Breaking news! RAM confirmed the earlier leaks that usable capacity will be approximately 70 kWh, that puts EV efficiency around 2.0 miles per kWh, pretty similar to the F-150 Lightning.
@@tyronelegstrongiv2206 690miles /26gallons is 26.5mpg....but really you would have to drain the battery first and then fill the tank and see how far it goes. but! 26.5mpg is good for a full size truck on the face of it. Home backup is a huge selling point
Thank you, Alex! If RAM reads the market correctly, never underestimate the demand for base trim trucks. Pricing for the Tradesman could win over buyers not interested in $80K bling trucks.
Yes, the world needs base work trucks and I assume a lot of fleet leases are those. RAM is big out west and the distances, and more towing there, require this.
This is a great idea and what I've been hoping for. 95% of my daily driving can be electric, and I can still have all the range and convenience of gas while towing and on road trips.
👍i3 REx has similar range (120 miles before piston engine jumps in). Yes .. easily 95% of our mileage is on cheap home electricity. We drove 24,000 miles last year on 25 gallons. If I was looking for a pickup now, this Ram now jumps to the top of list.
Calling this a PHEV is a misnomer since it isn't a ICE setup with a small electric motor capable of powering the vehicle for maybe 15 to 45 miles. No this is a true EV with a range extender engine that solely generates electricity to recharge the battery. This will be mainly driven as an EV, but will allow people to drive distances and tow stuff. This is the most logical electric pickup for a huge segment of truck buyers
I’m not brand loyal and have owned all the big brands .I have had 2 Ram 1500 eco diesel and really like them. The truck itself has so many features unavailable on other brands. Especially the Ramboxs. All those tie downs,tow ropes and trailers hitches are easily accessible,not in the cab and lockable . Interior is so quiet has been unmatched for quality . I will give this a year or two to prove itself before I by one.
This is the holy grail - and the direction I wish the industry had gone in general. I drive a Pacifica Hybrid and do 85% of my driving on EV, but have no range anxiety or charging considerations, especially for longer trips. The c. 30 mile EV range takes care of most daily driving. I wish it got 50 miles of EV range - I'd probably never get gas. This vehicle has a 150 mile range (overkill) and 500+ on gas ICE that also recharges the batteries. It can do what a truck needs to do for business and consumers who like to take trips with their boats and campers. I expect it's going to sell like crazy because people who really need a truck for the things trucks do will understand it's advantages over both ICE and all EV trucks. Hope to see this tech offered in SUVs and Minivans. Really only need a 50-75 mile range battery, which would reduce cost and be less resource intensive, ie better for the environment.
Thanks, Alex. This is the best explanation of the new system I've seen yet. If the numbers hit what RAM is forecasting I think this is the game changer for the towing/RV community. AS LONG AS it can travel at least 200 miles on a charge/tank of fuel when towing. I absolutely love this solution and hope it works as advertised. The ease of being able to pull into a gas station and top up the tank without having to disconnect your trailer to charge is phenomenal. Being able to run around locally on all electricity is fantastic.
I have been waiting 3 years for a phev gmc. This is the most innovative and interesting product on the market.. have solar and free electricity. Good work ram. They have a plan with this architecture for up to 2035…
I studied the release video. It’s a gen 3 Pentastar 3.6 in north/south. It does not have a regular alternator. It has a stubby little bellhousing, which houses the “torque converter” from a Pacifica (I assume). The motor sits atop the front drive unit. It also has air suspension, and those frame shaker thingies Ram does.
This is the gen III pentastar, which means it's a little more complicated than the earlier ones but not too bad. It's got EGR, and it has variable intake valve lift. Otherwise, it's nearly identical to the earlier engines. The G3 started in 2016 I believe, and phased into all the FCA vehicles, with the last to get it being the Promaster in 2022. I work on Promasters for a living, and I believe the G3 will prove basically just as bulletproof as the G1 and G2. @@Mechanix360
This is the truck I need. It will tow what I need and can drive around in electric mode most of the rest of the time. Plus I'll be able to use it as a house battery when it's parked. I'll keep driving my 2009 a couple more years.
They won't, I'd bet. So many 1/2 manufacturers are going away from the 8' beds. It doesn't sell as well, they'd rather sell you a luxury half ton or push you into their 3/4 ton for the long beds.
Plug-In Hybrids with over 50 miles of range kind of piss me off, since SO much weight is being added due to a huge battery, not to mention the entire engine. Convenient? Absolutely. Green and efficient? So many things could be changed to make it so.
This is exactly what i've been saying needs to be made. PHEV's with more than 40 miles of electric range. If you can get the EV range to 100-120 miles that covers 95% of people's daily driving in any weather condition, then you have the gas motor for long trips. If someone made an SUV or crossover like that they could sell as many as they could make. I expect more like this to come with the 2026 ZEV credit for PHEV's requiring 49 miles of electric range to qualify for the .7.
Not to mention they could sell four or five of these PHEVs for every EV they can make since batteries are supply limited right now. They should have really advertised the Voltec system properly, that was their big mistake. And yes, 100km of EV range is more than enough for nearly anyone who can charge at home or work.
Great explanation of drawback if/when a Ramcharger owner happened to get in a situation towing a load uphill with empty battery... Not a huge issue, just interesting.
There will always be some dullards that buy a PHEV without trying to understand them, but for the rest of us, the energy management is something we can gamify and turn into a positive when tackling longer trips. The adopters who drag a 5th wheel around the country with a vehicle that can supply house power and charge up at campgrounds are going to love these things. Managing the battery SOC before climbing a mountain pass is just one more thing to bring a successful RAM PHEV pilot satisfaction (like bragging about diesel towing MPG). Hopefully Stellantis will add some smart navigation options in upper trims for finding chargers and managing SOC for upcoming terrain for the folks who just want to buy it and drive without thinking.
Love your channel. Also love that they built a simple series-hybrid. I never will understand why most manufacturers have not embraced this technology. It may be marginally lower mpg than something with a transmission on the highway, but the losses in a transmission-based system have to be significant, eating into regen efficiency. The Volt and Clarity pioneered the series hybrid (with occasional mechanical connection assist in some modes), but manufacturers have ignored it for too long. Maybe when we get away from the word 'hybrid', and focus on EV with range assist, we can finally market this technology. It is so much better for everyone at the current time in the EV transition.
There are advantages to the series hybrid systems we've seen in the PHEV space, the biggest one being the ability to enjoy BEV-like performance. Efficiency remains a negative. -Travis
I don't know if you knew this, but Honda hybrids for some time now have used an inline design BUT with no transmission. so when the gas engine engages the wheels, it goes through a fixed ratio that doesn't change, and it's therefore relatively simple. hope that might show a way that inline hybrids might make sense somtimes, tho I agree that series is clearly the way to go. it's just simpler. and we have the EV tech to do it reliably.
@@bob15479 Thanks. I knew that my Honda Clarity PHEV has a single-ratio and no transmission, but did not know what the hybrids do. Mine locks the ICE to the fixed-ratio gear between about 50 and 70 mph to give a mechanical connection when the rpms match the upscaled wheel rotation speed well enough to give a little boost to mpg. Otherwise, it's a pure EV with a generator if needed for long trips (pure series hybrid). It gets 4+ miles/kWh in EV mode and 50 mpg in hybrid mode on the highway. Not sure why series hybrids got pegged with a low efficiency label. It's EV performance is very close to a BEV. And these numbers are more than 2x what the RAM is getting. Must be the RAM's massive frontal area combined with tire/mechanical losses maybe?
