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Its’ just 18 seconds. But the new Ram Promaster EV video shows that Ram is taking electrification seriously and launching its new EV Ram Van to take on the electric vans from Ford E-Transit van and Mercedes eSprinter seriously.

The new video gives us a good glimpse of the 2023 Ram ProMaster

Here in the U.S., but especially in Europe where combustion engine are being outlawed in many city centers, the war is on for electric delivery vehicles. Ford made a splash with its EV Transit, and the Benz eTransit is also hotly anticipated.

The delivery market is one of the greatest frontiers for EVs. Thousands of vans are delivering packages all over, but most importantly those vans are often left idling, using gas and spewing fumes, while drivers run packages to offices and homes. Taking those vans off the road and replacing them with electric vans would cut down on tons of pollutants every year. Already in New York City vans and trucks can’t sit idle. In Europe, they will be banned from many city centers, which is forcing manufacturers to re-think their commercial fleets

The 2023 Ram ProMaster EV will have a lot to prove

The 2023 Ram ProMaster EV will have a steep competition in the electric delivery van market.
2023 Ram ProMaster EV | Ram

Ram has not released any specs yet on the 2023 Ram ProMaster van. The current Ram ProMaster is a popular van for plumbers, delivery drivers and others who like the big power and low price of ProMasters.  A new ProMaster starts at just $34,295, and can be ordered in up to 159-inch long versions. Promasters are powered by Ram’s 3.6-liter V6 and have more options packages than any other vehicle Stellantis offers.

“Built for small business owners and huge fleets alike, the Ram ProMaster EV is Ready for the Next. The next client. The next contract. The next opportunity for business to grow. And now, we’re ready for the next innovations in electric vehicles. Be among the first to watch the Ram ProMaster EV Video,” Ram said.

Ram said that its first commercial customer for the Ram ProMaster EV will be Amazon.

The van will likely have a 100-mile plus range, a circuit for powering tools, and different roof heights to compete with vans from Ford and Mercedes Benz.

The E-Transit will be its biggest domestic competitor

2022 Ford E-Transit all-electric commercial cargo van driving past a construction site
2022 Ford E-Transit | The Ford Motor Company

The Ford E-Transit starts at about $43,000 for a cutaway version, and $47,185 for the full cargo version. You can order it in eight different version and three roof heights. The E-Transit also offers an on-board circuit that you can use for power tools.

Ford has said that WalMart will be its first major commercial customer in the U.S. for the E-Transit.

The Ford E-Transit has a range of 126 miles in the low-roof version. Though that doesn’t sound like a long range compared to passenger cars, Ford points out that vans on average travel about 74 miles a day, with a 68 kWh battery.

That’s a lot compared to the similar Mercedes-Benz eSprinter. The Benz has a 93-mile range, and a much smaller 47-KwH battery.  

Mercedes, too, is joining the delivery van party

Amazon Mercedes Sprinter Van
Amazon Mercedes Sprinter Van | Artur Widak via Getty Images

The eSprinter from Mercedes-Benz has a slightly different focus. It has a quick-charge system which means the battery can be recharged from 10 percent to 80 percent in around 25 minutes. Benz is making a bigger deal of the “last mile” delivery options for the van. Last mile deliveries are the types of deliveries that most of us see, the “last mile” from the dock to our front door.

Mercedes is working on several versions of electric vans that can make those final-mile deliveries.

Other companies, too, including Rivian want to get in on making an EV van.

Though we haven’t seen the final version of the ProMaster yet, it looks like the eVan wars are on.

RELATED: The 2022 Ford E-Transit Might Be a Much Bigger Deal Than the 2022 Ford Lightning

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.