Jeep Recon EV is powered by new Electric Drive Module (EDM) which "will help each platform achieve driving range up to 500 miles (800 km)."

[Administrator]

Stellantis Announces $155 Million Investment in Three Indiana Plants to Support North American Electrification Goals

• Company to localize production of new electric drive module (EDM) in Kokomo
• EDM provides all-in-one solution for electric-vehicle powertrains, delivering improved performance at competitive cost
• Investments to be made at Indiana Transmission, Kokomo Transmission and Kokomo Casting plants
• More than 265 jobs retained
• Total investments in Indiana since 2020 to support electrification goals grow to nearly $3.3 billion, including gigafactory joint venture with Samsung SDI
• Announcement aligns with company’s long-term strategy to reach 50% U.S. battery-electric vehicle sales by 2030, starting with the first fully electric Ram vehicles from 2023 and Jeep® from 2024

February 28, 2023 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Stellantis announced today that it will invest a total of $155 million in three Kokomo, Indiana, plants to produce new electric drive modules (EDM) that will help power future electric vehicles assembled in North America and to support the goal of 50% battery-electric sales in the U.S. by 2030.

With more than 25 battery-electric vehicle (BEV) launches planned in the U.S. between now and 2030, the Kokomo-built EDM will be integrated into vehicles designed on the STLA Large and STLA Frame platforms. Offering an all-in-one solution for electric-vehicle powertrains, the EDM consists of three main components – the electric motor, power electronics and transmission – that are combined into a single module to deliver improved performance and range at a competitive cost. The optimized efficiency of the new EDM will help each platform achieve driving range up to 500 miles (800 km).

“While we continue our successful transition to a decarbonized future in our European operations, we are now setting those same foundational elements for the North American market,” said Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO. “By combining the benefits of the EDM with our new BEV-centric platforms and innovative battery technologies, we will offer our customers a variety of electric vehicles with unparalleled performance and range at more affordable prices. And with our in-house manufacturing capabilities and expertise, we will do it with greater flexibility and efficiency.”

Investments will be made at the Indiana Transmission, Kokomo Transmission and Kokomo Casting plants. The gearbox cover will be cast at Kokomo Casting and machined at Kokomo Transmission. Gear machining and final assembly will be at the Indiana Transmission Plant. Production is expected to start in the third quarter of 2024, following retooling.

With the investment, more than 265 jobs will be retained across all three plants.

“With more than 7,000 employees in Indiana, these investments will leverage the core manufacturing competencies of the local workforce in the areas of casting, machining and assembly, all of which will be needed even as the market transitions to an electrified future,” said Mark Stewart, Stellantis North America COO. “The city of Kokomo and the state of Indiana have been great partners for many years. This community will continue to play a central role in our efforts to provide safe, clean and affordable mobility solutions for our customers long into the future.”

Since 2020, Stellantis has invested nearly $3.3 billion in Indiana to support its transition to electrification. This includes recent announcements of $643 million to produce a new engine for conventional and PHEV applications, a next-generation eight-speed transmission and a gigafactory joint venture with Samsung SDI.

In total, these investments support Stellantis’ ambition to achieve net-zero carbon by 2038, as set out in its Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan.

 

[ironman]

Bada$$! Even if it doesn't quite hit that 500 mile range mark, which I wouldn't expect it to based on the Recon's boxy upright design, it sounds like Recon EV should still hopefully hit 400-450 miles range.

 

[AMC4x4]

Super exciting times we're living in. I have always loved my CJ's, YJ's, TJ's, and JK's, but if I'm honest, I don't need solid axles in my daily driver for my particular use case, which is 95% of my driving. I am so stoked to see this vehicle take shape and move into production. This is pretty damn close the ideal for me in a daily driver. LOVE IT!

 

[Cysco]

Bada$$! Even if it doesn't quite hit that 500 mile range mark, which I wouldn't expect it to based on the Recon's boxy upright design, it sounds like Recon EV should still hopefully hit 400-450 miles range.

Highly unlikely. Can’t get away from physics. We’re talking about a large and heavy, brick-shaped vehicle with all-terrain tires. I just can’t see it getting anywhere close to 400-miles of range, let alone 450.

Even Tesla with the most aerodynamic cars around doesn’t reach those figures.

I think you just need to look at similar vehicles to get an idea of what to expect for range. Rivian, Hummer, Polestar 3 are all sitting at 300-325. I expect the range to be between 325-350 with a real world range of 300. Cost of batteries, technology, physics and consumer need just doesn’t point towards anything more.

 

[AMC4x4]

Highly unlikely. Can’t get away from physics. We’re talking about a large and heavy, brick-shaped vehicle with all-terrain tires. I just can’t see it getting anywhere close to 400-miles of range, let alone 450.

I kind of agree. It's still another heavy brick moving in the wind. Still, I keep seeing this "up to 500 miles" range being touted by Stellantis, and they don't seem to be moving away from it. To keep quoting that figure and then come in at 300 miles would be a pretty big let-down. I bet they find a way to get to 400 on the spec, even if not real-world.

 

[Cysco]

I kind of agree. It's still another heavy brick moving in the wind. Still, I keep seeing this "up to 500 miles" range being touted by Stellantis, and they don't seem to be moving away from it. To keep quoting that figure and then come in at 300 miles would be a pretty big let-down. I bet they find a way to get to 400 on the spec, even if not real-world.

Yeah, I think it's a little disingenuous of Stellantis. They keep saying the platform is capable of it, but that really doesn't mean anything. Sure you can take basically any EV platform and cram enough batteries in it to make it go 500-miles. but the costs and weight just don't make it feasible. I just don't see Stellantis of all companies, cracking the code that somehow allows them to be the company that can sell a mass market 500-mile range vehicle. (or even 400-miles for that matter)

Unless the Recon is going to be a 6-figure vehicle, I just don't see how it's possible.

 

[AMC4x4]

I just don't see Stellantis of all companies, cracking the code that somehow allows them to be the company that can sell a mass market 500-mile range vehicle. (or even 400-miles for that matter)

Right. I went to see what the Stellantis/Samsung gigafactory details were, to see what formulation they were using in their batteries, and it actually looks like they just broke ground today. Standard lithium-ion, and with the goal of every manufacturer trying to keep their batteries close to the car plants, I'd imagine that's what they're using, which means no revolution in the weight/capacity scenario and any "advancements" coming from the drivetrain itself. The only thing they've claimed there is "optimized efficiency." Um, OK... easy to say in a press release, right?