@@MegawattKS oh when I say honda hybrids I don't mean "all honda hybrids", I only know that some of them do. can't speak for all, may just be the phev.
LOL thought the same thing - the upside is they've been making the pentastar for 20 years so it's pretty dialed in - no idea on how reliable the batt packs and elec motors are though.
Thanks Alex! I am doing a trade study between all the plugin hybrid, and all of them are coming up short on range. I have a few questions that i doubt you have answers gor right now, but would love it if you would eventually follow up on: 1) Tax credit qualifications for 2024 or 2025 info. Battery source still matters? 2) I would love to see modern ev features found in Tesla or Rivian. Camp mode? Sentry mode? Perhaps not since F150 lightning dont have it either. But having the truck powering the RV trailer in camp mode would be pretty cool. 3) Long term gasoline storage. I remember Volt has to specialize some of its components so that gas wont be stale if leaving in car long term. Hope to see the same thing here.
ALEX !!! THANK YOU !!! after viewing, went online with RAM, joined the Ram Charger membership.. Had a Ford Lightning Pro day one position, cancelled. 2 years later. wrote off Ford for any future Ford vehicles.. Had Ram EV reservation.. another disappointment. No updates on that program so I cancelled after having the bad taste from FORD Greed City. No PRO, No GO. Please keep your dedicated viewers updated on this exciting vehicle... as always your reviews as classy. Fred
There are cheaper alternatives if the price is an issue. I make good money and I haven't bought a new car since my brand new Ford Focus flooded back in 2001. Just got my wife an electric Jaguar...it too was used.
Another thought about synergies in PHEV. Running V6 provides all that disgusting waste heat. Use LiFePO4 battery for traction, AND use the waste heat from the ICE charger to heat battery in winter and/or preheat battery for rapid charging. What a way to use the ICE disadvantage to advantage!!
Now this is the first ET that makes any sense because range anxiety is eliminated. You also get big payload and towing capacity, which makes this a good candidate for a truck camper. I'd actually seriously consider getting one of these, depending on how stupid the price winds up being.
Thank you for the video. I currently lease the 22' built to serve, loaded and my lease is up 25'. I think this one you have here is a serious contender for me when I renew.
hybrid is the way!best of both worlds! Imagine going down hill with 10000lb trailer in the back, the regen will not only save on gas, it will keep the brakes cool and make it much safer,China being successful in EV I think part of the reason is the focus more on hybrid, there are many Chinese hybrid vehicles with 100mile plus EV range,making it way more practical than both gas and pure EV
Important to note that while you may only get "20mpg," that's assuming you've exhausted the electric range and are then running the 3.6/generator. Otherwise you could use that 145ish mile all electric range on the daily, top off at chargers at home or elsewhere and not use the 3.6/generator at all. Assuming I'm understanding this series hybrid set up correctly. I've also read that the series hybrid is the same setup used in diesel electric locomotives so that's pretty damn cool. It may not be a common setup in the car world, but its pretty common otherwise.
Yep. My Clarity PHEV gets a little less than 50mpg using the ICE, but our actual lifetime fuel mileage is closer to 200mpg. If the battery is as big as it’s rumored to be, getting 100mpg (while driving aggressively) will be easy for folks daily driving it within the EV range.
True, "diesel" locomotives in the US are diesel-electric series hybrids - and have been since the 1930s. It's a very old idea. In locomotives it was a practical way to get the power to four or six axles on pivoting trucks without hideously complicated mechanical connections. The electric motors also provided maximum torque at zero RPM, so were exceptionally good at getting a train moving, which was a bigger task than keeping it moving. In Europe and a few other places, diesel-hydraulic locomotives have been used. They were tried in the US, but proved less reliable than diesel-electric models.
I only get 10mpg on my hybrid when the engine is running. However, it only runs 1/4 of the time. It's not a plug in. Also a hybrid is more efficient because it optimizes the load and speed of the engine to get over 40% thermal efficiency instead of 25% in a non-hybrid
My current PHEV gets a combined 650 mile range with full battery + full gasoline tank. So, this pickup would be a good addition for those times when cargo needs to be moved.
I would like to see a version where they cut that in half maybe they can do so with the dodge Dakota because I don’t think we need it 92 kWh battery I think 45 would be great as long as you’re getting about 100 miles of range approximately. And we really don’t need a 27 gallongas tank either cut that down to 13 now what you’re doing is your saving incredible amount of weight and you’re saving cost. If you were to do those two things you would increase your payload and towing and probably save about seven grand on the cost of the vehicle
It's basically an EV with a built in generator. You'll be carrying around a lot of extra engine and gas weight so you charge if the battery gets too low. Seems very inefficient to me. Plus you'll have all the problems of an EV and a gas car. What a great idea.
Until you see the price for this complex powertrain. Some napkin math. Price out a normal Ram 1500, now add $100-150 per kwh for the battery. Add additional ballpark markup for additional electric motors, inverters, etc. Price will be astronomical.
Yes massive hit but with this economy and inflation and interest rates rising. Doubt it for the average consumer. They wouldn’t sell a lot of them if they are more than 60-70k+.
@@kubeanie18wrangler and grand Cherokee are the best selling plug in hybrids in the country… If this were a Toyota, you’d be one of the people who liked this comment. What we have here is your average classic Chrysler hater. 🙂
A lot of folks will be able to use this on a regular basis without ever kicking on the generator but it seems towing is what it will be used for most often. -Travis
This is a neat use of this drivetrain, I don't think it'll be outlandishly priced like its EV counterparts. However, if RAM opts to produce so few of these to account for low expected demand, the small production quantity could get this in the EV price range anyways.
This truck is great and what was needed. Hybrid truck with ev drive and generator only for power. Being able to plug in is a plus in my book. Hopefully pricing in the different trims is good as well. I would like to see RAm do the same drivetrain in a future Rampage and Dakota! If RAM plays it cards right and offers truck to all price segments with this drive train layout they will win the pickup truck challege the others haven't done yet and will play catch up.
its a clown car, that LOOKS like a truck without doing much of anything you actually do with a truck. it's so the upper middle class guys can feel like they are a man, while not using that truck to do anything, and you wouldn't want to probably spending 100K+ for this monstrosity 😆
Why not just get a lightning and carry a gas powered generator in the bed if needed? if you have enough charge, you could unload the generator and get better mileage.
The key is going to be the cost to the consumer. GM is shooting itself in their feet with pricing when it comes to their EVs (or whatever you want to call them). From the testing I've seen on TFL the Silverado WT has great range even when towing however by pricing the WT north of 70k they have basically taken themselves out of a market for someone who would actually consider buying a truck that's mostly going to be used for work.
@@thenutsonyourchin actually the American dollar is the strongest its ever been & certainly stronger than it was in the early 70’s & early 80’s when inflation was significantly higher than it is now. The problem is the disparity of wages between CEO’s & employees has risen by more than 600% & the lie of trickle down economics. 70k is too damn much for especially considering that a comparable crew cab Silverado is 47k which by the way is equal to 15k & 40 years ago a Silverado without as many safety features was only 4k less but with interest rates significantly higher that difference is a wash.
Smart. Dodge is listening to drivers and watched the issues with the Lightning. The interier does look really good. My fear is the price out the door, either lease or buy.
