The 2025 RAM Ramcharger's "Range Extender" Isn't A New Idea, It's Also Not An Efficient Idea...

Serial hybrids have been around for a while, so why don't we see more of them? Efficiency is the answer. Although a novel and appealing concept, the 2025 RAM 1500 Ramcharger brings some serious questions about efficiency. So why is it that I still want one? Because this system does answer the question: why can't plug-in hybrids be fun? 663 HP, 0-60 in 4.4 seconds and class leading towing all combine in the most unlikely of offerings.
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[@EVBuyersGuide]

Breaking news! Today I got confirmation from RAM PR that the usable battery capacity is going to be 70.8 kWh, so about 24% of the battery will be reserved for extended battery life. That puts economy at 2.05 mi/kWh. That's still below the 2.45 mi/kwh of the base Lightning, but much closer than the 1.6 mi/kWh we originally estimated.

[@scottwilkins]

Still not bad. Also, by your review of towing EV vs. ICE wouldn't this about about 50% range on towing per average? So, if the truck can get almost 700 miles normally, wouldn't it get 350 miles towing? Seems like a lot for any truck IMHO.

[@bob15479]

They may simply be sandbagging their range/giving an honest expectation of real world range. I doubt it’s actually a full .4mi/kwh less efficient than lightning in the same circumstance.

[@richardlively1666]

Thats good news. I would imagine Ram will get up to speed and match the lightning or excel it

[@DrawsOnCad]

@evbuyersguide I was hoping this channel would update regularly. I see a slew of EV stuff on the Alex on Autos Buyers guide, so I’m not going to check this channel anymore…

[@spenceralridge4958]

So, its electric efficiency is almost identical to the full battery electric version, but it eliminates any range/charging issues on a trip. From a cost of operation perspective, and assuming $3.50 per gallon for gas, 20 mpg for a gas truck, and $.11 per KwH for electricity (that is my rate in NC), the cost per mile is less than 1/3 of a gas truck, at least for the first 140 miles which is far more than what most people need in a given day. Add the massive extended range that is only used when needed and a 14,000 pound towing capacity, this is exactly what I want to drive to our mountain house 2 hours away and haul what I need to over the weekend. My only concern is RAM quality control. I have a 99 Silverado work truck that is good for nothing except hauling. It is not comfortable and I would never trust it on a long trip. However, it serves its purpose for my use case. This Ramcharger, however, can be a daily driver for me and then my wife can drive my i4. For my use case, this makes a ton of sense.

[@Silverado_EV_ChEVy_Avalanche]

As a contractor this is all I’ve ever wanted. Minimum of 75 miles of range with either a range extender or plug in hybrid. I haul I tow and I load my trucks down with tools . Also we are avid campers, hikers, mountain bikers. We need some mobile power for tools and camping

[@EVBuyersGuide]

I see this being a great option for work purposes! -Travis

[@Remarksman]

Ditto this 100%. This is the technology I have been waiting for. I wish the efficiency was better, but for my usage patterns it won’t really matter that much.

[@anydaynow01]

If they can keep the towing and hauling payloads at a reasonable level a PHEV 1/2 ton is exactly what I want. Get it out there in base work truck trim for 50k with a 80 - 100 km empty range in the winter and I'll be all over it.

[@steveb6287]

This is what full size Trucks need! Battery tech is just not there YET! Hope this is successful

[@Blitzkrieg.u812]

couldn't close the gap in technology to make EVs practical , so let's use ICE to make it practical, OH THE IRONY! how many failure points can you put between 2 bumpers?

[@one700rmk]

I think this will be a slam dunk. For daily commuting, the pure EV side will check all the boxes. For weekend towing duties (RV trailer, horse trailer, toy hauler, etc) the range extender quells any range anxiety.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

It feels like this truck is intended to be worked and it will certainly do the work asked of it. -Travis

[@gregkocher5352]

​​@@EVBuyersGuide it may be possible to get a bit more efficiency if they ever put an ecodiesel in it. As for me, in a rural area, the on board charging beats pure battery hands down. I look forward to real world experience reports. I have a 2019 Tundra at this time.

[@KPHVAC]

For an electrified truck a plug in hybrid is the only thing that makes sense to me. People don't want to deal with charging and limited range while towing or working.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

That's true, but a considerable percentage of trucks are never actually used for towing or working. -Travis

[@samgford]

​@@EVBuyersGuideeven if it's not never, say once or twice a year, then I would absolutely not want to deal with it. This is ideal for many who work their trucks from just a little to a lot.

[@anydaynow01]

@@samgford Yep this, I use my pickup for trash / DIY store runs and towing my trackday car. A Voltec like PHEV with 80 - 100 km of BEV range would be perfect!

[@EVBuyersGuide]

@@samgford I hear you, but I feel like the once or twice a year where you would need to consider charging for those towing needs is more than made up for in the convenience of charging at home and not needing to stop for gas the rest of the year. Of course, this all gets easier as charging improves and it's going to be expanding year over year over year. -Travis

[@microhaxo]

@@samgford Once you have a plugin hybrid, you actually prefer only driving on electric and everything flips. You start not wanting to deal with the gas getting stale, needing to change oil etc. Sure, you would rather have it and not need it but most people if they really only needed the range once or twice a year might not want to deal with the added maintenance of an engine. I would personally just borrow a friends truck or rent something if i needed it for once or twice a year vs haul around a bunch of gas when its not used 99% of the time.

[@kipamore]

I just watched the reveal. It’s a genIII Pentastar mounted north south. AND they claim the truck tows 7 tons - 14,000lbs. That’s got to be a 1/4 ton truck record. Claims no connection from the motor to the wheels, so it’s a true serial hybrid. Claims 135kwh gas engine, which charges a 92kwh battery. Very cool. The perfect vehicle.

[@steinwaymodelb]

What about this truck makes it a 1/4 ton in your books?

