Ram Trucks has unveiled its first battery electric (BEV) light-duty pickup truck (or a ute, as we would call it in Australia), the Ram 1500 REV.
The massive vehicle is available in two battery options, including a 229kWh battery with a targeted range of 800 kilometres, and claims to have the best combination of range, towing, payload, and charge time.
The Ram 1500 REV will be capable of towing up to 7 tonnes and a payload of up to 1.2 tonnes, and the truck will also be able to add 180km of charge in only 10 minutes with 800V DC fast charging at up to 350kW.
It will be able to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 4.4 seconds, and offers 654 horsepower and 620 lb.-ft. of torque. And it will also offer up to 24-inches of water fording, which should absolutely destroy anyone’s weekend.
Built on the new STLA Frame body-on-frame architecture designed by parent company Stellantis, the RAM 1500 REV will come standard with a 168kWh battery with a targeted range of 560km.
The optional 229kWh battery pack will deliver a range of up to 800km.
Ram Trucks is also promising an all-new Ram 1500 REV XR with a “class-shattering range” which is set to follow after the introduction of the standard Ram 1500 REV.
As has quickly become a necessary standard for electric pickup trucks, the Ram 1500 REV will also come capable of vehicle-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-home, and vehicle-to-grid bi-directional charging.
In addition to being able to power the home during a storm outage or send electricity back to the grid during high demand, the Ram 1500 REV will also feature an on-board power panel in the bed which can provide up to 7.2kW, and a 3.6kW power panel in the “frunk”.
Reports suggest that the Ram 1500 REV will go on sale in 2024, and Ram Trucks has promised the electric ute will be available in five trims, including Tradesman, Big Horn/Lone Star, Laramie, Limited, and an all-new trim, Tungsten.
Inside, an “ultra-premium” 23-speaker Klipsch Reference Premiere audio system will come as standard equipment on the top-of-the-line Tungsten model.
The advanced Uconnect 5 system with a new 14.5-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a segment-first 10.25-inch passenger screen, digital rear-view mirror, and head-up display all serve to make the car the most technologically advanced Ram 1500 ever.
“The all-electric Ram 1500 REV is a monumental milestone on our continued journey to offer the industry’s best electrified solutions and further fortifies our award-winning lineup,” said Mike Koval Jr., Ram brand CEO at Stellantis.
“Our all-new Ram 1500 REV pushes past the competition in areas customers care about most including range, towing, payload and charge time.”
The Driven’s take: Do we really need to build vehicles this big?
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.