If you want something less expensive than the Ram 1500, you can probably still find a few Ram 1500 Classics on dealer lots. If you want something from Ram that’s smaller than a full-size pickup truck, though, you’re currently out of luck. Despite being a truck company, Ram doesn’t make a midsize truck. Thankfully, in a few years that’s going to change. Stellantis has confirmed that it plans to build a midsize pickup truck at its shuttered Belvidere, Illinois factory, Automotive News reports.
For those who have been paying attention, this isn’t much of a surprise. Just last week, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis hinted that the automaker would add a midsize pickup to its lineup. Also, a little over a year ago, the United Auto Workers union’s agreement with Stellantis included plans for a midsize truck. Oh, and there’s also that thing where Ram is a truck company, midsize trucks are popular and it’s honestly confusing why we haven’t seen a new Dakota before now. Bringing that truck back is almost as obvious of a great move as it would be for Nissan to bring back the Xterra.
Crain’s Chicago Business reportedly obtained an internal memo sent by Stellantis confirming plans to build the new midsize truck and also hire “approximately 1,500 UAW-represented employees to work there.” We still don’t know when production will actually begin, but the union had previously said 2027.
That’s good news for the residents of Belvidere, too, since about 1,350 people lost their jobs when Jeep Cherokee production shut down about two years ago. As we’ve seen with Rivian and its reopened Mitsubishi factory in Normal, Illinois, even if there are some short-term issues, it can really be a big benefit to the entire community. Plus, there’s the part where a midsize Ram would just be cool. Can’t forget about that part.