Stellantis was first in PHEV sales in the United States thanks to its broad lineup under the Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep brands.This decision was reportedly motivated by a shift in consumer demand, now favouring traditional hybrids and extended range EVs.There are rumours that the electric Jeep Wagoneer S could also be abandoned.
Earlier today, Stellantis confirmed it is pulling the plug on all of its current plug-in hybrid models in North America, citing a shift in customer interest since the cancellation of EV and PHEV incentives in the United States and Canada.
This means that the electrified versions of the Alfa Romeo Tonale, the Chrysler Pacifica, the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Jeep Wrangler won’t be returning in 2026, despite past strong sales that made the company the leader in PHEV sales in the United States for a few years.
This decision is not completely out of the blue, since the company had already started turning away from its plug-in models last year, when it stopped importing the Dodge Hornet R/T due to American tariffs and cancelled the Gladiator 4xe before it could even reach its first buyers.
2024 Dodge Hornet R/T | Photo: Stellantis
The automaker did point out that this will not affect future range-extended electric models that are still in the pipeline, notably the Jeep Grand Wagoneer REEV and the Ram 1500 REV.
Both of these models will share a powertrain that will combine a 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine with two electric motors and a 92-kWh battery, allowing a significant electric range and requiring no charging stops on long road trips.
These models are not considered plug-in hybrids since the gasoline engine acts only as a generator and never directly powers the wheels.
This powertrain configuration is gaining traction in the face of a reduced demand for full-electric vehicles, with a number of other automakers also working on their own REVs.
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe | Photo: Stellantis
Most notably, Ford has recently cancelled the electric F-150 Lightning and plans to replace it with a range-extended model sometime next year.
While Stellantis denies this has played any part in its decision to discontinue PHEV sales in North America, it is worth mentioning that the company has had some trouble with these models, which have faced a number of high-profile recalls for a risk of fire. Many owners have also documented problems with their plug-in Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge models online.
Along with its upcoming range-extended EVs, Stellantis will refocus on conventional hybrid models such as the new 2026 Jeep Cherokee and a small number of electric vehicles, such as the Dodge Charger Daytona, the Fiat 500e, and the Jeep Wagoneer S.
2025 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid | Photo: Stellantis
Even then, there are rumours that the latter will also be abandoned due to lower sales than expected, in part because of the cancelled EV incentives. Furthermore, we haven’t heard much about the upcoming Dodge Charger Daytona sedan amidst the excitement about the arrival of the Hurricane-powered six-cylinder models.
It will be interesting to follow this story over the coming months to see how the automaker’s strategy evolves in an industry that seems to have become more volatile than ever over the last year or so.
Source: Automotive News
