The 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger brings back an old name, but this truck has some new tricks.
Although its biggest trick will sound familiar to students of one particular recent attempt to think of electrification in a new way.
The Ramcharger uses two electric-drive modules (EDMs), one at each axle, to get power to the ground. The front electric-drive module — yes we know this sounds like a fancy way of saying “electric motor” — makes 250 kilowatts and the rear 238. A 92-kilowatt-hour battery and a 130-kilowatt generator combine to bring the juice. Ram is touting a total system horsepower of 663 with 615 lb-ft of torque and a range of 690 miles.
The towing capacity is 14,000 pounds, with a payload of up to 2,625 pounds.
The Ramcharger rides on Stellantis’ STLA Frame body-on-frame platform for large electric vehicles and it offers vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-home charging.
It also offers up something that caught our eye — the generator is fueled by a 3.6-liter V6. Yes, an internal combustion engine.
It works like this — the V6 produces mechanical power, the generator turns that into electric power, and that electric power either charges a depleted battery or goes right to the EDMs if the driver wants to save battery charge.
Or the EDMs can use generator power AND battery power for, uh, max power (apologies to Homer Simpson).
Sound familiar? Yes, the Ramcharger is basically an extended-range electric. There is apparently no mechanical connection between the V6 and the wheels.
The Pentastar V6 is changed so that the onboard generator can mount directly to it. A power inverter module connects to a junction box.
The battery pack mounts under the truck, allowing it to have a flat floor.
Ram says customers can gain 50 miles of range in 10 minutes via 400-volt DC fast charging at up to 145 kW.
The frame is widened in the middle to accommodate the battery pack, and Ramchargers will be visually distinct from gas 1500s, including different LED lighting front and rear. Still, there will be features available on the Ramcharger that come from the gas trucks. For example: An adjustable air suspension. Another example is Hands-free Highway Assist.
The charge port will offer Level 1 and 2 AC charging on the top and DC fast charging on the bottom.
Inside, the duds will include available features like Klipsch Reference Premiere audio, the latest version of UConnect infotainment, digital keys, and a 10.25-inch screen for passengers.
There will be an e-save drive mode and buttons that control the amount of regen, and the UConnect system will offer EV Pages that can show the driver a whole host of EV-related data.
Like with the ICE Ram, the Ramcharger will be available with the ultra-lux Tungsten trim.
Pricing and an on-sale date aren’t currently known, but we bank on an early 2025 or late 2024 arrival.
[Images: Ram]
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