America’s full-size trucks are going electric. The latest announcement in this effort comes from Ram, which said a full electric Ram 1500 will enter production early in 2024.
Sleeker Than Any Current Ram
The company revealed very little about the truck. A shadowy rendering showed a sleek, short-bed truck that might be a bridge between the workday practicality of Ford’s F-150 Lightning electric truck and the futuristic funk of Tesla’s Cybertruck. A prominent light bar and LED rendering of the RAM logo define the front. Enormous wheels, a high beltline, and a low roofline give it energy.
A New Electric Platform
Executives with Stellantis, the parent of Ram as well as brands including Jeep and Dodge, revealed a new architecture that might power the truck. Like other EV platforms, it places all batteries and motors underneath the vehicle’s floor. That could allow for an extraordinary amount of space inside the truck.
Stellantis did not give much in the way of performance figures. The company did say that the platform could manage a range of “up to 500 miles.”
“With full knowledge of what our competitors are doing, we will surpass their offerings with the Ram 1500 battery electric vehicle built to again redefine the full-size segment,” promised Ram CEO Mike Koval.
America’s Three Best-Selling Vehicles Are Going Electric
In 2020, the three best-selling vehicles in America were all full-size trucks. Ram’s announcement means that all three will soon have electric variants – though we’re not sure whether the electric Ram or Chevy’s upcoming battery-powered Silverado will reach the sales floor first. The Ford F-150 Lightning, meanwhile, is slated for production in spring of 2022.
Still, automakers have hurdles to get over if they expect the trucks to sell as well as their gasoline-powered counterparts. A recent survey showed that while Americans accept that electric vehicles are the future of transportation, they remain skeptical about electric pickups. To attract buyers, makers will need to demonstrate that an electric truck can haul and tow while maintaining respectable range.
Future Electric Trucks: What’s coming in 2022 and beyond
