2025 Ram Ramcharger - Built By The Insane For The Gullible
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- Опубликовано: 8 ноя 2023
- When we heard that the new for 2025 Ram Ramcharger EV was going to be equipped with a gasoline powered generator to be used as a "range extender", it seemed like a practical and novel answer to the issue of range anxiety.
The reality is they've created an over stuffed, over complicated, oversized Frankenstein that has no accurate classification within the current world of vehicles. It's not an EV, It's not a Hybrid and it's not anything that could ever be considered sustainable.
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I guess you guys have been living under a rock. Diesel-electric Locomotives feature a big engine that turns a generator that powers electrical motors connected to the wheels. They have no mechanical connection between the engine and the wheels and have been around since the 1930's (before most of you were even born). They have PROVEN themselves to be the most efficient and reliable method of transporting mass cargo over the land.
To say that this new RAM truck's hybrid system is "new" is just ignorance. The old Chevy Volt had the same system, as do the current Toyota Prius Prime and RAV4 Prime (there are more but can't think of them now). Automotive journalism calls these "Plug-in Hybrids", been around for more than a decade now.
Many people have brought up the comparison to Diesel Electric locomotives in the comments.
It's NOT the same thing.
As you said, that technology has been around since the 1930's and is brutally simple and effective....SIMPLE, and effective BECAUSE it's simple.
Those are direct, purpose built machines that are not compromised by having to wear different hats, pretend to be things they are not, and are packaged in a way that makes them easily serviceable.
If Ram or any other nameplate introduced a truck that was a direct downsize of a Diesel Electric locomotive, I would probably be in line to buy one myself.
Plug-in Hybrids
Its electric motor provides some assistance to the gas engine, saving fuel compared to a gas-only vehicle. Additionally, certain driving situations can provide charge to the battery, though not enough to add more than a mile or so of electric driving at a time.
So not the same as the 2025 Ram Ramcharger
source google
So what part of that is good for a pickup truck ?
@@UncleTonysGarage none of the arguments you made are based in engineering, science, or physics at all beyond right to repair which all newer vehicles including Ice suffer from. Saying a 3hp gas generator with a 1kw output that’s supposed to charge a 100kw battery powering a 660hp motor demonstrates how you lack basic understanding. Lmafo at the four day charge rate, I think your argument does more for the brain damage leaded gas causes than anything else.
I had a RAV4 Prime. Awesome vehicle. I just sold it because I needed a truck!
The R4P is a true hybrid with big batteries. Both the engine and batteries are connected to the drive train. It is not a pure EV with a battery charger.
In the long run, the R4P-style drive train is not suitable for many truck applications, such as towing, that require consistent high power output. Once the battery is depleted, the R4P a heavy 175hp SUV. The batteries will always give you great surge performance, hence great acceleration. But they do nothing to help you tow a trailer up a long, uphill grade. In fact, the engine has to work harder to charge the batteries after hard acceleration.
For consistent high power loads, you will need an ICE engine with enough HP to maintain that level of power plus make up for the electric drive system energy losses. This works OK for locomotives, but has proven way too heavy for over the road power.
Oh, and locomotives don't have batteries and do not need fast, variable power output.
When I say "Car companies can't get any dumber" they seem to consider it a challenge and then prove me wrong. I agree with you, a mid sized truck with a very efficient 4 or 6 cylinder engine, backed up by a simple 5 speed manual transmission, priced under $20k, with simple analog gauges, manual crank windows and the absolute minimum computer controls and it would sell like hotcakes.
I have a few cars, one of them is a little Toyota sedan that's 30 years old. 5 speed, air-conditioning, pwr steering and cranking windows. It drives so smooth, I often forget it's 30 years old. If a new car offers what this car has, and no more, I'd buy one in a heart beat.
But you can’t trap folks under debt and leech up any and all of their extra money for years if we do that.
It's a stated goal to eliminate the private ownership of automobiles. It's not supposed to work for the general public.
@@bobm9509 absolutely, force everyone into cities as well. All about control.
@@johncrazyboy3250exactly, 💯 we've raised a generation of morons that'll believe what ever the hell is on the tube or screen.
Yes, I agree. Simple, lightweight, small gasoline engines in smaller vehicles with simple standard transmissions would be a hell of a lot more efficient way to go. In 1993, they sold a Honda civic that got 73 mpg(imperial). Why the hell do we need 800 horsepower, 4 ton machines with endless wiring and electronics, self driving and self parking, etc., etc.? Technology has gotten out of control. It's way beyond logical. People would love to have access to simple, efficient, reliable transportation that they could actually afford to buy and maintain.
Been saying this for years.
In the 90s 2000s we got engines fairly efficient.
Then they decided to keep them the same size as they always were.
Why the old 2016 ford f250 4wd gets like 12.5 average is disgusting.
It's got 380hp and I stuck with a mk4 VW Jetta vr6 in a "race" to about 75 when I lifted.
We'd be better off if that 6.2 was like a 4.5 and had like 250-275hp if it would get like low 20s average,I know I'd be fine with that.
Need all that power?
That's what options are for.
It makes you take it to the stealership constantly
So well said it almost makes sense
In 1975 they had a carbureted car that would get over 50 mpg, a 2001 Buick park avenue would get 26 regularly. My full size 93 regular cab Silverado is smaller than a 4x4 4 door Colorado, and gets better fuel mileage with a V8 than they can with a 5 or 6 cylinder.
The thing is that many people have gotten lazy to the point that they rely on "technology" to do everything for them and, they're dumb enough to pay for it.
Personally, the only things I want in my vehicles (other than a reliable drivetrain) are a tilt wheel, cruise control, a radio (without all the extra bs) and a/c. As a younger man, I could live without the a/c and almost insisted on a manual transmission. These days, I can still live without a/c as long as I have a sliding rear window but, with the arthritis in my left knee getting worse by the day, an automatic transmission is, unfortunately becoming a necessity. Power windows and locks are nice but definitely not necessary. Backup cameras, blind spot monitors and all the other garbage are also just more things to break and cost money! Hell, out of all the vehicles that I own, only 1 of them has cup holders!
This is what people were asking for... I don't think the average person needs this but it would work well for guys that want to tow long distances. The EV range will make most peoples daily commutes without needing to run the gas engine at all. The v6 generator makes enough electrical power to run it without needing to stop. I own an f150 lightning and wouldn't give up my frunk space for a range extender, home charging is enough 99% of the time. If I was towing long distances regularly I would want this ramcharger mainly because DC charging infrastructure is lacking
All that and not screwed on the days where you really need it to go farther or tow more.
The ramcharger is for the family that spends most of their time in the city and can plug it in but maybe have a boat they tow on the weekend. The gas engine just fires up a few hours a week.
@@pin65371 Or famers and tradesmen. This would include both of my brothers.
An Optional engine to go on 500+ miles range makes a lot of sense to me. When you are going around town doing your jobs and commuting, you just leave it in EV. While towing or on the highway, you have the engine juice up the batteries in order to keep moving longer. It makes a lot of sense, displaces the pollution to outside the cities while polluting less due to a smaller displacement but still making big power. Seems logical. The mechanical side also has less failure points because all it is doing is running the alternator. No power train.
