Update: ‘Interior’ and ‘Range & Charging’ sections updated.
It is no news that Ram is transitioning to EVs slower than its rivals, but it has an exciting product in the pipeline – the Ram 1500 REV. Ram, “the only dedicated truck and van brand,” as CEO Mike Koval Jr. proudly markets it, plans to launch its first electric truck in 2024. Here’s everything we know about the Ram 1500 electric truck:
Design
The Ram 1500 REV isn’t a model designed as an electric vehicle from the outset. It’s a modified version of the combustion-engined Ram 1500, which is why it has a familiar shape and similar proportions. There are some design differences, though, mostly concentrated at the front.
The first production Ram electric truck features a revised version of the Ram 1500 Revolution concept’s tuning fork LED headlights, a gloss black panel along with an illuminated Ram logo between the headlights, a new bumper, and a new lower air intake. The hood is also new, which makes it look a little cleaner than that of the ICE model. It features “REV” branding, just like on the concept.
On the sides, the 1500 EV sports six-spoke aero wheels to give it a proper EV look. A flap above the left-side front wheel arch opens up its charging port. At the rear, the electric truck features new tail lamps with horizontal extensions inward at the top and a tailgate with new sculpting and block-lettered brand inscription.
Interior
A few changes have been made to the interior of the Ram 1500 REV, but the overall design and layout remain the same as the gas-powered truck. The electric model’s touchscreen is probably slightly taller than the donor model’s 12-inch unit. It probably measures 15 inches diagonally. Obviously, the infotainment system of the electric model has some exclusive content related to power management.
In the electric model, the center console panel that houses the switches for adjusting ride height, turning on or off parking sensors, and a variety of other functions is missing. Most of these functions seem to have been integrated into the touchscreen infotainment system. A small change here is the addition of additional USB ports.
The most unique feature is the inclusion of a passenger display, which Stellantis first introduced in Jeep models. We can already see it gives music controls, and we expect it to let the front passenger use the EV’s navigation system as well.
The electric truck should get firmware-over-the-air (FOTA) upgrades for improved performance and efficiency throughout its lifecycle. Mamatha Chamarthi, the company’s SVP for Software Business & Product, has suggested that software-enabled performance upgrades will be available after the delivery.
For our Ram pickup owners, customers can increase the capability of their truck to handle greater loads.
Mamatha Chamarthi, SVP – Software Business & Product, Stellantis (Stellantis Software Day 2021 on December 7, 2021)
Platform & Capability
STLA Frame
The Ram 1500 REV will be the first model based on the STLA Frame platform. STLA Frame is a body-on-frame platform for full-size electric vehicles and it has double the normal operating voltage – 800 V.
Motors
Two electric motors, one for each axle, will likely be standard in Ram 1500 electric. Ram could offer RWD configurations later if there’s enough demand, though. Later launches may include street-performance- and off-road performance-oriented triple-motor AWD configurations as well.
There are rumors of powertrains with up to 885 horsepower! Crazy as that sounds, we don’t think it’s undoable, especially if you consider the fact that the gas-powered 1500 already packs up to 702 horsepower. Koval Jr. has confirmed that the STLA Frame platform allows installing up to three electric motors, Mopar Insiders reported on January 10, 2023.
Air suspension
The 1500 REV would have a self-leveling capability, thanks to an air suspension. The driver will likely be able to adjust the height to a lower level for maximum aerodynamic efficiency on the highway, a higher level during off-roading, or somewhere in between in other situations.
Four-wheel steering
A four-wheel steering system will likely make maneuvering the 1500 electric in the city and on tight off-road trails more easily and give it more stability on the highway. It may allow the rear wheels to turn up to 15°.
Class-leading towing & payload
Our Ram 1500 EV is coming to the hot pickup market in 2024. According to our internal performance index our Ram 1500 will outperform all competitors on the attributes customers care most about: range, towing, payload, charge time. Really thrilling! It’s built on top of our new STLA Frame architecture, designed specifically for electric vehicles. Make no doubt, we’ll bring the best electric truck to the full-size segment!
Carlos Tavares, CEO, Stellantis (Stellantis long-term strategic plan on March 1, 2022
The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning can haul 2,235 pounds, while the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV will offer up to 1,300 pounds of payload capacity. As for the towing capacity, the F-150 Lightning can tow up to 10,000 pounds, while the Silverado EV, with an optional package, will be able to do up to 20,000 pounds! Like the F-150 Lightning, the Ram 1500 REV may come with a spare wheel below the bed.
Locally-sourced batteries
The Ram 1500 REV will utilize batteries that are manufactured in North America, eventually, if not next year. On March 23, 2021, Stellantis announced it will create a lithium-ion battery production plant in Windsor (Ontario), Canada, in partnership with LG Energy Solution. The annual production capacity of this facility will be 45-gigawatt hours. Production will start by Q1 2024 (January-March 2024). Stellantis and LG Energy Solution will invest CAD 5 billion (USD 3.7 billion) in this facility.
On May 24, 2022, Stellantis announced it will set up a lithium-ion battery production plant in the United States in a joint venture with Samsung SDI. Located in Kokomo, Indiana, this plant will have an annual production capacity of 23 GWh initially and a potential to scale up to 33 GWh at a later stage. Operations will start in 2025 if everything goes as planned. A joint investment of over USD 2.5 billion will go into this factory. Either of the two plants should supply the Ram electric truck.
The new facility (in Kokomo, Indiana) will supply battery modules for a range of vehicles produced at Stellantis’ North American assembly plants. Plant construction activities are scheduled to begin later this year with production operations planned to launch in the first quarter of 2025.
