Ram EV delayed: Ramcharger jumps ahead
RAM pulls a fast one, prioritizing its range-extended Ramcharger over the all-electric Ram 1500 REV.
Hold the electrons, folks! RAM has decided to shuffle the deck on its electric truck rollout. The Ram 1500 Ramcharger, the brand's range-extended electric pickup, is jumping the queue, charging ahead of the fully electric Ram 1500 REV, which is now relegated to the slow lane until 2026.
RAM claims the decision was driven by "overwhelming consumer interest" and a desire to "maintain a competitive advantage." Translation: They saw which way the wind was blowing, and it wasn't exactly a hurricane-force gale for full-size electric trucks. Early adopters have had their fun, but the mainstream truck buyer? They're still eyeing EVs with the same suspicion they reserve for kale smoothies. RAM
Enter the Ramcharger, a truck that offers a tantalizing compromise: all the electric torque you can handle with a gasoline-powered security blanket for those long hauls. 690 miles of targeted range? Now, that's a number that'll make even the most die-hard enthusiast raise an eyebrow — it's a figure greater than most bladders can handle.
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The Ramcharger is essentially an electric truck with training wheels. A 92-kilowatt-hour battery pack is good for a decent chunk of electric-only driving, paired with a Pentastar V6 that acts as a generator, not a propulsor. It is not connected to the wheels. Think of it as a built-in range extender, a gasoline-powered lifeline for when the electrons run dry.
It's a clever bit of engineering that lets Ram offer a truck with a best-in-class towing capacity of 14,000 pounds without the range limitations of a pure EV. The first Chevy Volt, introduced in 2011, operated similarly.
The electric revolution is coming but won't happen until we have solid-state batteries. In the meantime, Ram is playing it smart. They're offering a product that meets the needs of today's truck buyers while simultaneously laying the groundwork for a fully electric future. RAM
So, is the Ramcharger a cop-out, a concession to the EV skeptics? Maybe. But it's also a pragmatic solution to a very real problem. It's a truck that's ready for prime time, not just a science project. And that's what matters most in the rough-and-tumble world of full-size pickups.
The Ramcharger might not be the electric truck we expected, but it might just be the electric truck we need — at least for now.