Exactly. The guy in this video doesn't know what he's talking about. This is technology in wide use already. Think about this...there is no 3.6L V6 on the planet ( aka the generator in the ramcharger) that can tow even 10k lbs. However, this same V6 in the ramcharger is capable of supplying enough electricity to tow 14k lbs. That's wild and shows the inefficiency of petrol engines. It is why we move freight all around the world on diesel powered but electrically driven trains since the 30's. Any way you cut it, ICE engines are very inefficient if they're putting the power to the ground but they are necessary for long haul driving (in a generator capacity). Glad to see the industry moving this direction it is literally common sense.
Finally, some sense in this comment section.
And people wonder why I bought a 1985 Ford F-150, with the 4.9L Inline 6, and a manual trans. The truck is absolutely beautiful in it's simplicity, from the Carter single barrel carb, to the 8.8 rear end.
Yup, I only buy old pos, manual trans preferably, people always tell me I need a new car. It's insane how programmed everyone is! Why would I want a new car?! First I don't have a car payment, second I can buy any part I need on it for 40 bucks or less, 3rd my insurance is nothing, 4th I've got money in my bank account and yall dumb asses complain how broke you're all the time. Smdh. Seriously people aren't capable of their own thoughts anymore... Everyone is a programmed, self important, slave!
I know that truck . My friend has one. It still runs, that manual trans is a beast, it's not been rebuilt. Who knows the milage now but it's around 300.000. Great truck.
Tough durable truck
I'm buying a 1984 Dodge van later next week. I work on new cars for a living, they are all shit.
A friend had one, and it was a great truck. They used those engines a lot in Australian Ford's
Due to CAFE standards forced onto car manufacturers they have to continue to build bigger and bigger vehicles so they can meet the fuel efficiency requirements.. the heavier the car/truck the less miles per gallon they need to get.. look into it and your head will explode.. great video Tony keep them coming
Yes totally agree it the reason Toyota doesn't sell the hylux pick up in the United States it pushing 25 plus mpg but doesn't meet the ridiculous café regs due to the wheel base to mpg bs regs hear its also why the Ford ranger is now a mid size
You are 100% correct. It's the ONLY reason why true compact trucks like the old Ford Ranger, 1st gen Tacoma, S-10, etc are totally extinct. Modern "small trucks" are literally the size of what full sized PU trucks used to be 30 years ago. And modern full sized PU trucks are the size of small freight trains. The prices are outrageous too. You can buy a house in certain parts of the country for what a full sized PU truck costs these days. It's sheer insanity.
Now just put your finger on the part of the constitution that authorizes such nonsense.
That's only part of the story. The car manufacturers themselves "help" the government to define those standards. So, of course they push for more stringent standards for cars because the trucks/SUVs are much more profitable. The CAFE standards may have started out as good-intentioned policies to help clean up our environment. But they've morphed into something that appears to be doing the opposite. In the end, it's all about money. It's always about money...
That's how come trucks like the Lil Red wagon was the most powerful and fastest things coming out of Detroit, back in the beginning of the Cafe standard.
Hi Tony. I'm a Ramcharger engineer. You're correct on the architecture of the REV, but it's called a REPB (Range Extended Paradigm Breaker) which will go around 700 miles on a full charger plus full tank of gas to charge. I would love to give you my opinion of this too, but I don't want to lose my job. Lol
@@Wontreplyeverdontbother Sure thing, colon cowboy
I too am a RAMcharger engineer. I think it's a neat idea.
That's all
Diesel-Electric Trains work like the "RamCharger" but lack the large 'time-bomb?' 92kwh battery
I was asking about mini trucks and what happened to them and I found that manufacturers are claiming they can't make them because of the EPA's C.A.F.E. regulations. It looks to me American manufacturers wanted those regulations the way they are so they could sell the consumer vehicles with higher margins while using the EPA as a scapegoat.
sounds right to me
Good point...
The EPA is not a scapegoat but they are a branch of the federal government that has grown into an entity that dictates policies across the board that effect every single person in this country. Ranging from the food we eat ,water we drink and the air we breathe. They have no counter balance branch to keep them from getting out of line, like we have with other branches. Just a more aggressive way to control us, they are evil. Just as bad as the fuckin IRS
It was probably also that combined with the Chicken Tax and importing small trucks.
Above a certain weight, the safety standards become more lenient.
It's a stepping stone to "You will own nothing and be happy.". He wasn't lying when he uttered those words. I drive a 33 year old Miata with hand crank windows and I feel like it has too much electronic bs on it. My next car will be a 50s or 60s VW. Become ungovernable.
The heck is an old bug gonna make you "ungovernable"?
Just thought you'd like to know the 2026 model cars will come with government mandated remote kill switches..let that sink in for a minute or two..
@@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge
Michael Hastings didn't kill himself.
@@jayarnold8883 Don't care, modern cars are garbage.
And with these cars, parts are harder and harder to find, by design, I'd guess
My wife's PHEV Cadillac ELR (Chevy Volt powertrain) has been great. We've had zero issues from the gas generator engine in the 95K miles we've had it. The ELR/Volt are very much like the Ramcharger in that the ICE really only acts as a generator to power the battery/electric motor. The only thing I question on the Ramcharger is why they used a V6, they could have gone with a smaller 4-cylinder generator, but maybe there was some benefit to using an engine that's standard across their platforms already.
I don't think a 4cyl engine would produce enough (electric) power to tow 14k pounds
Correct, it's all about the most efficient way to provide 130KW of charging to the battery so the battery never goes under 20% and can maintain all it's 'juice' going to the wheels. The 3.6 is more efficient and simpler than a turbo at certain RPM's needed to act as a generator.
Sounds like Ramcharger is not for everyone, but it sure does seem to satisfy our interests and desires here in rural northern Utah. Glad to see the gas tank capacity is 27 gallons, and for the power outlets, both 120V and 240V up to 7.2 kW output. Besides the CCS1 and J1772 plug inputs (how about NACS?), I would like to see power input interface allowing for connection of solar panels, even while moving.
Utah has alot of odd human desires, needs and strange alien beliefs.
Why not desire SIMPLICITY. A simple truck with a diesel engine that has similar efficiency and is SIMPLER to operate and repair.
@@pin65371This is the point. This is also what dissenters don’t get.
They also don’t get that the Plumber only travels 100 miles a day, that my Dad never tows anything but likes the bed for lumber projects and travels to see family 509 miles away occasionally, etc. It’s a great design that I think will be highly successful.
@@FarmingWithYahwehgo buy an old one
Solar panels probably won't add enough range to be worth the cost - they looked into this for the cybertruck. However, using this truck as a home backup would prove very useful
Tony you are so true about technology gone to far. The garbage most car makers are putting out today. I would never buy a new vehicle.
With a subscription model. Pitiful
I agree, but many a fool will.
"Range Extender" is double speak for "we can't deliver on the promise of EV's and we are trying make it functional at least."
yep
Simple as this
A range extended electric car can make a lot of sense. A battery big enough to do 90% of your driving on electric only, and a small gas powered generator to use on your occasional road trips.
A lot better than sticking a 3000lb $30,000 battery in the car and hoping that's enough range to make it between charging stations in middle of nowhere Wyoming.
It's just this is not a range extended electric car, it's an 8000lb monstrosity.
