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Volvo: Safety Beyond the Star RatingsSneak Peek: 2025 RAM 1500 Ramcharger
The new 2025 RAM 1500 Ramcharger offers up to 690 miles of range, unparalleled for an electric pickup. Here’s how it does it.
A Retro Name with Modern Solutions
In the current rollout of new EV models, electric pickups have been a favorite for carmakers. Not only are pickups the most popular segment in America, but they are also high-margin models perfect for easing the costs of the electrification transition.
But there’s a problem with electric pickup trucks when it comes to doing some important yet basic truck things. You see, BEV (battery-electric vehicle) trucks might have loads of torque with which to tow, but that towing eats into the truck’s range, significantly. So much so it can render an otherwise fantastic truck out of the question if you’re wanting to tow a boat or camper long distances, as many truck owners are wont to do.
Well, the folks at RAM have found an elegant solution to your electric pickup range anxiety, adding a gas engine. The new RAM 1500 Ramcharger takes a beloved nameplate and zaps it with new relevance (and an obvious pun) as the brand’s new plug-in hybrid.
EV, Hybrid, or Plug-In Hybrid?
That RAM has the gas-powered Ram 1500 and the all-electric Ram 1500 Rev, it might seem redundant to add yet another powertrain option, but the 1500 Ramcharger solves for the deficiencies of going all-in on either gas or electricity, and it does so like no other hybrid or plug-in hybrid on the market.
The Ramcharger solves range anxiety by pairing a 92-kWh battery pack and two electric motors with a 130-kW Pentastar V6 generator. The generator extends the Ramcharger’s electric range of 145 miles to 690 miles. (Interestingly, the Ramcharger sports a 27-gallon fuel tank. That’s a gallon more than the largest tank available on the gas-powered RAM 1500.) Because the V6 doesn’t power the wheels, the Ramcharger is classified as a PHEV and will therefore qualify for EV tax credits.
The Ramcharger’s two electric motors, front and rear, power all four wheels to the tune of 663 horsepower and 615 lb.-ft. of torque. Ram says the Ramcharger should make its zero to sixty run in 4.4 seconds, which is par for the course when it comes to electric pickups. More importantly, the Ramcharger’s towing capacity is benchmarked at 14,000 lbs., 2,400 lbs. more than the ICE (internal combustion engine) version. Payload too is impressive at 2,625 lbs., 325 lbs. more than the gas-powered RAM 1500.
Even with its V6 generator, the Ramcharger will offer 400-volt DC fast charging capability up to 145 kw for a 50-mile charge in approximately 10 minutes. 240-volt AC at home charging, that is Level 1 and Level 2, will also in the offing. The Ramcharger will also feature an on-board 7.2-kWh generator good for either 120- or 240-volts. Its range extending V6 makes the Ramcharger much more practical than other EV pickups when it comes to using them as backup generators.
Ramcharger: Range Anxiety Cheat Code
The RAM 1500 Ramcharger offers an elegant solution to the inherent limitations of BEV pickups. Not only does it reduce emissions and the frequency of filling up a massive gas tank, the Ramcharger does it without sacrificing driving range when towing and offering impressive towing and payload numbers. And it does all this without requiring an overly large battery pack. For comparison, the Ford F-150 Lightning has either a 98-kWh or extended range 131-kWh battery pack. GM’s Hummer EV carries an absurdly large 200-kWh battery. For those seeking a viable alternative to gas-only power in their pickup, RAM’s new 1500 Ramcharger makes a compelling argument for itself versus the competition.
As a 2025 model, don’t expect the RAM 1500 Ramcharger to hit dealership lots before deep into 2024.