While I’ll miss the tried, true and reliable Hemi, this is awesome. Ram is always changing the game from the big rig design in the 90s, to the Hemi, SRT 10 Ram, the 2005 Power Wagon, Ram box, TRX, etorque, etc. Way to go Ram.
I owned a couple of Volts, I thought they were labeled as Range Extended EVs. Back in 2014 when I got them the terminology was all so new, I might have been told wrong by the dealer (shock horror I know).
@@AAutoBuyersGuidethis is not true The volt which I have is a 2017 volt and it is a serial hybrid it is an electric vehicle extended range. I cannot switch it to hybrid mode only it only if I put it on hold it does not have an automatic transmission all the power goes through the motors first. I've done my fair bit of research and I own it
This is interesting. Nissan uses the same sistem in Europe for what you call Rogue and Rogue Sport. The smaller one is ok, but the bigger one is not that efficient, and Mitsubishi does not use that system for Outlander even if they share a lot with Rogue. Now, the CEO of Mitsubishi was asked will they use the system for their new pickup (Triton/L200), and he said that this generator system is good for smaller vehicles, but not efficient for bigger ones. So they opted out even for Outlander, not to mention midsize pickup which is often loaded.
It looks awesome and I'm glad dodge Finally is going to make a useful truck that can go distance when needed... Toyota should have done this to the tundra 2022 .. 1) it's going to cost a fortune... 2) I wonder what the tow capacity will be 3) I'm not sure I'd want to own it out of warranty
PHEVs are EVs in the eyes of the EPA, and they’re required to have 5yr/100,000mile drivetrain/battery warranties. In ZEV states (CA, CT, MA, MD, NJ, NY, OR, RI, & VT) it’s 10yr/150,000mile. I wouldn’t worry about reliability.. series hybrids are less complex than traditional automatic transmissions. As long as the battery charging is tuned well (not allowed to charge to 100%) and thermally managed well, you’re going to deal with minimal degradation and by the time you do need to replace components, they should be commonplace. That said, I’d avoid the first year because there will be some teething issues nobody wants to be a part of.
Alex, I quite agree with your initial observation that its surprising that Ford has completely missed the bubble of evolving its three year old F150 hybrid into a Plug-In Hybrid. RAM has now beaten Ford to the punch at precisely the moment where the market is making it clear that it wants the advantages of electric (but will not accept the compromises of current EV technology...). With 140-160 miles of electric-only range, most consumers will be able to live electric only while preserving their ability to tow and avoid range anxiety. The 7.2kw tailgate generator and adjustable air suspension will make this the perfect offering for millions of RV owners and trailer haulers. The one question that I'm going to be very interested to learn more about is 'what will the miles-per-gallon be when towing? Your suggestion that combined total range will be in the 20 mpg area is a bit underwhelming when you consider that adding a trailer usually halves that 'unhitched' range. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this technology will do better....Thank you for the very helpful early assessment of this new technology....
You're right, the towing fuel efficiency is going to take a big hit and that's likely why they've installed such a large gas tank. It's not for the daily driving. -Travis
Nope. Thanks anyhow. I'd sooner buy a regular all fuel powered truck, and economical all fuel or fuel hybrid combo car or suv as my daily driver. Cost of purchase and ownership, not to mention maintenance and less complexity mechanically and electrically (software) wise. The trucks styling however looks great inside and out. 😎🇺🇲
Hoovie totally blew up the idea of towing with a BEV F150 Lightning! Glad he gave us all a dose of reality. Let's see how this RamCharger works in the real world towing. Let's see the plus and minus of this design in the real world. Hey Hoovie! Calling you to order one of these!
Actually, l like it! I seen 20 mph in city and 25 mph highway. My Daughter bought a 2010ford fusion in 2019 for $5,000. Before the electric vehicle hype. It’s a great car.
I guess that's where the next generation Durango comes in. They might fit this tech into the next generation Durango (if it's going to happen, there were some rumours in the past that the Durango isn't coming back after 2023), and maybe even the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wagoneer.
They need to package a flat-four engine under the bed or back seat/rear bulkhead area as a generator and gain a frunk on the next-gen. A truck with an electric powertrain, a on-board generator, a decent bed, great towing capacity, and a nice interior is the best of all worlds.
We love good PHEVs -- like our Wrangler Rubicon 4xe, we just want much larger batteries -- Hope this Ramcharger (REV XR) works out well and is delivered ASAP.
@@AAutoBuyersGuide What a great plan it is. Wishing the best, that Pentastar 3.6L V6 engine is a classic and hopefully the use of that longtime mass manufactured engine allows Ram to keep the price down (and the profit margin up).
It is so easy to increase efficiency. Make them smaller! For decades a full size truck was about the size of the current Ranger. Ford is selling the PHEV Ranger in other markets and apparently were shocked at the Mavericks popularity. When will manufacturers stop listening to focus groups? We need practical utility, not enormous fashion pieces. Look at EPA efficiency data, go back 10 or 15 years, trucks used to get the same or even slightly better mpg. All we got was bigger unnecessary trucks and inflated MSRP.
@@hayduke4589 It sure seems that RAM is listening and smart, seeing this excellent design and details of the Ramcharger truck, with reliable Pentastar 3.6L V6 gas engine outputting up to 130kW to the battery and electric motors. Love the mention of Power Bank AC outlets (7200W output) and 27 gallon gas tank. Bring this to market ASAP, hope it is really shipping in early 2025.
uh, what is the value proposition? interesting concept. but... if 20 mpg is all it can achieve as a grocery getter, why bother? 20 mpg is average for today's ICE, but this ramcharger has even more tech and complexity to break down, maintain, wear out, over what will be likely a short life span (all vehicles today have built-in obsolescence) . why pay +$20k more, over an ICE, for the same mpg? and the engine is GFI, not DPI, so expect sooty valves very quickly. cost to replace battery? reliability ? etc.
Oddly enough the Volt's drivetrain was basically the same as a Prius with extra clutches inside the transaxle, it wasn't really a serial hybrid as GM has originally described and that's logical because parallel hybrids are generally more efficient. Steady state driving, the Volt spends 99% of its time in parallel hybrid mode.
I'd love to buy a newer truck with the newer features but who in their right mind wants this absurd level of complexity in a pickup truck... I'm 65 and my 4th Gen Hemi Ram 1500 only has 90k miles. I see many Hemi Rams on Autotrader with over 250k miles still selling for good money so hopefully I'll never have to buy another truck.
The engine (generator) in here is a pretty known entity. Yes, it's more complex than just running that engine, but it's not an enormous level of complexity over the standard BEV REV. -Travis
Yes it is nice indeed. How much you say, not on my income. Also, I have no need for a truck this big. Something smaller would be nice. How fast zero to sixty, it’s a truck, it is not a sports car. Must be me.
Brilliant concept! I'm assuming the engine will charge the truck while you are away too, having the battery constantly charged as long as you have gas.. That would be awesome!
Totally crazy that Toyota and Ford aren't coming out with competition for this truck. Am I the only one surprised by how large the traction battery is? I have always felt PHEV trucks only require a 30-50 kwh battery, but I suppose if they can build one of these under 60 grand then good enough.
Its called a Series Hybrid system. The engine and generator produces more kW than the electric motors consume. Same system in diesel locomotives, and the reason why they can go thousands of miles. So your only limiting factor is how far you can go on a tank of gas, which 630-710 miles seems pretty damn good for haulers.