@@jaredlancaster4137 missing the point. If they had full faith in being able to deliver on the promise it wouldn't have a V6 in it to power it after the batteries get used up. That is the point Tony is making here. The engine is not the backup here the batteries are.
I cannot agree more.
9:07 in most hybrids the car can't be driven when the battery is truly dead or missing. These cars don't have a traditional starter and require a working hybrid system and hybrid/main battery to start the engine.
The engine is only used as a generator as that is more fuel efficient than letting it power the wheels directly. That is one of the reasons why Nissan e-POWER exists.
Volvo xc90 turbo, supercharged, plug-in-hybrid-reliability.
all i have to say is 170kw gen set with a 70kwh battery. the ultimate backup, I hope they have a decent 2 phase outlet.
I think it is 130kw generator with a 90kwh battery.
@@gregkramer5588 My bad
Lemme guess, you can only use the v6 if you buy a subscription for it
That would actually be hysterical, and not illogical at all to how things head. But I'm still hoping to get one of these fr.
I live in germany and for over a decade now I'm driving a little volkswagen polo 2 (wasn't available in the US).It has a small 1.3L engine with only 54 hp but it only weights about 1650 pounds. If there is an unrepairable engine failure I can change the whole engine to one that I have in my shelf in about 4 hours.
In my opinion, there is hardly anything handier and environmental friendlier than such an old car.
Americans are cucked for giant fukken trucks and race cars
Correct, but our overlords want us to consume constantly!
I wish more stuff was designed this way.
When the weather is decent I daily my 1974 VW Beetle. Very simple, light and efficient. Repairs are a breeze. I love it.
You still shit, so there's that.
Agreed: the first-gen Dakota was the perfect size! I had a '96, way back when...
It takes a lot of power to turn a 180kw generator. Also, it won't be running all the time and the ice will be running at the right rpm for efficiency. I like it.
The rants about modern absurdities are my favorite. I think a lot of us feel a bit like George Carlin, the guy in the movie Falling Down, Marvin Heemeyer, oh and Sly Stallone in Demolition Man while we watch our country and the western world swirl the bowl. I am fearful for my kids
Add idiocracy to the list.
Does that 3.6 run off of Brawndo🤣🤣🤣
@@FrankTimms-cs5hl idiocracy! Yes! Lol
@@jimmy_olds
Escape from New York (our current police state)
“The last chase” with Lee Majors.@@Calc_Ulator
Borla just released a speaker system to make a Lightning sound like a V8 lmao
It’s like all these vegan companies making fake “meat” 😂😂
Yeah, and it sounds like a video game. Lol
How many were on pre-order?😂😂😂😂😂
@@Spike-sk7ql honestly no idea, nor do I care. It’s just as dumb as the new Ramcharger lol
can.... can I route that sound through some AirPods? : )
What a bizarre "innovation" !
Somewhere in car guy heaven, the Dodge Brothers are weeping.
The 3.6 liter V6 can supply power directly to the DC motors that drive the wheels on the Truck and in specific situations avoiding sending the power to the battery. So even though this is different than a traditional hybrid its still a hybrid. This is the similar technology that trains have used for almost a 100 years if not longer. Trains have engines on board that run generators that send power to the electric motors that drive the train. There must be something positive about doing it this way or that would not have been used for so long with the trains.
It is the only way to get that much torque to the wheels. The concept was a huge breakthrough. It made the steam locomotive obsolete.
As a 30 year Mopar parts employee, I can’t tell you how glad I am I was able to retire before seeing this legacy brand embarrass itself on the world stage.
This is possibly the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard of. Feel bad for guys still out there working in this industry.
They’re all embarrassing themselves and being run out of business.
Staying stuck in the past has always proven to be a great idea. ( That's sarcasm if you didn't get it.) Move into the future or die out like all things inevitably do.
@@AbolishCommunism well, are there millions of dumbasses out there? My calculations say yes!
Chrysler is no more due to Stellantis...
Yeah I was at the dealer in the 90's....good products that ppl were happy with.
UTG: "How many failure points can you put between two bumpers?"
Me: The same amount that is between their ears....
I once saw a guy mowing his yard with an electric mower... He had an edger, weedeater & blower... All corded and all plugged into a gas-powered generator on his tailgate...!!! He did this for work, I guess...?!? It was crazy, I saw him for a few years at several different properties... Thanks, keep up your awesomeness...
Maintaining one engine vs half a dozen small ones doesn't make sense to you because you're not in his shoes having to use these tools for a living
@@evocati6523 I guess...
Hey Tony. I love my 1st generation dakota and you're 100% right that a small truck would be more efficient. Unfortunately the way café works is if you have a bigger truck, it is allowed to be less efficient. I'd look up how width and wheelbase determines efficiency. All government malarkey that won't allow us to have small trucks
The rules were intended to reduce emissions for all vehicles, but allow more emissions for larger vehicles as larger vehicles use more energy, as you know. A 1 ton truck has energy needs greater than a Honda Civic. Requiring the same fuel economy or if the 2 is silly. So they allowed larger footprints to have lower fuel economy. Car manufacturers were expected to meet these emissions, but they worked around doing the hard work of making small cars more efficient by making them larger. The government apparently didn't anticipate Ford/GM/et all abandoning cars and just making larger, less efficient vehicles. Refs need to be updated. However, small cars/trucks with EV powertrains can easily meet cafe regs, and so we could see small trucks again, if BEV
Tony knows as little as we all knew. The busses in my town are gasoline generators powering the electric drive motors. It’s great tech , small engine emissions and big power
I hear that in England and Australia. Insurance rates for EV's have increased up to 1000% due to the cost of repairs. Some companies have dropped them all together, refusing to cover any EV.
$40,000 to fix a dent on a rivian what sane insurance company would insure that...
@@soliniv1411exactly that's what everyone's insurance is going up to pay for this crap
I was in this dilemma a few months ago. Using a 17 Ford Transit 150 for my business with 200k miles, looking to replace. The old van was 30k new, a new exact replacement is 50k , the electric version is 65k, but only has a range of 120 miles on a single charge, totally unworkable in my business. So I bought the gas version. I would have seriously looked at an electric version with a range extending generator, if one was available.
Hey Uncle Tone! I KNOW WHY THEY DID THIS!!! It's because they no longer have to run on the ridiculous emissions standards with this cute trick! FIGURED IT OUT :)
I agree with you totally Uncle Tony, the more they add to a car the more potential problems. This is why I prefer older cars before computers with crank windows. You know back when almost everyone could fix their own car with basic hand tools.
I think they should have gone one step further and just included blown hemi from the hellcat to run the generator :)
That truck is much better executed and engineered than the Ram
That reminds me of Thrust 2, the land speed car holder that has either a V8 or V12 (forget which), just to drive the fuel pump for the jet engine.
I would look at the Chevy Volt Voltec system. This is the same series hybrid system as this Ram Truck. Same as a Prius as well, but the Volt is more advanced.
The Volt has a 1.5L just to spin the generator, because the motor that runs the one speed automatic transmission is electric. So just one planetary to worry about, and not two to three planetaries on a gas transmission.