[@fireteam_]

@@steinwaymodelb RAM is calling it a RAM 1500

[@Trotwood45]

I'd be curious what the range is for a full tank of gas and a drained battery. In practical situations for a long road trip, that would be the real range since most people don't want to spend hours at charging stations while they travel. Any thoughts?

[@kipamore]

Per the specs, the gas engine puts out 135kw, so with a completely drained battery you'd have unlimited gas mileage but only 135kw to use (about 175 horsepower). But any time the gas engine was running but you were using less than 135kw, that power would go back into the battery, returning you to the full 600 horsepower. @@Trotwood45

[@DubLubb]

When you're discussing EVs you should use "engine" not connected to wheels

[@gsp_in_training]

What sets this apart from existing hybrids is the fact that the motor/generator will not power the drivetrain but only recharge the battery. Great job Ram, I might have to trade in my 2022 1500 hemi for this

[@jacuzzibusguy]

That is not true. Once battery has been depleted to the point gas engine is running, the gas engine IS powering the wheels. Ramcharger uses what I refer to as a “magnetic transmission “ to connect the engine to the wheels. A generator uses magnets to convert torque from the ice to electricity, after flowing through electronics, the wheel motors use magnets to convert electricity to torque.

[@wt9653]

Cough up 150,000 for the base model 1/2 ton rwd truck. 😂

[@r5LgxTbQ]

I'd be hopeful to see if Stellantis brings a similar setup to their smaller cars, like a Jeep Cherokee with 100 miles and an inline 3 for example.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

There's so much going on with this frame that it would be difficult to scale down to something smaller. -Travis

[@richardlively1666]

For a lot of people, they may never have to have the engine run, just charge it at night. Then the engine becomes like a spare tire, you may never use but its nice to take with you

[@ChicagoBob123]

Then buy a Rivian or Silverado

[@jmrdrgz]

​@@ChicagoBob123I think you missed the point.

[@ChicagoBob123]

@@jmrdrgz i got it but at the cost dodge is going to make this thing If you don't need an extender go EV. Think msrp wil be around 90k

[@EVBuyersGuide]

The spare tire is a great comparison. -Travis

[@skoolynugenator1802]

⁠@@ChicagoBob123you think the Rivian will be cheaper 🤣

[@patrick2657]

Being able to use it all electric charged at home most of the time but not needing to worry on longer road trips definitely checks the boxes for me. I think the reason they don't want to call it a PHEV is that most PHEVs have small gas engines and small electric engines which can have a weird feeling.

[@HSstudio.Ytchnnl]

it's not a PHEV since the engine is there to only power the batteries instead of it being connected to the drivetrain (plus PHEVs like the 4xe has a transmission & the Ramcharger doesn't)

[@worldtrav72]

Appreciate the shout out for the i3, Alex. Cool to see the same philosophy applied to a big truck.

[@windfall35]

"Not efficient?" LOL....Offering ordinary people 200 miles of electric-only and 700 miles of long distance range with 14,000 lbs towing is both a game changer and RAM will sell boatloads of these things to consumers who will see the economic model of pick up truck ownership transform....

[@EVBuyersGuide]

I hope these do sell very well. -Travis

[@bradyb2233]

This might be something i jump on. I actually really like the idea of it. For years i have questioned why not do this. Trains have been running like this for years

[@jacuzzibusguy]

Trains use what I refer to as a magnetic transmission, aka generator - motor. Automakers made vehicles with this drive system 100!years ago. It didn’t catch on because this is an inefficient drive system compared to a traditional transmission. That’s why we see essentially no manufacturers producing vehicles with magnetic transmissions UNLESS it is a plug in hybrid. The efficiency comes from the ability to drive on batteries as this truck will likely be anemic once battery has been depleted and all of the energy needed to drive the truck comes from the pentastar.

[@scottwilkins]

i LOVE IT! Finally a hybrid with more than 100 miles EV range first of all. And in an awesome truck too. Hopefully it will have the NACS charging setup.

[@shanebirt1]

That could really make or break it. But since they haven't said anything yet I doubt it will, it would have been a massive selling point otherwise.

[@Invertatude]

Owned an outlander PHEV with this system and its been great, this is the truck for me.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

If the Outlander worked for you this certainly will as well. As a matter of fact, this truck will be even cheaper to run than the Outlander. Our estimated electric efficiency for the Ramcharger is more than the Outlander and while the fuel economy is not as efficient when running in hybrid mode you'll be running in EV mode a much higher percentage of the time. -Travis

[@slow_lml3683]

You guys were discussing confusion about the name at the top of the video. Ramcharger is a callback to a sport SUV that was available USDM in the 80s and up to the 2000s in international markets. Those legacy vehicles were basically dodge's answer to the bronco and blazer.

[@1225KPH]

The name goes back further, genius.

[@slow_lml3683]

@@1225KPH where did I say it didn’t, genius?

[@rightlanehog3151]

Gentlemen, I suppose RAMCHARGER is a much more marketable name than RAM SERIAL ENERGY HOG®.🤣 BTW 27 gallons is a lot of gasoline to keep 'fresh' for those who will be running on electric power all the time. 🤔

[@hedges00]

Fortunately, it's not a mandatory fill

[@4literv6]

So it's basically as inefficient as a tesla semi weighing over 70,000# then? The semi has about a 900kwh pack and can do 1.7kwhs per mile when loaded at 60+mph. This is 27 gallons of fuel at 33.7 kwhs each gallon in energy plus the 89kwh pack. So just as inefficient as my 2019 f-150 xl is empty cruising at hwy speeds. 👍🏻😀

[@EVBuyersGuide]

You're right, serial energy hog doesn't quite roll off the tongue. -Travis

[@4literv6]

@@EVBuyersGuide with 92kwhs onboard energy in that pack and just a 145 mile when empty est ev range it sure is an energy hog smh. The Ford lightning pro goes 240 miles est range on 7% more pack capacity. Both are heavy body on frame full size awd dual motor pickups.

