Stellantis refers to its forthcoming Ram 1500 extended-range Ramcharger as the Goldilocks of pickup trucks—an electric vehicle equipped with a secondary gas-fueled generator capable of providing almost 700 miles of range without worrying about running out of power.
Why it matters: Extended-range electric vehicles, which are already favored in China, serve as a transitional tech solution for buyers hesitant about fully committing to all-electric cars due to factors like expense, availability of chargers, or other issues.
- Moreover, since they have a significantly smaller battery, these models cost thousands of dollars less than their fully electric counterparts.
- The Ramcharger will be the inaugural extended-range pickup available in the U.S.
Driving the news: In response to declining demand for electric pickup trucks, Stellantis revised its product lineup in December. They moved the Ramcharger forward, prioritizing it before the Ram 1500 REV, which was set to be their initial all-electric model.
- The Ramcharger will go on sale during the latter part of 2025, whereas the all-electric variant has been delayed until 2026.
Zoom in: The Ramcharger's 92-kW battery provides up to 145 miles of all-electric travel. Once this capacity is exhausted, a 3.6-liter gas engine activates to run an internal generator.
- The anticipated total range is approximately 690 miles.
- The truck operates solely using electric power; the engine drives the generator, rather than turning the wheels directly.
Between the lines: A common criticism of electric pickup trucks is that their driving range considerably decreases when towing, hauling, or going uphill.
- Stellantis noted that one benefit of the backup generator is that it does not impact performance.
- The Ramcharger has the capability to tow up to 14,000 pounds and can handle over 2,600 pounds of payload.
- "Absolutely, there are no drawbacks at all," stated Tim Kuniskis, the CEO of Ram Brand.
What to watch: The pricing details have not been revealed yet.
- During a press briefing on Monday, Kuniskis mentioned a suggested price of $69,995 as an example.
- That price point is above what you'd typically find for a gas-powered pickup truck, yet it would still be between $8,000 and $14,000 less expensive compared to an all-electric vehicle equipped with a bigger battery, according to him.
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