I have the Chevy Volt, and I like it. It has a 150k miles on it, and I am having to fix some things on the motor. The beauty here is, I don't need the gas motor for drives under 50 miles around trip. So while I am working on my car, if I need to run to the parts store, I use the car I am working on, being the gas motor. I have never had that ability before.
I am not going to run out and buy this Ram Truck when it comes out, but if it works as good as my Volt, I might wait until their prices are worth buying and pick one up on the cheap. If it's good. Being their first version, I have my concerns if they can get the software right.
On my Volt, I can tell the car to run in just the battery mode or run the motor that generates the power into the transmission, and that's all that's really involved. So I could literally remove the battery pack and the car is still drivable. The only issue would be losing the Voltec generator/transmission unit. If that goes, you're dead.
And it is fast and also powerful with 300 lbs of torque just being a car. It's not up there with Tesla's numbers, but for a commuter, it works really well.
Toney I feel your pain. I looked at the new 2022 Tundra and when I saw Three radiators two turbos all the coolant lines and oil lines on that truck. I bought a 2021 V8 and could not be
happier.
Tony, the size of vehicles has inflated (especially trucks) because there is a vehicle footprint factor to CAFE fuel standards, if you have a larger truck, it has to make less gas mileage.
If you had a truck the size of a first gen Dakota, it would have to make something like 70 mpg based on current year CAFE requirements, or carry a guzzler tax on the vehicle when sold new
Yep. CAFE singlehandedly destroyed the small truck market. I still see a shitload of rangers and S10 around here putting around. Some almost 35 years old, most at least 20. A lot of them are on their second engine and rusted beyond belief, but as long as the frame isnt broken those mini trucks NEVER end up at the junkyard. If they started making those things they probably couldnt keep up with demand from the young tradesman market... The new "ranger" is bigger than a full sized f150 from the 90s yet the bed is uselessly small. No such thing as a work truck anymore
My 96 dakota 4x4 v8 got 20mpg all day long before I put a bigger cam and no cat. Down to 16 now. But I can easily get 20 in a almost 30 year v8.
@@allurared9029wait till you see the mavericks. Those things look like a toy truck on the inside.
At least it's a move back to small footprint trucks I guess, but good lord the engine bay is a mess on those
thats stupity of goverment and reason why all brands build some stupit stuff
I agree, and as someone who actually uses a truck, daily, I pretty much HAVE to stick with an older truck..when the newer ones hit the used market, there will be none that are configured to my needs..they are pretty much all 4 door sedans, with tiny beds...with bedsides 6 feet off the ground....I prefer an 8 foot bed, but good luck finding a newer truck with one of those, unless it is one of those 40 foot long crew cabs with a long bed. I know there are a few(very few) fleet trucks sold that are regular cab with a long bed, but even those are impractical for work as the beds are so high off the ground, you can barely see inside them, much less reach inside the bed to get something...@@allurared9029
For a secondary engine source would make sense but using it as a charger only. Especially a V6. It is a boat anchor if it only used to charge the battery only. That's like turning on a deisel generator to charge your phone for 20 minutes.
That's a damned good way of putting it my friend.
Yeah Wouldn't be like Catipiller is doing the same thing in the D-11s, electric motor has more torque and power than the gas, and the gas Gen set can run the Electric motor even without Batteries in the New Ram Charger.
None of it makes sense. Just get a freaking gas motor and save the money and weight. Lol. None of this is efficient or the so called “green”. Lol
@@mikepalmer2219 And Let the only rock we have to live on Continue to die?
Climate change freako cultist alert >> carrollsanders9376 🤣🤣🤣
OMG you have an old Mopar B body back there!
I have a 67 Coronet 500, 2 door hardtop. It was our church car growing up in the 1970s!
I daily drive a 1990 ramcharger and NOTHING will ever compare!! 🤘🏼
You can tow a mini tanker and call it the extra range extender for the generator…. That is a great idea!!!
PPL/future generations will look back at these past few years as "the time of dumb"
The movie “Idiocracy” comes to mind.
Vehicles are made to be disposable to force you into buying a new one. It’s kinda like how the first lightbulb is still lit rn, but the ones we buy barely last a year… that’s what it means to live in a country built around consumerism. Thanks for all the hard work on the channel Tony, I hope to see you around again soon brother!
Vehicles are made to appeal to new car buyers. The average vehicle on the road in the US is just over 12 years old.
Tony: Essentially what the 'REV' is to trucks what The Diesel Electric was to locomotives.
That could be used as a marketing screed similar to Unsinkable and The Titanic.
Unfortunately, it is not just Chrysler being flushed it is the country. What's been established is that an industrial country can not be converted into an amusement park managed by carnies.
They should make the generator a diesel and give it an air horn so I can live out my train fantasies
If Edison Motors decides to expand from semi's to pickups, that'd be an interesting one.
@@rwkerstetter Edison would probably opt for a gasoline generator too because gasoline is more commonly available, it's currently cheaper, gas engines have become very reliable, they're cheaper to maintain, they don't need as heavy-duty of parts and they don't have as much problems reducing smog. So I'm thinking this is actually going to be a fantastic vehicle despite what Mr Tony thinks.
Hybrids don't barely justify existing. I drive about 100k per year for work. My Sonata hybrid gets about 55 mpg/700 miles per tank. This is with half city, half highway. I had the same car without the hybrid system, it did 19 mpg city, 38 highway. The hybrid is doing 50+ in the city, and about 60 on the highway if kept to 65 mph. If the government cared about the environment they would push hybrid cars, not EVS. My hybrid has a 1.62 kWh batter, a typical EV can be around 80 kWh. They could make about 50 hybrids for the same lithium/other metals and put no stress on the electrical grid, and no resources wasted on charging stations.
I'm not a huge fan of EVs but I've always been impressed with the range from Hybrid designs. I'm with you on the lower natural resources demand for the smaller batteries as well. No having to plot out where you're gonna find a charger. For the infrastructure that real world America has today, hybrid is by far the way to go. You're getting quadruple the mileage per gallon that was possible thirty years ago except for the smallest of engines.
Your comment should be much higher up
Hybrids are underrated.
If only there were any Brains in the Government. The dumbest of people control us.
I love my Toyota hybrid especially on long road trips. I pass by the Tesla EV owners all the time as they’re sitting there charging and all other EVs on the road. Haha
It’s worth noting that ram IS making a fully electric truck. One with a 130kWh battery and one with a 200+kWh battery. That’s the REV. The ramcharger is the one with the gasoline engine.
I hope you think about the advantages of the PHEV a bit more. One advantage was the battery is an accumulator that lets you add power to a smaller engine when you need it for higher peak power, and recovers a lot of energy I was tempted to waste on quicker acceleration. My old Prius was a second quicker from zero to 35 than my wife's PT Cruiser, much quicker and energy efficient in city traffic. One drawback was it could wear out front tires faster because of the extra power it added (258 Lb feet of torque like an old Oldsmobile 215 V8).
