2014 Ram 1500 Tradesman on 2040-cars

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Ram 1500 is first full-size pickup to earn IIHS Top Safety Pick+

Fiat Chrysler says the Ram 1500 Crew Cab truck has been named a Top Safety Pick+ for 2019 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, making it the first full-size pickup to earn the sought-after top designation. The rating applies to the 2020 and to current-year models built since May, when equipped with adaptive LED headlamps with high-beam assist, plus Ram’s automatic emergency braking system, a.k.a. forward collision mitigation. The addition of the LED projector headlamps appears to have sealed the deal, as previously tested versions of the 2019 Ram 1500 built after July 2018 but before June of this year earned “marginal” and “poor” marks for headlights, IIHSÂ’s newest requirement to earn the top mark. The truck had otherwise previously earned “good” ratings for all crash tests, including driver- and passenger-side small overlap and side crashes. The headlamps are available on the Laramie and Limited trims.  2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel View 46 Photos Ram uses an integrated radar camera module to enable its forward collision mitigation system, which earned a “superior” rating. FCA consolidated the radar and camera components behind the vehicleÂ’s rear-view mirror, which it says helps to simplify the interface and keeps the technology out of harmÂ’s way in the event of a collision. The system, which is also optional, first warns the driver to take action to avoid a collision, then activates the brakes automatically if the driver fails to intervene. Other safety systems available include adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and ready alert braking. The 1500 also benefits from its patented splayed front frame-rails, which help better manage crash energy in certain frontal collisions. Ram earlier this year rolled out its second-generation 260-horsepower EcoDiesel V6 for the 1500 and Ram 1500 Classic. ItÂ’s one of four engine options for the truck.

FCA is setting a five-year strategy: Here's how the last one played out

We're slightly more than four years removed from Sergio Marchionne last five-year plan for FCA, a tell-all where the Italian-American automaker divulged its plans for the 2014 through 2018 model years. It was a grand affair, where Sergio told FCA investors that all was right in Auburn Hills, Alfa Romeo and Maserati were making comebacks, and the fifth-gen Dodge Viper received a mid-cycle refresh. You can read every last one of those past predictions right here. We're on our way to Europe to see Sergio's sequel, coming out Friday straight from FCA's Italian headquarters. (Bloomberg reports a plan to expand Jeep and Ram globally, combine Alfa Romeo and Maserati into a single division for an eventual spinoff, and downsizing Fiat and Chrysler. Also, EVs.) But before we arrive in Italy and find out exactly what Marchionne has planned for 2019 through 2023 as his last act as CEO, let's take a minute to tally up the results of his last term based on the same scoresheet we used in 2014. Now, we're only five months into 2018, so much of this — including vehicles like the Ram HD and Jeep Grand Wagoneer — could still debut this year. For those, we'll mark things TBD. We're not going to draw any conclusions or make any objectionable remarks. We're simply going to let the stats speak for themselves.

Stellantis and LG launch joint venture for North American battery plant

Stellantis has struck a preliminary deal with battery maker LG Energy Solution (LGES) to produce battery cells and modules for North America, as the world's No. 4 automaker rolls out its 30 billion euro ($35 billion) electrification plan. Global automakers are investing billions of euros to accelerate a transition to low-emission mobility and prepare for a progressive phase-out of internal combustion engines. Stellantis and LGES's joint venture will produce battery cells and modules at a new facility with an annual capacity of 40 gigawatt hours (GWh), the two firms said on Monday. No financial details of the deal were provided. The plant is scheduled to start production by the first quarter of 2024, with groundbreaking expected in the second quarter of 2022, the companies said in their statement. Its location is under review and will be announced later. Stellantis, formed in January from the merger of Italian-American automaker Fiat Chrysler and France's PSA, has said it wants to secure more than 130 GWh of global battery capacity by 2025 and more than 260 GWh by 2030. The batteries produced under the deal will supply Stellantis' U.S., Canadian and Mexican assembly plants for installation in hybrid and fully electric vehicles, supporting its goal of e-vehicles making up more than 40% of its U.S. sales by 2030. The company, whose brands include Peugeot, Fiat, Opel and U.S. best-sellers Jeep and Ram, earlier this year announced it would invest more than 30 billion euros through 2025 on electrifying its vehicle lineup. Stellantis has said it would build three battery plants in Europe and two in North America, including at least one in the United States. Intesa Sanpaolo analyst Monica Bosio said the deal was positive, and a further step ahead in Stellantis' electrification process. It comes weeks after Stellantis and its partner TotalEnergies agreed to open up their battery cell joint venture ACC to Daimler, to expand their European sourcing of battery cells. Stellantis is also targeting more than 70% of sales in Europe to be of low-emission vehicles by 2030, and aims to make the total cost of owning an EV equal to that of a gasoline-powered model by 2026. Related video: Green Plants/Manufacturing Alfa Romeo Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Jeep Maserati RAM Citroen Lancia Opel Peugeot Vauxhall Electric Hybrid EV batteries LG