In a surprising turn of events Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles has announced that it is considering developing its own all-electric pickup. This news may come as a shock as the global pandemic continues to affect all automakers including the FCA group. The group original had plans to debut several models this year but have since been delayed thanks to the hardships brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, from the looks of things, the group is still on schedule to launch the Jeep Wrangler 4xe PHEV in the fourth quarter of 2020.
FCA’s CEO, Mike Manley, told Detroit News “The reason we haven’t spoken much about electric pickup trucks is not because we view that market as nonexistent. We are very committed to our electrification strategy — most of which we have revealed. 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.”
With the first all-electric pickups from Rivian, Tesla, GM, and Ford just around the corner from debuting on the market, it remains unknown how successful these new pickups will be. FCA could be making a wise decision in holding off investing in the development of its own before factoring in the numbers of its potential competitors.
FCA’s new electric Fiat 500 will be available for purchase some time this year along with the fully-electric Fiat E-Ducato van. The FCA group expects to have a plug-in version of every model it offers by 2022.