2025 Ramcharger Announced

[Grease Lightning]

. If you are going 60 miles an hour and burning 2 kW/mile, that requires a 120 kWh generator to maintain a charge state.

Who is only getting .5 miles per kW? When I am only doing 60mph I average 2.25 miles per kW. So for me a 50kWH generator would generally work.

Even the data shows around 1 mile for kW.

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[Joneii]

Who is only getting .5 miles per kW? When I am only doing 60mph I average 2.25 miles per kW. So for me a 50kWH generator would generally work.

Even the data shows around 1 mile for kW.

My bad, I reversed the units. I meant 2 miles/kw. Of course a 30 kWh generator is still pretty big and towing would require about twice that to maintain a state of charge. Throw in some cold weather and it’s easy to see why the generator has to be huge.

 

[Replika]

Better approach for this point in time imo.

I owned an i3 after experiencing Electrify America on many trips with other “long range” EVs.

The i3 was easier to travel with, even despite the draconian limitations (2 gallon tank, generator could only sustain 65 before dipping into battery for help).

 

[Tundra]

I have been hoping for this type of vehicle for a long time.

No it won't get the truck engine enthusiasts excited, nor will run a tingle up the leg of the eco crowd, but this type of vehicle is an incredible middle ground step for a lot of drivers out there, and it will be a great way for people to enter into EV ownership.

I live in the middle of nowhere, and while I am comfortable with the range of an EV for my daily commute, most of my neighbors would not be.

I enjoy learning about EV's, but a lot of people don't, and there is currently a large learning curve between charging infrastructure and ownership. This type of vehicle allows people to learn with a safety net.

Yes, there still is an ICE generator, but that is still more efficient and environmentally conscious than an ICE. You still get all the benifits of an electric engine and regenerative breaking, and lets be honest, driving an EV is more fun than an ICE, although I might be biased.

This could also be a great vehicle for people who do frequent longer trips or tow.

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I am not saying I would get one, but it is quite intriguing.

 

[lightspeed]

I'd rather have a 200kWh battery and access to Tesla superchargers. But the Ramcharger will fill a use case for some people --> mostly local commuting + some long distance towing/trips. If the truck was used mostly for towing/trips, then it doesn't make sense.

The real question is how much the Ramcharger will cost vs the REV and the ICE truck. There is a reason why GM is delaying their EVs.

Got to admit I love RAM interiors and ride much more than Ford though...

 

[luebri]

The battery sizes and weight of pure ev trucks is a major issue. When you get to 200kWh you literally would not be allowed on roads at certain times of year in parts of the country

 

[lightspeed]

The battery sizes and weight of pure ev trucks is a major issue. When you get to 200kWh you literally would not be allowed on roads at certain times of year in parts of the country

Adding 70kWh to the Lightning would put it around 7,500lbs which is around 3/4 ton F-250 weight. Pretty heavy, but doable. Silverado EV has a 200Kwh+ battery...

There are batteries in lab that have demonstrated almost 10x the energy to weight of current lithium batteries. So in theory it's possible to have a 200kWh battery that weighs around 300lbs. There is a long way between the lab and mass manufacturing, but the future has a lot of potential.

 

[jmc6020]

Sandy Munro weighs in on the Ramcharger

 

[Scarlet]

Looks like Ram is going to be putting a v6/generator combo in addition to a 70 KW battery in the Ramcharger to get the range of gas and the performance of an EV. For most people i think this will do a wonderful job bridging the gap, depending on price and T3 might even make this loyal Ford customer consider a Ram.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a45734742/2025-ram-1500-ramcharger-revealed/

IMHO the Ramcharger is a gas truck with extra steps. You can't call it an EV because it isn't an EV. It's a hybrid with a new shirt on.

