Stellantis’ new Ram pickup is an EV — with a gas-powered generator in case the battery runs out. The end of the Hemi???

2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger Tungsten​

• Stellantis plans to produce an industry-first pickup for its Ram Trucks brand that’s equipped with an onboard gas engine and electric generator.
• The truck can operate as a zero-emissions EV until the vehicle’s battery dies and an electric onboard generator — powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine — kicks on to power the vehicle after its initial charge.
• Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis characterized the new Ram 1500 Ramcharger pickup as the “ultimate answer for battery-electric trucks.”

DETROIT — Automaker Stellantis plans to produce an industry-first electric pickup truck called the Ram 1500 Ramcharger that’s equipped with an electric generator and a gas engine.
If that sounds like an oxymoron, here’s how it works: The truck can operate as a zero-emissions EV until its battery dies and an electric onboard generator — powered by a 27-gallon, 3.6-liter V6 engine — kicks on to power the vehicle.

The outcome is a truck with the benefits of an EV, such as fast acceleration and some zero-emissions driving, without the range anxiety synonymous with most current electric vehicles, according to Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis.
“This is the ultimate answer for the battery-electric truck. No one else has got anything else like it,” Kuniskis told reporters during an event. “This is going to be a game changer for battery-electric trucks.”
The 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger is expected to go on sale in late 2024 alongside a previously revealed all-electric Ram 1500 truck without a gas-powered engine or range-extending electric generator.
Stellantis estimates the range of the Ramcharger to be up to 690 miles, including up to 145 miles powered by a 92 kilowatt-hour battery when fully charged without the extended-range power from the gas engine and 130 kilowatt electric generator.
That range compares with up to an expected 500-mile range of the all-electric Ram 1500 REV pickup. It also tops the current Ram 1500, which has a 3.6-liter V-6 engine and an up to 26-gallon tank with a total range of up to 546 miles, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Stellantis did not announce pricing of the Ramcharger, which was revealed Tuesday as part of a redesign of current gasoline-powered Ram 1500 pickups for the 2025 model year.

‘Not a PHEV’​

Kuniskis said the Ramcharger is meant as a bridge between traditional trucks with internal combustion engines and all-electric ones, which currently face significant hurdles regarding charging infrastructure and range anxiety, especially when the vehicles are towing — a main reason to purchase a truck.
Such improvements could be a differentiator for the brand, according to Stephanie Brinley, associate director of AutoIntelligence for S&P Global Mobility.
“It works to address the fact that right now the industry and the pickup truck segment in particular is not ready to just flip to EVs 100%,” she said. “It addresses some of those performance and range anxiety concerns, and it’s strong.— But the difficult part is going to be getting consumers to really understand what it does.”

2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger Tungsten​

Similar propulsion technology — referred to as extended-range electric vehicles, or EREVs — is available in overseas markets, specifically China. It’s also similarly been offered in vehicles such as the discontinued Chevrolet Volt sedan from General Motors.

Stellantis engineers said the main difference between the technology of the Ramcharger and the Volt is that the truck is being exclusively propelled by electric motors, not the vehicle’s engine, once the battery dies. It’s also expected to be the first application of it in a production full-size pickup truck.

The Ramcharger features 663 horsepower and 615 foot-pounds of torque and can achieve 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.4 seconds, Stellantis said. The truck will be capable of bidirectional charging, where the vehicle acts as a generator to power appliances or even an entire home, the company said.

Kuniskis, who also leads Stellantis’ Dodge brand, declined to comment on whether the technology of the Ramcharger will be used in other vehicles. Other Stellantis brands include Chrysler, Jeep and Fiat in the U.S.

The Ramcharger operates differently from current plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, or PHEVs, that offer a range of all-electric driving, followed by an engine powering the vehicle after the battery is depleted.

“The Ramcharger is not a PHEV,” Kuniskis said. “It’s a battery-electric truck with its own onboard, high-speed charger.”

“There’s no connection between the engine and the wheels,” he said. “The gas generator is only there to charge the battery.”

Ram’s truck strategy is different from its leading competitors GM and Ford Motor. The latter is offering traditional, hybrid and all-electric versions of its F-150 full-size truck, while GM has said it plans to transition from traditional trucks to electric ones without the use of hybrids.

Stellantis currently offers PHEV versions of vehicles such as the Chrysler Pacifica minivan and Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee SUVs.

