The maker of the most popular big pick-up truck in Australia has taken the covers off its all-new model that is unlike any of its other trucks.
Ram’s new battery-electric pick-up truck isn’t what it appears to be.
Dubbed the Ram 1500 Ramcharger the American brand’s boss Tim Kuniskis calls it the “ultimate electric truck” with “unlimited battery-electric range” and “zero need for a public charger”.
It achieves this claim by using a 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine as a backup generator that can charge the 92kWh battery on the go, but the wheels are only ever driven by two electric motors.
The Ram 1500 Ramcharger has a big battery and a petrol engine to charge it.
This set-up is in contrast to full electric pick-ups such as the Ford F-150 Lightning that has no on-board petrol or diesel engine.
Ram doesn’t provide how much fuel it uses when recharging the battery or what the driving range is if you only rely on the battery.
Nissan uses a similar set-up in its e-power hybrids where a petrol engine is used as a generator to power electric motors that drive the wheels.
Ram says this petrol-electric set-up gives it a maximum driving range of up to 1110km before it either has to be filled up with petrol or plugged into a charging station.
It can tow more than 6000kg.
On paper the Ramcharger has some impressive numbers.
The brand says it aims for the two electric motors to produce a combined output of 495kW and 834Nm that’ll propel it to 100km/h from a standstill in a little more than 4.4 seconds.
Its load lugging ability is impressive with a max tow capacity of 6350kg and a payload of up to 1191kg.
The Ramcharger also has vehicle to home and vehicle to load functions that allows owners to power their house or appliances from the pick-up.
The Ramcharger will be able to power your home or worksite.
It can accept a max charge rate of 145kW from a DC fast charger that adds about 80km of range in 10 minutes.
The Ramcharger is built on a rugged ladder frame that underpins the world’s toughest off-road vehicles such as the Toyota LandCruiser and popular dual-cab utes such as the Ford Ranger.
Inside there are plenty of nice touches including a 10-inch central display paired with a 12.3-inch driver’s instrument display.
The cabin has plenty of luxe features.
Ram is planning on launching the vehicle in 2025 in the US but there is no word on when the vehicle might appear Down Under.
Rams are imported into Australia and converted into right-hand drive in a factory in Melbourne.
American pick-up trucks are becoming increasingly popular in Australia with Ram’s sales up more than 27 per cent this year. This has spurred Ford to launch its F-150 in Australia and Toyota is also exploring whether to bring the big Tundra Down Under.
The increasing popularity of the big pick-up trucks has led to a backlash from many Aussie motorists who bemoan their enormous size that makes them too big for most parking spots in Australia.
Keyword: 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger revealed