The 2019 Ram 1500 Rebel pickup truck is on display at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, January 15, 2018.
Brendan McDermid | Reuters
DETROIT – Automaker Stellantis plans to indefinitely lay off 2,450 U.S. factory workers later this year as the company halts production of an older version of the Ram 1500 pickup truck in Michigan.
The truck, which is produced alongside the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, has been used primarily as an affordable pickup for entry-level drivers and fleet operators since the introduction of a new generation of the Ram 1500 in 2018.
The current Ram 1500, which was recently updated for the 2025 model year, is produced at a nearby plant. Operations at that plant will continue as planned.
“With the introduction of the new Ram 1500, production of the Ram 1500 Classic started at Warren [Michigan] Production at the truck assembly plant will cease later this year,” the company said in an emailed statement.
The discontinuation of the Ram 1500 “Classic” is not unexpected, but the company has yet to announce a vehicle to replace the truck. That’s a concern for local governments, workers and the United Auto Workers union, which represents the plant.
The layoffs are expected to take place as early as October. It will be the latest for Stellantis, which has cut production at several factories due to sales problems.
This is breaking news. Check back later for more updates.
