What I don't understand about this whole thing is that Stellantis North America already has so many options when it comes to powertrains that would clearly allow them to stay compliant with hybrid setups that they could seriously fly under the radar without the whole full EV push and it would resolve alot of the issues that the company is facing right now with the backlash from their customers. Yeah they may never please everyone especially the V8 only crowd and we get that. But what it really comes down to is giving people the option to choose their powertrain and also bringing the right vehicles & powertrains to market the right way. The Hornet was the right vehicle with the wrong name under the wrong brand. That vehicle should have actually been the Renegade with the powertrains that it has and brought out on the STLA: Medium platform. It would have had a more positive reception and better feedback. I think Stellantis rushed a bit under pressure and tried to do to much and it backfired on them a bit but the saving grace was that their platforms are modular and can utilize multiple powertrains. For what it's worth right now, with Jeep really being the volume selling brand in North America since it has the largest portfolio of vehicles that range from first car type vehicles to luxury vehicles, all in the heart of the market being that they're all SUVs and Crossovers, Stellantis could easily rely on the STLA: Medium & Large platforms to make the bulk of their vehicles and the bulk of their money. What makes it cool is that every single vehicle could be a hybrid which would offer zero emissions driving modes that not only extend range but also reduce emissions and make them more compliant. Small Jeeps like the Compass and Renegade dont need more power than the Hornet R/T makes and with the cool and sporty push to pass features, Brembo brakes and all of that other stuff, you can have two small sporty jeeps and then make a trail-rated option and call it a day. STLA: Large could see the 2.0L 4Xe powertrain become the sole powertrain as it already beats a 5.7L Hemi in horsepower and torque and could potentially be even more with the ZF Gen-4 8-speed hybrid plug in transmission unit. A setup like that in the Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, Wagoneer-S & the Recon would actually work quite well along with whatever platform the new Wrangler and Gladiator will be on. While that all works for those vehicles, the Wagoneer & Grand Wagoneer would benefit from the Hurricane SO & HO engines having the options of being mated to the new 8-speed hybrid transmission as well for reduced emissions but also the Ramcharger's Range extended EV powertrain with the 3.6L Generator on board with the EV motors front and back. This same thing goes for the Ram 1500 pickup trucks. That right there literally either electrifies every vehicle I've mentioned or at least has an electrified option but wont have everyone in an uproar. With the Chrysler brand in a spot where it's future is uncertain, as I've said before, If Stellantis wants to go after the big EV players (Tesla, Lucid, Rivian, Porsche, Mercedes, etc.) This would be the brand to do it with. A reinvention of the minivan with electric power and sleek modern designs would actually suit the Chrysler brand well and could even usher in a new standard for performance and luxury. Look at a modern minivan for what it is and it quickly becomes evident that a Minivan and a Telsa Model-S Plaid aren't shaped to dissimilarly from each other. Sleek, low and wide, it's just that a minivan is a bit taller. But take a minivan, give it a completely flat floor, widen it a bit, push the wheels as far out to the corners as possible and now you have more interior room along with a more stable platform. Give it a sleek design and then add the rear wing from the Wagoneer-S and an integrated R-Wing on the front like the EV Charger but actually make it the shape of the Chrysler badge with an illuminated outline so at night, everyone knows it's a Chrysler. Now add a luxurious, well appointed interior with ample cargo space, tons of safety and tech all built in like a giant roll cage. Have options for a 400V & 800V system and now you've got yourself a minivan. That can potentially dethrone an electric sportscar on the dragstrip while being safe enough to carry a family and all of their stuff to school and soccer practice. Bring back the Chrysler 300M, the Chrysler LHS, the Chrysler Concorde. bring those back as true Model-S Plaid and Lucid Air rivals, That is how you pay Homage to the legends of Mopar that aren't muscle cars and also giving purpose to your EVs.
Anyone who really knows Mopar history, knows that the Hemi name did not only apply to the Mighty 426ci V8. Not to mention that the Charger's of the glory days also came with a base 225ci Stlant-6 that was just as famous in it's own right as any of the V8 engines. Australian Mopars had the Hemi-6 engines which were I-6 performance engines that actually held their own against the V8 muscle cars in the land down under. While I'm quite sure Stellantis might not be keen on releasing a Hemi-265 (4.3L) twin turbo I-6, a Hemi-215 (3.5L) or Hemi-245 (4.0L) wouldn't be bad and a Hemi-215 (3.5L) would match the Ecoboost 3.5L in size and just imagine what it could do if the 3.0L Hurricane can produce 550hp/530lb-ft of torque. Take that and mate it to a Gen-4 Hybrid transmission and what kind of power could be had from this powertrain? Take any of the upcoming Dodge STLA: Large platform vehicles and give them a 2.0L Hybrid setup with the Gen-4 Hybrid plug in transmission as a base setup, move up to the two Hurricane powertrains with the same Hybrid setup and then have a top of the line Hemi-215 (3.5L I-6 TT hyrbid) setup and again, massive power with emissions free drive modes that keep stellantis from having to buy credits.
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