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Electrified Ram pickup on the way, FCA CEO says

Ram will build an electrified pickup, FCA CEO Mike Manley confirmed during the company's third-quarter earnings call Wednesday. Manley provided no details, but confirmed that electrification is on the way for its truck brand. This also means that it's not clear whether this truck will be a full electric, or if it will be a conventional or plug-in hybrid. It's still significant, though, since this is the first time we've heard a clear message from FCA leadership that electrification will be a priority for Ram.  “I do see that there will be an electrified Ram pickup in the marketplace, and I would ask you just to stay tuned for a little while, and weÂ’ll tell you exactly when that will be," Manley said, according to the Detroit Free Press.  With concrete plans starting to emerge from both Ford and General Motors, FCA is now looking like the odd one out. Company representatives have been tough to nail down on the question of electrification. Without ruling it out entirely, Manley and other shot-callers have been somewhat dismissive of the notion in previous announcements and interviews.  "The reason we haven't spoken much about electric pickup trucks is not because we view that market as non-existent. We've always had a slightly different view of timing and adoption rates, particularly in North America in terms of full electrification. We are very committed to our electrification strategy — most of which we have revealed," Manley, said in August. Of course, what had been revealed at the time did not include a pickup. That hasn't exactly conclusive, either, as FCA's future product roadmap has been nebulous (to put it charitably) for essentially the past decade. The announcement of a merger with PSA resulted in yet another strategic reboot, and we've yet to see exactly how Stellantis will integrate existing PSA electrification plans with FCA's fast-and-loose approach to EVs.  Given the fact that PSA is not a player in the full-size pickup game, it stands to reason that Ram's development would likely come from this side of the pond. Whether FCA/Stellantis will keep the development in house or tap one of America's electric startups as a potential partner or supplier remains to be seen. Either route has potential, with a number of electric truck start-ups in the U.S., and extensive EV and hybrid experience within FCA and the soon-to-be-integrated PSA group.

Chrysler Group moves around execs in wake of recent departure

Chrysler is busy shuffling executives around in the wake of Ram head Fred Diaz's departure. The automaker has named Reid Bigland (pictured, right) as Diaz's successor in the role of president and CEO of Ram, though Bigland will continue his duties as the head of US sales and the president and CEO of Chrysler Canada. Bigland first came to Chrysler in 2006 from Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation, so the guy knows a thing or two about trucks.
Meanwhile, Timothy Kuniskis will take over as president and CEO of Dodge. Previously, he served as the head of Fiat in North America and has been with Chrysler in one capacity or another since 1992. His old title now falls to Jason Stoicevich, who will also continue to work as the director of the automaker's California Business Center. Finally, Bruno Cattori will take over as the president and CEO of Chrysler Mexico.
Diaz left his position to take over as a divisional vice president of sales and marketing with Nissan. You can read the full press release on the Chrysler personnel changes below for more information.

2023 Ram Rebel, Range Rover and Civic vs. Integra | Autoblog Podcast #753

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor (Reviews + West Coast) James Riswick for a jam-packed episode. They start off talking SUVs and trucks. James spent some time off-roading the 2023 Ram Rebel and the brand new 2023 Land Rover Range Rover. From there, they pivot to a discussion of the new Honda CR-V. Next up is the all-electric Cadillac Lyriq, followed by a brief discussion of the merits and drawbacks of the Honda Civic Hatchback Sport Touring vs. the new Acura Integra. We have our favorites; do you? After that, they spend a listener's money; this week's is a repeat customer from 2017.  Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #753 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown 2023 Ram Rebel 2023 Land Rover Range Rover 2023 Honda CR-V 2023 Cadillac Lyriq 2023 Honda Civic Hatch Sport Touring 2023 Acura Integra Spend my money! Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video: 2023 Cadillac Lyriq walkaround