Ram’s 2023 Super Bowl ad debuts the production version of the Ram 1500 REV electric pickup that is expected to go on sale in late 2024.​

Bye-bye Hemi​

The design of the Ramcharger is a mix between the all-electric Ram 1500 REV and the refreshed gas versions of the traditional trucks, which will be available early next year.
The Ramcharger includes illuminated lines across its grille from the headlamps, new badging that debuted on the all-electric truck and other design and facia elements between the two.
For the traditional Ram 1500 models, the biggest change is the company is dropping its well-known Hemi V-8. Replacing the current 5.7-liter Hemi engine offered in the truck will be a twin-turbocharged, inline-six-cylinder engine called the Hurricane.

“Some customers are going to be upset that you’re not going to have a Hemi in there,” Kuniskis said. “Sure, the Hemi’s an absolute legend. Americans love the Hemi, but this thing flat out outperforms the Hemi.”

The 3.0-liter Hurricane engine is rated at 420 horsepower and 469 foot-pounds of torque, while a high-output version of the engine is rated at 540 horsepower and 521 foot-pounds of torque. That compares with the current V-8 Hemi at 395 horsepower and 410 foot-pounds of torque.

Inline-, or straight-, six-cylinder engines have been used in U.S. vehicles by automakers such as BMW and Jaguar, however, they’re far from mainstream in the U.S.

Other changes to the trucks include a new luxury model called Tungsten and a performance variant called RHO replacing Ram’s high-output TRX pickup that is equipped with a Hemi 6.2-liter V-8 capable of 702 horsepower and 650 foot-pounds of torque.

Article courtesy of Michael Wayland with CNBC.com

 

[star_deceiver]

I know. There’s quite a few 4 cylinders out there that can put out 268ft/lbs.

There’s also a lot of people out there that think a 4000w Coleman generator can charge an EV and drive forever.

 

[crash68]

I responded to a guy saying why not put a 4 cylinder in it so save gas...

Use of a 6 cyl probably comes down to the NVH levels Ram is looking to achieve for the Ramcharger. To spin the 130Kw generator it needs about 200-260 HP. You can hit that with a 4 cylinder but it's going to a be spinning a lot. Consideration for the rpm the engine will be turning for effective power transfer based on stator/armature design. It will be easier to be in the correct rpm range with a 6 cyl and the fuel consumption is probably a wash for either cylinder engine.

 

[Docwagon1776]

Use of a 6 cyl probably comes down to the NVH levels Ram is looking to achieve for the Ramcharger. To spin the 130Kw generator it needs about 200-260 HP. You can hit that with a 4 cylinder but it's going to a be spinning a lot. Consideration for the rpm the engine will be turning for effective power transfer based on stator/armature design. It will be easier to be in the correct rpm range with a 6 cyl and the fuel consumption is probably a wash for either cylinder engine.

Yeah, I'm not seeing where a 4 banger spinning faster is going to save any fuel over an existing 6. While I could easily be out of my depth on this one, I just figure the guys who designed it probably aren't and went with the 6 for a reason when there's a stable of available options in-house already.

 

[Ynottirbo]

We all know whose fault this is. Hope it changes November.!!

 

[ramffml]

You’re only going to put back into the battery what the max torque of said engine can put out. The Pentastar can run all day at 4000rpm, without overstressing its cooling system, to put its 268ish ft/lbs back into the batttery. If you’re pulling more than that towing your trailer the truck will more than likely only allow the electric motors to pull so much power as to not drain the battery past a certain point. There’s no free lunch here.

I like the idea and I’d definitely entertain buying a 2027 Ramcharger… So long as it’s a $60k cdn or less idea.

One thing we have to remember is that we're not using 268 ft/lbs of torque constantly in a 3.6 when we're driving it in a standard truck. Even when towing straight and flat, we're not using that. Those numbers are always peak power numbers.

So if we're pulling our 8000 pound trailer with batteries, the pentastar should have enough power to drastically slow down the battery usage. There is talk that the tow mode starts the generator much quicker then in regular mode to make sure the batteries have enough to power the provided range.

If I had to buy a new truck and there were no v8s around anymore, agreed that this would be the way to go provided its been on the market for a while with known results. Otherwise I'll just buy a used v8 and flog it for a while.