Combo hybrid is the way to go, waiting for the price! Hope Toyota and Ford also put out one to compete, relying solely on charging station for any EV is a pain in the ass when I blew out my ModelX onboard charging module on third party charging stations, not many people understand what it means when you actually run into the situation, having own charging capability give peace of mind and is the way to go, since I am looking for a perfect truck to tow my new airstream and I cannot afford to go bottom up in the middle of the road! Excited to see this product coming to market.
Before you order make sure you ask how much is to get the battery replaced. The rumor is that some brand charge more for a new battery than you paid for your car.
Hey Alex. Great video. Towing aside if you say we’re driving from SF Bay Area to LA driving in the I5, how would the RamCharger drive? Would it struggle say going up the Grapevine once the battery is fully exhausted and you’re fully running on the gas mode. I ask because with in the next 3 years or so I will be looking for a new vehicle and the RamCharger is very intriguing.
I don't imagine you would run in to any difficulty with every day driving even with the battery depleted. You would likely lose top end performance, but I suspect even that would still be available in bursts. -Travis
It’s interesting that serial hybrid tech has been around but you don’t see it used often. I’m expecting this to be a noticeable point in time we’re we see serial hybrids move into a more common form of powertrain choice especially in high power high load platforms.
Looks wise its way better than its REV counterpart. REV was a joke especially after the concept truck they revealed. Following is the summary of what I feel about this truck design: Pros: - Great range. Both EV only as well as combined. - Almost zero range anxiety while towing large trailers. - Easy daily commuter with almost EV only all the time. Cons: - Inefficient. 145 miles with almost 100kwh battery! For instance, f150 lightning goes 240 miles on similar sized battery. - ICE is not connected to the drivetrain. Its kind of Range extending generator only. There's always energy loss when converting it to electricity and the electric motors to the drivetrain - Added overhead of maintaining ICE. That too if your daily commute mostly is on EV only (which most probably will be), then maintaining ICE that is not running during most days of the year. - Think about the potential weight. With that size battery, its a truck that weight as much as standard range F150 lightning plus weight of a 3.3 L ICE. - If the battery is depleted, You will need to wait for ICE to charge the battery substantially until you can start the commute.
I seriously doubt you'd ever be stuck with gas generated power only in this truck. The size of the battery tells me there is much more than 150 miles of battery range, so they keep plenty of juice in there to help the gas engine produce the full amount of power needed. Also, driving is never uphill only. It's both where going down hill would be regenning the battery so the next hill is also getting full power no matter what. Even if not in tow mode.
How does this hybrid make economic sense at 20 mpg? Any model with a few goodies will not likely qualify for the $7,500 tax credit so why not just go full ICE and save tens of thousands?
I don't think they are making an economic play, I think they are looking for the customer that wants zero 60 in 4.4 seconds plus the convenience of visiting a gas station less often. We don't know if any will get the tax credit because of the way the credit is changing over time. The exclusion of chinese materials and ramping up restrictions on mineral sourcing means that in 2024 a bunch of EVs and PHEVs will lose the credit.
Yes. But it's also the most capable RAM 1500 made to date as far as towing and capacity is concerned. So efficiency I don't think was part of the equation really, just increased horsepower and extended range.
Breaking news! RAM confirmed the earlier leaks that usable capacity will be approximately 70 kWh, that puts EV efficiency around 2.0 miles per kWh, pretty similar to the F-150 Lightning.
nice!
call it a gas electric truck, like a gas electric train
@@tyronelegstrongiv2206 690miles /26gallons is 26.5mpg....but really you would have to drain the battery first and then fill the tank and see how far it goes. but! 26.5mpg is good for a full size truck on the face of it. Home backup is a huge selling point
Thank you, Alex! If RAM reads the market correctly, never underestimate the demand for base trim trucks. Pricing for the Tradesman could win over buyers not interested in $80K bling trucks.
My concern is the base trim is going to be $80k...
They could definitely come out with a competitive edge with attractive pricing! -Travis
Bingo
@@willmorton6800battery prices and supplies are going down in price. So hopefully it transitions to vehicles prices
Yes, the world needs base work trucks and I assume a lot of fleet leases are those. RAM is big out west and the distances, and more towing there, require this.
I'm a RAM engineer, working on the Ramcharger BEV/REPB programs. You taught me a few things in your video, and it was very accurate. Well done, Alex!!
This is a great idea and what I've been hoping for. 95% of my daily driving can be electric, and I can still have all the range and convenience of gas while towing and on road trips.
Yeah I was hoping GM would put a V6 Voltec system in a Silverado one day, but they dropped the ball there big time.
👍i3 REx has similar range (120 miles before piston engine jumps in).
Yes .. easily 95% of our mileage is on cheap home electricity. We drove 24,000 miles last year on 25 gallons.
If I was looking for a pickup now, this Ram now jumps to the top of list.
Calling this a PHEV is a misnomer since it isn't a ICE setup with a small electric motor capable of powering the vehicle for maybe 15 to 45 miles. No this is a true EV with a range extender engine that solely generates electricity to recharge the battery. This will be mainly driven as an EV, but will allow people to drive distances and tow stuff. This is the most logical electric pickup for a huge segment of truck buyers
I’m not brand loyal and have owned all the big brands .I have had 2 Ram 1500 eco diesel and really like them. The truck itself has so many features unavailable on other brands. Especially the Ramboxs. All those tie downs,tow ropes and trailers hitches are easily accessible,not in the cab and lockable . Interior is so quiet has been unmatched for quality . I will give this a year or two to prove itself before I by one.
8ft bed + a generator that can run tools in the farm field - less than 50K = win
This is the perfect truck for TRUE truck users, ones that tow regularly, haul stuff every day, drive long distances, etc.
It provides a lot of flexibility for a variety of uses. However, there's a saying about a jack of all trades. -Travis
This is the holy grail - and the direction I wish the industry had gone in general. I drive a Pacifica Hybrid and do 85% of my driving on EV, but have no range anxiety or charging considerations, especially for longer trips. The c. 30 mile EV range takes care of most daily driving. I wish it got 50 miles of EV range - I'd probably never get gas.
This vehicle has a 150 mile range (overkill)
and 500+ on gas ICE that also recharges the batteries. It can do what a truck needs to do for business and consumers who like to take trips with their boats and campers. I expect it's going to sell like crazy because people who really need a truck for the things trucks do will understand it's advantages over both ICE and all EV trucks.
Hope to see this tech offered in SUVs and Minivans. Really only need a 50-75 mile range battery, which would reduce cost and be less resource intensive, ie better for the environment.
Thanks, Alex. This is the best explanation of the new system I've seen yet. If the numbers hit what RAM is forecasting I think this is the game changer for the towing/RV community. AS LONG AS it can travel at least 200 miles on a charge/tank of fuel when towing. I absolutely love this solution and hope it works as advertised. The ease of being able to pull into a gas station and top up the tank without having to disconnect your trailer to charge is phenomenal. Being able to run around locally on all electricity is fantastic.
I have been waiting 3 years for a phev gmc. This is the most innovative and interesting product on the market.. have solar and free electricity. Good work ram. They have a plan with this architecture for up to 2035…
I studied the release video. It’s a gen 3 Pentastar 3.6 in north/south. It does not have a regular alternator. It has a stubby little bellhousing, which houses the “torque converter” from a Pacifica (I assume). The motor sits atop the front drive unit. It also has air suspension, and those frame shaker thingies Ram does.