I calculated Jay Leno was able to get 907 mpg out of his Chevy Volt because he drove it so much on the battery keeping the daily driving to around 40 miles and charging it back up with his solar and (I believe battery system) like my daughter does with her BEVs which require a much larger battery than hybrids, especially non-plugin hybrids require). Those larger batteries take longer to charge. The Ramcharger may have a bigger battery than needed for most PHEVs but that just lets a lot more people find a bigger sweet spot in the percentage of short range driving they do every day (and its easier on the batteries than the smaller PHEV batteries). Jay Leno hit the sweet part to get the most mileage I can imagine, but people I've talked to tended to get just over 100 MPGe with a good percentage around the 135 MPGe average warm climates, the best in the area got 275 MPGe because he used it such a high percentage of time in the pure electric portion of its range. The PHEV batteries seem to be 10 times larger than simple non-plugin hybrids so they have very short pure electric range and require tougher batteries that can handle the charge and discharge rates that are so high because of their small size. They still make more efficient "transmissions" that also recapture energy every time you slow down which allowed me to get a peak 63.4 Mpg on a 44 mile round trip in my used 2001 Prius with 306,000 miles on it. My neighbor just bought a new Kia PHEV which has more than enough electric range to handle the daily drive to and from work and can be topped off every night at by a 110V home charging at what we think will be less than half the cost of gasoline most of the time. Even if they aren't ever charged at home or the free chargers at work, the PHEV battery to me, medium size battery, still makes more efficient energy recovering, mileage and power enhancing sense.
See www.gornergrat.ch/en/stories/sustainability-at-the-gornergrat-bahn
That shows how the Swiss have been using a mountain train since 1898 that uses overhead cables to power the cog rail cars up steep slopes then recovers enough energy in 3 downward trips to power between 1 and 2 upward trips. One of the best features for me on the old Prius was not having to use the "non-regenerative" brakes anywhere near as much on the trips down mountains (first brake pad replacement on the Prius was at 278,000 miles). I got too good at recovering energy since the smaller hybrid battery could only hold so much energy (perhaps a 1/10th of a typical PHEV battery and 1/100th of a full BEV battery.
Watch the slow sales of the Ford Lightening for an indication of market readiness for that size vehicle/battery systems (there may be great bargains for a while), but I'd rather spring for the Ramcharger if I needed a vehicle in that size range (and I'd be willing to use a smaller battery pack than the 170 mile size pack, if that brought the cost down to the best balance I would need for daily driving.
You gonna try to pretend you're smart after your wife drives a PT cruiser?
But can YOU work on it to keep it running. Why do you get to decide what I want to drive. You do you. I SURE AS HELL AM GONNA DO ME.!
@@arthurcutaiar9994 True but many of us were there to see the first 100k PT cruisers run amok. This is the second generation now, the one the insurance companies and EZ Way motors sales kept alive for 2 decades.
Sorry you think I would want to tell you what you can drive. I had a lot of other cars and trucks that you might have liked to drive, and I still would consider hobby vehicles instead of daily drivers.
I did all the work on my 2001 Prius I bought used for $600 and repaired getting it up to 306,000 miles (still averaging 46 MPG and getting up to 63.4 mpg). I caught an intermittent Inverter Cooling Fan (that jepordized the $1,000 Inverter), and replaced it for $129, so it was one of my very most trouble free cars (out of 50 or so). I have an Aircraft Technician A&P Certificate so I have done almost all the maintenance and a fair amount of hot rod modifications on 15 or so vehicles such as adding a 427 to my Camero (1 of 6 engines swapped into it), a 56 Nomad/427, 39 Chevy 2-door sedan/427 (after having had a 389 powered 39 Chevy Coupe, 307 powered 50 Chevy pickup, 72 Chevy LUV short bed that started with a 283, then a 327, and finally a 350. Out of all of them, I wish I had kept the Prius since the used prices skyrocketed after I sold it.
I instead sold it at the worst possible time for me along with the PT Cruiser stick shift when we moved coast to coast. Now I’d get a Chevy Volt or BMW i3 with the range extender engine depending on the price, to be able to do 30 to 40 miles a day electric and as far as I want to go on gas. The Volt is more useful if you are never going to plug in, while the i3 would let me do about 3 to 4 times the distance on a charge, but has too small a gas tank to do more than 80 miles more than the electric range (ok for a second car for the local area for me), but I’d prefer the Volt if planning to do a lot of much longer range driving (like Sandy Munro thinks is longer than normal where the 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger would be a rare preferred solution for heavier loads and towing) See ruclips.net/video/fYZ8ncLxQ64/видео.html
@@kramnull8962 We needed a car my mother-in-law could get in and out of, we tried several, rented a few to try longer tests in, and she liked the PT Cruiser the most. I hated working on it with no room to get to the A/C servicing point way down in the narrow area ahead of the radiator (had to have my wife use her far less bulky arm to connect it), and multiple two speed fan replacements (finally got a turbo charger fan and heavier circuit breaker/relay ready to install). I didn't install it, though since we decided to sell it ans I didn't want to replace the main harness to make it sort of stock (very poorly documented), or install the much heavier gauge wiring as an add on circuit (though that was far more practical). You don't have to be too smart to work on a PT Cruiser, just a masochist to figure out what they left out of the manuals and get access to some parts, and deal with the pain in the you know what if you want to replace the timing belt or clutch in a small garage.
I did think about pulling a Turbo PT Cruiser sandwich oil cooler/(heat exchanger actually) in a salvage yard (normally $123.99) to use it as a quicker way to bring my oil temperature up quicker and keep it closer to the coolant temperature as a cheaper way to handle most street driving. Normally I would use an after market oil cooler but they cool the oil too much if not thermostatically controlled. The sandwich cooler are harder to work around anyways so I got an MR2 oil heat exchanger that was spliced into the radiator hose (like they do on marine engines). It's much easier and more compact than a liquid to air cooler.
SO when the battery pack cooks off it now has a tank of gas to go along with it. Can you imagine that fire.
Oh my God🤣 a giant EV battery and 27 gallons of gas🤯
Maybe they can also fill every nook and cranney with DYNAMITE.
Does anyone sell a diesel/generator pick-up truck?
@@freddykruger3090 yeah just put a generator in the back of your pickup
@@juicebokz7743 im thinking diesel/electric like the locomotives.
I know I wont be buying one. Tony is so right about the additional complexity and increased failure points.
Reduced Failure points Catipiller has already converted the D 11 to Electric drive, Tony isn't an engineer not even close!
@@carrollsanders9376Nor are you….
These are built on purpose to fail. They want us all in smart cities..prison cities. Modern travel will too expensive for the majority of us peons. Only the ultra rich will have that ability.
Diesel electric locomotives have the best power to weight ratio of any vehicle . What a great marketing feather to have in your cap. To be able to say your truck is the closest thing to a locomotive that you can buy! @@carrollsanders9376
@@trolllibtards2604 I have forgotten more about engineering than Tony Knows.
As a RamCharger owner this boils my blood.
We have a Chevy volt and it has basically the same setup. We love the volt. We drive how most people would, using the electric daily and the gas on long trips. We only need to fill up 3 or 4 times a year. I believe this truck will be a very good fit for most people.
Exactly. Non-EV experienced people don’t get it.
They’re not for everyone. They’re for people who have a home where they can charge. I bought Teslas FOR my long distance commutes and road trips and it’s the best thing I ever did with vehicles.
@@carsbykev7037 does that come with maryjane?
