After years of speculation, Ram is officially reentering the mid-size truck market, a segment it exited in 2011 with the discontinuation of the Dodge Dakota. Production of Ram's new mid-size truck is expected to begin in two years.

Ram's parent company, Stellantis, announced this week plans to restart production at its Belvidere, Illinois, facility to manufacture its new mid-size truck. This decision follows a memo from Stellantis that was corroborated by Illinois Senator Dick Durbin on social media.

Automotive News was first to report the news, which quickly sparked renewed interest in Ram's plans for the mid-size market.

The Belvidere plant has been idle since February 2023, but the reopening will bring back approximately 1,500 union-represented workers, according to reports from the United Auto Workers (UAW). The plant previously manufactured Jeep Cherokees before that model's discontinuation in 2023, and it employed as many as 5,000 workers as recently as 2019. However, by the time operations ceased, only 1,350 employees remained.

"We'll honor the timing indicated in the 2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement for a launch in 2027. The new mid-size truck is planned to take full advantage of our multi-energy strategy (ICE, PHEV, and BEV)," a spokesperson told Car and Driver when asked about the confirmed reentry of the automaker. 

Signs that a new Ram mid-size truck is coming first emerged in late 2023 when Stellantis and the UAW reached an agreement to end a high-profile strike. A leaked document outlining Stellantis' production road map pointed to Belvidere as the home of the upcoming model.

Since then, speculation has intensified, particularly following reports that Ram showed dealerships an electric mid-size concept earlier that year. Additionally, sightings of the gas-powered Rampage, a mid-size truck sold in Brazil, testing on U.S. roads fueled further interest.

Although production is slated for 2027, further details about the truck's specifications and features are likely to emerge over the next two years. With a history of delivering innovative and capable trucks, Ram's return to the mid-size market is poised to challenge established players in this segment.

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