Pritzker sees options for Belvidere Jeep plant set to close

[December 17, 2022]  By Andrew Hensel | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Stellantis will be closing its Illinois Jeep Cherokee plant in Belvidere early next year. The move is expected to see over 1,300 workers lose their jobs. However, Gov. J.B. Pritzker sees an opportunity.

The Belvidere Plant, which opened in 1965, will shut its doors at the end of February. The company has claimed high costs due to a switch to electric vehicle production as a factor in the plant's closing.

The Illinois Freedom Caucus, which consists of downstate Republican lawmakers, urged Pritzker to turn the plant into an electric vehicle plant to keep workers employed.

"The plant is being closed for a variety of factors, but one of the main reasons cited is the cost to transition to the manufacturing of electric vehicles," the group said in a statement. "Given the Pritzker Administration's eagerness to promote electric vehicles, the question has to be asked, why couldn't Illinois convince Stellantis to repurpose the Belvidere plant?"
 

In 2021, Pritzker introduced energy policy with a goal of at least 1 million electric vehicles on Illinois roadways by 2030.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported that 16 businesses, including EV companies Rivian and Lion Electric, combined to share a letter with Pritzker to convince the governor to make the EV switch.

"To further commit Illinois to an electrified transportation future, we encourage you to join states and governors around the country in committing to a clean transportation future," the letter read.

On Thursday, Pritzker gave some insight into why the Belvidere plant will shut down and what happens next.

"It is partly because Jeep Cherokee has come down as a priority for Stellantis, so they are looking for repurposing," Pritzker said. "Fortunately, they have enough land there because EVs are not where you can take an existing footprint of an [internal combustion engine] vehicle and convert it. That doesn't happen for EV."

Pritzker said the plant converting to a full-time EV plant is not out of the question.

"EV is a much larger enterprise. Typically they are co-locating, which is something Stellantis is especially focused on," Pritzker said. "They need a lot of land, but fortunately, Belvidere has a lot of land, and they own that land. I think we are in a good position to help them into what is the next phase of manufacturing in Belvidere."

Stellantis released a statement after issuing the notice of closure, claiming they will do what they can to support the laid-off workers.

"This difficult but necessary action will result in indefinite layoffs, which are expected to exceed six months," Stellantis said. "The company will make every effort to place indefinitely laid-off employees in open full-time positions as they become available."

Andrew Hensel has years of experience as a reporter and pre-game host for the Joliet Slammers, and as a producer for the Windy City Bulls. A graduate of Iowa Wesleyan University and Illinois Media School, Andrew lives in the south suburbs of Chicago.