[@rightlanehog3151]

@@EVBuyersGuide Practice makes perfect.

[@Silverado_EV_ChEVy_Avalanche]

Let’s clarify the difference between a plug-in hybrid and a range extender. Most plug-in hybrids can drive the wheels with both the electric motors, and with the gas engine they can usually also charge the battery. But range extender doesn’t work that way at all. It’s only purposes to recharge the batteries so the vehicle is always an electric vehicle. The generator provides the electricity to recharge the batteries. The closest comparison would be the BMW I three areEX. If the gas engine has the ability to actually motivate the wheels, then I would agree. This is a plug in hybrid now as part of the law the one issue that makes this not a plug-in hybrid is because it can go farther Using the gas, then the batteries alone, whereas range extenders do not produce enough to motivate the vehicle farther than the EV battery alone.

[@danimal107]

It is unfortunate the two people featured in this video couldn't grasp this.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

The engineered literally said it was considered a plug in hybrid, they just preferred to market it differently. Check with the EPA and every other classification system, it’s a PHEV

[@generalimac]

Alex sipping on wine at 18 min mark shows just how freaking cool he is. Salute and enjoy that Cab.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

I'm sure he was enjoying it! I left my own drink too far off camera. -Travis

[@br4nd0nh347]

About time they started making these.

[@danimal107]

The Chevy Volt was like this . Everyohe that owned a Volt loved it. So of course they were discontinued. The EV "purist" couldn't stand the fact that ONLY 95% of the miles were electric. Instead is was decided that cars should have batteries with a 300 mile range.even though most people seldom drive 300 miles in a single day and can charge at home overnight.

[@FlyingNDriving]

​@@danimal107Chevy Mike master race, 10+ years later and still living rent free in the ev, PHEV conversation

[@romanmartynenko3575]

When you tow - that efficiency difference will be negligible. most of the energy will be spent on air resistance. Great concept. looking forward to see it live!

[@EVBuyersGuide]

So are we! -Travis

[@doublebackagain4311]

I think the point is when you are towing, you don't have to stop every 150 miles with this truck. That costs efficiency, but time is money also-

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Yes, for those who find themselves in that situation regularly it will be a great advantage. -Travis

[@worldtrav72]

And you don’t have to find a charger that is built to handle a trailer…they are out there, but they will always be fewer and far between vs pull trough gas stations.

[@jonathanjackson9208]

This is an excellent idea and we should have had something like this on the market about 3-5 years ago. As a person that wants to go Electric for my next vehicle, but uncertain where technology will be going in the next few years this will be a hit. I just wish maybe the new hurricane motor would be in this instead!

[@bruall847]

I've been driving "something like this" for 6 years. It's a chevy volt. It's been perfect. 110k miles and 94% electric only miles. Now if it could only tow my boat.

[@anydaynow01]

@@bruall847 Same, my 2017 Volt convinced me PHEV is the way to go, if GM were to put a V6 Voltec in a 1/2 ton Silverado WT with 80 -100 km of EV range and an 80l fuel tank I would be all over it!

[@EVBuyersGuide]

People's concern about EV range is a big reason I think they'll look at this Ramcharger. -Travis

[@updlate4756]

@@bruall847 "But but but... PHEV owners never charge their cars" - BEV absolutists... aka Tesla shareholders. I've owned a Volt for 4.5 years. Only 38k miles on it (worked from home throughout pandemic), but I'm at 90% EV only miles. I blame government tax credit policy for the loss of the Volt. Once GM lost the federal tax credit, and with California (and other states) giving greater tax credits to BEVs over PHEVs, AND with the calamitous ZEV regulatory credit system that rewarded BEVs with 3x more credits than the Volt... GM had zero incentive to not only continue producing the Volt, but to utilize a Voltec powertrain (or a PHEV system) in more vehicles. They instead decided to go all in on the Bolt, which not only sold horribly, but ended up being a financial nightmare for the company.

[@computerhounds]

This is EXACTLY what we need for our fleet! The majority of the daily work will be on electric and the big hauls or long hauls will be on gas.

[@makatron]

This is exactly what the market needs, quiet electric operation and comfort of on board generator.

[@richardj163]

RAM needs to tweak the design where the range extender motor should be smaller, but the motor can run (charge) while you’re not in the vehicle. Taking advantage of the extra time to charge will allow a lighter motor, and a lighter motor means better efficiency per mile.

[@donswier]

I drive an i3 REx, and have heard of owners who will exit out the passenger door with the Range Extender running to trick it into thinking you're still behind the wheel. (Although i3 REx won't allow SOC to rise above the level you initiated the REx)

[@EVBuyersGuide]

A lighter motor would be more efficient to carry around, but it wouldn't be more efficient for RAM to implement and since they're the ones building the truck I don't think that'll happen anytime soon. -Travis

[@davidcarroll8735]

I’ve owned the PHEV Pacifica for almost 2 years with no problems, and this seems like a close cousin to me. I would be interested in this form factor, depending on the price. I already have a BEV and in about a year I’ll be in the market to buy an ICE or a PHEV.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

It's a relatively similar concept but there are some notable differences. For one this is going to have a lot more get up and go than the Pacifica! I'm on board with the Pacifica though, don't get me wrong. -Travis

[@anydaynow01]

My best friend and my wife both are saving up for PHEV Pacificas, one of my friends at work swears by his also.

[@davidcarroll8735]

@@anydaynow01 I think the Pacifica PHEV is the best value prop for either hauling people or stuff because it is a minivan form factor. We only buy gasoline during the frequent long distance driving to family. I haven’t noticed a change in my nightly electricity usage, but certainly noticed the reduction in gasoline purchases!