 

[Adventureboy]

Interesting gap fill, however:

1. It will be expensive. 70kWh battery will add significantly to the price.
2. It will be heavy. ICE engine, Fuel tank, electric engine, 70kWh battery pack, and generator.
3. How much power does the electric-only drive provide? I'd guess it will be sluggish without the ICE engine running and may not even operate by itself or at all while towing. I believe Ford disables the electric when towing with the Hybrid F150. 70kWh battery may make it more electrically stable and usable than Ford's Hybrid but I'd be surprised if it could tow much (or at all) without the ICE engine.

The reality checks will be interesting when we start to see some real live field reports.

It might be a good fit for some as EV trucks develop better towing range. For me, Lightning fits perfectly.

 

[Pioneer74]

14,000 lb tow capacity. Close to 2700 lb payload. This thing is a heavy duty truck, much like a Ford Super Duty.

 

[Zprime29]

Interesting gap fill, however:

1. It will be expensive. 70kWh battery will add significantly to the price.
2. It will be heavy. ICE engine, Fuel tank, electric engine, 70kWh battery pack, and generator.
3. How much power does the electric-only drive provide? I'd guess it will be sluggish without the ICE engine running and may not even operate by itself or at all while towing. I believe Ford disables the electric when towing with the Hybrid F150. 70kWh battery may make it more electrically stable and usable than Ford's Hybrid but I'd be surprised if it could tow much (or at all) without the ICE engine.

The reality checks will be interesting when we start to see some real live field reports.

It might be a good fit for some as EV trucks develop better towing range. For me, Lightning fits perfectly.

1) According to: https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/cost-of-electric-vehicle-batteries/ , the RAM Rev battery is almost $26k for 229kWh. The RAMcharger is 1/3 that size, so probably in the ballpark of $8-9k? I would assume greater than 50% savings, so more than $13k there to go towards the ICE portion. At a glance, I'd wager price will be on par with a full EV. The sacrifice will be in storage (no frunk).

2) The Hummer EV has 210kWh battery @ 2900lbs, so close tp 1900lbs lighter with the smaller battery pack, which seems like it ought to offset the ICE portion.

3) It's always EV, there is no ICE drive provided. The ICE is only there to power the EV motor. So the power ratings you see are the power rating it always has, regardless if it is getting energy from the battery or the generator. Gotta keep in mind that it is not like most hybrids. It is always an EV, just with a gas powered range extender.

The Lightning still fits me better as well. I don't need to tow long distance and I love the frunk. I still think the RAMCharger is a compelling option for people who need something to tow on the weekends but doesn't want a second car to commute during the week.

 

[scottf200]

Looks like Ram is going to be putting a v6/generator combo in addition to a 70 KW battery in the Ramcharger to get the range of gas and the performance of an EV. For most people i think this will do a wonderful job bridging the gap, depending on price and T3 might even make this loyal Ford customer consider a Ram.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a45734742/2025-ram-1500-ramcharger-revealed/

FYI, to be clear the battery is total 92 kWh and usable 70 kWh (in case someone is thinking 70 was total).

v6 generator is 130 kW with 190 kW peak. The 190 came from Alex on Auto YT [link]

Background: I had a 2011 Gen 1 Volt driven 98% on grid electricity (kids is driving it now). Wife drives a 2016 Gen 2 Volt (future going to a kid). I'm looking to get a BEV truck. Very curious about the T3.

 

[Solar_EE]

If I had the Ramcharger option at the time I purchased the Lightning (a year ago) I would have went with the Ramcharger... but at this point I do not think I would trade. Mainly for the loss I would take on the Lightning.

The frunk is nice, but I think the Ramcharger is really a nice option. 145 miles of electric range would cover 98% of my mileage.

From a maintenance standpoint for the V6 I would be curious to see how they determine the maintenance intervals if the thing is very infrequently utilized. In other words, the maintenance very well may be much less frequent than a typical ICE vehicle.

I had a Chevy Volt with a similar setup for 10 years. The engine would run in the cold weather but very little otherwise. We had the oil changed more for time in the car vs. mileage because 90% of our 100,000 miles were on electric. The Volt did require premium gas.

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