An interesting phenomenon is taking place at Stellantis dealers nationwide. People in 14 states comply with California Air Resources Board guidelines stopped allocating gasoline-only versions of some models, such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wrangler, in April. Customers in such markets can still get those cars, but they must be specifically ordered. Meanwhile, dealers in states without CARB are facing the opposite scenario: they only get pure ICE nameplates with the optional hybrid powertrain.
Why? A representative of Stellantis said auto news that it’s part of an initiative to “direct vehicles to markets where they need them to meet different emissions requirements.” Several franchises understandably a little worried about the consequences of the strategy, to the point where they are trading inventory across the state lines to make a difference. From the article:
Dealers in CARB states worry they’ll be at a disadvantage if consumers start crossing state lines to buy gas-powered cars from another store’s inventory instead of waiting for a factory order. Some are working in exchange for gas-powered cars with stores in neighboring states.
“I think many of us expected when the CARB rules actually went into effect in 2026 that we would have some challenges,” said Brian Maas, president of the New Auto Dealers Association of California. allocation knowledge. “The fact that it is happening [with Stellantis] mid-2023 is a bit of a surprise. … People will go to Reno, Vegas and Phoenix to get ICE Wranglers, if that’s what they want.
[David] Kelleher, who owns [Pennsylvania] David Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram, didn’t get last month’s petrol-only Wrangler and 80 plug-ins. Last year, he used to get 40 petrol models and 15 4×4 models a month.
All states near Kelleher’s store near Philadelphia are part of the CARB framework, but he said dealers in western Pennsylvania could lose customers to Ohio or West Virginia, where Stellantis is still distributing gasoline car.
Brian Heney, CEO of Kelly Automotive Group in Massachusetts, a CARB state, says many customers are used to ordering a new car and waiting for it to arrive. “While we are impacted by this move, we are looking for ways to support our customers and keep them in our family,” Heney said in an email. “However, we have found that some Wrangler customers have less patience to wait during warm weather months and will see how this affects our business and our local customers. our side as we head into summer.”
As Jalopnik understoodStellantis dealer affected in CARB states are still allocated ICE vehicles where no electrified versions exist, like Coachman. However, in the case of Grand Cherokee two rows, a seller of bread and butter, only $62,000 4xe models automatically shipped to dealers in such territory.
We had a hint this happened in May when Inside Mopar shared an internal communication with its dealer network, which warned that the measures “could affect [dealers’] the ability to order or receive shipments of certain vehicles from time to time, including the fulfillment of sold orders. Stellantis also mentioned this initiative will be reflected in advertising decisions at the same time, since it makes no sense to market certain styles and configurations of vehicles that are not regularly stocked in showrooms.
While The CARB rule requires manufacturers to sell one incfeed, take care electric car rate annual Starting in 2026, a Stellantis spokesperson clarified to Jalopnik that there are other emission controls prompt the automaker to act now. waysome Jeep, Dodge and Ram just so happens to be face up to 200 million dollars in civil penalties due to company’s average fuel economy in the 2018 and 2019 model years, so perhaps recent events forced the company to make an urgent move.
Update June 16, 2023, 3:10 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with new insight from Stellantis staff that other factors, next toS the impending CARB regulations, affected the change in agent allocation.