 

[LugsLeadOut84]

This is the only battery operated vehicle I would ever own. After all, it had atomic batteries....
Yes, I was a kid in the 70's....

 

[tron67j]

Agree with ramffml, once this system is in service and kinks worked out, this might be a good option. And the engine would mitigate the batteries starting to degrade, so while it might need more gas after 10 years because the batteries are at, say 70% capacity, you could still have decent usage if you are like me and keep vehicles for years. I would never consider all electric as a long term own, most I would ever do is a short term lease and I never lease.

 

[GTyankee]

One EV JOKE
At a weekend Big Car Show this last week or two.
An announcement was made that an EV drove around the World, first EV to do it.
They were so proud of themselves, the drove an average of 128 miles a day !! They also stated they made the best mileage in the USA, because of all the CHARGING Stations.
ACTUALLY, Europe makes for better travel, because they have been using EV so much longer

Europe: number of electric vehicle charging stations 2022 | Statista

In 2022, there were roughly 535,700 public charging stations for electric vehicles in Europe (including Turkey).

www.statista.com

The 2nd thing is so close to MISLEADING, it is almost a right out FIB

A certain person that lives on Pennsylvania Ave.
Made a statement just last week:

He said that he was going to ROLL BACK the mandated Electric Vehicle Mandate, so now it will be some something like 2030something

Sounds great, well it is no longer in his power to do that, it is just a VOTE getter.

Now if all the Committees & Boards made that statement, it might be believable.
The EPA, the ZERO EMISSIONS Group, ETC. have sent out all the mandates, it is cast in Stone so to speak.
Right after the Elections, mr. forgetful would change things back, if he actually controlled it

 

[marine0311]

The Hemi is my shepherd; I shall not want.

It maketh me burnout on black pavements.

It leadeth me thru busy highways.

It restoreth my Soul.

It guides me in the path of quickness

For its name's sake!

Yea, though I walk thru the Valley of Rice

I shall fear no Turbo, for Torque art with me!

Thy Rod and thy Piston, they comfort me!

Thou preparest a track before me,

in the presence of mine enemies.

Thou hast anointed my engine with ACES IV

My bearings with QB oil

My Ram overpowers.

Surely Traction and Victory shall follow me

All the days of my life!

And I shall dwell within the house of the V8!

Forever and ever!

In the name of the Mopar, the Horsepower and the Torque.

 

[Docwagon1776]

An announcement was made that an EV drove around the World, first EV to do it.

Didn't it get pretty wet? HTF do you 'drive around the world'? Do laps on a ferry?

*ah, ok, they drove 1/2 way around the world and did it north to south. That's a bit less ocean-y. Some pretty beefy tires on it:

The Ariya had modifications like giant 39-inch tires, a skid plate under the chassis to protect the battery and an espresso machine in the trunk, “because I like my coffee. It keeps me awake in the morning,” said Chris.

Priorities are in order.

The married couple told me they planned on passing the time by listening to podcasts but they mostly talked to each other

More unbelievable than the EV not breaking down. Married couple talks for *real long road trip* and nobody is murdered? Fake news.

-source of quotes and photo: https://ktla.com/news/this-couple-drove-an-ev-from-the-north-pole-to-the-south-pole/

 

[gfh77665]

Well thats one RAM I will never buy...

 

[skates15]

How would you calculate the equivalent to MPG? For example would you simply divide the range by the number of gallons (27)? If so, that's about 25.5 MPG.

 

[Jimmy07]

How would you calculate the equivalent to MPG? For example would you simply divide the range by the number of gallons (27)? If so, that's about 25.5 MPG.

That’s only if you start with a fully charged battery and a full tank of gas, and you continually drive the range that gives you before ever recharging the battery. But nobody’s going to do that.
If someone never travels farther than the 145 mile battery range in a day, and recharges at home each night, they would never use any gas at all.
An example of my situation would be: I average about 27 miles a day, and two trips a year of about 1000 miles each. The only time I would use gas would be for those two 1000 mile trips, and the rest of the time the battery will always be charged at home, negating the need for the gas engine to be used.

So, with this ramcharger you could technically go from one end of the spectrum to the other- you possibly drive the vehicle without ever using any gas, and you could possibly drive the vehicle without ever plugging it in to charge it.

 

[Docwagon1776]

How would you calculate the equivalent to MPG? For example would you simply divide the range by the number of gallons (27)? If so, that's about 25.5 MPG.