I got to admit uncle tony has started to make mopars grow on me, as a GM guy from a bug GM family. Ive have a passion for 67 to 69 cudas and i love your 67 charger. cars. But i will always love Corvettes and other GM products, the one thing that attracts me to your channel is the honesty you provide to the muscle car community. I will always appreciate your content.
Dodge is made by Stellantis! Lol 😂😆😂😂 Amsterdam company, they make absolute garbage
@@aaronknowlton3996 That didn't stop them from making garbage before.
The reason we no longer have the S10 is because of the EPA. The smaller the vehicle the higher the milage it needs to get so they made it impossible to meet the standard. Now they just make them bigger so the bar is lower for milage ratings.
Makes absolutely no sense.
I'm taking real good care of my S10. Hopefully it lasts until I croak LOL. With so many built plus the postal trucks, parts continue to be readily available.
Makes sense if you want to sell more vehicles at a higher price point than small and efficient
I agree! I have a f150 powerboost/the hybrid. Totally different setups. Love my powerbeast. City living now I can do quarter of my commute electric
Uncle Tony I didn’t think half way through the video you’d bring up failure points, to the point, that I’d start second guessing my recent purchase of a Ram Laramie 3500 Diesel DRW with all it DEF, Emissions Controls & electronics.
Thanks Uncle Tony! 🤔😳😜
BTW you bring up some extremely valid arguments for sure. ✌🏽
I like the idea. Edison truck is doing it, Trains have been doing this for DECADES!
I think the motor might be bigger than I would think it needs, but you can have a gas engine tuned to run at a single RPM to charge the electric system, and get buy with 1/4 of the battery weight. Now you can Tow more, and accelerate faster with the electric motors, but can go a long ways with the on board charger.
Good Job Dodge!
These work a bit different than a diesel-electric or hybrid system. All this engine does is charge the battery. petrol-electric or hybrid would be far more useful in my eyes. All the shit the Prius got back in the day for being slow, they're actually really good cars brought down by the total idiots that drive them. They can even tow a little bit, I've seen people tow boats and small campers with them. If I absolutely had to get a new car it'd probably be a Prius, because I already have the old and simple classic and the big gas guzzling SUV. I don't need another large vehicle, I need a small gas saver for driving to and from work. Hell, if you could get parts for them a bit easier, I'd get a first gen Prius, they look better than the second gen shoebox in my eyes.
I totally agree with you. Series hybrid propulsion is the way to go if you're trying to escape high gas prices in a truck. Since the engine is only running at its most efficient power setting, failures are much easier to predict. This can make the failure rates much lower if they design it right. However, I do wish they would have used a diesel engine/generator instead.
You forgot about the Dodge learning curve. Remember when they released the Cummins. 3 were on the road after the first year...... They just want your $150K.
I know, this is a proven system. These guys are totally stupid. This will work.
Why not just use a regular truck? Why does. It HAVE to be electric. This. Does what a. Normal truck does with 100 times more complexity and cost and more failure points.
This is truly a RAM thing to do.
Like putting a knob on the console as a replacement for a shift lever.
Or making truck transmissions (for years) out of bubble gum and white metal.
Don't forget the "insta rust" steel they use for the body panels
@jamanjeval you must be mistaken. These are not Toyotas
Chrysler transmissions have not been known to last...at least beyond the factory warranty
@@Welcometofacsistube I had a dodge ram 1500. It was the nicest worst truck I’ve ever owned. I now own a Prius. 🤪
There is nothing wrong with an electric shifter knob unless its tied to a dodge as the electrical problems alone will make it worthless but the ider is sound an the gum used isn't like brand new its abc gum still tho I bet a shopping cart holds up better
I was seriously looking at a very expensive top end so-called solar yacht. UNTIL - I became aware that the few solar panels attached had nowhere near the potential to power the batteries for the drive motors - they may have at best powered the cabin lights etc. The BS was, that the solar yacht came with a diesel generator to charge the batteries. Hence when tied up at the dock etc - the filthy diesel fumes would have been belching out as they charged the batteries for our journey. It was all a load of 'diesel smoke & mirrors' - riding on the 'OOOOOH - it is electric' madness. If it had actually been that the solar panels provided enough charge for the drive motors - that would have been great (forgetting the issues I now have with lithium-ion batteries) - but the only way to effectively charge the batteries that provided the power for the drive motors, was to run a stinking diesel generator onboard the yacht. And this was a serious amount of money purchase - I am now so glad that I 'woke up' before placing the deposit. CHEERS from AUSTRALIA.
The stink goes away if you fuel with biodiesel.
Perhaps it wouldn't be as upsetting if it were called a plug-in hybrid... which is a configuration I like. Around town, it's an electric vehicle, but on a trip, or when towing, it works as well as a gasoline truck.
It is a plug-in hybrid though
It is a PHEV but PHEVs can vary a lot. This one is awesome, 150+ mile range on EV alone, most are in the 30-40 mile range.
Upsetting? You are upset? Are you upset by yhe fact that virtually all ice cream contains milk instead of 100% cream??
It's is a phev. The Chevy Volt is also a phev, and gm played with calling it a range extended ev. The BMW i3 with range extender is a phev. The beauty of a serial phev (like the ramcharger and unlike the Volt or prius prime) is simplicity. The complicated power-combining transmission is eliminated.
Tony, my guy, this system is literally how train engines work.
Trains are extremely heavy, whether or not they have on board generators. Also, trains don't need to accelerate or decelerate nearly as often as cars and trucks do. Putting a generator in an electric truck is making an already overweight vehicle grossly overweight, overcomplicated and overpriced. It's a backwards design.
Good stuff! Dodge threw sacred out the window with the 4 door Charger (or as I call it the Diplomat). An onboard generator makes it a hybrid imo. I had a similar idea, but with a proper sized generator used like locomotives.
They copied ford doing the same dumb thing with the mustang name
@@E.IS.M.I.A. That SUV thing simply isn't a Mustang. I refuse to call it so.
Ramchargers was a super stock drag racing team near Detroit. They shortened the wheelbase on their cars and did not park next to other ones. They also had a speed shop, where I bought high performance parts.
I think this is a great idea. Complex yes, but the truck is still electric, with a v6 generator. Check out Edison motors, they are doing it with a big truck. The flexibility to charge and run gasoline is key for northern climates. Plus the albility to have regenerative braking, etc.. Ya its not for everyone but its not really any more complex than a hybrid but you have the options of burning no fuel. You think a "harbor freight generator" will move a 5000lb pickup truck down the road? It would take days to charge your truck with that, maybe only useful for emergencies.
Regen braking won’t be possible with this system as the engine isn’t powering the drivetrain
@@justinolesen1737 correct
Gonna keep rolling with my super simple dead reliable slant 6.
I totally agree. My 98 6 cyl Dakota I bought new is still on the road in top shape. The maintenance is typical except for the occasional water pump, brakes etc. Nothing major. I drive it 3-4 times more than my 5.9 Cummins Ram, which I dearly love. Perfect size truck. No EV in my future of any type, wait til those poor folks have to by batteries and such in 5 years ...
yeah, tesla is nuts. $20k+ for power cells in nine years?
The Prius seems to be the only prudent choice. Neighbor had her dash go ChristmasTree-Mode months ago. Shot main battery. Toyota swapped in new, $5,500. out the door. They said sometimes the main computer signs off when the main array goes, another $1,500. But neighbor got lucky. She loves her Prius. Probably the only hybrid worth it, think hers is 2003 or 2005. An oldie 2nd Gen.