[@wayne8268]

i have pacifica PHEV and wanted to get ram truck too , with the same concept, but this is not the same, might wait for the ford PHEV, dissapointed !!!!! wanted the limited split tail gate,air coils susp, etc, bastards

[@frankoesteling6750]

I've had two phevs during the last six years. The only thing that I have wanted is a longer range battery! Oh like the ramchargers. About time!

[@danielsmyth2646]

This is fantastic!

[@nathanriggins5271]

This has been what I have been looking for since the talk of EV's and their "magic power." While it isn't the best solution it is pretty good and I am sure some people will complain that it doesn't get this or that economy as most people drive to hard to ever reach EPA ratings. However, I drive a whopping 15 miles total commute and tow usually once a week to go fishing with my 5K boat, and the occasional hardware store trip. The biggest drawback for me with an EV was getting it charged or a big enough battery to get me through the roundtrip towing the boat. The other issue was if i needed to charge with the boat on the trailer having to disconnect in order to get the truck in the charge station as the stations are not designed in any way shape or form for an truck/trailer combo. Seriously thinking about putting in a reservation.

[@sdshawn29]

This will be a game changer, I own 2 hybrids now and would love to have a full size truck that would be basically a plug in hybrid. And that can tow my trailer is seriously awsome.

[@davidc.5054]

The vehicle makes a lot of sense. No one wants to unhook their trailer to charge.

[@billcarpenter3880]

This was designed for me. I drive 200 miles to and from work once every week in all weather conditions, with off-road snow tires on most of the year to cope with the last 5 miles into my home. I am fording flooded, sometimes frozen sections at least once a month, depending on when the beaver has last rebuilt his dam. From work I may be delivering equipment to customers 50 miles away on a moments notice weighing sometimes around 1000 lbs. Had -35f for a week at my home last winter. Power out for 8 days at Christmas 2 years ago. Four trees across the road from the ice storm yesterday, tow hooks used regularly. The Ramcharger sounds like it will do everything my hemi Ram has done, and maybe save some fuel, and run super quiet electrical through the forest. Only pause is electrical and water regular mix, but I assume I will be good up to the axles. Bonus will be if I can run some refrigerator plugged into the truck during extended power outages (power goes out at least an average of once a week).

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Seems like you would be able to utilize everything this truck in just about every way the engineers could have imagined. -Travis

[@mikes8032]

Diesel electric locomotives have been around for decades. It's about time the auto industry is implementing that concept into the gasoline electric.

[@dearbulls]

It is an Extended Range Hybrid which has totally different structure. It's basically an EV with smaller battery than BEV and an engine working as generator. The engine does not directly drive the wheels. China is in lead of the the ER EV right now. Glad to see we finally have some usable ER EV in the US (beside the i3 or smart which has a pity range). I believe this is the best EV technology given where our battery technology is currently at in 2023. If we look at this 10 years later after some breakthrough battery tech, it might be different. But right now BEV is not any better than this.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

It will be interesting to see how the sales numbers match up between the Ramcharger and the REV. -Travis

[@dearbulls]

@@EVBuyersGuide all depending on the prices I guess. Hopefully they didn't make the same mistake Ford did of pricing too high.

[@daves1646]

Seems like it’s in RAMs hands. If they use the better-to-best efficiency inverters (Si-carbide) and design motors, they may make their range figures despite larger battery trucks weight. A break-through would be to design RAMCharger to have a curb weight in the 6’s, like Cybertruck. Curb weight

[@timpowell6901]

The ramcharger is a classic name from Ram’s history

[@BlueVoyageTV]

I use my 2022 RAM 1500 Laramie etorque hemi for work and family vacations. I have zero desire to buy a Ford, GMC, Rivian or tesla electric truck. This is exactly what we want. I would definitely trade in my truck for this.

[@g8rsr1]

I have a ram 2500 for towing my boat and camper and a BMW i3 REX for commuting, this truck looks amazing to me.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Is there any chance you designed this? Did they bring you in and ask what you wanted them to do next? -Travis

[@alansnyder8448]

An all-electric drive train with a motor to recharge the battery (if that is what this is) is what I want. I've owned pure EV cars at this point, and my wife currently drives the Chevy Volt. I like the Volt in EV mode more than in gas mode since the power drops off, and I would never want to deal with that with a truck since I would use the truck as a towing vehicle instead of as just a commuter car. If the price is right, this might be what I get for a truck. I'm at least going to look. One thing I really want though is a smaller truck (think late 80s or early 90s) like a Maverick but with un-compromised towing and range. I'd be really interested if this type of truck could be set up to be a backup generator for your home. That would be a bonus.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

If you're downsizing the truck then you would end up downsizing the capability. I'm not saying I wouldn't also love a midsize or even compact truck that could do it all but it just won't happen. The Ramcharger will be able to offload power (it seems up to 7.2kw) and could theoretically be able to connect to the home and act as a backup generator. -Travis

[@alansnyder8448]

@@EVBuyersGuide Regarding the towing capability of a Maverik hybrid truck, I would hope it would be equal to a Subaru Outback. The Outback can do 3,500 while I think Maverik is less than 2,000. Just that small increase would give many more options of what you can tow.

[@jdubbsc8874]

I have a Chevrolet Volt, and I’ve been waiting for a pickup like the Volt and this is exactly like it. It always runs on battery, but when you run out of charged battery, the generator will recharge the battery. It’s perfect. I’ve never had an issue with it. It’s not 2 different drivetrains. Only one drivetrain, which is electric. You just have a generator to recharge the battery when you run out of charge. I don’t know why we don’t have this everywhere.

[@cheguevara5511]

Right on the nail I will buy this truck when comes out I do handyman services in Austin tx this truck will help a lot…

[@EVBuyersGuide]

When you have one in hand let us know what you think! -Travis

[@SD07BIKER]

This! I need 25miles daily but twice a month I need 300-450mile drive . Had a Ford lightning and loved it but it didn’t work for the long treks . Never been a ram fan but this I can get behind!

