Stellantis is planning to release the Ram 1500 REV pickup truck in 2025 with a targeted all-electric range of 500 miles (804km). However the automaker doesn’t appear to be fully invested in the idea of all-electric trucks as it is also planning to release another electric Ram, but this one will come with a 3.6 liter V-6 engine and gas-powered generator that together serve as an on-board charger to extend the range.
Called the Ramcharger, this pickup truck sounds like a traditional hybrid that operates for a certain distance on electric power, before switching to the gas-powered engine to do the rest of the work. However the Ramcharger operates differently as it always powered by the electric motors, and only when the 92kWh battery pack gets low does the 3.6 liter V6 engine kick in to power the 130kW on-board generator, which in turn recharges the battery, extending the Ramcharger’s range.
According to Stellantis, the Ramcharger will be able to travel just 145 miles (233km) on a full electric charge, but with the gas-powered engine and generator, that increases to 690 miles (1,110km). That compares to the 500 mile (804km) range on the all-electric Ram 1500 REV, which has a monstrous 229kWh battery pack.
Stellantis seems excited about the Ramcharger, calling it a “game changer for battery-electric trucks,” as it offers all the benefits of an EV, but it doesn’t suffer from the range anxiety that comes with having an EV, especially when towing.
“This is the ultimate answer for the battery-electric truck. No one else has got anything else like it. This is going to be a game changer for battery-electric trucks,” said Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis. (via CNBC)
The company was also quick to point out that its not a hybrid, marketing it instead as an electric truck with an on-board charger.
“The Ramcharger is not a PHEV. It’s a battery-electric truck with its own onboard, high-speed charger. There’s no connection between the engine and the wheels. The gas generator is only there to charge the battery,” Kuniskis added.
As for other specs of the Ramcharger, Stellantis announced it will have 663 horsepower and 615 foot-pounds of torque, enabling it to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. The truck will also support bidirectional charging, both vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-home (V2H), allowing it to function as a charger for another EV, or a generator for powering appliances or even an entire household. No pricing details were announced, but it is expected to go on sale late in 2024 alongside the Ram 1500 REV.
