Ram Says Electric Pickup Will Beat all Competitors Despite Late Start
Stellantis and its many different automakers had a few announcements at a global press event in Amsterdam. The most important one might be the new tiny electric Jeep SUV. However, we like the vote of confidence the company showed in its future product—specifically, the Ram electric pickup truck. Arriving late to the party, the automaker still thinks the Ram EV can easily beat competitors in every category.
Ram electric truck: The automaker is confident in its product
Like any good automotive press event these days, Stellantis focused almost entirely on electrification. It mentioned the next battery-electric offerings entering the lineup. In late 2023, a Ram ProMaster van will join the fray, followed by the Ram 1500 electric pickup truck in 2024. In addition, the company acknowledges that it is late to the EV market, especially with its Ram 1500 EV, which already has a lot of competition. By the time it releases, customers will already have the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevy Silverado EV, Rivian R1T, and maybe the Tesla Cybertruck to choose from.
As Car and Driver reported, CEO Carlos Tavares boasted that the Ram EV would beat all of them despite all the high-level competition. Moreover, he said that range, towing, payload, and charging time would all be better. Now, the entire industry’s eyes will be on Ram as it attempts to live up to that claim. If the Ram electric pickup is at the top of all those categories, it would be the undisputed champion of the electric truck segment.
What we know about the Ram electric pickup truck
Firstly, according to Top Electric SUV, the Ram EV will use a dual-cab configuration. Since it has a steeper windshield and lower roofline than its gas-powered alternative in the silhouette images, we assume it will have an overall more aerodynamic design. Since Stellantis intends on commercializing the STLA Frame platform in 2024, the Ram EV could be the first model to use it. That would mean it sits on the same platform as the Jeep Wrangler EV.
Stellantis has given a few hints since the original announcement about what features the model will have. Moreover, it should use firmware over the air upgrades for improved performance, efficiency, and fixes throughout its lifecycle. Next, the parent company partnered with LG Energy Solution to form a joint venture for lithium-ion battery production in North America. Batteries manufactured at the location would be for Stellantis EVs of the future.
Best range, towing, payload, and charging time? Can Ram beat competitors and current leaders?
Ram plans to make its electric pickup truck the leader in many categories. Before it releases in 2024, the company takes notes on other models and tries to use their mistakes against them. If the confident claim of having the best towing, payload, range, and charging time come true, the wait will be worth it. The real question is, who are the current leaders in each of those categories? How spectacular does the electric Ram 1500 need to be?
| Category | Current Leader |
| Range | Tesla Cybertruck – 500 Miles |
| Towing | Chevy Silverado EV – 20,000 Pounds |
| Payload | Tesla Cybertruck – 3,500 Pounds |
| Charging Time | Rivian R1T – 13 Hours at 220V |
It’s easy to see that the competition is heating up. While the Tesla Cybertruck claims two of these titles, no production models are available yet. We don’t know for sure that every claim Tesla made will come to fruition. In addition, other models like the Chevy Silverado EV can only tow that amount in their most expensive form. The models most people will buy will come nowhere near these numbers. More realistically, we expect the Ram 1500 electric pickup to tow somewhere from 10-15,000 pounds. If Ram can win each category, it would be difficult to argue against buying one over the competition.
Ram 1500 electric pickup truck: Release date and price
Finally, how much will the Ram EV cost when it releases? Unfortunately, the price isn’t available yet. However, experts at Car and Driver estimate it will start around $45,000 for the base model. It will come to market sometime in 2024 and hopes to beat rivals. Ram claims it will have a 500-mile range, tying it with the claims of Tesla. We’d only expect it to tow as much as the Silverado EV in its most expensive trim, possibly with towing packages. As for payload capacity and charging time, that remains to be seen. We’ll have to eagerly wait until 2024 to see if Ram can put its money where its electric pickup truck is and beat competitors across the board.