My first truck was 94 Dakota with the 3.7. I still kick myself for getting rid of it.
This guy is one of the most sensible people I've come across in quite some time.
It is special when a passionate person shares their passion with you.
The intent is to incrementally dissuade people from private automobile ownership. They want you immobile.
It's efficient in the fact that it'll be like a locomotive. Edison motors just made a semi truck like that. The engine on the generator runs at a constant RPM to charge the batteries. Maintaining the most efficient RPM you'll have better
Caterpillar is making diesel over electric bulldozers now too. They are supposed to have crazy torque and save a lot of diesel, but that is a machine you just rent. I can't imagine who would buy a used one.
entropy
That's a series hybrid, like a locomotive. It can be very efficient, unless you put a 2000lb battery on it that it now has to drag around, pretty well negating any efficiency gains.
Yeah but why the hell a V6. Putting one of their 4 bangers would be hella cheaper, more economical & easier to work on..
The only reason they do this is it is a more cost effective way to transfer large torque to the ground. It is less fuel efficient because there are more parasitic energy losses than a geared transmission.
Man, you got a thumbs up the moment I saw your title
Well said uncle Tony. You hit the nail on the head with that one! Definitely a good rant!
Mechanic. "Well we found out why you could not charge your battery sir."
Customer. "What was it?"
Mechanic. "Well, your gas engine would not start because the catalytic converter was blocked. So, you EV would not go because your gas engine wouldn't start, go figure."
But you can plug it in to charge. If any other gas-only powered vehicle can't start its engine, it's not moving either.
@@OnTheRocks71 /whoosh
@@Calc_Ulator yes?
The off-road dump truck I drive is very similar to this. It’s all electric driven and has a onboard generator to keep it going. Electric motors are very reliable
No battery though, right?
Run jump and turn cartwheels for it. It's your $150K.
Earth haulers use electric motors and electric generator like freight trains because a transmission would be too difficult to build into it... they're not as efficient though (thus why this isn't done in passenger vehicles)
@@kramnull8962Haters gonna hate, huh 😂 Do better guy.
Btw, definitely in a hurry to give them my $100k. They better get it before Tesla does. I’m leaning Ramcharger now.
@@carsbykev7037the Cybertruck is useless for anyone who hauls behind a truck. The Ramcharger is the future of electrification of trucks.
As Edison Motors and Deboss Garage are proving up in Canada.
The Chevy Volt works the same way. Seems to work well with a car. Has around 35 miles of battery range and when battery gets low, very small gas engine starts automatically and maintains vehicle speed while charging with any extra wattage. Hybrid in reverse.
The small engine running at a constant speed uses less fuel vs attaching to transmission and varying engine speed.
Can plug it in too; some rare people have had issues from not running their gas engine enough and have to worry about fuel tank spoilage.
I get this. Maybe I'm nuts but powerful electric vehicles are extremely fun to drive. I would consider buying one but I have concerns about possible grid failures and limited range.
This gives you both worlds in 1 vehicle.
I'm down
Personally, I think they already have drag the name Ramcharger through the mud just like four did with the lightning
I got to see one of those lightnings at a farm trade show in Nebraska. That thing felt like a piece of junk. The MAIN KNOB in the center of the dash, the knob that will be used for everything, rattled around loosely. Ford has no shame
If they brought back the dodge D50 Mitsubishi pickup with a modern 1600cc engine, the efficiency would blow that new Rev out of the water and they would sell millions of them
They have literally been made illegal by the EPA. Emissions are regulated by vehicle footprint. It isn't possible for a small truck to meet the emissions standards. Thus only huge trucks with big footprints. It is against the law to sell a truck like the Mitsubishi D50.
As much as so many of us would love this, they wouldn't sell millions
It's sad to hear this. I love my Dakota's. Just shaking my head at the lunacy that's taking place. All in the name of emissions. Soon they will be outlawing horses. All in the name of conversation of the environment. It's more about control and limiting the ability to go anywhere you want.
They can't they have regulations that specific to wheelbase and what mpg it would have to get it simply would not meet the mpg standards.
good idea but we'll never see it in the USA not because of emissions but because of modern highway safety regulations that would require the added weight, expense, and complication of air bags, ABS, and whatever safety bullshit modern trucks are required by law to have. BTW I have four D50's in my backyard cuz I know one day they'll be back in demand lol
I used to attach a baseball card near the spokes of my bike with a clothespin and it made a cool 'engine' sound. Tying a small balloon on the fork used to do a similar thing, like switching from a Triumph to a Harley. Maybe that's where they got the idea.
the thing is that if you're going to be using an internal combustion engine merely to generate power then having it spin a crank shaft is utterly superfluous as you can convert the linear motion directly into electricity like some of these free piston range extenders are doing (and getting about 35% more efficiency out of to boot)
Uncle Tony, thanks for these insights, it will be interesting what crops up when these units need servicing! Can't imagine how many volumes the technical guides will run! 🤣🤑
Stealerships will be wiping out owners savings
What will happen is that NO ONE other than the Dealer will touch it when it breaks....
@@jamesocker5235 And when components fail, they wont be necessarily field serviceable, they’ll be integrated systems that are replaced as a whole, like when a laptop computer component gets fried, it isnt unsoldered replaced, and re attached, a whole new mainboard is shipped and installed. Plug and play drivetrains!😭🫣
It will result in owners waiting weeks or months to repair a problem that in times past may have been a nuisance while waiting to get fixed that now leaves the owner without transportation.
Car makers are painting themselves into a corner with this technology for technology's sake mentality and it goes beyond cars.
@@mikem3695 and cost the owner a fortune
We have this sang on my software team at work: "I tried to use advanced technology to solve my problem, now I have two problems"
I used to be a Mopar guy. In my early years I had quite a few Mopar products. From the Valiant Scamp to a 1971 Challenger. I loved Mopars. The old Mopars were great. Sadly my last 3 Dodge cars were just a huge set of failures pressed between 2 bumpers. Each one was in the dealer shop more than it was on the road.
I think you make a great point about adding points of failure.
My question: is there that much less strain if the engine is only idling? Turns on, idles, turns off. It wont be under the normal strain of propelling a car. Also, if it’s always being plugged in (like it should be) what happens if the engine does essentially nothing until you take a long trip towing a heavy trailer? What does that mean for the failure points?
Stop asking common sense questions you know the answer to in order to make a point of objection….Thats my strategy! 😂 The Ramcharger is genius. And if I get to drive one before Tesla calls me on the CyberTruck it’s likely the way I’ll go.
@@carsbykev7037 the cyber truck is hilarious. It’s like dude had people throw that nightmare together in a hurry just to have something to roll out on a stage before the others. That is the most unserious vehicle Ive ever seen. Get the Ramcharger.
@@_krimzen_ I'm starting to think that. But I drive a Model S Plaid (and have had every other Performance Tesla since 2020: Model 3, Model Y, skipped the X though after Turo'ing one) and I'm just so used to being so comfortable passing anything, anywhere, anytime. Hyabusa? Move over. Corvette? Coming through! LOL.
