{"id":34172,"date":"2025-02-26T20:44:15","date_gmt":"2025-02-27T00:44:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=34172"},"modified":"2025-02-26T20:44:15","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T00:44:15","slug":"the-goldilocks-truck-ram-says-the-ramcharger-reev-is-just-right-for-the-electrified-age","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/the-goldilocks-truck-ram-says-the-ramcharger-reev-is-just-right-for-the-electrified-age","title":{"rendered":"The Goldilocks truck: Ram says the Ramcharger REEV is just right for the electrified age"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">In the electrified era, common acronyms include EV, HEV and PHEV. \u00a0Get used to a new term: REEV.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Ram on Tuesday introduced its new Range Extender Electric Vehicle (REEV), the 2026 Ram 1500 Ramcharger. The Ramcharger is a truck for customers who want electric vehicle (EV) performance but with the range of a Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV). Its internal combustion engine (ICE) \u2014 a 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 \u2014 acts as a generator and kicks in when the battery bricks. It&#8217;s just like a gas generator connected to your house when the electric power goes out.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis calls it the Goldilocks truck: it\u2019s just right for the electrified customer who wants EV performance and ICE utility. It\u2019s also just right for Stellantis NV, which has faced massive government fines for selling too many V-8 ICEs and not enough green EVs.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/02\/25\/PDTN\/80093521007-ram-1500-ramcharger-fascia.jpg?width=990&amp;height=523&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" width=\"556\" height=\"294\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_cap gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>2026 Ram 1500 Ramcharger painted fascia<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_crd gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>Stellantis, Ram<\/em><\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Kuniskis made it clear that government rules have forced the industry to make EVs to \u201ccomply with the regulations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cWho is calling the shots? The government? Or is it the customer that used to be the case?\u201d he said standing in front of the Ramcharger\u2019s huge, 7,507-pound fame.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">With the auto industry\/government bet on EVs souring and electric truck sales stalled, Ram is determined to make an electrified pickup that will satisfy both its masters, consumer and bureaucrat. So it has moved up production of the Ramcharger to the second half of 2025 due to \u201coverwhelming\u201d consumer interest while indefinitely postponing its battery-only, so-called Ram REV pickup. It claims the Ramcharger meets California\u2019s increasingly stringent SULEV III regulations that are targeting all-electric sales by 2035.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Here are five things about the Ramcharger.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong>1) How REEV works.<\/strong>\u00a0Unlike a HEV or Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV), the Ramcharger is an EV with gas-engine assist \u2014 not a gas engine with electric assist.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Like an EV, the Ramcharger\u2019s big 92-kWh battery (about the size of a long-range Tesla Model X) powers twin drive motors, one on each axle. Only when the battery is depleted will the generator \u2014 aka, the V-6 \u2014 kick in to power the battery and generate enough juice to turn the motors. There is no direct connection from engine to wheels.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/02\/25\/PDTN\/80093524007-ram-1500-ramcharger-chassis.jpg?width=990&amp;height=537&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" width=\"507\" height=\"275\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_cap gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>The chassis of the 2026 Ram 1500 Ramcharger.<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_crd gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>Stellantis, \u00a9 2023 Stellantis<\/em><\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Charge the battery overnight and the Ramcharger will deliver about 145 miles of electric range. When that depletes, the ICE kicks in for an estimated total electric-gas range of 690 miles. No long stops at charging stations on road trips. No range anxiety.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cCharging? Who cares?\u201d said Kuniskis. \u201cIt runs off the generator.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside id=\"gnt_atomsnc\" class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_anc\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"loadAnc\" aria-label=\"Newsletter signup form\">\n<div class=\"label\" hidden=\"\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"message\">\n<div class=\"title\">Get the\u00a0<span class=\"highlight\">Michigan Politics<\/span>\u00a0newsletter in your inbox.<\/div>\n<p class=\"description\">Washington and Lansing, red and blue, we&#8217;ve got your government covered.<\/p>\n<div class=\"frequency\">Delivery: Daily<\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"input-container populated\"><input autocomplete=\"off\" name=\"email\" required=\"\" type=\"email\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"clickable\"><\/div>\n<p><label>Your Email<\/label><\/div>\n<div id=\"bar\">\n<div class=\"highlight\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"progress-primary\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"progress-secondary\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong>2) Truck performance.<\/strong>\u00a0On electric power, the Ramcharger\u2019s 400-volt architecture posts formidable numbers with 647 horsepower and 610 pound-feet of torque, making it the most powerful Ram on the market, eclipsing the Ram RHO performance truck\u2019s 521 pound-feet of torque while nearly matching the legendary (discontinued), Hellcat V-8-powerd TRX truck\u2019s 650. Ram\u2019s 0-60 mph target of 4.5 seconds is shy of the Ford Lightning EV\u2019s 3.8 seconds.