Stellantis is reportedly delaying production of the Jeep Grand Wagoneer Hybrid and Ram 1500 REV once again. The former model was originally due to begin assembly last spring, while the latter is already about a year behind schedule.
According to Automotive News, production of the Grand Wagoneer Hybrid is now likely to commence in November. Meanwhile, the Ram 1500 REV (previously known as the Ramcharger) is scheduled for assembly lines in April 2027. The alleged rationale is that the automaker wants to work with suppliers to ensure that the new hybrid system goes off without a hitch.
Spokespeople from both brands confirmed that both models were still heading toward production. But neither framed the situation as delays.
Manufacturers have struggled to launch numerous electrified models without incident. Delays have been more common than the industry would have liked, with some convinced that it helped undermine EV adoption rates while likewise hurting plug-in hybrid volumes. However, we’d argue that recent industry missteps are by no means limited to electrified models.
Lackluster charging infrastructure in our part of the world has also played a meaningful role and this is the issue Stellantis’ range extended models are hoping to circumvent entirely. Since they can be charged via an outlet or their on-board gasoline engines, they should be able to kick any concerns about range anxiety to the curb.
That’s the theory anyway. But the effort to build those vehicles will have been wasted if the execution is done poorly or there’s not enough takers for the given body style. While Ram 1500 sales have declined from record highs in recent years, likely due to the manufacturer moving away from V8 engine options, Stellantis still sells over 350,000 units per year. Despite climbing MSRPs, the full-size pickup market has remained robust — perhaps indicating that the 1500 REV has a decent shot.
Unfortunately, demand for the Grand Wagoneer has become slightly harder to pin down. Jeep looks to have endured a noteworthy sales decline in 2025 and has bounced back for 2026. But the math has been compromised slightly due to the automaker reconfiguring the lineup by putting all Wagoneer models under a single banner.
This is arguably something Stellantis/Jeep should have done from the beginning. Many older automobiles wore the “grand” prefix to identify variants featuring an extended wheelbase. They were simply larger versions of a preexisting model. Jeep actually did this with the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee for years. However, when applied to the Grand Wagoneer, the term denoted it was the more expensive trim and came with more standard features. It was effectively the premium trim and curiously treated as if it was its own model — with the Grand Wagoneer L being the true long-wheelbase variant.
By nature of being significantly less expensive, Wagoneer volumes were always going to outpace the Grand Wagoneer. With the latter seeing a nearly 60 percent decline in demand for 2025, Jeep merged the duo under a single name earlier this year. This has garnered numerous reports that the Grand Wagoneer has been enjoying a sudden sales boom. But much of that is undoubtedly the result of adding what would have previously been standard Wagoneer models to the count.
What’s more certain is how unpopular electrified versions of the vehicle have been. Demand for the all-electric Wagoneer S (above) has been so weak that Jeep elected to hold back production so that dealers could sell off 2025 model year vehicles that were lingering on their lots — likely at a massive discount.
That makes the Grand Wagoneer Hybrid a bit of a gamble. While combustion will be present by way of the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, the unit is exclusively used as a generator. It’s difficult to say how the public will respond to the model, which blends robust all-electric propulsion with the ability to run on gasoline. The same goes for the Ram 1500 REV, which uses the same powertrain (below).
Range-extended models (also known as series hybrids) appear to have gained momentum in parts of Asia — primarily China. But they’ve always been rare in North America and haven’t historically done well in terms of sales. When Jeep and Ram field their models, they’ll be the only examples currently available on our market.
The premise is that they should totally resolve concerns of range anxiety by allowing EVs to recoup energy by burning gasoline. But the solution adds a staggering amount of weight and complexity to accomplish something parallel hybrids and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) arguably do already.
Parallel hybrids (e.g. Toyota Prius) are already popular on our market and allow the combustion engine and electric motor to share the workload. Depending upon the model, the two systems can take turns or work collaboratively. Aided by a small battery, these traditional hybrids typically result in increased fuel efficiency and additional power.
PHEVs operate under the same premise. But they typically boast larger/heavier battery packs than parallel hybrids and always come with an electrical port that allows owners to recharge them using an electrical outlet. This also means they can run exclusively as EVs for modest ranges. However, like parallel hybrids, they can also recoup lost energy via regenerative braking and having the combustion engine serving as a generator.
Range-extended series hybrids are effectively just full-blown EVs that are towing their own generator. This means they’re required to carry heavy, full-sized battery packs in addition to a reasonably sized fuel tank and generator motor.
Their success may hinge entirely on how Stellantis executes the recipe. Having the ability to simply fill the vehicle up with gasoline should totally alleviate concerns of range anxiety. But the system has to work flawlessly in order to make sense to would-be customers. A noisy generator that kicks on at low speeds when drivers expect a placid all-electric experience could be detrimental.
For the pickup, Ram would also need to ensure that the REV can still function as a standard full-size truck. Massive reductions in towing or payload capacity, relative to the standard 1500, may not seem super relevant in a world where most pickup owners barely use them as working vehicles. But buyers still stress capability when making purchasing decisions, even if they’re not going to make full use of it.
It seems likely that the automaker has been considering the above factors as the models near production and is doing everything in its power to make them competitive. With PHEV and pure electrics being less popular than parallel hybrids, the assumption is that range-extended models will be fighting an uphill battle — as they have a lot in common with both designs.
Prices for both models are expected to be high. The body-on-frame Ram 1500 REV is estimated to start well above $65,000 and could reach six-figures in some configurations. Electric motors (yielding AWD) are said to offer 647 horsepower and 610 lb-ft of torque, with Stellantis estimating that the truck should be capable of roughly 150 miles before the 3.6-liter generator needs to kick in. The Jeep uses the same formula and is assumed to start closer to $80,000. Decked-out models could ballpark around $100,000.
[Images: Stellantis]
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