AUTONEWS

New Ram Ramcharger: the future of electric trucks?

Ram first announced the electric Ramcharger in November 2023. The extended-range truck adds a 3.5-liter Pentastar V6 engine used exclusively for charging the battery, leaving dual electric motors to handle propulsion. Now Ram is ready to share a little more about the truck. And Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis is excited about it.

“I think this is going to be a real secret weapon in the industry,” he said in a presentation during a preview of the Ramcharger. “That’s why we wanted to share this with you as soon as possible. This is not a PowerPoint slide. This is real and it’s coming fast.”

A specific launch date has not been confirmed, other than sometime in the second half of this year. It’s officially called the 2026 Ram Ramcharger (though Kuniskis concedes that most people will simply call it the Ramcharger), and when it arrives, it will have a bit less power than originally planned. Instead of 672 hp, the new estimate is 656 hp. Torque is also down to 84.3 kgfm, although we're still talking about enough power to hit 60 mph from a standstill in about 4.5 seconds.

This was done to preserve efficiency. Ram says the Ramcharger can achieve 700 miles of combined range when using all the battery power and fuel in the tank. The truck uses a 27-gallon tank and a 91.8 kWh battery (69.7 kWh usable) installed between its chassis rails. Designed to accommodate both combustion and electric powertrains, the STLA Frame platform is 8 inches (203 mm) wider in the Ramcharger's center section, which adds considerably to its weight. 

At 7,000 pounds (3,405 kg), it's the heaviest Ram in the 1500 lineup. Ram’s chief development officer Doug Killian explained the three modes you’ll find next to the Ramcharger’s drive selector: Electric+, E-Save and Eco. In Electric+ mode, the Ramcharger’s gasoline engine will remain off until the battery runs out of power. When that happens (around 140 miles in normal driving conditions), the engine will kick in and power the generator, which supplies electricity directly to the front and rear motors. The generator can add some power to the battery, but it can’t fully recharge it.

In E-Save mode, the engine will turn on and maintain the battery at its current state of charge while you drive. This is useful if you want to get a few miles of electric driving in later, such as in a city where only zero-emission vehicles are allowed. If the battery is below half-charged, the engine will charge the battery back to 50 percent. Eco is designed to conserve energy whenever possible by reducing available power and turning down amenities like the heater and air conditioning.

It’s important to note that the combustion engine isn’t connected to the drive wheels in any way. It simply powers an onboard generator to charge the battery. However, in situations where you want full power, the engine will be on, charging the battery while distributing electricity to the front and rear. Ram hasn’t announced pricing for the Ramcharger yet, but Kuniskis says it will be comparable to similarly capable combustion-powered Ram 1500s. It’s about 100 horsepower more than trucks with the turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six. But it could give truck buyers a vehicle that can skip the gas station altogether on their weekly commutes and then tow up to 14,000 pounds on weekend trips without worrying about finding a charging station. 

Kuniskis believes it’s a truck that’s the best of both worlds, combining the best attributes of electric power with the convenience and familiarity of combustion-powered trucks. “I’m so glad we have options,” Kuniskis said. “I know a lot of people who have never bought an electric vehicle; some of them say to me, ‘I’m not sure I’m going to buy one, but you know what, you got my attention.’ When you can get someone who has never bought an electric vehicle to say that, you know you’re on the right track.”

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