Electric pickup will lead in EV range

NEW YORK — An upcoming Ram electric pickup truck from Stellantis will offer up to 500 miles of driving range when fully charged, the automaker said Wednesday as it officially revealed the vehicle.

That range would top Ram’s current gas-powered 1500 full-size trucks as well as all-electric pickups currently available such as GMC’s Hummer EV, Ford’s F-150 Lightning and Rivian’s R1T. Tesla has said its Cybertruck, which is expected later this year, would be capable of up to 500 miles of EV range.

“Ram is one of the most important pillars of our business,” Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said Wednesday during the truck’s unveiling at the New York International Auto Show. “We will be able to compete, if not win the battle. It’s all about performance. It’s all about functionalities. It’s all about being competitive.”

Stellantis executives said that while the 2025 Ram 1500 REV won’t be first to market when it becomes available for sale, expected to be late next year, it will offer leading capabilities for truck owners.

However, the expected 500-mile range for the truck comes with an extremely large 229 kilowatt-hour battery pack — bigger than any all-electric pickup truck that’s currently available or expected from an established automaker. A standard 168 kilowatt-hour battery pack has a targeted range of up to 350 miles, the automaker said.

“We are delivering an electric pickup truck when we should, because for electrification being first actually might not be the best,” Ram CEO Mike Koval Jr. said during the event. “The Ram 1500 REV lineup will give our customers options depending on how they use their truck.”

Ram said both battery pack sizes will be able to add up to 110 miles of range in approximately 10 minutes with 800-volt DC fast charging.

The Ram 1500 REV will offer performance specifications that are in line with or better than its competitors, including towing of up to 14,000 pounds, payload of up to 2,700 pounds and class-leading storage in its front trunk, or “frunk.”

Other targeted performance figures include a 0-60 mph time of 4.4 seconds, 654 horsepower and 620 foot-pound of torque, and up to 24 inches of water fording. It also will be capable of vehicle-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-grid bidirectional charging.

The vehicle’s exterior, which was revealed during a Super Bowl ad, resembles the current gas-powered models more than a concept version of the truck that was revealed in January — and largely well-received. It is built on Stellantis’ new “STLA Frame” designed specifically for full-size electric vehicles featuring a body-on-frame design.

“The Ram 1500 REV is built on what our customers know and love … just now electrified,” Koval said. “Now the face of Ram’s all-new electric light-duty is instantly recognizable, but also instantly forward.”

Ram did not announce pricing for the 1500 REV, which will be available in five trims, including Tradesman, Big Horn/Lone Star, Laramie, Limited and a new trim called Tungsten.

Pricing of electric vehicles, especially pickup trucks that require large batteries, has been a moving target for automakers amid increases in commodity costs and changing market conditions.

Ram reconfirmed Wednesday that an extended-range gas-electric version of the pickup with even more range, called the Ram 1500 XR, will launch after the all-electric version of the pickup truck.

The company on Wednesday also reopened reservations for the Ram 1500 REV. It had closed the program days after opening it following the brand’s Super Bowl ad.