Stellantis announcement on May 24, 2022
Range & Charging
The Ram 1500 REV will likely support DC fast charging at up to 350 kW, thanks to its 800V architecture. At that rate, it should gain up to 100 miles of range in just about ten minutes.
Ram had confirmed in 2021 that the 1500 EV would feature dynamic range mapping, a charge station locator, EV dynamic trip energy prediction, smartphone controls, and smart charging/vehicle preconditioning. Vehicle-to-Load, Vehicle-to-Home, and Vehicle-to-Vehicle functions will also be available. As seen in the pictures in the Interior section, the electric pickup will indeed ship with Vehicle-to-Load, Vehicle-to-Home, and Vehicle-to-Vehicle functions.
In an interview with Detroit Free Press at the 2022 Detroit Auto Show (September 14-25, 2022), Koval Jr. said that the acceptance of electrification in pickups is increasing, but customers don’t want to sacrifice the key attributes like towing and hauling, and in the future, they wouldn’t want to compromise on the range and charging time aspects either. 300-350 miles is seemingly the minimum expectation, and Ram will “push past” what rivals have announced from 2024, the brand boss added.
The F-150 Lightning can deliver an EPA-est. range of up to 320 miles, while the Silverado EV rolling out in 2023 will travel over 400 miles on a full charge, as per GM’s estimation. Tesla, meanwhile, has promised up to 500 miles of range in the Cybertruck.
Ram E-Technologies
- Power & Torque
- Fuel Economy
- On-board power
- Unique style/proportion
- All the driving characteristics of BEVs with real-world range and flexibility
Ram 1500 REV release date
The Ram electric truck will start arriving at U.S. dealerships in 2024, but it will have its world premiere in 2023. Its production will also start in 2024. On February 12, 2023, the new electric pickup had its virtual reveal in a 60-second “Premature Electrification” Super Bowl TV commercial. Reservations opened the same day.
Video Source: YouTube/Ram Trucks
Prospective customers who want to reserve the Ram 1500 Electric need to sign up for a Ram REV Insider+ membership by paying a refundable fee of USD 100. The membership also gives reservation holders exclusive access to events, news, and information about the model.
Reservations were fashionably closed quickly after they were opened, in just five days. We think the demand might not have been extremely high; maybe it’s just that Ram purposely took unusually lower reservations, possibly anticipating limited production during the initial stage.
Ram 1500 REV Price
In an interview with Motor Authority in January 2023, Koval Jr. said that the Ram 1500 REV will include “something for everybody.” From a work/fleet-oriented trim – ‘Tradesmen’ in Ram parlance, through more feature-packed Longhorn and Limited Premium trims, to the off-road performance-oriented TRX trim, the first Ram electric truck would serve all types of customers of the brand. The launch of mid-range trims may take place a little later.
Ford set the benchmark for pricing high-volume electric full-size pickups in 2021, which General Motors bettered in 2022. The Blue Oval lost it to the Golden Bowtie after the price of its F-150 Lightning shot up from USD 39,974 to USD 46,974 with the MY2023 update (currently at USD 55,974!). The Chevrolet Silverado EV (Work Truck), priced from USD 39,900, will be the cheapest electric truck in this category, when it hits the market this Spring.
We feel that Ram would price the 1500 REV from around USD 40,000 for competitiveness.
Ram to continue using the internal combustion engine
The launch of the Ram electric truck won’t mean the end for gas- and diesel-powered Ram 1500 models. Speaking to Road & Track in January 2023, Koval Jr. affirmed internal combustion engined-Ram truck models aren’t going out of showrooms anytime soon. Initially, Ram electric trucks will complement the regular Ram trucks that customers are familiar with and are affordable.
Previously, in an interview with YouTube channel Pickup Truck Plus SUV Talk at the New York International Auto Show in April 2022, Koval Jr. indicated that Ram doesn’t want to force EVs onto customers.
Dealer preparations
Stellantis’ U.S. dealerships, presumably including those of the Ram brand, are preparing for electrification. In an announcement on November 29, 2022, the parent company revealed that close to 70% of dealers are evaluating their readiness for electric vehicles. It has partnered with Michigan-based Future Energy to help dealers get the required EV integration services. Stellantis plans to offer 25 BEVs in the U.S. and aims to convert 50% of annual sales in the country to BEVs by 2030.
According to a report Automotive News published on December 2, 2022, Phil Langley, the head of the company’s network development for North America, said that the aim is to have the charging infrastructure installed at dealerships by Q1 2024. That will likely be when the company’s first wave of BEVs (New Fiat 500e, Jeep Recon, and Ram 1500 REV) will likely go on sale. Hiring Future Energy for upgrading dealerships is not mandatory, though, with Langley saying dealers are free to meet requirements independently. Stellantis wants dealers to offer Level 3 fast-charging points to customers.
TopElectricSUV says
The Ram 1500 electric truck will be a bit late to the electric truck segment, but Stellantis and Ram officials are indicating that the wait will be worth it, as their product will deliver the best in aspects that matter to customers the most. We find it hard to imagine that Ram will be able to beat Tesla and GM, who have been developing EVs for years and are already in the lead. However, we would love to be proven wrong!
Ram 1500 REV FAQs
What is the Ram 1500 REV release date?
The Ram 1500 REV will debut in 2023 and will start reaching dealers in 2024.
What will be the Ram 1500 REV price?
The base Ram 1500 REV could cost around USD 40,000.
Which models will be Ram 1500 REV rivals?
The Ram 1500 REV will compete with the Tesla Cybertruck, Ford F-150 Lightning & Chevrolet Silverado EV.
Featured Image Source: Stellantis
A Mechanical Engineer by qualification, I started out as an automotive editor of a regional magazine in 2011. In my 11 years of experience in creating automotive content, I’ve traveled around the world to review, analyze and report on the world’s top electrified cars.