Exactly what I wanted to know - thanks!
You are correct. The frame isolators are perfect for this application as well.
The pentestar is a ultra reliable V6. Is the 3rd gen the current gen?
This is the gen III pentastar, which means it's a little more complicated than the earlier ones but not too bad. It's got EGR, and it has variable intake valve lift. Otherwise, it's nearly identical to the earlier engines. The G3 started in 2016 I believe, and phased into all the FCA vehicles, with the last to get it being the Promaster in 2022. I work on Promasters for a living, and I believe the G3 will prove basically just as bulletproof as the G1 and G2. @@Mechanix360
Will this truck have any sort of frunk or is it just a traditional engine bay?
This is the truck I need. It will tow what I need and can drive around in electric mode most of the rest of the time. Plus I'll be able to use it as a house battery when it's parked. I'll keep driving my 2009 a couple more years.
This thing is perfect
Alex, I hope Ram surprises us once more by putting this powertrain into a real work truck with an 8 foot bed. 😁
They won't, I'd bet. So many 1/2 manufacturers are going away from the 8' beds. It doesn't sell as well, they'd rather sell you a luxury half ton or push you into their 3/4 ton for the long beds.
@@richardnavratil9661 That is the trend.
I wouldn't expect to see that for awhile if at all. -Travis
Plug-In Hybrids with over 50 miles of range kind of piss me off, since SO much weight is being added due to a huge battery, not to mention the entire engine. Convenient? Absolutely. Green and efficient? So many things could be changed to make it so.
And there lies the problem…
I have a feeling this truck will be VERY expensive. It will make the Powerboost seem cheap.
100%, full loaded every option I'd guess $140k and normal sticker at $100k
All new tech starts out expensive. Remember when flat screen first came out?
@jghall00 sure, but no one was taking on what is essentially a mortgage to buy flat screens.
@@apileofrocks5142 I know right, car loans are going out to eight years now, wouldn't be surprised if it goes out to ten before long.
@@anydaynow01yuppers, it seems like the warranty should match...
As someone who currently drives a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid, I can’t wait to trade in for a supercruise enabled PacHy
This is exactly what i've been saying needs to be made. PHEV's with more than 40 miles of electric range. If you can get the EV range to 100-120 miles that covers 95% of people's daily driving in any weather condition, then you have the gas motor for long trips. If someone made an SUV or crossover like that they could sell as many as they could make. I expect more like this to come with the 2026 ZEV credit for PHEV's requiring 49 miles of electric range to qualify for the .7.
It's entirely possible this system makes it way to other Stellantis models down the road. -Travis
Grand Wagoneer - We're looking at you@@AAutoBuyersGuide
Not to mention they could sell four or five of these PHEVs for every EV they can make since batteries are supply limited right now. They should have really advertised the Voltec system properly, that was their big mistake. And yes, 100km of EV range is more than enough for nearly anyone who can charge at home or work.
@@anydaynow01 well a full BEV is worth 4, and a PHEV is worth .7 ZEV credits, so that’s their motivating factor there.
@@AAutoBuyersGuide Which ones do you think? RAM 2500 first I guess...
Awesome to see things moving forward.
Too many people will never go straight to EV so plug and hybrids will be very popular for a couple decades
Great explanation of drawback if/when a Ramcharger owner happened to get in a situation towing a load uphill with empty battery... Not a huge issue, just interesting.
It's something owners should know about but not likely they'll run into it. -Travis
There will always be some dullards that buy a PHEV without trying to understand them, but for the rest of us, the energy management is something we can gamify and turn into a positive when tackling longer trips. The adopters who drag a 5th wheel around the country with a vehicle that can supply house power and charge up at campgrounds are going to love these things. Managing the battery SOC before climbing a mountain pass is just one more thing to bring a successful RAM PHEV pilot satisfaction (like bragging about diesel towing MPG).
Hopefully Stellantis will add some smart navigation options in upper trims for finding chargers and managing SOC for upcoming terrain for the folks who just want to buy it and drive without thinking.
Love your channel. Also love that they built a simple series-hybrid. I never will understand why most manufacturers have not embraced this technology. It may be marginally lower mpg than something with a transmission on the highway, but the losses in a transmission-based system have to be significant, eating into regen efficiency. The Volt and Clarity pioneered the series hybrid (with occasional mechanical connection assist in some modes), but manufacturers have ignored it for too long. Maybe when we get away from the word 'hybrid', and focus on EV with range assist, we can finally market this technology. It is so much better for everyone at the current time in the EV transition.
There are advantages to the series hybrid systems we've seen in the PHEV space, the biggest one being the ability to enjoy BEV-like performance. Efficiency remains a negative. -Travis
I don't know if you knew this, but Honda hybrids for some time now have used an inline design BUT with no transmission. so when the gas engine engages the wheels, it goes through a fixed ratio that doesn't change, and it's therefore relatively simple. hope that might show a way that inline hybrids might make sense somtimes, tho I agree that series is clearly the way to go. it's just simpler. and we have the EV tech to do it reliably.
@@bob15479 Thanks. I knew that my Honda Clarity PHEV has a single-ratio and no transmission, but did not know what the hybrids do. Mine locks the ICE to the fixed-ratio gear between about 50 and 70 mph to give a mechanical connection when the rpms match the upscaled wheel rotation speed well enough to give a little boost to mpg. Otherwise, it's a pure EV with a generator if needed for long trips (pure series hybrid). It gets 4+ miles/kWh in EV mode and 50 mpg in hybrid mode on the highway. Not sure why series hybrids got pegged with a low efficiency label. It's EV performance is very close to a BEV. And these numbers are more than 2x what the RAM is getting. Must be the RAM's massive frontal area combined with tire/mechanical losses maybe?
@@MegawattKS oh when I say honda hybrids I don't mean "all honda hybrids", I only know that some of them do. can't speak for all, may just be the phev.
Stellantis and Powertrain Complexity don’t mix well! Better get an extended warranty, Ram customers!
LOL thought the same thing - the upside is they've been making the pentastar for 20 years so it's pretty dialed in - no idea on how reliable the batt packs and elec motors are though.
Pure electric powertrain no? Way to go.
Thanks Alex! I am doing a trade study between all the plugin hybrid, and all of them are coming up short on range. I have a few questions that i doubt you have answers gor right now, but would love it if you would eventually follow up on:
1) Tax credit qualifications for 2024 or 2025 info. Battery source still matters?
2) I would love to see modern ev features found in Tesla or Rivian. Camp mode? Sentry mode? Perhaps not since F150 lightning dont have it either. But having the truck powering the RV trailer in camp mode would be pretty cool.
3) Long term gasoline storage. I remember Volt has to specialize some of its components so that gas wont be stale if leaving in car long term. Hope to see the same thing here.
ALEX !!! THANK YOU !!! after viewing, went online with RAM, joined the Ram Charger membership.. Had a Ford Lightning Pro day one position, cancelled. 2 years later. wrote off Ford for any future Ford vehicles.. Had Ram EV reservation.. another disappointment. No updates on that program so I cancelled after having the bad taste from FORD Greed City. No PRO, No GO. Please keep your dedicated viewers updated on this exciting vehicle... as always your reviews as classy. Fred
Bought a Chrysler Pacifica HYBRID based on Alex Autos in 2018. Best decision ever. Excellent car. Thanks Alex
nearly 100 kWh battery + motor.. im guessing thisll weigh 8500 lbs
Yea no kidding - can't imagine that air suspension is going to last long.
