Electric RAM 1500 concept is...surprisingly awesome?

[Kaido]

We'll see how many of the concepts make it out to production later this year, but DANG!

Electric Ram 1500 Truck Takes Fight to Ford, Chevy, Tesla With Third Row, Wild Features

Ram's EV pickup may be late, but it wants nothing less than to revolutionize trucks.

www.motortrend.com

I haven't had the best success with FCA in the past, but design-wise, this is really more what I envisioned the Tesla Cybertruck looking like:

 

[herm0016]

it does look cool. also, they basically copied the GM EV truck in a lot of ways.

I would be surprised if they can get a good side impact rating with the huge door opening. it's the reason we don't get those type of doors on the extended cab trucks like we used to. I would be surprised if that makes it to production.

 

[zinfamous]

It looks like the inside of some teenager's gaming PC.

 

[snoopy7548]

But can you throw a steel ball at the windows without them breaking?

 

[DooKey]

Looks like something Hyundai would design.

 

[K1052]

I think its an effective design for them. I can really see one of these aggressively tailgating me and everybody else on the road or wrapped around a tree due to DUI. So basically a perfect look for most of their market.

 

[darkswordsman17]

I'm fairly impressed, they really did a lot of clever practicality things like the telescoping bed floor to extend the bed (although I don't think they're the first that showed off that and we'll see if it makes production or not). Supposedly there's jump seats, although I much would have preferred them offering 6 individually adjustable seats internally as well.

I can do without the digital infotainment setup combined with the pointlessly ridiculous center console, but I do like the heads up display, although with cost and chip shortages I'd think a 2nd or 3rd Gen Prius like dash up near the front of the windshield would be more cost effective and they could make it fancier without much work.

Design wise it looks like the typical modern style. The headlights actually make me think bowtie and I'm still baffled at their decision to ditch the crosshair grille for RAM in big stupid letters.

The doors won't make production. Although I'd think they could come up with a system that would make that viable for crash protection (like integrated beam in the rear doors where a hydraulic locking pin slides up/down to lock it in place. Honestly though, sliding doors would offer better practicality. I also think shorter doors where the lower like 1/4 flips down for the step would be better.

I would like most of these ideas but in a more compact truck. Even one with a bed extension that's almost more of an integrated trailer. So move the rear wheels forward and shorten the bed, but then when you actually need to haul something it slides in and locks in and looks just like an extra axle/more bed, could even do multiple lengths or one that has 2-3 extra axles worth. With electric motors and integrated steering of all the wheels it wouldn't even be limited in maneuverability while being able to increase the power for hauling. Plus it could come with like an integrated engine/generator to compensate for reduced range from towing/etc.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Great to see more competition on this front. Just wish one company would design a plain jane single cab long box though. I don't really care about all these fancy electronics I just want an electric work truck that's affordable.

The way the box extends is kind of neat, but I feel mechanisms like this would get full of dirt over time and not operate smoothly. Just give me a 8 foot box to begin with.

 

[Kaido]

I never thought I'd consider an FCA product again, but dang man:

 

[Brainonska511]

More bloated EV land barges that will be deadlier for everyone outside of the vehicle in a collision thanks to the added weight. Just an absolute waste of scarce battery making resources that could have gone towards making more small EVs.

 

[Homerboy]

More bloated EV land barges that will be deadlier for everyone outside of the vehicle in a collision thanks to the added weight. Just an absolute waste of scarce battery making resources that could have gone towards making more small EVs.

Agreed. Efficiency is scaling down.

 

[Kaido]

BOO! HISS!

Stellantis reveals pre-production variant of Ram 1500 REV

Stellantis has shared a first look at a production variant of the Ram 1500 REV, showing off a more conservative EV than the automaker promised at CES.

www.engadget.com

The pre-production version looks like the Kmart Edition of the 1500 concept, bah: (shocked? no. disappointed? yeah...)



I mean, it's fine, I guess, although this shot makes it look more glamorous than it really is:



Because in the commercial in movement, it actually looks like this, with that big glossy nose that so many EV's have:



They just made it kinda...boring & generic:

 

[rstrohkirch]

Ok, so I'm not exactly sure what the point of creating the concept vehicle was. Considering they turned around and released intended production images one month later that look absolutely nothing like the concept, inside or out. They didn't even replicate the center stack even though it is very obvious they knew what they were going to use.

This has to be one of the worst concept to production I've ever seen. Not because the production model is completely different but because they essentially released them at the same time. It makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Yeah the production version is so lame in comparison, its just a current RAM. I understand why Ford made the Lightning very compatible with the normal F150, I understand it much less with RAM (although I suppose it might in some ways make more sense there in Dodge wanting to maximize economies of scale even more), and that goes double for them acting like its revolutionary.

A cab forward (callback to 90s Chrysler) compact (like Dakota size) pickup with the trick interior/bed and tailgate would have been mega popular I think. Maybe that's still on the table (and more what the concept is previewing?). If they did it even smarter they could get an electric Durango out of it as well (where you could put on a bed cap that would turn it into a 3 row SUV). And they could double up by adjusting the Jeep Gladiator to offer similar. Between those two alone they could probably absorb most of Chrysler's pure electrification production for awhile. Make the RAM a compact diesel hybrid, offering similar output to the Cummins diesel but with much better fuel economy would help them as well.

On the one hand, I like that Chrysler is embracing electrification, but on the other, oof. This isn't the way to do it. I'm also hoping they adjust the design of their muscle car before production, although I'm also glad they didn't just make an electric Challenger either.

