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China-FCA merger could be a win-win for everyone but politicians

NEW YORK — Fiat Chrysler boss Sergio Marchionne has said the car industry needs to come together, cut costs and stop incinerating capital. So far, his words have mostly fallen on deaf ears among competitors in Europe and North America. But it appears Marchionne has finally found a receptive audience — in China. FCA shares soared Monday after trade publication Automotive News reported the $18 billion Italian-American conglomerate controlled by the Agnelli family rebuffed a takeover from an unidentified carmaker from the Chinese mainland. As ugly as the politics of such a combination may appear at first blush, a transaction could stack up industrially, and perhaps even financially. A Sino-U.S.-European merger would create the first truly global auto group. That could push consolidation to the next level elsewhere. Moreover, China is the world's top market for the SUVs that Jeep effectively invented, so it might benefit FCA financially. A combo would certainly help upgrade the domestic manufacturer; Chinese carmakers have gotten better at making cars, but struggle to build global brands, and they need to develop export markets. Though frivolous overseas shopping excursions by Chinese enterprises are being reined in by Beijing, acquisitions that support the modernization and transformation of strategic industries still receive support, and the government considers the automotive industry to be strategic. A purchase of FCA by Guangzhou Automobile, Great Wall or Dongfeng Motors would probably get the same stamp of approval ChemChina was given for its $43 billion takeover of Syngenta. What's standing in the way? Apart from price (Automotive News said FCA's board deemed the offer insufficient) there's the not-insignificant matter of politics. Even as FCA shares soared, President Donald Trump interrupted his vacation to instruct the U.S. Trade Representative to look into whether to investigate China's trade policies on intellectual property. Seeing storied Detroit brands like Jeep, Chrysler, Ram and Dodge handed off to a Chinese company would provoke howls among Trump's economic-nationalist supporters. It might not play well in Italy, either, to see Alfa Romeo and Maserati answering to Wuhan instead of Turin — though Automotive News said they might be spun off separately. Yet, as Morgan Stanley observes, "cars don't ship across oceans easily," and political considerations increasingly demand local manufacture of valuable products.

Ram to debut electric truck concept this fall

Another day, another tease. Ram is clearly enjoying the super-slow reveal of its upcoming electric pickup truck, but at least this time they've included a date. Sort of; it's actually a season, not a specific date. We assume the exacting timing will be clarified in the coming months, but in a tweet today, Ram says we should expect the teasing to end and will debut an electric concept in the fall of 2022. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. We also get a new and predictably dark view of the truck, this time a straight-on shot of the EV hauler's face. As before, the highlights are all lit up, which we are currently assuming means they are the actual lighting elements. The R-A-M lettering in the middle of the grille is similarly radiant, which again makes us think it will be that way for the production version. We don't yet know its official name. We've been told the truck will go into production in 2024, that it will use the STLA Frame EV platform with a battery capacity up to 101-118 kWh and a range of up to 500 miles. That means prospective buyers will have quite a wait ahead of them even after it makes its official debut. By that time, the Ford Lightning should be a fairly common sight on America's roadways, the Hummer EV will have been on sale for a couple of years and the Chevy Silverado EV will similarly be ready to make its appearance. Ram is also promising to have a range-extended electric truck to show off, but we don't yet know if that will make its online debut this fall alongside the full EV. Lastly, we're not entirely sure what "thunder" Ram is stealing with its teaser and date announcement today. It could be a little shade thrown in the direction of the electrified Corvette, which was also announced today, or it could just be a play on words since Ford's truck is called the F-150 Lightning. We suppose it doesn't much matter, though. Thunder, shade, rain or snow, we're just happy to see the electrified truck game continue to intensify. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Ram Revolution wants your ideas for electric 1500 pickup

Last week, we reported that Stellantis had trademarked the term “Ram Revolution,” and that it was a potential clue to what the pickup brand would name its upcoming electric 1500 truck. Today, we learn from Ram itself that Ram Revolution is not necessarily the name of a product, but rather a program to gather input for what that product should be. Ram has launched RamRevolution.com in order to do just that, as well as to keep customers apprised of its progress as it works toward the launch of its “1500 Battery Electric Vehicle” in 2024. The accompanying images you see here are RamÂ’s concept for the upcoming EV, which will incorporate learnings from Ram RevolutionÂ’s crowdsourced feedback. Ram is also launching a Ram Real Talk Tour, in which it will solicit “a series of year-long conversations with consumers at various events to better understand what the next generation of Ram Trucks and Vans must do to meet their needs.” Have ideas for what you want your electric Ram 1500 to be, do or look like? Ram wants to hear them. Regardless, Ram says the truck will be “powerful and capable,” and able to perform the regular pickup duties of towing. We already know that it plans to use its STLA Frame EV platform to underpin the 1500 BEV, with a battery capacity up to 101-118 kWh and providing up to 500 miles of range. Ram also says it “will push past what competitors have announced and what customers expect, to deliver a fuller portfolio of technology with more range, power, productivity and convenience.” With products like the Ford F-150 Lightning, GMC Hummer EV, Chevy Silverado EV, Rivian R1T, Lordstown Endurance and other electric pickups all coming to market, Ram has its work cut out for it. “Launched as a standalone truck brand in 2009, Ram revolutionized the pickup truck segment once, and is laser-focused on doing so again with the best electric trucks on the market,” said Ram CEO Mike Koval, Jr.  “Our new Ram Revolution campaign will allow us to engage with consumers in a close and personal way, so we can a gather meaningful feedback, understand their wants and needs and address their concerns – ultimately allowing us to deliver the best electric pickup truck on the market with the Ram 1500 BEV.” This Ram 1500 BEV will be the brandÂ’s first big step into the electric age (itÂ’s already taken a small step with plans to launch the ProMaster EV in 2023), with all of its truck and van segments offering electrified variants by 2030.