But the fact is: nobody really needs 1020 hp. It's ridiculousness...
I loved my 2021 Ram for the 5 months I had it. Definitely think Cybertruck is getting cancelled. Hurry up Ram! I'll definitely put videos up when I get one. I'll make time for it.
It would not idle, When on it would operate in the most efficient RPM range it has for energy production unless the battery is completely depleted which would very rare.
Geez Tone, tell us how you really feel 😂! You’re right, they’re wasting technology on stupid ideas.
yes bring back a 4 banger Dakota , 8 speed trans and keep it cheap .
Something that would compete with the Ford Maverick.
There could be a diesel hybrid version with a 4 cylinder turbo diesel sourced from one of Stellantis European divisions.
I'm trying to understand why it would need a mechanical connection from the engine to the wheels. If the battery is dead, the generator should supply electrical power directly to the electric drive motors and also supply power to the battery to charge it simultaneously. No need for a mechanical connection to maintain mobility. I read that the truck gets 20 mpg with a depleted battery. It has approximately 145 miles of electric range and 690 miles of total gas/electric range. This truck IS a hybrid, it just uses different architecture than some of the others. The nice thing about it is that it has significantly more electric only range than any other hybrid that I know of. He's right though, reliability may be an issue. Although, it is theoretically possible to have a truck like this with 100,000 miles that has an engine that has only run a very short amount of time. If the truck is driven less than 145 miles per day and then charged at home every night, the engine would really never need to run. If you want to take a 690 mile road trip, the engine is there for ya though.
I must be the only person who wants a PHEV pickup. I commute 80 miles a day and have toys i need to tow occasionally. I can charge at work for free. Basically free gas, and still be able to take a camper up north. Zero range anxiety. Added bonus. No generator needed for off grid camping. A midsize version of rancher would personally be my next car.
100% agree about smaller pickups, I miss the 90s when you could get a basic single or extra cab toyota/nissan/mazda that wasn't full of blue teeth, keyless start, auto braking, computer screens and Bing bong noises
Tony, I must admit that I am 68 Camaro owner since 1980. I love the channel regardless of brand. You bring great this content coming! Drill Baby drill we need to keep all these old girls going! Long live the 60"s.
In battery mode you have around 130 miles of range. Plug up to a charger at home and you never have to touch the gas. If you have to go beyond that range it’s 20/25 mpg. The allure here is for people who want the convenience of not having to fill up for daily commuting but also have the ability to actually pull something a distance. I see value in this platform as an average suburban family who wants EV and a Truck with the ability to do both EV things and Truck things without having to compromise.
Think you missed the bus on this one. It's an EV Ram that carries a level 3 charger with it. The idea is that you don't have to pull over and scroll your phone for an hour while a lawnmower engine lets your truck barely sip enough power to make it to the next real charging station, you can just keep on driving normally and still recharge. Power outage? Plug your house into your truck. Jobsite with welders and tools to run? Plug into your truck. Construction office but you want to brew coffee and run the heat or AC? Plug it into your truck. Etc etc.
Maybe the electric vehicle companies could convince the government to put two thin bands of metal in the roads. Then power those up to transmit power via copper pickup shoes on the vehicle. Crazy idea I got from playing with AFX/ TYCO tracks as a kid. 😂😂😂😂
Add the slots for simple self driving.
😂
@@WhiteTrashMotorsports Choices, choices. Do I use the Blade style or the pointed pin style?
@danfarris135 ahh, the simple times.
I still play with them I'm 55
Bring back the El Camino, Ranchero, Rampage. Make them hybrid if you want. Minimal option versions too. A practical truck that can go anywhere and park without taking up every inch of parking space.
If they brought the Holden Ute stateside and slapped a Chevy badge on it, I'd imagine it'd sell better than the SSR did.
@@rwkerstetter I was interested in the SSR when it came out. Dealer premiums and the out of sight retail price did me in. A wanna be truck that could hold golf bags and not much else. When I finally saw it in the tin, I was glad that I didn't pull the trigger. The Holden Ute would have been fantastic. But, given the fiasco of the GTO it would probably have flopped. Again, dealers screwing the public openly as well as the terrible Grand Am styling, Had a 80 El Camino and a 61 Ranchero at different times. Chev S10 as well. It's what the public wants now. Look how well the Ford Maverick is doing. I don't know. 27 years later, my 96 F150 is still hauling stuff and doing truck stuff. I will stick with it.
You can drive the vehicle still when the battery is dead because it provides enough energy to power the motors AND charge the batteries. When you start looking at the physics of it, you can make it a lot more efficient than an IC truck. You can eliminate a lot of the inefficiencies brought into a regular truck engine by the simple fact that the engine's running environment can remain consistent. No matter how you drive, that engine can run (these are hypothetical numbers) at 2500 RPM, stay at 2500 RPM, and never have to worry about acceleration or deceleration or idling, etc. You have to tune the engine for one point (or very few) and no more. That could simplify the hell out of emissions because in theory, you always know where the engine is going to be running at. You could tune the engine to run at peak power and peak torque at 2500 RPM and not give a damn about what it does at 5000 RPM. That makes everything a whole lot simpler. Another big factor is that electric motors are about 85% efficient, meaning 85% of the power coming out of the battery is put towards mechanical energy, while the other 15% or so is heat, etc. IC engines are at best about 40% efficient, meaning they waste about 60% of the fuel's energy in heat and other non-useful byproducts. That efficient varies by load, speed, etc. But if you make that IC engine run at it's peak performance/efficiency 100% of the time it is running and put that energy into the battery, you are still going to overall be more efficient than with just the IC engine.
I remember when i was young I had a 1983 mid size ranger with a 5.0 mustang motor and a t-5 borg werner transmission. I moved to Wyoming were there was no emissions test. So I deleted it. I went from 15 mpg to 29 mpg with a 3200 lbs v8 ranger
curb weight is probably 12000 lbs LOL
With probably a 1000 lb payload capacity.
@@veedeejoe8440 We ain't got time for facts while we play pretend.
Haven't the railroads have used diesel electric locomotives for decades? I don't think the have a battery for power storage either. The electric motor spins when the diesel is burning. The electric motor gives the unlimited torque a train needs. This setup in the ram charger would not have a trans failure. The 3.6 goes 200k miles when driving the wheels. No high revving in this application . Running part time, who knows how long it will go? Battery life is the only thing I see as questionable for reliability. That being said, I'm not getting in line to buy one.
Maybe a well maintained one. i bet 70% owners will never change the oil in it and will deff not do the timing belt
😂 that 3.6l gets around 120k miles and the valvetrain croaks. The pcm or ecm shits itself. Forget the trans, they need to go back to the 3.3 or the 3.8
@@SLOCLMBR naw, go back farther to the slant six. Them things still power a bunch of forklifts. They govern them to about 2500rpm, and they never die
Locomotives have huge capacitor banks to store electrical energy.
The speed of the engine depends on the load given to it.
A basic car dosen't normally see high rpm either because the transmission changed gearing to provide faster speeds at lower rpm.
If you have a high load on that generator. It will wear it out faster then a car application.
Kinda like a boat that lives in the higher rpm.
YES! A normally aspirated 4 cylinder small truck with a manual transmission at or under $20K is what the world needs.