Guess that makes it easy then, looks like the GM stuff is the closest to offering what I want so far (flexible interior, especially with the bed/cabin although I think that might be limited to the GMC version).

 

[Commodus]

The sad thing about the Ram 1500 isn't so much that it's a tamer design (it's alright), it's that other American brands are using the EV transition to shake up their designs and Stellantis... isn't, at least so far. Even the Maseratis are basically the same as before.

There is such a thing as being too clever with design, but Chevy even managed to make the Blazer and Equinox EVs look good... c'mon, Stellantis, do better!

 

[Kaido]

The sad thing about the Ram 1500 isn't so much that it's a tamer design (it's alright), it's that other American brands are using the EV transition to shake up their designs and Stellantis... isn't, at least so far. Even the Maseratis are basically the same as before.

There is such a thing as being too clever with design, but Chevy even managed to make the Blazer and Equinox EVs look good... c'mon, Stellantis, do better!

I think they did a great job with the Chevy Silverado EV, excited to see these on the road!

 

[Kaido]

500 mile range

110 miles of range in 10 minutes on quick charge mode

Dang!

 

[Brainonska511]

500 mile range

110 miles of range in 10 minutes on quick charge mode

Dang!

It's insane that the 500-mile one will require a 229 kWh battery. That's enough battery for 4 standard range electric cars and almost 3 extended range variants. Auto companies' marketing has really done a number on Americans' preference for oversized land barges that just so happen to be extremely profitable for manufacturers.

 

[Kaido]

It's insane that the 500-mile one will require a 229 kWh battery. That's enough battery for 4 standard range electric cars and almost 3 extended range variants. Auto companies' marketing has really done a number on Americans' preference for oversized land barges that just so happen to be extremely profitable for manufacturers.

My buddy had the Honda Fit EV compliance car for many years (82-mile advertised range)...it had a 20 kWh battery LOL. Not only that, but supposedly an even BIGGER battery for the RAM is coming out:

All-new, All-electric 2025 Ram 1500 REV Unveiled at New York International Auto Show with Targeted Range of up to an Unsurpassed 500 Miles | Stellantis

Ram 1500 REV to provide customers the industry’s best combination of range, towing, payload and charge time <li

www.stellantis.com

"Ram 1500 REV XR with class-shattering range to follow". Tesla has advertised that their Roadster 2.0 will have a 620-mile range, which I imagine would be offered in something like the mythical quad-motor variant of the Cybertruck as like a $100k+ option, so if that battery tech already exists, maybe RAM is going to capitalize on that! What's interesting is that Stellantis (aka FCA aka Dodge) is coming out with 75 EV's by 2030, with at least 25 of them coming to America:

Stellantis launching at least 25 EVs for America by 2030

Stellantis announces broad product plans through 2030 including at least 25 EVs for America as part of a goal of zero net carbon emissions by 2038.

www.autoblog.com

My question is, where are they going to get all of those batteries from? Tesla has the Giga factories in Nevada & China; the Nevada one is on track to be the biggest building footprint in the world once fully built out...curious how source the lithium & manufacturing is going to go for EV manufacturers over the next decade!

 

[Brainonska511]

My question is, where are they going to get all of those batteries from? Tesla has the Giga factories in Nevada & China; the Nevada one is on track to be the biggest building footprint in the world once fully built out...curious how source the lithium & manufacturing is going to go for EV manufacturers over the next decade!

Strip mine the earth of course. It certainly won't come because we're going to start making smarter choices about how we use these limited resources.

 

[Kaido]

Strip mine the earth of course. It certainly won't come because we're going to start making smarter choices about how we use these limited resources.

WHEW, thank goodness! I was worried there for a second!!

Watch 1st aerial footage of gigantic, breakaway Antarctic iceberg the size of Los Angeles

Researchers from the British Antarctic Survey recently captured the first close-up video of A81, an enormous iceberg that broke off the Brunt Ice Shelf in January.

www.livescience.com

 

[Red Squirrel]

In theory there should be a circular supply chain where old batteries get recycled to recover all the minerals, but considering they're already running out of lithium so early in the game is kind of grim. The cost of extraction and manufacture is going up at a rapid rate and this is reflected in the vehicle prices. These are not affordable for the average person and will continue to go up in price.

 

[Ken g6]

In theory there should be a circular supply chain where old batteries get recycled to recover all the minerals, but considering they're already running out of lithium so early in the game is kind of grim. The cost of extraction and manufacture is going up at a rapid rate and this is reflected in the vehicle prices. These are not affordable for the average person and will continue to go up in price.

A couple of cars in China are getting sodium-ion batteries. Likely most of us will use those, and we can leave lithium to the rich.

Oh, wait, I'm talking to AT ballers. You'll get lithium and everyone else will get sodium.

 

[IronWing]

In theory there should be a circular supply chain where old batteries get recycled to recover all the minerals, but considering they're already running out of lithium so early in the game is kind of grim. The cost of extraction and manufacture is going up at a rapid rate and this is reflected in the vehicle prices. These are not affordable for the average person and will continue to go up in price.

I took a class with a guy who worked at a lithium battery research company. He said attempts to recycle the batteries have been mostly a bust. The chemistry involved is way too dirty.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I took a class with a guy who worked at a lithium battery research company. He said attempts to recycle the batteries have been mostly a bust. The chemistry involved is way too dirty.

There are places that do it but yeah it's a dirty process, and don't think they can get 100% of the material back either.

Hopefully the Sodium batteries end up being better in that sense even if they are not as dense. need to find a happy medium.