Short answer for optimal conditions: (total trip miles - remaining electric only miles) = X.
If X is > 0: X / 20 = gallons consumed (Y)
if X is =<0: undefined, you'll end up trying to divide by zero so essentially infinite mpg.

Total trip miles / Y = mpg


Example with battery full charged:
Trip totaling 60 miles:

60-145 = -85.
Negative number, so stop. Undefined, no gasoline used.

Trip totaling 300 miles

(300-145) = 155
155 / 20 = 7.75
300 / 7.75 = 38.7 mpg


Longer answer:
You would have to know the intended use. If you only charge the battery once and fill the tank once: You'd do the calculation you suggest, total range / total miles traveled. That's unlikely to be anyone's use case, though, and actual mpg is going to vary dramatically based on use. Drive across country and never recharge the battery via plug-in except for at the starting line? Lower mpg equivalent. Drive around town for a month and never drain the battery? Essentially infinite mpg (can't divide by zero gallons used).

We can figure the expected highway mpg by (total range - electric only range) / gasoline capacity, which works out to 20.18.

So for back of the envelope calculations, you could calculate any given trip's expected mpg under optimal range maximizing conditions by:

(total trip - electric only range) / 20.18 = mpg rounded to 20

 

[KalboKalbs]

That’s only if you start with a fully charged battery and a full tank of gas, and you continually drive the range that gives you before ever recharging the battery. But nobody’s going to do that.
If someone never travels farther than the 145 mile battery range in a day, and recharges at home each night, they would never use any gas at all.
An example of my situation would be: I average about 27 miles a day, and two trips a year of about 1000 miles each. The only time I would use gas would be for those two 1000 mile trips, and the rest of the time the battery will always be charged at home, negating the need for the gas engine to be used.

So, with this ramcharger you could technically go from one end of the spectrum to the other- you possibly drive the vehicle without ever using any gas, and you could possibly drive the vehicle without ever plugging it in to charge it.

Seems like gas shelf life becomes an issue, for some Including folks that may us a stabilizer.

Sticking with ICE. <<< S I M P L E.

 

[lpennock]

Seems like gas shelf life becomes an issue, for some Including folks that may us a stabilizer.

That would be my concern with any Plugin hybrid. Gas is only stable for about six months before it needs to be run out. Even with stabilizer I would be concerned going over a year.

 

[Jimmy07]

Seems like gas shelf life becomes an issue, for some Including folks that may us a stabilizer.

Lucky for potential future Ramcharger owners, there’s no law saying that when you get gas at a gas station, you have to fill your tank up all the way. We’re free to only buy the amount of gas we think we’ll use over a period of time.
That, and there’s fuel stabilizers available on the market.
I think Ramcharger owners should be able to clear this gas shelf life obstacle pretty easily.

 

[skates15]

Super helpful replies and calculations, thank you. I forgot that this is also a plug-in.

If I'm towing 12k across 300 miles, then the 38.7 mpg would be reduced by half? Generally speaking, 300 miles flat highway elevation less than 1k.

Edit: wouldn't the gas motor keep the generator spinning to keep the batteries topped off while driving?

I'm having trouble wrapping my head around this since the motor drives the generator only, unlike the hybrids on the market today.

 

[Docwagon1776]

Super helpful replies and calculations, thank you. I forgot that this is also a plug-in.

If I'm towing 12k across 300 miles, then the 38.7 mpg would be reduced by half? Generally speaking, 300 miles flat highway elevation less than 1k.

Edit: wouldn't the gas motor keep the generator spinning to keep the batteries topped off while driving?

I'm having trouble wrapping my head around this since the motor drives the generator only, unlike the hybrids on the market today.

I've no idea what sort of mileage you'll get towing. Probably pretty similar to a current V6 truck once the battery is drained from the plug in, with a slight increase due to regenerative braking and less driveline loss.

Yes, the gas motor never drives the wheels. It only powers a generator to charge the battery to run the electric motor. As others have pointed out, it's how modern locomotives run. You get the instant torque of an EV but the "unlimited" range of liquid fuel (assuming refueling capability, obviously).

 

[M60A3 Driver]

I'll never by any electric vehicle. They cause more pollution than they claim to save. Look up the leech fields for the batteries, the mines, toxic fumes released in the manufacturing process. Also, lithium batteries explode when they come in contact with salt water. Etc...