Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa has officially confirmed that the long-awaited mid-size Ram pickup will enter production in 2027.
Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa has officially confirmed that the long-awaited mid-size Ram pickup will enter production in 2027. According to Filosa, the truck will be “beautiful” with “very strong” technical specs, positioning it to compete directly with the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma.
The model has been rumored for years. Two years ago, UAW Vice President Rich Boyer mentioned plans to restart the Belvidere, Illinois, plant for a new pickup. But only in January did Ram formally announce its intent to fill the gap left by the discontinued Dakota, which ended production in 2011.
Filosa said he recently visited the Detroit design studio, where he saw not just sketches but a full-size clay model: “It’s simply beautiful. A true work of art.” Details remain under wraps, but the pickup is expected to ride on a body-on-frame platform compatible with traditional combustion engines, plug-in hybrids, and fully electric powertrains.
Instead of using the STLA Large unibody architecture, the new truck will likely adopt a shortened version of the STLA frame used on the Ram 1500 Ramcharger. The all-electric Ram 1500 was canceled due to slowing demand for full-size electric pickups, but the development work on its platform is being repurposed.
The standard STLA frame accommodates vehicles 18–19.5 ft long and about 81–83 in wide, with wheelbases ranging from 123–145 in. Electric versions promise up to 500 miles of range, or about 684 miles when paired with a combustion-engine generator. The platform supports towing up to 14,000 lbs and payloads up to 2,700 lbs, though the mid-size version will likely offer lower figures.
The truck’s name remains a mystery. Stellantis has no plans to revive the Dakota badge, which is reserved for a separate project launching in South America next year. The U.S. model will most likely be sold exclusively as a four-door Crew Cab.
Pricing will be crucial. To compete with the Chevrolet Colorado and Toyota Tacoma, Ram will need to hit a compelling price point.
We’ll continue to follow this story—stay tuned for updates.