We'll have to wait to find out. -Travis
8 lug 1500...? & should probably have a longer bed...cuz without mentioning cost most of us will have to live in it also
There are cheaper alternatives if the price is an issue. I make good money and I haven't bought a new car since my brand new Ford Focus flooded back in 2001. Just got my wife an electric Jaguar...it too was used.
So a 150 mile all electric truck with a V6 generator okay?
That's the idea. -Travis
I never see electric vehicle so beautiful wow that truck beautiful ❤
It's a handsome thing. -Travis
Another thought about synergies in PHEV. Running V6 provides all that disgusting waste heat. Use LiFePO4 battery for traction, AND use the waste heat from the ICE charger to heat battery in winter and/or preheat battery for rapid charging. What a way to use the ICE disadvantage to advantage!!
Now this is the first ET that makes any sense because range anxiety is eliminated. You also get big payload and towing capacity, which makes this a good candidate for a truck camper. I'd actually seriously consider getting one of these, depending on how stupid the price winds up being.
Hopefully the price isn't stupid at all but RAM wouldn't spill this far out. -Travis
Cautiously optimistic on this one. It's going to be expensive....
It COULD be, fingers crossed it's not terribly so. -Travis
Yes finally someone mentioned the power drop when the battery is gone
Thank you for the video. I currently lease the 22' built to serve, loaded and my lease is up 25'. I think this one you have here is a serious contender for me when I renew.
It will be one to watch, but it also might be one you have to pre-order. Demand could be high. -Travis
hybrid is the way!best of both worlds! Imagine going down hill with 10000lb trailer in the back, the regen will not only save on gas, it will keep the brakes cool and make it much safer,China being successful in EV I think part of the reason is the focus more on hybrid, there are many Chinese hybrid vehicles with 100mile plus EV range,making it way more practical than both gas and pure EV
Important to note that while you may only get "20mpg," that's assuming you've exhausted the electric range and are then running the 3.6/generator. Otherwise you could use that 145ish mile all electric range on the daily, top off at chargers at home or elsewhere and not use the 3.6/generator at all. Assuming I'm understanding this series hybrid set up correctly.
I've also read that the series hybrid is the same setup used in diesel electric locomotives so that's pretty damn cool. It may not be a common setup in the car world, but its pretty common otherwise.
Yep. My Clarity PHEV gets a little less than 50mpg using the ICE, but our actual lifetime fuel mileage is closer to 200mpg. If the battery is as big as it’s rumored to be, getting 100mpg (while driving aggressively) will be easy for folks daily driving it within the EV range.
True, "diesel" locomotives in the US are diesel-electric series hybrids - and have been since the 1930s. It's a very old idea. In locomotives it was a practical way to get the power to four or six axles on pivoting trucks without hideously complicated mechanical connections. The electric motors also provided maximum torque at zero RPM, so were exceptionally good at getting a train moving, which was a bigger task than keeping it moving.
In Europe and a few other places, diesel-hydraulic locomotives have been used. They were tried in the US, but proved less reliable than diesel-electric models.
I only get 10mpg on my hybrid when the engine is running. However, it only runs 1/4 of the time. It's not a plug in. Also a hybrid is more efficient because it optimizes the load and speed of the engine to get over 40% thermal efficiency instead of 25% in a non-hybrid
Someone PLEASE put this power plant in a giant Suburban class SUV!!!
Amazing video Alex.
You are one of the very few RUclipsrs that answers the questions people would have. Truly a great job. Thank you.
Way to hustle. NO other outlet has this news. That will change by tomorrow, but you were first.
We try to stay on top of things. -Travis
My current PHEV gets a combined 650 mile range with full battery + full gasoline tank.
So, this pickup would be a good addition for those times when cargo needs to be moved.
Just a guess base price will probably be around 65k with a 5k dealer markup.
The battery pack alone at 98kwh is probably $30k, so they've have to move these at $100k+ otherwise it's going to be a loss.
make it a double
Hopefully less than. -Travis
I would like to see a version where they cut that in half maybe they can do so with the dodge Dakota because I don’t think we need it 92 kWh battery I think 45 would be great as long as you’re getting about 100 miles of range approximately. And we really don’t need a 27 gallongas tank either cut that down to 13 now what you’re doing is your saving incredible amount of weight and you’re saving cost. If you were to do those two things you would increase your payload and towing and probably save about seven grand on the cost of the vehicle
I would agree for a regular use truck but this is for rv hauling and work trucks. That's why the increased fuel and battery capacity.
Agree. Make a cost reduced 2 door work truck with 60 miles of EV range.
It's basically an EV with a built in generator. You'll be carrying around a lot of extra engine and gas weight so you charge if the battery gets too low. Seems very inefficient to me. Plus you'll have all the problems of an EV and a gas car. What a great idea.
This will be a massive hit
Doubtfull
Until you see the price for this complex powertrain. Some napkin math. Price out a normal Ram 1500, now add $100-150 per kwh for the battery. Add additional ballpark markup for additional electric motors, inverters, etc. Price will be astronomical.
Yes massive hit but with this economy and inflation and interest rates rising. Doubt it for the average consumer. They wouldn’t sell a lot of them if they are more than 60-70k+.
@@kubeanie18wrangler and grand Cherokee are the best selling plug in hybrids in the country… If this were a Toyota, you’d be one of the people who liked this comment. What we have here is your average classic Chrysler hater. 🙂
It has the potential for it. -Travis
I love this! 90% of my daily driving would be covered with pure electric, but I tow enough that the range extender will eliminate all anxiety issues.
A lot of folks will be able to use this on a regular basis without ever kicking on the generator but it seems towing is what it will be used for most often. -Travis
This is a neat use of this drivetrain, I don't think it'll be outlandishly priced like its EV counterparts. However, if RAM opts to produce so few of these to account for low expected demand, the small production quantity could get this in the EV price range anyways.
I think RAM is hoping these sell well and will produce as many as they can. -Travis
This truck is great and what was needed. Hybrid truck with ev drive and generator only for power. Being able to plug in is a plus in my book. Hopefully pricing in the different trims is good as well. I would like to see RAm do the same drivetrain in a future Rampage and Dakota! If RAM plays it cards right and offers truck to all price segments with this drive train layout they will win the pickup truck challege the others haven't done yet and will play catch up.
its a clown car, that LOOKS like a truck without doing much of anything you actually do with a truck. it's so the upper middle class guys can feel like they are a man, while not using that truck to do anything, and you wouldn't want to probably spending 100K+ for this monstrosity 😆
Why not just get a lightning and carry a gas powered generator in the bed if needed? if you have enough charge, you could unload the generator and get better mileage.
I don’t believe they can keep the cost down, and this will be another $65k+ cosplay-Cowboy truck you see in the school pickup line
I’m excited to see this ram I hope more models get that beautiful interior
The key is going to be the cost to the consumer. GM is shooting itself in their feet with pricing when it comes to their EVs (or whatever you want to call them). From the testing I've seen on TFL the Silverado WT has great range even when towing however by pricing the WT north of 70k they have basically taken themselves out of a market for someone who would actually consider buying a truck that's mostly going to be used for work.
