A Stellantis plant in Michigan has assembled its two millionth Ram 1500 since the facility was converted from a car plant to a truck plant in 2018.
“The Sterling Heights Assembly Plant is a core facility in our manufacturing footprint, tasked with the difficult responsibility of assembling the Ram 1500, a nameplate with 10 trim levels and thousands of configurations,” Tim Kuniskis, Ram brand CEO, said in a statement April 17, the day after the two millionth Ram rolled off the production line.
SHAP assembles Ram 1500 internal combustion trucks, and after Stellantis’ delayed shift to electrification in the U.S., will also be home to production of the brand’s first electric light-duty truck to be built in the U.S.
The plant, located in a suburb of Detroit, will build two Ram 1500 electric options, the hybrid Ram 1500 Ramcharger and the fully electric Ram 1500 REV. While the Ram 1500 REV was initially meant to launch first, Stellantis is delaying its release to 2026 and will instead put the Ram 1500 Ramcharger on the market this year.
In September 2024, Stellantis laid off nearly 200 workers at SHAP, citing external market conditions.
“Not that long ago, SHAP’s future was in doubt so this is a remarkable accomplishment, and I am so proud of this workforce for their resilience and dedication,” said Sterling Heights plant manager Chuck Padden, referring to the two-million milestone.
As a whole, however, Stellantis sales in Q1 this year declined 12% year-over-year. The automaker paused production at several other Stellantis plants due to slower vehicle sales and the Trump administration’s tariffs on imported cars.
But the Ram brand, along with brands Chrysler, Fiat and Jeep, reported increased sales.The Ram 1500 is Stellantis’ best-selling vehicle in the U.S.
“We have a lot to look forward to as we start building the Ram 1500 with a range of powertrain options, providing freedom of choice for our customers,” Padden said.
