The Dakota Name Is Officially Back In North America

Ram has finally said the quiet part out loud. After years of speculation, the brand’s long-awaited return to the midsize pickup segment will come wearing one of the most recognizable truck names in Mopar history: Dakota. And at the same time, Ram has also all but locked in the Ramcharger name for its upcoming full-size SUV.

During a media Q&A session following Ram’s latest announcements, CEO Tim Kuniskis addressed the elephant in the room—Ram’s glaring absence from the midsize truck market. Rather than dodging the question, Kuniskis connected the dots in typical straight-shooting fashion.

“We don’t have a volume trim $40,000 truck. The only way we’ll ever get back to the $40,000 price point is when bring a midsize truck. And you all heard the announcement that Antonio [Filosa, Stellantis CEO] made. He said we’re investing $13 billion into the U.S. One of the things that we’re investing that is to bring a midsize truck. Will it be called the Dakota? I guess is the answer there… alright here you go, yeah it will be called the Dakota. Its a no brainer, why wouldn’t you called it Dakota.”

With that, the speculation ended. The Dakota nameplate—absent since 2011—is officially coming back for the North American market.

Ram has already confirmed that the midsize Dakota will enter production in 2027, arriving as a 2028 model year truck. The goal is simple and strategic: give buyers a true Ram truck experience at a more attainable price point. In recent years, demand for midsize pickups has risen significantly, and Ram wants to be part of it.

Under the skin, the Dakota will be a serious truck. Our sources indicate it will ride on a body-on-frame (BoF) platform, similar in philosophy to the Ram 1500, rather than a unibody-based setup. While it will not share its chassis with the Jeep® Gladiator, it will feature a dedicated design tailored specifically for Ram customers—prioritizing towing, payload, and everyday usability over niche off-road specialization.

Production plans have also shifted. Instead of Belvidere Assembly Plant, the Dakota will now be built at Toledo North Assembly, alongside the Jeep Wrangler. Pilot production is expected to begin in March 2027, with Stellantis targeting annual output of up to 100,000 units. That volume is significant enough to support a third shift, creating more than 900 new jobs and bringing back laid-off UAW workers before external hiring begins.

Kuniskis also dropped a second hint that didn’t go unnoticed. After confirming the Dakota name, he added, “You guys all figured out the name of the full-size SUV, too.” That comment strongly reinforces what MoparInsiders has been reporting—Ram’s upcoming full-size SUV, slated for production at Warren Truck Assembly Plant in 2028, will wear the Ramcharger name.

That would mark a notable shift, especially after Ram repurposed the Ramcharger name for its extended-range electric Ram 1500, now known as the REV. Bringing Ramcharger back as a full-size SUV aligns perfectly with Ram’s heritage and fills a long-standing gap in the brand’s lineup.

For truck fans, this is exactly the news they’ve been waiting for. The Dakota is back, the Ramcharger name lives on, and Ram is clearly doubling down on American-built trucks with names that actually mean something.