The TRX isn’t going extinct and you won’t find a turbo-4 under the hood of a Ram pickup truck anytime soon.
During a wide ranging interview with Motor Authority at the 2022 New York auto show, Ram CEO Mike Koval, Jr. had a lot to say about the brand’s future product and powertrains.
2022 Ram 1500 TRX Ignition Edition
TRX not going extinct
Koval didn’t mince words. “No,” was the short, blunt, and clear response given when asked if the TRX dies after the 2023 model year, which is when Dodge CEO Tim Kunskis told MA the Hellcat twins as we know them will disappear.
The current plan, according to Koval, calls for the TRX to not only exist beyond 2023, but exist in its current form. The executive wouldn’t disclose why the TRX will get to live on beyond when the Hellcats go extinct. At that point, it will theoretically become the only vehicle with the supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat V-8 as the Charger and Challenger model Hellcats will fade away after 2023, and the Jeep Trackhawk and Dodge Durango Hellcat are already gone.
Either the TRX will continue because emissions regulations are more permissive for pickup trucks or Koval was being coy with what “its current form” meant. It could mean it will continue as a high-speed desert runner but with a different powertrain.
Head of Jeep brand Jim Morrison told MA at the show that the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, which had Hellcat power in its last generation, might not return. And while performance Grand Cherokees are far from dead, they will not be powered by a V-8. Stellantis will electrify the new turbocharged inline-6 announced with the long wheelbase Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. In standard output form this engine produces 420 hp and 486 lb-ft of torque, while a high output version is rated at 510 hp and 500 lb-ft. The addition of an electric motor to the 8-speed automatic transmission could potentially raise the powertrain’s output beyond 700 hp without boosting engine output, and Jeep engineers told MA there’s room left to increase power in the engine itself. Could the TRX get electrified with or without a plug?
Teaser for electric Ram 1500 due in 2024
Range-extender and electric models coming, no turbo-4 engines
Koval once again confirmed that alongside the electric Ram pickup, which will arrive for 2024, Ram will offer a range-extended gas model. The executive wouldn’t detail the latter’s powertrain.
According to Koval, the range-extended Ram will “have everything a BEV (the electric Ram) does but more,” in reference to capability and more importantly, range. Range is a key concern of customers and the range-extender is meant to address that, specifically when towing or hauling a load. The executive would not confirm whether the range-extended truck and electric truck, the latter set to ride on the frame version of the STLA chassis, will share platforms or if the range-extended model will be based on the gas-powered truck.
When asked if product plans call for a Ram pickup to have a turbo-4 under its hood, Koval said no. That means the Ram won’t get a powertrain like the one found in the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe, which makes 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque, besting the available 5.7-liter V-8.
The electric Ram 1500 to be shown later this year will be known as the Vision Truck. It will preview the electric truck. The production truck’s design has not been locked in or finalized, according to Koval.
Electrification in the Ram lineup will extend beyond the light-duty segment. Koval said the heavy-duty segment will be electrified. First he said it will probably take place in the 2030s, then noted he expects that timeline to be pulled forward dramatically. Koval believes hydrogen fuel cells could be an interesting solution for heavy duty and chassis cab buyers, noting the automaker is looking at it closely but nothing has been decided as of now.
Finally, when asked if there’s a set end date for the internal combustion engine at Ram Koval was quick to respond with a one-word response. “No.”
Keyword: Ram boss: TRX lives on past Dodge Hellcats, no turbo-4 for Ram pickups