DETROIT — It appears 2021 will be the year of the electric pickup, with an assorted mix of entries from both industry vets and startups.
But one of the biggest pickup players, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, has been mum on its plans for a battery-powered hauler.
CEO Mike Manley on Friday shed some light on his thinking about this new market and made clear that FCA hasn’t revealed its full hand when it comes to electrification, for which the automaker has traditionally taken a steady approach.
“The reason we haven’t spoken too much about electric pickup trucks is not that we view that market as nonexistent,” Manley said during an earnings call with investors. “We’ve always had a slightly different view in terms of timing and adoption rates, particularly in North America in terms of full electrification.”
He added: “We are committed to an electrification strategy, most of which we have revealed — we haven’t revealed everything — but obviously, pickup trucks is a key franchise for us, and we’re not going to sit on the sidelines if there is a danger that our position [gets] diluted going forward.”
Manley’s comments come after General Motors released a teaser this week, narrated by NBA star LeBron James, showing the side profile of its upcoming GMC Hummer electric pickup, which will be revealed in the fourth quarter.