It was only a few days ago when Ram teased the first-ever electric 1500, but the company left out one juicy tidbit about its truck. Speaking at the 2022 Chicago Auto Show with Autoblog, company CEO Mike Koval Jr made an interesting disclosure about the hotly anticipated pickup. The Ford F-150 Lightning and Chevy Silverado EV rival will also be offered with a range-extending engine.
In other words, there will be two separate models: the purely electric 1500 and another fitted with a combustion engine. Both will be launched at the same time, and Autoblog believes the range-extended model will be based on the same truck. However, it’s unclear at this point whether the gasoline engine will be used to juice up the battery or it will power the wheels.
The addition of an ICE could be good news for those who do a lot of towing and are concerned electric pickups are not up to the job yet compared to gasoline- and diesel-fueled workhorses. Battery drain is a major concern when you’re hauling with an EV and fuels (pun intended) range anxiety. With a gasoline tank fitted to the truck, it would allow drivers to complete extended journeys without having to pull over to charge the battery.
As previously reported, the 2024 Ram 1500 BEV as it’s currently known by its official name is expected to ride on the STLA Frame platform. Parent company Stellantis has said the underpinnings will accommodate large battery packs with a capacity of more than 200 kWh, which should be good for 500 miles (805 kilometers) of range before having to recharge.
It’s getting an electric motor at the front axle and another one to drive the real wheels and enable 4WD as you would expect from a proper truck. Before the production version arrives in 2024, Ram will showcase a concept, likely later this year or in 2023.
Source: Autoblog
