles. It wasn’t even the first real event for those vehicles either, Jeep having teased versions of the Compass and Renegade plug-ins last year.

The new Jeep Wrangler hybrid is slated to arrive at the end of 2020.

If it hasn’t torn up those original plans, we can expect to see the new plug-in hybrids deliver up to 31 miles range and the ability to operate at speeds up to 62 mph in all-electric mode. The gas and electric power sources, the brand said last year, combine to deliver about 240 horsepower.

The hybrids are critical to the commitment to offer electrified versions of all Jeeps by 2022 to meeting tougher carbon emissions standards in other parts of the world. Orders for the plug-in Jeep Compass and Renegade crossovers in Europe will start in by early July.

(FCA makes splash at SEMA as Jeep takes 4×4 award.)

Manley did not talk about the brand’s larger, pricier models, which will need to find a place for a plug sooner rather than later, especially the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, which will be built in Warren, Michigan.