Ram electric pickup truck can go 500 miles on a charge, says Stellantis
Stellantis chief executive Carlos Tavares has said in the past that the company's electric Ram pickup truck
By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNN
Stellantis chief executive Carlos Tavares has said in the past that the company’s electric Ram pickup truck, while being later to the market than trucks from major competitors, would surpass them in range and capability. On Wednesday, the company put some specific numbers behind the CEO’s claims.
While final figures have yet to be announced, Stellantis expects the fully electric Ram 1500 REV pickup will be able to drive 500 miles on a single charge, much farther than either the Ford F-150 Lightning or General Motors’ Chevrolet Silverado 1500 EV and GMC Sierra EV. GM expects to get 400 miles of range from its electric trucks. Long-range versions of Ford’s Lightning can go up to 320 miles on a charge, according to EPA estimates. Tesla claims its Cybertruck will also have a maximum 500 miles of range, however.
The Ram REV will also be able to tow as much 14,000 pounds, according to Stellantis, a figure that matches Tesla’s claim for the Cybertruck. GM’s trucks will be able to pull a 10,000-pound trailer and Ford’s truck can pull a similar amount. GM has said that versions capable of towing 20,000 pounds will be available later on, though.
Electric motors have a lot of pulling power, which is good for towing heavy loads, but doing so can greatly diminish driving range. That’s one reason why having a lot of range can be an especially good thing in an electric truck. A (presumably less expensive) version of the Ram REV will also be offed with a range of up to 350 miles, according to Stellantis.
The pickup truck battle of numbers isn’t just limited to power and pulling, however. Even the “frunk,” or front trunk, will hold more than GM’s and Ford’s truck according to Stellantis. The Ram REV will have 15 cubic feet of storage space under its large hood, while Ford claims 14 cubic feet of frunk space in the Lightning and GM claims only nine cubic feet in the Chevrolet EV truck.
While acceleration is not ordinarily considered a key selling point for a pickup, Stellantis said the Ram REV will be able to go from zero to 60 miles an hour in about 4.4 seconds. That’s similar to what GM claims for its trucks. Car and Driver tested a high-end version of the Ford F-150 Lightning and found it can get to 60 miles an hour in a little under four seconds. Tesla claims its Cybertruck will be able go from zero to 60 miles an hour in under three seconds.
The Ram REV will be powered by two 250 kilowatt — or 335 horsepower — electric motors: one powering the front wheels, the other in the back. The truck’s total maximum power output will be 654 horsepower which, compared to even high-performance gas-powered trucks, is a lot. Even the Ram TRX, a pickup designed for high-speed desert driving, has a 702-horsepower V8 engine, only slightly more power than the Ram REV.
The Ram 1500 REV will go on sale late next year, by which time the Chevrolet, GM and Tesla trucks should already be on the market.
Tavares has previously said that another version of the truck will also be offered later with a gasoline engine that can be used to recharge the truck’s batteries as it drives. Essentially a plug-in hybrid, that truck will be for customers who aren’t ready to trust a fully electric truck.
While Tavares has, repeatedly, expressed skepticism that fully electric vehicles are the best way to address the global climate crisis — arguing that more affordable hybrid vehicles would be better — he has also said that Stellantis will compete in electric propulsion since that is what current regulations in major markets demand.
“I love racing. I love competition,” said Tavares, who is an amateur racing driver, at a recent event. “So if you define the frame of the competition with that kind of regulatory framework, I’m fine with competing.”
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