Stellantis recently confirmed that production at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant would stop for the next 8 weeks so the company can retool the Detroit plant for the next generation of the Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs. According to The Detroit News, the automaker has said the $900 million investment would create an additional 1,100 jobs and allow for the production of plug-in hybrid 4xe models, and will have the flexibility for battery-electric vehicles.
The plant on the city’s east side has been producing the previous generation of the Grand Cherokee (which was redesigned for 2022) and the outgoing Dodge Durango SUV. The 2022 Grand Cherokee has a 4xe plug-in hybrid option. However, Grand Cherokee production won’t be halted altogether. The adjacent new Mack Assembly Plant, which has a total $4.5 billion USD investment into Michigan alongside the Jefferson North plant, is already producing 2022 Grand Cherokees and three-row Grand Cherokee L SUVs.
It seems odd for Stellantis to build the Grand Cherokee in two plants right next to each other, but that’s without all of the details in front of us. Maybe the plant will also end up building the upcoming Dodge electric car, which will be supplied with batteries made from a new plant in Windsor, Ontario, but details are slim at the moment.
Image via Jeep## WL Jeep Grand Cherokee: Details
The new Jeep Grand Cherokee has a few different powertrains, starting with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 that produces 293 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. Alternatively, if you opt for the Summit Reserve or the Trailhawk, you can equip the 2 row Cherokee with a 5.7L Hemi V8 with 357 ponies under the hood and 390 lb-ft of torque. Lastly, for even more power or just better fuel economy numbers, you can opt for the 4xe hybrid that offers 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque with its 2.0L turbo and electric motor. Of course, if you’re planning on buying a Grand Cherokee for off-road purposes, the 4xe might be the better way to go, as that added torque could make a significant difference when rock crawling.
Suppose the Grand Cherokee or Grand Cherokee L isn’t to your liking. In that case, you may be excited to hear that Stellantis has also announced that they expect the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois to resume production of the Jeep Cherokee soon. Unfortunately, due to a semiconductor shortage, it has been idling for the last two weeks.
Image via Jeep
