Ramcharger Is A “Goldilocks” Truck, Ram CEO Says – CleanTechnica

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Imagine a full size American pickup truck that can tow 14,000 pounds, has a carrying capacity of 2,625 pounds, is powered by two electric motors with a combined 647 horsepower and 610 pound-feet of torque, that can scoot to 60 mph (97 km/h) in a scant 4.2 seconds, and has a total range from its battery and onboard range extender V-6 engine of 690 miles (1110 km). Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis is pretty excited about  this truck, which is called the Ramcharger, The name honors a previous model called the Dodge Ramcharger, which was a competitor to the Chevrolet K5 Blazer and the full size Ford Bronco. it was built on a shortened chassis borrowed from the Dodge D Series pickup truck.

Today the Ramcharger name is especially appropriate because in addition to a 91.8 kWh battery pack, the Ramcharger is fitted with a 3.6 liter V-6 engine that has no function other than to run a 130 kW generator. Conceptually, it is a Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid in pickup truck guise. “I think this is really going to be a secret weapon in the industry,” Kinsiskis told the press during a Ramcharger preview. “It’s why we wanted to share it with you as soon as possible. It’s not a PowerPoint slide. This thing is real, and it’s coming fast.”

The Ramcharger looks like a clone of a regular Ram 1500 pickup truck. In fact, while there are external differences between the two, it takes an educated eye to spot them. Unlike Tesla, which simply broke the mold when it designed the Cybertruck, Ram, Ford, and Chevrolet/GMC are careful to stick very closely to the look most truck buyers say they prefer. The Ramcharger is no exception.

There has already been a bit of slippage in the timeline for Ram to bring its electric trucks to market. Originally the REV fully battery-electric pickup truck was scheduled to arrive first, but that was before Ford got kicked in the teeth by the F-150 Lightning, which has sold poorly. Many customers were disappointed — and that’s putting it mildly — by the reality that electric pickup trucks really suck at towing stuff. As it turns out, towing is what lots of truck owners do and they were not pleased when they learned they had to stop to recharge every 100 miles or so when they hooked up their campers. So Ram decided to put the Ramcharger out there first and move the REV 1500 production date back to 2026 — at the earliest. If things don’t improve in the marketplace, the production schedule for the the Ram REV 1500 could get pushed back ever further, or the truck could be cancelled all together. At first, Ram said the Ramcharger would be in showrooms in the first half of 2025 but now that timeline has been extended as well. Now customers are being told their plug-in hybrid pickup trucks will be ready sometime later this year.

The Ramcharger Is The Brand’s Heaviest Pickup Truck Ever

Here’s an interesting statistic. The Ramcharger tips the scales at a hefty 7,507 pounds. The next heaviest truck in the Ram lineup is the supercharged V-8 TRX 1500 at 6866 pounds. A big battery coupled with a big generator, a big V-6 engine, and a 27-gallon gas tank plus all the auxiliaries, like a cooling system and an exhaust system, combine to make this a very heavy vehicle, albeit one that can tow more than twice its own weight. Ram is hoping the addition of a range extender engine and generator will convince some customers to try the electric truck lifestyle and maybe it will.

So how much does all this goodness cost? Official prices have not been released yet, but Car and Driver estimates the plug-in hybrid truck will sell for between $60,000 and $78,000. Frankly, that is a ton of money. As I was writing this, the official Ram website was showing me three new 2025 conventional Ram 1500 pickup trucks near me starting at $33,900. Granted those are base level models, but will people be willing to pay almost double to drive on electrons some of the time? The answer to that question will only be known in the fullness of time.

Ram development chief Doug Killian told the motoring press there will be three modes next to the drive selector in the Ramcharger — Electric+, E-Save, and Eco. In Electric+ mode, the gas engine will stay off until the battery is depleted of power. When that happens, after about 140 miles of normal driving, the engine will kick on to power the generator, which feeds electricity directly to the front and rear motors. The generator can add some power to the battery, but is not able to fully recharge it.

In E-Save mode, the engine will come on and maintain the battery at its current state of charge while driving. This is useful if the driver wants to save some electric-only operation for later, such as in areas of a city where only zero-emission vehicles are allowed. If the battery is below half charge, the engine will charge the battery back to 50%. Eco is designed to conserve power when possible, reducing available horsepower and dialing down creature comforts like the heater and air conditioning. It’s important to note, says Motor 1, that the engine isn’t connected to the drive wheels in any way, shape, or form. It only turns a built-in generator. However, in situations where the driver wants all the available horsepower, the engine will run to charge the battery as it supplies electricity to the front and rear motors.

The Ramcharger will come with a number of useful features There is a 4.8 kilowatt power panel in the load bed for running power tools or charging smartphones. A 7.2 kilowatt power panel is an available option. Hands-Free Active Driving Assist can maintain a set speed and a safe distance from vehicles ahead via sensors, cameras and radar. When the system is engaged, the driver can relax with hands off the wheel while the Ramcharger controls the steering. In a first for the Ram brand, the Ramcharger offers one pedal driving that turns the motors into generators when the accelerated is released. The regenerative braking system kicks in as the truck gradually slows down and captured kinetic energy recharges the battery. After getting familiar with the system, drivers will acquire a new skill — coming to a stop without using the brakes. This is a feature most electric vehicle drivers never want to be without once they get familiar with it.

Kuniskis believes the Ramcharger is a best of both worlds truck because it combines the best attributes of electric power with the convenience and familiarity of combustion engine powered trucks. “I’m really glad we have options,” said Kuniskis. “I know a lot of never BEVers. Even they say to me ‘I’m not sure I’m going to buy one but you know what, you got my attention.’ When you can get a never BEVer to say that, you know you’re onto something.”