Exactly. That’s why they going back to drawing boards on EV designs
@@thenutsonyourchin actually the American dollar is the strongest its ever been & certainly stronger than it was in the early 70’s & early 80’s when inflation was significantly higher than it is now. The problem is the disparity of wages between CEO’s & employees has risen by more than 600% & the lie of trickle down economics. 70k is too damn much for especially considering that a comparable crew cab Silverado is 47k which by the way is equal to 15k & 40 years ago a Silverado without as many safety features was only 4k less but with interest rates significantly higher that difference is a wash.
Betcha this thing will cost $70K at least.
Thank you!
Thank you! -Travis
Smart. Dodge is listening to drivers and watched the issues with the Lightning. The interier does look really good. My fear is the price out the door, either lease or buy.
While I’ll miss the tried, true and reliable Hemi, this is awesome. Ram is always changing the game from the big rig design in the 90s, to the Hemi, SRT 10 Ram, the 2005 Power Wagon, Ram box, TRX, etorque, etc. Way to go Ram.
I owned a couple of Volts, I thought they were labeled as Range Extended EVs. Back in 2014 when I got them the terminology was all so new, I might have been told wrong by the dealer (shock horror I know).
GM advertised them that way for a while, but the always had a parallel hybrid mode
@@AAutoBuyersGuidethis is not true The volt which I have is a 2017 volt and it is a serial hybrid it is an electric vehicle extended range. I cannot switch it to hybrid mode only it only if I put it on hold it does not have an automatic transmission all the power goes through the motors first. I've done my fair bit of research and I own it
@@usguyverI have an 18 volt and you are correct.
On paper it's awesome, but it's still a Dodge 🤷
This is interesting. Nissan uses the same sistem in Europe for what you call Rogue and Rogue Sport. The smaller one is ok, but the bigger one is not that efficient, and Mitsubishi does not use that system for Outlander even if they share a lot with Rogue. Now, the CEO of Mitsubishi was asked will they use the system for their new pickup (Triton/L200), and he said that this generator system is good for smaller vehicles, but not efficient for bigger ones. So they opted out even for Outlander, not to mention midsize pickup which is often loaded.
It looks awesome and I'm glad dodge Finally is going to make a useful truck that can go distance when needed... Toyota should have done this to the tundra 2022
..
1) it's going to cost a fortune...
2) I wonder what the tow capacity will be
3) I'm not sure I'd want to own it out of warranty
PHEVs are EVs in the eyes of the EPA, and they’re required to have 5yr/100,000mile drivetrain/battery warranties. In ZEV states (CA, CT, MA, MD, NJ, NY, OR, RI, & VT) it’s 10yr/150,000mile. I wouldn’t worry about reliability.. series hybrids are less complex than traditional automatic transmissions. As long as the battery charging is tuned well (not allowed to charge to 100%) and thermally managed well, you’re going to deal with minimal degradation and by the time you do need to replace components, they should be commonplace.
That said, I’d avoid the first year because there will be some teething issues nobody wants to be a part of.
Alex, I quite agree with your initial observation that its surprising that Ford has completely missed the bubble of evolving its three year old F150 hybrid into a Plug-In Hybrid. RAM has now beaten Ford to the punch at precisely the moment where the market is making it clear that it wants the advantages of electric (but will not accept the compromises of current EV technology...). With 140-160 miles of electric-only range, most consumers will be able to live electric only while preserving their ability to tow and avoid range anxiety. The 7.2kw tailgate generator and adjustable air suspension will make this the perfect offering for millions of RV owners and trailer haulers. The one question that I'm going to be very interested to learn more about is 'what will the miles-per-gallon be when towing? Your suggestion that combined total range will be in the 20 mpg area is a bit underwhelming when you consider that adding a trailer usually halves that 'unhitched' range. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this technology will do better....Thank you for the very helpful early assessment of this new technology....
You're right, the towing fuel efficiency is going to take a big hit and that's likely why they've installed such a large gas tank. It's not for the daily driving. -Travis
Nope. Thanks anyhow. I'd sooner buy a regular all fuel powered truck, and economical all fuel or fuel hybrid combo car or suv as my daily driver. Cost of purchase and ownership, not to mention maintenance and less complexity mechanically and electrically (software) wise.
The trucks styling however looks great inside and out. 😎🇺🇲
this is my next truck - hybrid ram, as long as it has all the features of the ev trucks - autopilot, 360 degree camera , park assist, etc .
Alex with that classic 1am video drop time 😂. This truck looks awesome!
I love how everyone in the media and all the talking heads on RUclips preached for years that this was impossible for fullsize trucks.
This looks promising. That interior looks world class
I would absolutely buy this truck in the tradesmen trim
Hoovie totally blew up the idea of towing with a BEV F150 Lightning! Glad he gave us all a dose of reality. Let's see how this RamCharger works in the real world towing. Let's see the plus and minus of this design in the real world. Hey Hoovie! Calling you to order one of these!
Thats what i was waiting for
ONLY ram could come out with this. GAME CHANGER
Actually, l like it! I seen 20 mph in city and 25 mph highway. My Daughter bought a 2010ford fusion in 2019 for $5,000. Before the electric vehicle hype. It’s a great car.
Amazing review Alex.
Chevy volt was similar setup was it not?
Yes, series hybrid. But the Volt motor could power the wheels under certain conditions.
The Volt was a serial/parallel hybrid with very much the same design as a Prius, on the highway it always powered the wheels directly
@@AAutoBuyersGuide I meant 1st gen.
+$100,000 dealer markup=no thanks.
Ok, now make it a 3 row SUV and it will sell like hot cakes 😎👍
I guess that's where the next generation Durango comes in. They might fit this tech into the next generation Durango (if it's going to happen, there were some rumours in the past that the Durango isn't coming back after 2023), and maybe even the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wagoneer.
@@damilolaakanni union published info saying the powertrain is going into the Wagoneer. Which makes sense since it shares a platform with this truck.
It's certainly possible! -Travis
They need to package a flat-four engine under the bed or back seat/rear bulkhead area as a generator and gain a frunk on the next-gen. A truck with an electric powertrain, a on-board generator, a decent bed, great towing capacity, and a nice interior is the best of all worlds.
They have to prove they can sell a ton of these before they commit to new engine development. It's super expensive.
We love good PHEVs -- like our Wrangler Rubicon 4xe, we just want much larger batteries -- Hope this Ramcharger (REV XR) works out well and is delivered ASAP.
I suspected the first PHEV truck was going to be a Gladiator 4xe but it seems Stellantis had other plans. -Travis
@@AAutoBuyersGuide What a great plan it is. Wishing the best, that Pentastar 3.6L V6 engine is a classic and hopefully the use of that longtime mass manufactured engine allows Ram to keep the price down (and the profit margin up).
It is so easy to increase efficiency. Make them smaller! For decades a full size truck was about the size of the current Ranger.
Ford is selling the PHEV Ranger in other markets and apparently were shocked at the Mavericks popularity. When will manufacturers stop listening to focus groups? We need practical utility, not enormous fashion pieces.
Look at EPA efficiency data, go back 10 or 15 years, trucks used to get the same or even slightly better mpg. All we got was bigger unnecessary trucks and inflated MSRP.
