- Ram has canceled plans for an all-electric Ram REV 1500 electric truck
- A planned plug-in hybrid, once called the Ramcharger, will now take the Ram REV name
Ram will not build a planned electric pickup. The company announced late last week, “As demand for full-size battery-electric trucks slows in North America, Stellantis is reassessing its product strategy and will discontinue development of a full-size BEV [battery electric vehicle] pickup.”
The Ram REV name will live on. The company has long planned a range-extended electric vehicle, a unique type of plug-in hybrid (PHEV), on the Ram 1500 platform. Previously, Ram planned to call it the Ramcharger.
It will now take the Ram REV name instead.
EV Had Consistently Grown Less Ambitious
- The Ram REV had appeared first as a radically styled concept truck, then was toned-down considerably
- A long-range version was then canceled. Now, all versions are gone
The Ram REV has grown steadily less ambitious since a dramatic debut. It’s hardly surprising to see the plan trail off.
The planned electric truck began life as a radical concept truck full of interesting ideas. Then called the Ram REVolution, it had six seats (thanks to a small third row of folding jump seats), a midgate that folded down to let long items pass from the bed to the cabin, and a sleek, wind-cheating look.
By the time it appeared, it was a far more conventional-looking pickup.
Ram quickly started trimming plans for even that less-dramatic model. In January, it removed a long-range version from the lineup.
Now, it has ended plans for the all-electric model completely.
Range-Extended Version Is a Compelling Idea
- The Ramcharger, now to be called the Ram REV, solves electric trucks’ towing problem
The new range-extended Ram REV likely made more sense all along.
It’s not quite a conventional PHEV. Those vehicles have both a gasoline engine and an electric motor powering their wheels, either one of which can take a PHEV to high speeds. They use battery power until they run out of it, then gasoline.
The new Ram REV operates on a different principle. Much like a diesel-electric locomotive, it has electric motors powering its wheels and an engine with no mechanical connection to the axles. The engine, a V6, serves solely as a generator to recharge the battery.
Its battery, at 92 kWh, is as large as that of most EVs. It can recharge from a wall plug and travel up to 145 miles on electric power alone. But its engine can recharge its batteries.
This solves the primary performance problem of electric trucks. All trucks, regardless of power source, lose up to half their range when towing. That’s less of a problem when you can refill your gas tank quickly. With an electric truck, it means frequent, long recharging stops with a trailer.
However, the Ram 1500 REV can recharge on the go from its gasoline generator, giving owners an electric truck that can tow like a gas-powered model.
Ram has not announced pricing on the truck. The company says its “projected availability” is for 2026.