[@JasonCarmichael]

Funny it's called a "Half-Ton" with 14K towing and 2,700 lb payload, and 8-lug wheels. In my Rivian, the front motors power the wheels about 60/40 vs the rear. It even has an "Eco" mode that turns off the rear motors completely. When comparing this RamCharger to any other EV Truck, this is by far the best-looking truck, period.

[@twbl218]

Let’s get real for a minute… you’re looking at a $80,000-$120,000 truck with a 10% interest rate, a dealership mark up, and a $5000 bill to change a headlight. It’s not about “laziness” as this one guy says, and I’m pretty sure most contractors aren’t living in some fantasy world where they live in Denver and drive to Avon for a ski trip. What we want is a $35000 truck that tows and hauls materials and tools. These guys are part of the problem.

[@jeffr6280]

The elephant in the room is that you’re supposed to trust Stellatis engineering. If this system made sense financially and engineering-wise, you have to imagine that Toyota or Honda would have put out similar products years ago. I simply don’t trust they’ll get it right period, let alone at a price point where they’ll sell enough units to be profitable.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Neither Toyota or Honda are pushing very hard to bring plug-in hybrid or EV models to market. Yes, Toyota has the Prime line and they're very good, but those are smaller vehicles and operate very differently than this will. -Travis

[@dns711]

This is exactly what I want! I bought a 2019 RAM 1500 Limited with 5.7 liter eTorque and 3.92 gears to pull my 6000 lb Jeep on my 3000 lb deck over trailer. I recently paid off the truck and would love to replace it with a Ramcharger. I could commute to work on electric power alone, but use the gas engine to keep the battery charged while towing or going on long road trips. No other vehicle currently available can do that. Since I don't want to without a V8 once I trade in the RAM 1500, I plan on buying a 2024 Mustsng GT in the next few months as my daily driver.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Would you not use the Ramcharger as your daily driver? -Travis

[@dns711]

@@EVBuyersGuide I could, but I would miss the sound of a V8.

[@christopherstreet2214]

This is beautiful truck

[@richardcerniglia1752]

Typically hybrids are described as vehicles using hybrid drivetrains. Meaning the wheels can be turned by the electric motor, or by the engine through a mechanical connection, or a combination of both. Whereas vehicles like the discontinued Chevrolet Volt and this new Ram are purely electric drivetrains. The engines don’t physically connect to the wheels in any way. They just generate electricity for the electric drivetrain. If I had to guess, that is why Ram isn’t calling it a plugin hybrid.

[@FalconsTech]

I think hybrids/PHEVs make more sense for most people than pure EVs. I think it makes even more sense for trucks. A full EV truck is going to eat up a lot of battery production that could be better utilized for a larger number of smaller vehicles and/or hybrids.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

I'm with you on the "only as big of a battery as needed". -Travis

[@jake-ly]

This is one of the few segments where a hybrid makes sense. A pure BEV is a better for everything light duty, however, EVs still suck at towing long range. This solves that completely especially when most only tow 4-5 times a year anyways.

[@joemontana4370]

Its wrong to worry about efficiency. People are looking for convenience and usability. Who cares if the F150 or Rivian are more efficient if they are less useful as trucks. RAM nailed it here IMO

[@updlate4756]

It does impact total cost of ownership, which I would assume most people would care about when comparing which truck to buy. The more a PHEV saves in fuel, the more likely someone is to justify buying it. There's also the environmental impact to consider. Then again, most people don't care about the environment in the slightest. If they knew 100% for a fact that they were single handedly pushing the planet towards doom, they'd celebrate... for some odd obnoxious reason. Humans are generally f-heads that don't care about anything but themselves and their own wants.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

It's true that efficiency isn't the first thing people ask about but that doesn't mean it's not important. -Travis

[@williamconrad1087]

My Cybertruck is seven years out. If this is available in a few years maybe I’ll buy one of these first.

[@ronlofgreen5813]

This will influence many people who are hesitant to go electric. No range anxiety, no where's a charger anxiety, what will I do while it charges. I will only have to fuel up once every 4 to 6 months for the most part. AND I can still go 145 miles before the gas engine kicks in, FANTASTIC!!! And I will charge it every second or third day, perfect.

[@PegLegAdventures]

Great break down. The thing that has me really excited about this is that I would prefer an electric vehicle which would work for 90-95% of my driving. But for the other 5%, I NEED a truck with range. This covers BOTH. Otherwise I would have to get two vehicles or just resign myself to paying for gas all the time with a truck. So while it may not be as efficient overall, it is still WAY cheaper than buying 2 vehicles or having to keep paying for gas all the time.

[@nordlandak6853]

Pure ev zealots will hate it. Every one else will like it if the cost can be reduced. 60k and it will sell….

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Zealots of any variety tend to be hard to convince. -Travis

[@updlate4756]

It'll sell at anything less than $80k, presuming it gets the full federal tax credit. Current EV pickup trucks are selling at around $80k, even with the towing shortcomings. Although, I'm sure it would sell a lot better at $70k, before tax credit. In some states, credits could bring the price down to $60k or less. If only there were a way to only offer this truck to people that need trucks though... Well... all trucks really.

[@gregkocher5352]

The motor-generator concept is a sound one. And it is efficient due to fewer mechanical losses. If they can make it reliable it will be a solid vehicle. I'd like to think they have allowed for reasonable battery replacement in the future when better packages are available.

[@dreadlord76]

If the question was “Would you buy a truck that tow, hauls, get good gas mileage, long travel range, 0-60 in under 5 seconds”, I doubt very few people would say no. The issue is people thinking it should be an BEV and don’t burn gas.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

There's bound to be some confusion on the marketing for this truck and I hope that confusion doesn't deter people from considering it. At least we have videos covering what it is to help try and answer those questions. -Travis

[@ptl1853]

If you had googled Ramcharger, the name would have made a lot more sense. Dodge had a Ramcharger (1500 based suv) model for nearly 20 years.