@@hayduke4589 It sure seems that RAM is listening and smart, seeing this excellent design and details of the Ramcharger truck, with reliable Pentastar 3.6L V6 gas engine outputting up to 130kW to the battery and electric motors. Love the mention of Power Bank AC outlets (7200W output) and 27 gallon gas tank. Bring this to market ASAP, hope it is really shipping in early 2025.
uh, what is the value proposition? interesting concept. but... if 20 mpg is all it can achieve as a grocery getter, why bother? 20 mpg is average for today's ICE, but this ramcharger has even more tech and complexity to break down, maintain, wear out, over what will be likely a short life span (all vehicles today have built-in obsolescence) . why pay +$20k more, over an ICE, for the same mpg? and the engine is GFI, not DPI, so expect sooty valves very quickly. cost to replace battery? reliability ? etc.
Chevrolet had this technology with the VOLT, they should have used that technology in the Silverado. Kudo's to Ram for doing it!
Oddly enough the Volt's drivetrain was basically the same as a Prius with extra clutches inside the transaxle, it wasn't really a serial hybrid as GM has originally described and that's logical because parallel hybrids are generally more efficient. Steady state driving, the Volt spends 99% of its time in parallel hybrid mode.
I'd love to buy a newer truck with the newer features but who in their right mind wants this absurd level of complexity in a pickup truck... I'm 65 and my 4th Gen Hemi Ram 1500 only has 90k miles. I see many Hemi Rams on Autotrader with over 250k miles still selling for good money so hopefully I'll never have to buy another truck.
The engine (generator) in here is a pretty known entity. Yes, it's more complex than just running that engine, but it's not an enormous level of complexity over the standard BEV REV. -Travis
my guess is that the front motor will do regen with a permanent magnet motor. better traction with the weight up front to do the regen too
Yes it is nice indeed. How much you say, not on my income. Also, I have no need for a truck this big. Something smaller would be nice. How fast zero to sixty, it’s a truck, it is not a sports car. Must be me.
Around 4 seconds I've seen written. Plenty fast for a daily. My Jag EV is that fast and we don't floor it all the time. Just eats the tires.
A vehicle like this is designed to be able to do just about everything. -Travis
Wait, so it gets 25 mpg past the 150 mile mark?
690/27.
Give me a baby diesel for mpg.
Ford and Chevy falling behind not offering a plug in hybrid like this
There are advantages and disadvantages to being first to market, we'll have to see where things land with the Ramcharger. -Travis
Let’s see what Ford’s T3 looks like in 2025.
We shall see. -Travis
Brilliant concept! I'm assuming the engine will charge the truck while you are away too, having the battery constantly charged as long as you have gas.. That would be awesome!
What's the starting price? 150K?
We don't know but the rumor is saying $50-60K
Totally crazy that Toyota and Ford aren't coming out with competition for this truck. Am I the only one surprised by how large the traction battery is? I have always felt PHEV trucks only require a 30-50 kwh battery, but I suppose if they can build one of these under 60 grand then good enough.
Its called a Series Hybrid system. The engine and generator produces more kW than the electric motors consume. Same system in diesel locomotives, and the reason why they can go thousands of miles. So your only limiting factor is how far you can go on a tank of gas, which 630-710 miles seems pretty damn good for haulers.
This is not a new technology, diesel-electric trains have been using this technology for years. About time they used it in automobiles
This seems to work very similar to how the Nissan hybrids work. The engine isn’t connected to the drive terrain
Similar to the Nissan ones not sold in the USA, yes
Ramcharger!
Man I wish this same powertrain makes it way to the grand wagoneer. That would be the ultimate family hauler
Combo hybrid is the way to go, waiting for the price! Hope Toyota and Ford also put out one to compete, relying solely on charging station for any EV is a pain in the ass when I blew out my ModelX onboard charging module on third party charging stations, not many people understand what it means when you actually run into the situation, having own charging capability give peace of mind and is the way to go, since I am looking for a perfect truck to tow my new airstream and I cannot afford to go bottom up in the middle of the road! Excited to see this product coming to market.
Before you order make sure you ask how much is to get the battery replaced. The rumor is that some brand charge more for a new battery than you paid for your car.
Hey Alex. Great video. Towing aside if you say we’re driving from SF Bay Area to LA driving in the I5, how would the RamCharger drive? Would it struggle say going up the Grapevine once the battery is fully exhausted and you’re fully running on the gas mode. I ask because with in the next 3 years or so I will be looking for a new vehicle and the RamCharger is very intriguing.
I don't imagine you would run in to any difficulty with every day driving even with the battery depleted. You would likely lose top end performance, but I suspect even that would still be available in bursts. -Travis
Will this Ramcharger have a generator that operates similar to Ford's ProPower On Board inverter?
It will be able to output either 3.2kw or 7.2kw depending on options. -Travis
@AAutoBuyersGuide wow! Thanks for the great news- will be nice to power a travel trailer or campsite!
It’s interesting that serial hybrid tech has been around but you don’t see it used often. I’m expecting this to be a noticeable point in time we’re we see serial hybrids move into a more common form of powertrain choice especially in high power high load platforms.
This will not be affordable for most people…
Why is it taking this long for series hybrids to be a thing. They should have always been the way.
Looks wise its way better than its REV counterpart. REV was a joke especially after the concept truck they revealed.
Following is the summary of what I feel about this truck design:
Pros:
- Great range. Both EV only as well as combined.
- Almost zero range anxiety while towing large trailers.
- Easy daily commuter with almost EV only all the time.
Cons:
- Inefficient. 145 miles with almost 100kwh battery! For instance, f150 lightning goes 240 miles on similar sized battery.
- ICE is not connected to the drivetrain. Its kind of Range extending generator only. There's always energy loss when converting it to electricity and the electric motors to the drivetrain
- Added overhead of maintaining ICE. That too if your daily commute mostly is on EV only (which most probably will be), then maintaining ICE that is not running during most days of the year.
- Think about the potential weight. With that size battery, its a truck that weight as much as standard range F150 lightning plus weight of a 3.3 L ICE.
- If the battery is depleted, You will need to wait for ICE to charge the battery substantially until you can start the commute.
I seriously doubt you'd ever be stuck with gas generated power only in this truck. The size of the battery tells me there is much more than 150 miles of battery range, so they keep plenty of juice in there to help the gas engine produce the full amount of power needed. Also, driving is never uphill only. It's both where going down hill would be regenning the battery so the next hill is also getting full power no matter what. Even if not in tow mode.
Alex any information weather the pentestar V6 can do both charge the battery and run the electric motors simultaneously?
It seems that it will do both unless it's under a full load where all available power is being requested by the drivetrain. -Travis
How does this hybrid make economic sense at 20 mpg? Any model with a few goodies will not likely qualify for the $7,500 tax credit so why not just go full ICE and save tens of thousands?
I don't think they are making an economic play, I think they are looking for the customer that wants zero 60 in 4.4 seconds plus the convenience of visiting a gas station less often. We don't know if any will get the tax credit because of the way the credit is changing over time. The exclusion of chinese materials and ramping up restrictions on mineral sourcing means that in 2024 a bunch of EVs and PHEVs will lose the credit.
So in short, this will be highly inefficient in either EV or hybrid mode.
Yes. But it's also the most capable RAM 1500 made to date as far as towing and capacity is concerned. So efficiency I don't think was part of the equation really, just increased horsepower and extended range.
Yes, but it also will be insanely fast and have high payload and towing figures, so it’s all a trade-off