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/02\/25\/PDTN\/80093526007-ram-1500-ramcharger-fr-34.jpg?width=990&amp;height=660&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" width=\"485\" height=\"323\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The 2026 Ram 1500 Ramcharger will hit dealers in the second half of this year.\" data-c-credit=\"Stellantis, \u00a9 2023 Stellantis\">\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_cap gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>2026 Ram 1500 Ramcharger<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_crd gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>Stellantis, \u00a9 2023 Stellantis<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">As for pickup utility, the Ramcharger advertises a maximum payload of 2,625 pounds and towing capacity of 14,000 pounds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong>3) Eight-lug wheels.<\/strong>\u00a0The Ramcharger\u2019s provdigious power requires heavy-duty equipment. In addition to the high-strength steel rails to carry its nearly four tons of weight, the pickup will ride on wheels with eight lug nuts \u2014 typical of heavy-duty trucks, not the Ramcharger\u2019s light-duty peers.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img gnt_em_img__inset\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/02\/25\/PDTN\/80093525007-ram-1500-ramcharger-eightlugs.jpg?width=557&amp;height=743&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" width=\"450\" height=\"600\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"2026 Ram 1500 Ramcharger has eight lug-nut wheels.\" data-c-credit=\"Ram, Ram\">\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_cap gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>2026 Ram 1500 Ramcharger has eight lug-nut wheels.<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_crd gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>Ram, Ram<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong>4) Drive modes.<\/strong>\u00a0Jeep has a lot of experience with PHEVs, and the Ramcharger will offer drive modes similar to its Stellantis stablemate. In Electric + mode, the Ramcharger will maximize its battery output before calling on the generator (at around 145 miles) for assistance. Or you can choose E-save mode to run on the engine\/generator alone. Or you can choose Eco mode to maximize electric range.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/02\/25\/PDTN\/80093527007-ram-1500-ramcharger-cockpit.jpg?width=990&amp;height=521&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" width=\"529\" height=\"278\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"Like many other electric vehicles, the Ramcharger has a posh, high-tech interior.\" data-c-credit=\"Stellantis, \u00a9 2023 Stellantis\">\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_cap gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>2026 Ram 1500 Ramcharger interior<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_crd gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>Stellantis, \u00a9 2023 Stellantis<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong>5) Toys, toys, toys.<\/strong>\u00a0In keeping with other HEV and EV trucks, Ramcharger has the ability to charge another EV, charge your home during a blackout, and power multiple electrical devices at a tailgate bash. Ramcharger features signature Ram elements like a smooth-riding, multi-link rear suspension, and Hands-free Highway Assist for assisted driving on those long, 690-mile trips. You\u2019ll know the Ramcharger by its unique, body-colored fascia and updated Ram badging.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/02\/25\/PDTN\/80093523007-ram-1500-ramcharger-bed.jpg?width=990&amp;height=661&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" width=\"524\" height=\"350\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"2026 Ram 1500 Ramcharger bed charge ports.\" data-c-credit=\"James Lipman, Ram\">\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_cap gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>2026 Ram 1500 Ramcharger bed charge ports.<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_crd gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>James Lipman, Ram<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Ramcharger \u2014 like most EVs \u2014 will be targeted at luxury buyers with Ram\u2019s posh interior including 14.5-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch instrument cluster and 10.25-inch passenger screen. All that hardware won\u2019t come cheap. Expect a starting price north of $70,000 when it goes on sale later this year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Ramcharger does require more upkeep than a traditional EV because of the gas engine onboard, but executives said it will go longer between oil changes and other routine maintenance because the generator won\u2019t run all the time. The ICE will occasionally kick on automatically if it hasn\u2019t run in a certain length of time to safeguard the engine\u2019s health and ensure water isn\u2019t infiltrating engine oil.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cWith unlimited battery-electric range, the Ram 1500 Ramcharger is the pinnacle of the light-duty pickup truck segment and the ultimate electric truck,\u201d Kuniskis said. \u201cThe new Ramcharger is a beast (with) zero need for a public charger.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or @HenryEPayne.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Staff Writer Luke Ramseth contributed.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the electrified era, common acronyms include EV, HEV and PHEV. \u00a0Get used to a new term: REEV. Ram on Tuesday introduced its new Range Extender Electric Vehicle (REEV), the 2026 Ram 1500 Ramcharger. The Ramcharger is a truck for customers who want electric vehicle (EV) performance but with the range of a Hybrid Electric [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34172"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34172"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34172\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34173,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34172\/revisions\/34173"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34172"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34172"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34172"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}