Ram Introduces ‘Ultimate’ Electric Pickup Truck

Ram is making the biggest changes in its lineup history. The sixth-generation Ram 1500 will go on sale next year as a 2025 model year truck and feature no V8 or diesel engines, but will have a battery-electric model with a range extender.

Electric power without range anxiety

Ram will be the first automaker to offer an electric truck with a range extender. This powertrain set up sees a battery and engine work together to continously charge the battery, allowing owners to have access to far more range than they would typically get from a battery-electric truck. It will be called the Ram 1500 Ramcharger.

This model is not to be confused with the Ram REV all-electric truck, which will come with electric motors and battery like a Ford F-150 Lightning, competing directly with it and the forthcoming Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV.

“I would call this the ultimate battery electric vehicle. Think about the business side of that: a 92-kilowatt-hour battery that never worries about range or towing. It functions as a pure battery-electric truck, with all the instantaneous torque, all the power, but without any of the downsides,” said Tim Kuniskis, head of the Ram brand.

“I think it becomes obvious to a customer because there’s so many advantages to a battery electric vehicle. But there are certain things that are slowing people down. And if I can say the things that are slowing you down are charge time and range anxiety and infrastructure, you don’t have to worry about it with this.”

Ram says the combination powertrain in the Ramcharger will deliver 663 horsepower (hp) and 615 pound-feet (lb-ft) of torque with a tow rating up to 14,000 pounds. It thinks this is the bridge truck buyers need to ease into electric vehicle ownership.

“It’s an electric vehicle because the power is flowing from the battery, or the 130-kilowatt generator through electric drive modules. There’s no connection between this generator assembly and the wheels like one might find in even a plug-in hybrid. All the propulsion is electrical,” Doug Killian, Ram chief engineer said at the launch event.

The generator is powered by a 3.6-liter V6, known as the Pentastar engine, which parent brand Stellantis has been putting in everything from Jeep to Dodge since its inception in 2010.

Ramcharger will offer owners 145 miles of all-electric power, with a total range of 690 miles when the battery and engine team up. This is designed to help alleviate some of the consumer anxiety surrounding towing with electric vehicle power.

The truck’s liquid-cooled battery pack is positioned under the floor in the center of the truck.

The 400-volt electrical system works with DC fast charging stations to add 50 miles of all-electric range in approximately 10 minutes.

Heavy-duty presence of a light-duty truck

Ram designers said they had three main pillars of upgrades in mind for the next generation of its 1500 pickup truck.

“The first was to increase and amplify the heroic presence that the Ram has been known for. So what we wanted to do was bring a measure of the heavy-duty presence into the light duty space with this truck. We also wanted to increase the visual modularity of the trucks through the use of technology. So on the exterior we do that we do that typically through lighting technology,” said Jeffrey Ross, chief exterior designer for the Ram truck brand.

“As designers we know that lighting technology and lit signature elements are very powerful ways to telegraph brand identity and brand equity, really making the trucks recognizable as Ram products. And thirdly, we wanted to amplify the most no-compromise, upscale, aspirational luxury truck in the market,” he said.

The new look encompasses a fresh fascia, with different styling cues for different Ram models, along with a new logo treatment and new rear end. The Ram insignia is bigger on all models than in the previous generation, and offered with illumination on the Ramcharger. Ram says this truck is more aerodynamic than its predecessors.

A new ultra-premium Tungsten model joins the 2025 Ram 1500 lineup that also includes Tradesman, Big Horn/Lone Star, Laramie, Rebel, Limited Longhorn and Limited grades.

In addition to the Ramcharger’s powertrain, Ram will offer the Pentastar V6 as a standalone engine option. Buyers can also opt for a 3.0-liter Hurricane engine that’s rated at 420 hp and 469 lb-ft. of torque or the new High Output Hurricane that’s rated at 540 hp and 521 lb-ft. of torque.

The high-output pickup comes with a maximum towing capacity of 11,580 pounds, a maximum payload of 2,300 pounds and up to 24-inches of water fording.

The cabin features a familiar layout with added luxury touches. Ram will offer new 24-way adjustable, massaging seats as well as the Uconnect 5 infotainment system with a new 14.5-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a segment-first 10.25-inch passenger screen.

The passenger screen is shuttered so the driver can’t see what’s playing. This is similar to how similar technology is presented in the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and in the Grand Wagoneer.

A digital rearview mirror, head-up display (HUD) and a Klipsch Reference Premiere audio system are also available.

Pricing and fuel efficiency numbers for the new-generation Ram 1500 are expected to be revealed closer to the truck’s on sale date.

Deliveries of the 2025 Ram 1500 will begin in the first quarter of 2024.