[@SuperMustangfever]

If it wasn't too long to fit in my garage, I'd trade my Pacifica Hybrid in on it. This approach is OLD. At least as old as WWII. The Pacific fleet submarines used 4 big Fairbanks-Morse diesels to turn big generators. (On the surface) The generators powered the electric motor driven propellors and charged up the battery. For submerged operations, the engines were shut down and the prop motors ran off the battery. It was also not particuarly efficient, but hey, when you're 300 feet long you have room for a LOT of diesel fuel.

[@dmunro9076]

A hybrid allows the IC Engine to directly power the wheels via a mechanical transmission. A range extending EV uses an ICE to run a generator to charge the traction battery and/or the electric motor. The BMW I-3 is an existing example of a range extended EV.

[@daves1646]

Lower apparent electric efficiency might be that RAM holds back a substantial part of the 90+ kWh battery for use in hybrid mode so you don’t get more than (guess) 70 kWh in electric mode. Spare the owner to have to use gas motor to recharge the battery in-transit for climbing grades / heavy load carry unless towing 😅

[@johnnyy072]

Classification names are probably more important to media folks than to actual consumers. This truck addresses most of concerns with existing electric trucks on the market. I’m very interested in test driving this Ramcharger, might be our new family vehicle.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

We're looking forward to test driving it as well! -Travis

[@michaelmacdonald7342]

LeTourneau has been building loaders and earth moving machines on this principle for decades, use a internal combustion engine/generator to power the electric powertrain, you get the electric torque and power and long run time.

[@daviddahan3204]

This makes sense to me. An EV with the convenience of gas fill-ups. I wonder how loud the generator is? One of the benefits of an EV is the quiet ride.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

I would guess the engine is pretty mild in noise output and the average person isn't going to end up using it with any regularity. -Travis

[@raphaelrosenhagen5624]

It is an interesting concept, if they would develop a replacement fuel cell, which could replace the I6 engine as a generator in the next evolution cycle. It certainly gets rid off some weight traditional hybrid cars carry with them as it doesn't need a full blown gearbox/transmission, and it has the option of better range, although range I think is less a concern than towing capacity. So I found it interesting to hear what you said about that in this video, especially when it comes to the point when the battery gets below a certain load. I am also curious if there will be an effect on the battery life, when you start charging it with still some load in it and while using power from the battery for driving at the same time. From batteries of phones and laptops I always learned it's best to charge the batteries once they are fairly low on energy rather than always charging (keeping it plugged in) while using it. That would be interesting to find out.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

The management software plays an important role in a vehicle like this, we'll see how it goes and we'll certainly put it to the test when we get the chance. -Travis

[@afcgeo882]

This isn’t complex. A generator produces electricity and doesn’t drive the vehicle. If the ICE engine solely produces electricity, it is solely a generator (a range extender). If it powers wheels as well, it is a plug-in hybrid drivetrain.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Not according to the EPA, or the SAE (society of automotive engineers), both define this as a PHEV. This debate happened back when the i3 launched and the EPA classed it as a Plug in hybrid as well

[@afcgeo882]

@@EVBuyersGuide Why do we care about the EPA or SAE definitions for emerging technologies? They’re government regulators, and by definition can only define what already exists and are extremely rigid in their legal concepts. Both are also heavily impacted by ICE lobbies.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Even if you don’t want to go by the official definitions it’s literally a hybrid between a gasoline and an electric vehicle blending both power sources…

[@afcgeo882]

@@EVBuyersGuide You can refer back to my initial comment. A hybrid power plant is DIFFERENT than a hybrid drive system. If the systems are basically the same, shy categorize it as one thing for BMW and something completely different for Ram? Imagine finding a new ape species, but instead of giving it its own name, you just go by what’s already documented, even if that’s not what it is. Imagine if all science or art or language worked that way… nothing new, just drop everything into one of three categories.

[@danimal107]

Who cares what the EPA calls it? It in FACT is a range extended electric vehicle. @@EVBuyersGuide

[@josephsummers3241]

I am waiting to order one

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Waiting on.....? -Travis

[@smileymac8017]

Since GM said no one wants a PHEV, Toyota can't build them fast enough. GM is almost always wrong so I'm betting this will be a great success.

[@jmrdrgz]

No issue for towing in my opinion. How much torque demand are you going to need and for how long? Once you get going you get going? Going up hill? How many miles of steep incline are you doing? Probably not enough to deplete the battery by itself if fully charged. I'm sure the gas motor will slow down the battery consumption when going up hill and it's not like you are doing 150 miles uphill either. This is a win-win truck. The only thing against it will probably be the price and that they won't have an off road/overland trim day one.

[@wysiwyg7139]

Wording from the Canadian web site (seems different from the US site): "REx stands for Range Extended Electric Vehicles that use Electric Drive Modules (EDM) as their main means of propulsion but also feature a gasoline engine to generate electricity when the battery is depleted. The 2025 Ramcharger REx can also be plugged in to recharge the battery."

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Thanks for the definition. -Travis

[@donswier]

Analogy: Much like having railings on a 9th floor deck, you're more likely to make use of the ENTIRE battery (or entire deck in the analogy) if you have a gas engine ready to save your day.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Hmmm, that's an interesting way to look at. -Travis

[@bobdavis2879]

4:08 Ramcharger is a name Dodge used for its full size Ford Bronco and Chevy Blazer competitor in the 1980s. So they are no doubt reusing it.

[@oldaugnutrix]

Do we know if the pentastar set up in an Atkinson configuration

[@ogjk]

Will they be tax credit legible if it still exists the same way as it does by release date in the US?

