Automotive
If you’ve got been tracking Ram’s march into electrification, here is the plot twist. Stellantis is scrapping development of a full-size battery electric Ram 1500 and shifting its focus to a range-extended model that may go long distances without living at a charger. In the identical breath, Ram says the truck formerly often known as Ramcharger will now wear the Ram 1500 REV badge. The move comes as demand cools for giant all-electric pickups in North America.
What modified is simple even when the naming shuffle feels anything but. The purely electric Ram 1500 project is completed. The truck Ram intends to sell is the range-extended electric version, now called Ram 1500 REV, which uses a battery for propulsion and a gasoline engine as a generator to maintain the electrons flowing on the move. That strategy targets the 2 pain points that keep truck buyers up at night, towing and range, without asking owners to rewire their routines around public fast chargers. Several outlets confirm the cancellation and the rename, citing the identical industry headwinds.
Here is why this matters for truck shoppers. Range-extended electric setups allow you to run on battery power in every day use, then lean on a fuel tank and onboard generator once you hitch a trailer, head into distant country, or hit a charging desert. Ram’s previously detailed figures for the range-extended truck point to a targeted total range as much as 690 miles, with a 92 kWh battery and a 130 kW generator feeding front and rear electric drive modules. That recipe is familiar to anyone who remembers series hybrids just like the BMW i3 REx, only scaled for half-ton truck work. If Ram holds those targets, it should slot comfortably between EV smoothness and pickup practicality.
The brand’s message around capability is unchanged, only the trail to it. Ram says the 1500 REV will set recent benchmarks for range, towing, and payload within the half-ton space. That’s the promise on paper, and it is going to be the bar Ram has to clear once production trucks land in customer driveways and on job sites. The corporate is positioning this as a realistic response to where the market is without delay moderately than a retreat from electrification altogether.
Context helps. The complete full-size electric pickup segment has been wrestling with the realities of battery cost, weight, and energy use under load. Sales haven’t matched the early hype, and a number of other automakers have trimmed forecasts, delayed programs, or modified course. Ram’s decision suits that broader pattern, with executives openly pointing to slower-than-expected demand for BEV trucks.
If the badge swap gives you déjà vu, you will not be imagining it. Ram originally used the REV name for its BEV, then unveiled the Ramcharger because the range-extended variant. Now the range-extended truck inherits the REV name and the BEV is out. The logic is evident enough. REV is the stronger badge equity and Ram wants it on the model it is going to actually sell. Expect some short-term confusion as early previews and auto show reports live to tell the tale across the online, however the truck in showrooms will likely be the range-extended Ram 1500 REV.
Beyond the powertrain news, Ram used the moment to remind everyone what else it has cooking. The lineup still spans light-duty 1500, heavy-duty 2500 and 3500, 3500 through 5500 Chassis Cab, and ProMaster vans. On the enthusiast side, the Ram 1500 RHO sits at the highest of the off-road heap for horsepower-per-dollar bragging rights, while the ultra-luxe Tungsten trim brings air suspension, 24-way massage seats, and serious power to the every day commute. The work and fleet crowd gets continued attention through Ram Skilled and the broader Stellantis Pro One umbrella, with an emphasis on upfitter-friendly features and customer support. Those are Ram’s words, and so they paint an image of a brand attempting to cover either side of the truck world without delay, fun and functional.
What to observe next… First, timing. Ram has not provided fresh dates alongside the rename, and the corporate might want to convert all this strategy into construct slots, dealer training, and customer deliveries. Second, real-world towing and charging behavior. How the generator engages, how the truck manages heat and cargo on long grades, and the way often you wish gas while towing will matter greater than any headline figure. Third, pricing and trims. The Tungsten template has proven there’s appetite for high-spec half-ton trucks, and Ram will likely carry that playbook into the 1500 REV to take care of pricing power in a cautious market.
As a product decision, that is the least dangerous way for Ram to serve truck buyers who’re EV curious but duty-cycle constrained. As a branding decision, the rename cleans up the marketing story even when it untangles years of REV-versus-Ramcharger history in the method. As a market signal, it suggests the subsequent wave of electrified pickups will lean on generators and plug-in tech while charging infrastructure and battery economics catch up. For plenty of truck owners, that feels like a plan they will live with.
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Lloyd Tobias is a seasoned automotive journalist and passionate enthusiast with over 15 years of experience immersed on this planet of cars. Whether it’s exploring the most recent advancements in automotive technology or keeping a detailed pulse on breaking industry news, Lloyd brings a pointy perspective and a deep appreciation for all things automotive. His writing blends technical insight with real-world enthusiasm, making his contributions each informative and fascinating for readers who share his love for the drive. When he’s not behind the keyboard or under the hood, Lloyd enjoys test driving the latest models and staying ahead of the curve in an ever-evolving automotive landscape.
This Article First Appeared At www.automotiveaddicts.com
