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Stellantis Makes $229 Million Investment In Kokomo, For PHEV & mHEV Transmissions!

Helps To Push Stellantis' Electrified Future In Motion...

Stellantis announced earlier this week, that it would invest a total of $229 million in three of its Kokomo, Indiana, plants to help the company reach its goal of achieving 40% low-emission vehicle sales in the U.S. by 2030. This announcement, which will retain 662 jobs, comes three months after the company laid out its long-term electrification strategy, where it committed to investing $35 billion through 2025 in electrification and software.

Stellantis Head of Powertrain Operations, Brad Clark made the announcement during an event at the Kokomo Transmission Plant attended by Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb, Kokomo Mayor Tyler Moore, and United Auto Workers (UAW) Region 2B Director Wayne Blanchard, along with other elected officials and community leaders.

2021 Jeep® Wrangler 4xe Unique Components. (Jeep).

The investment will support the retooling of the Kokomo Transmission (KTP), Kokomo Casting and Indiana Transmission plants to produce the fourth-generation 8-speed transmission. This new transmission will have the flexibility to be paired with internal combustion engines, as well as mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid propulsion systems, for vehicles across the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep®, Ram, brands. It will deliver improved fuel economy, provide pure-electric range and help vehicles meet future emission regulations.

ZF-Sourced 8P75PH 8-Speed Automatic Transmission. (ZF).

“This investment and this transmission represent an important stepping stone in getting us to 2030 and further expanding our battery-electric offerings,” said Clark. “This new 8-speed is the “multi-tool” of transmissions. It is a versatile transmission that can be adapted for a variety of applications, allowing us the flexibility to adjust our production as consumer demand for electrified vehicles grows over the next decade. It also offers consumers the opportunity to get familiar with this technology and explore all of the benefits that can come from electrification.”

The new, fourth-generation 8-speed transmission will capitalize on a number of common parts within the different versions – transmission gear train/clutch, mechatronics, mechanical pump, and E-pump motor. It also will have the flexibility for unique parts to adapt to the various electrification options. These parts include the eMotor, torque converter, and power electronics. 

Kokomo Transmission Plant. (Stellantis).

Adding electrified transmission assembly also diversifies the product portfolio of the Kokomo operations. In March 2020, Stellantis announced it would invest $400 million to convert Indiana Transmission Plant II to the Kokomo Engine Plant to produce the GME-T4 engine, the company’s 2.0-liter Global Medium Engine inline four-cylinder turbo. Production is expected to launch later this year.

This investment also leverages the core manufacturing competencies of the Kokomo operations and the local workforce in the areas of casting, machining, and assembly, all of which will be needed as the market transitions to an electrified future.

Kokomo Transmission Plant. (Stellantis).

“As our industry continues to change, our focus must continue to be on our most valuable asset – our people,” said Clark. “This transmission program will bring new opportunities for our current workforce, as well as the manufacturing workforce of the future.”

The second-generation eight-speed transmission has been a workhorse of the company’s powertrains since production began in 2012. KTP recently celebrated the 5 millionth 8-speed transmission built on September 30th. It is the current transmission option on the Jeep Wrangler (JL), Gladiator (JT), Grand Cherokee (WL), Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer (WS), Ram 1500 (DT), Ram 1500 Classic (DS), Dodge Charger (LD), Challenger (LA), Durango (WD), and Chrysler 300 (LX) models.

Source: Stellantis

Jared B

Jared founded MoparInsiders and is a 40-year-old automotive enthusiast from Vancouver, British Columbia. He took an interest in cars at a very young age and has been interested in them ever since. His hobbies include photography, videography, drag racing, and auto detailing. He currently owns and drives a 2023 Audi RS6, a 2022 GMC Sierra, and a 2015 Dodge Challenger Hellcat.

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OK, Mopar Willy critics, time to listen to my broken record music again. This is a RWD/AWD transmission. Stellantis lists Chrysler as using this transmission in the future. Can there be a next generation Chrysler 300 in the works? Looks promising to me. Stellantis is playing my favorite song. It’s the “Willy Waltz”.

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Not necessarily 300, but it could be another Chrysler

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I would truly love for the next-gen Charger to have a hybrid GME-T6 option along with Jeeps to go back to the I-6 setup as well. Okay so the V8 days are numbered, that's cool. But I don't want to see everything switch over to all-electric. Honestly, that's just dumb. As much as I love Hellcats, Demons, Redeyes, Zl1 Camaros and GT500 Mustangs, I feel like the HP wars have gotten a bit extreme. If people want to have that kind of insane HP, then yeah, by all means do the electric thing and have like 1500hp and all that craziness, but for us regular level of crazy people a 500hp-530hp performance car is more than plenty. It's not always about the insanity, sound, feel and just that ability to be an everyday car is really what it's all about. I can only imagine what a Turbo-hybrid 4.0L Hemi-6 would be like seeing that Inline-6s already have strong torque, to add a set of turbos and a hybrid system that would boost low end torque and feel along with having an electric hybrid system that adds more HP/TQ which could easily lead to horsepower being in the 525hp range and torque up closer 630-650lb-ft with an AWD system all around this new 8-speed ZF transmission. Even to have something a little toned down under that pushing around the 425-430hp mark with the GME-T4 pushing 375-390hp which makes all of the upcoming muscle cars (Challenger, Charger, Barracuda, & Hornet) Hybrid vehicles with the electric cars in the mix as well.

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OK, Mopar Willy critics, time to listen to my broken record music again. This is a RWD/AWD transmission. Stellantis lists Chrysler as using this transmission in the future. Can there be a next generation Chrysler 300 in the works? Looks promising to me. Stellantis is playing my favorite song. It’s the “Willy Waltz”.

How the heck to come up with a way to slip the Chrysler brand into every thread, it is incredibly creative....... maybe Chrysler should be just shelved for Peugeot or Opel, start from scratch, not bother try to revitalize such a negatively thought of brand with anyone that will still be in the car market a decade from now.

Any interest in discussing what this means for Kokomo or overall product planning instead. Seems quite a investment in ICE moving forward or the if not then Transmission'ed BEVs.

Both could be true.... it seems that Transmissions in BEVs is becoming more interested. Under heavy loading the KW usage on pure BEV starts to make them unpractical for towing and heavy use. This may be part of more efficient EV future, adding some complexity back.

Anyway it shows that ICE has a solid future for another full product cycle.

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