An attention-grabbing phenomenon is taking part in out at Stellantis sellers throughout the nation. These within the 14 states that adjust to California Air Sources Board pointers stopped being allotted gas-only variations of some fashions, just like the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wrangler, again in April. Prospects in such markets can nonetheless get these autos, however they should be particularly ordered. In the meantime, sellers in non-CARB states are dealing with the alternative situation: they’re solely receiving pure-ICE variations of nameplates with elective hybrid powertrains.

Why? A Stellantis consultant informed Automotive Information that it’s a part of an initiative to “direct autos to the markets the place they’re wanted to satisfy the various emissions necessities.” Franchises are understandably a bit involved about this. From the article:

Sellers within the CARB states fear they’ll be at a drawback if customers begin crossing state traces to purchase gasoline autos from one other retailer’s stock reasonably than anticipate a manufacturing unit order. Some are working to commerce for gasoline autos with shops in adjoining states.

“I feel many people anticipated when the CARB guidelines really kick in in 2026 in a significant approach that we’d have some allocation challenges,” stated Brian Maas, president of the California New Automobile Sellers Affiliation. “The truth that it’s occurring [with Stellantis] in the course of 2023 is a little bit of a shock. … Persons are going to go to Reno and Vegas and Phoenix to get ICE Wranglers, if that’s what they need.”

[David] Kelleher, who owns [Pennsylvania] David Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram, obtained no gasoline-only Wranglers final month and 80 plug-ins. Final 12 months, he usually obtained 40 gasoline fashions and 15 of the 4xe every month.

All of the states near Kelleher’s retailer close to Philadelphia are a part of the CARB framework, however he stated sellers in western Pennsylvania may lose prospects to Ohio or West Virginia, the place Stellantis remains to be allocating gasoline autos.

Brian Heney, CEO of Kelly Automotive Group in Massachusetts, a CARB state, stated many shoppers have grown accustomed to ordering new autos and ready for them to reach. “Whereas we’re being impacted by this transfer, we’re discovering methods to help our prospects, and hold them in our household,” Heney stated in an e mail. “We do discover that some Wrangler prospects have much less persistence for ready, nevertheless, within the heat climate months and can see how this impacts our enterprise and our native prospects transferring forwards into the summer season.”

As Jalopnik understands it, affected Stellantis sellers in CARB states are nonetheless being allotted autos for which no electrified model exists, just like the Wagoneer. Nonetheless, the two-row Grand Cherokee is a bread-and-butter vendor, and in CARB territories solely the $62,000 4xe mannequin is routinely shipped to sellers.

We had a touch this was taking part in out again in Could when Mopar Insiders shared an inner communication to its supplier community, which warned that these measures “could have an effect on [dealers’] capability to order or obtain shipments of sure autos occasionally, together with to satisfy orders bought.” Stellantis additionally reportedly talked about this initiative could be mirrored in promoting as effectively, because it makes little sense to market sure trims and configurations of autos that aren’t usually stocked on showroom tons.

It’s a little shocking that Stellantis is reacting with knee-jerk, arguably drastic measures so early when these guidelines aren’t set to kick in for a number of extra years. However when you could have one of many worst company common gasoline economies of any model within the nation, you need to begin making strikes with urgency.