Belvidere, IL Chrysler Plant To Close

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Tue Apr 23, 2024 12:37 pm Let us hope that the sudden "disinterest" in EV's does not mean Chrysler is out of options for future use of the Belvidere facility.

I don't know that you can claim "disinterest" if there wasn't real "interest" to begin with... Pure electrics have always been more of a novelty item more than a serious consumer demand driven product. Toyota still won't build one, which says a lot since they're the second largest auto manufacturer...

There were two components to the expansion at Belvidere -- the battery plant and a parts distribution center. I'd think the latter will still go forward, as they wanted to consolidate from some smaller DC's into more of an Amazon model with mega-DC's. I'd think rail would still fit that model well.

As for the battery plant.... Chrysler was always the weakest of the Big Three in the US, and they're now #5 or #6 depending on the month.. GM, Toyota, Ford, and Kia/Hundai make up the top four, and then Honda and Stellantis have flipped back and forth. If you take Ram trucks out of the equation, Honda is the solid #5.

I'd think plans for a battery plant from any other manufacturers should be looked at with some skepticism, but maybe Stellantis will be the exception. They think they can make money on the market where nobody else seems to be able to.

Anyone care to interpret these latest developments at Belvidere as reported by The Journal?

All this tells me is that there will be a delay; but this seems to be "par for the course" with anything involved with EV's industry-wide.

Until the last piece of iron is in place, or the first hypothetical "mid-size pickup" leaves the assembly line, consider Belvidere Expansion as one in a long list of empty commitments from both Pritzker and Biden.

The fact it was intended for "green jobs" is immaterial in my opinion -- all that ever mattered to Joe and Gov. Jelly Donut was to try get credit for trying to something, and placating the unions long enough to get past the next election.

I continue to hope that something happens to preserve the branch purely for selfish reasons. With IDOT and Metra working to begin service to Rockford, it's a natural pickup for Metra if UP were to indeed move to abandon it.