[@EVBuyersGuide]

We don’t know, it will be based on pricing, and battery manufacturing location. Because of the increasing restrictions on the tax credit, fewer vehicles are qualifying even for 2024

[@wiillied6384]

I would definitely purchase this type given the option of having both worlds of the types of power sources. The only 3 concerns are: The price or cost of the vehicle, are customers on the hook to purchasing a package plan to operate the features included with the model (such as heated seats & cool seats, remote start, heated steering wheel, etc) on a monthly subscription and finally, reduce the weight of the vehicle by 500lbs. If it's going to be that costly, why not have or add an autolocking feature that other high-end vehicles possess and massage front and rear! That would surely justify the low to mid 70's to 80's price range.

[@paramveerdhoot6415]

This truck is awesome. My Wishlist would be smaller/lighter more efficient gas engine even if it charges a bit slower, small lockable frunk, smaller fuel tank (20 gal just to make it lighter more efficient) and larger battery (220 mile range to match the lighting), just a bit more efficient closer to the Lighting for the EV mode and a little bit more efficient on the fuel only mode too. That would be my perfect truck all for less than $65k for a Laramie Trim. I have a Ram 1500 Laramie Eco Diesel Crew Cab right now and a Tesla Model 3 this is exactly what I was looking for to eventually replace the Eco Diesel. With solar it just makes sense.

[@makatron]

Why make the battery larger, thus making the truck both more expensive and heavy, when a larger fuel tank would do the very same.

[@paramveerdhoot6415]

@@makatron it's just my use case. I drive 90 miles one way, with 220 miles I could drive all electric 95% of the time and only run the gas engine on a rare occasion. With the current range I would run the gas engine all the time which costs me money. My electricity is free.

[@makatron]

@@paramveerdhoot6415 problem is the more batteries you put in the truck, the lower the payload, that engine will run at the most efficient range to charge the battery and provide power which still great.

[@bettermost]

It’s Genius finally an electric truck that makes sense.

[@dreadous]

Quirky! Using metal disks and ablative brake pads to slow down is 1900s tech. We can now capture that energy and re-use it during our drive. Game changer!

[@donswier]

Yep👍 The savings on brake maintenance & costs alone are worth it. The little bit of regen is negligible in my own experience (i3 REx in a mountainous area near Mt Rainier). I cringe now when braking our 4runner, turning all that momentum into heat & worn parts lol.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

The regenerative braking doesn't just save/capture energy but should help provide more breaking power in downhill towing situations. -Travis

[@donswier]

@@EVBuyersGuide Like a Jake Brake that gives you a rebate in the form of kilowatts. Can't wait to see a full review, including towing in mountains. Can't believe GM didn't capitalize on their history with diesel-electric locomotives and Voltec.

[@user-hk5wx5op9u]

The only thing I find attractive about this truck is the range.- 690 miles Not really a fan of the light extending into the center grill like that. I heard they put the 300hp 3.6L Pentastar for the generator part, getting mixed info on that. If that's true, that would be the same engine that's in the base model 1500, except this one isn't tied at all to the drivetrain and only powers a generator. It's too bad they are going to make you pay for an options to use that generator from the bed for power, but they didn't add a 240V option if you wanted to use it to feed a house during a blackout when that generator puts out plenty to power a house. And what's with the LCD on the passenger side? Did they lose the top glove box for that? One thing I like about my 1500 Laramie is all the space inside, including the top glove box.

[@jlv3x]

Most truck buyers are more concerned with power and range than efficiency. So their concerns about efficiency aren't shared by most vehicle buyers. That's why the Jeep Wrangler 4xe is the best selling PHEV. While it's not the most efficient Hybrid, it's enough for the majority of consumers.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

You're right, the 4xe is incredibly popular and similarly inefficient in EV mode. The EV mode is still much more efficient than a standard gas model would be. -Travis

[@chuckw6099]

Very interesting discussion regarding the upcoming Ramcharger. I am certainly interested in getting one. I previously owned an BMW i3 and I would have kept it if I would have "hacked" the computer to be able to run the REX before the battery level dropped down to "limp mode". I also currently own a Chevy Bolt, and 2 Jeep 4xe hybrids (Wrangler Unlimited and Grand Cherokee) and would love to get back into a truck. I do miss not having my 2019 Ram 1500 with the 5.7 Hemi w/etorque. That etorque did little but help the start/stop feature being more seamless. Ram's idea of the Pentastar along with a decently sized battery pack makes a lot of sense. This new truck would definitely sway me away from getting a LIghtening or another full EV truck. I can only hope the price of the Ramcharger is not ridiculously high so I can keep another vehicle or 2 to keep the miles down on all the vehicles. For a truck, I would not need all of the fancy extras. I would get a Tradesman model with only a few options. Like Alex stated, I am really not concerned about the efficiency of the EV because I know the charging would be cheaper than putting gas into it. Happy New Year everyone!! :)

[@BTC909]

145-150 miles of EV range, just fill the tank to a 1/4 most of the time.

[@Silverado_EV_ChEVy_Avalanche]

I agree you’ll save a lot of weight if you were to do that with a 27 gallon tank you save about 250 pounds of weight plus the weight of the tank size

[@EVBuyersGuide]

The size of the gas tanks is one of the bigger question marks for me. -Travis

[@BTC909]

Don't fill it if you don't need it but keep the fuel pump cool.@@Silverado_EV_ChEVy_Avalanche

[@danimal107]

You only fill it when needed. It's not that complicated.@@EVBuyersGuide

[@updlate4756]

@@Silverado_EV_ChEVy_Avalanche 27 gallons * 6 lbs per gallon = 162 lbs. A quarter tank would only save 122 lbs. Not sure what the weight of the tank has to do with anything, it doesn't reduce in size or weight when less gas is in it. ;) That said, as a Chevy Volt owner with 90% of my miles being electric, I typically only keep 2 gallons in the 8 gallon tank, and that'll usually last for ~6 months, unless I'm taking a road trip.

