Ram Won’t Care About Electric Trucks Until This Happens
There is a lot of talk about electric trucks hitting the market. The auto industry is in the midst of an unprecedented shift from gasoline engines in vehicles like Ram trucks to electric powertrains. Now, more than ever, consumers are looking for battery-powered vehicles to meet their needs. Manufacturers are working as fast as they can to provide alternatives to fuel consumption.
Carmakers are quick to acknowledge the demand for electric trucks, and major companies such as Ford, Rivian, and Tesla have prototypes in the works. Ram, on the other hand, claims that it won’t start working on an electric truck until something very specific happens.
The Ram truck product line
Winner of the MotorTrend Truck of the Year for two years in a row, Ram is known for its dependable line of workhorse pickup trucks. With a starting price of $28,200, the Ram 1500 Classic is the entry-level truck for the Ram product line. The Ram 2500 has a maximum towing capacity of 19,680 pounds and is a popular choice for recreational vehicle and boating enthusiasts.
The Ram 3500 has an MSRP of $35,345 and is available with a 6.4-liter V8 or 6.7-liter V6 diesel engine. The Limited, Laramie, and Longhorn are the three trim packages available for these reliable pickup trucks.
When will Ram start manufacturing electric trucks?
Ram is content right now on promoting the current line of trucks and is not chasing the electric truck market until customers demand them. As the competition invests billions into the emerging market, Ram is confident that its customers are more interested in V8 engines than EVs.
Ram 1500 Senior Brand Manager Carl Lally explained to Muscle Car & Trucks, “We’re not afraid to explore other powertrains, we’re certainly going to keep our ear to the ground and stay aware of what customers are looking for.”
He continued by saying, “If at some point in time that changes to something different, then we’ll be sure to follow suit accordingly. But it’s fundamental to us that it’s not about chasing the (EV) trend, but about chasing what the customer really wants and providing it to them. That changes over time, but today it’s a supercharged 6.2L V8 that has them most excited.”
Mike Manley, the head of FCA, recently stated that research shows Ram customers are not overly interested in a gasoline-free truck. He claimed that Ram is willing to develop a battery-powered pickup, but only if customers show a significant desire for the product.
Ford disagrees with Ram’s research results and is aggressively pursuing an electric variant of the 14th-generation F-150 pickup. General Motors has plans to launch a battery-powered Chevrolet Silverado, and Jeep is offering a plug-in hybrid for the Wrangler.
What the automaker has decided to focus on
Despite the competition, Ram is strictly focusing on gas engines for the time being. The 2021 TRX performance truck is turning heads with a Hellcat-powered 702-hp 6.2-liter V8 engine in the Ram 1500 body. Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, there is a boastful 650 lb-ft of torque going to all four wheels. The 0-to-60 mph time is 4.5 seconds, and the impressive pickup can finish a quarter-mile just shy of 13 seconds at 108 mph.
The highly anticipated pickup has a luxurious interior filled with state-of-the-art technology. Beefed-up suspension and a wider body increase off-road capabilities tenfold. Massive 35-inch all-terrain tires allow for 11.8 inches of ground clearance and the ability to ford more than two feet of water.
The TRX has a base price of $71,690. The Launch Edition has an MSRP of $90,000, and with only 702 trucks made, it sold out in a few hours. It appears Ram knows what its customers want and isn’t afraid to give it to them.