[@thejosh0100]

It wouldn't surprise me if it was transverse because the promaster has the same layout i also would expect a ramcharger setup coming for the promaster lineup

[@Chineywhale]

I wonder if they're underestimating range now to cause more hype later when its closer to launch date. Since this is launching in 2025, this can quickly become obsolete because a lot can happen in a year to year and a half.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

It seems that the understatement was on capacity, in this case the range remains the same but the usable capacity is drops to 70.8kwh meaning efficiency increases. -Travis

[@spenceralridge4958]

I agree with some other commenters in that this is about preserving the ability to tow/haul over long distances while having a vehicle that possesses the attributes of an EV (cheap electric operating costs, instant acceleration, etc.). I own one EV (BMW i4) and have been considering a second, probably a truck. I don’t tow very much although that may change soon and the use case involving long distance towing (including trying to charge while connected to a trailer) is where EV trucks fall flat. This solves that issue. Having 14K pounds of towing capacity with that extended range is what really makes the case. Efficiency is not always the name of the game. Sometimes it is just the ability to use brute force over an extended period of time that is needed. Just ask a 2500/3500 diesel owner.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Good news, with our recent confirmation of a 70.8kwh usable battery size there's a much less significant hit to efficiency as we had previously estimated. -Travis

[@prawnmikus]

I've always wanted this type of hybrid but with a modular generator. It could be quickly dropped in, or swapped out for an extra battery pack in its place, or left empty, all depending on the use case.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

This system won't be modular. One could theoretically swap out the V6 but that would be a lot of custom work. -Travis

[@noneofyourbuisiness4011]

I see this as cutting my current fuel consumption in half on long towing trips. I'll be taking a very close look at this thing to see if it performs as advertised. I wonder if it could survive a towing trip up the Alaska and Dempster highways and back without having to change out springs and things?

[@vandenbossm539]

Unless you are maxed out towing and constant bigtime up hill, you should not be constantly using over 130kw to maintain speed. That is a crazy amount of power. The only time you should ever use that much is under hard acceleration or up a steep grade. If the gas motor is running, it should almost always be producing more than you are using to maintain speed.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

I'm trusting that RAM handles this in software. They already indicated that Tow/Haul mode is going to adjust the battery levels to maintain power as needed. -Travis

[@rcguymike]

​@@EVBuyersGuidethey have a ton of experience with the wrangler and grand Cherokee 4xe. If they learned from those vehicles they'll do well.

[@jonesnfortheoutdoors4155]

Sounds like a good platform. Hopefully it has a 6 1/2 foot bed.

[@chownzi2461]

While cruising at 60mph on flat road the generator can top up the battery you only need 170hp to keep it going at 60 even while towing

[@philgilmore2304]

I think it is a great idea and they outsmarted their weak competition. RamCharger will present power, indurance and range....

[@daves1646]

Synergy opportunity. Have batteries that don’t like cold, charge best at 70F. Have ICE that makes 55% of energy go out as NASTY heat. Use ICE to heat to heat battery pack circuit in winter/cold and as needed to set up for rapid charging. Use one shortcoming (waste heat) to mitigate shortcoming of battery system (cold pack performance)!!

[@chrisgeeseka5168]

If batteries are dead. Gas Motor power the electric motor. It makes sense. I think Ram design it in way handle hard work. I think gas motor will keep up. All it would take one bad towing experience that posted. I think Ram design it right away. Time will show. I'm glad they came out with it.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

The enemy of a product like this is a bad review from someone using it for work. I'm sure RAM realizes this and has made an effort to avoid that situation. -Travis

[@nathanriggins5271]

I have a question, If the batteries are "depleted" and the pentastar turns on, does the generator put our enough power to charge the batteries while still driving and then eventually shut off. For example if I was road tripping 285miles. Same question would be with towing as well. I know you and alex said to make sure it is in tow/haul mode so it has some extra battery left for hills. Curious how the system works.

[@retgi1]

I doubt it! Ram said 690 miles range so that tells me the gas engine puts out only enough power for the generators to power the truck. If the engine also charges the batteries at the same time then you'd have more than 690 miles range.

[@mopardad3959]

Look guys nothing is perfect. There's always a trade off.This comes close to it..

[@EVBuyersGuide]

A lot of our discussion was based on numbers that have since been updated. You're right, this is a great compromise in a lot of areas. -Travis

[@wes326]

What happens when you are towing a heavy load and the battery runs down and there is no charger around? Do you have to idle the engine to charge the battery?

[@EVBuyersGuide]

If you're hauling a load, you would want to select Tow/Haul mode. The vehicles software will adjust the battery level/generator equation to ensure you don't end up in a situation where you don't have the power you need. Although, just to add, it would be possible to pull over and let the vehicle charge up off the generator if that was something you were interested in doing. -Travis

[@vladimirdoyle3934]

Nah, plug in hybrid uses an engine to directly to the wheels and has a generator,electric motor and battery. This truck is a serial hybrid, meaning the full electric power to wheel

[@sarabeth8050]

That's brilliant. That's what the majority of buyers want, not full BEV. Everyday driving on full EV and the option of gasoline or electric on road trips. All the benefits of EV and none of the downsides.

[@eganjos1]

my guess is when the tailor electrical receiver is engaged, it will automatically trigger Tow mode.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Possibly. -Travis

[@patrickjesse719]

diesel or gas/electric concept has been around since the early 1900's, it's used by military and other countries for decades. So this idea/concept is neither new or novel just simply modernized.

[@ALMX5DP]

And now I kinda want to see what the engine bay looks like. Is the V6 traditionally mounted in a longitudinal fashion even though it doesn’t need to be? Could it be transverse for packaging over the front motors?

[@Silverado_EV_ChEVy_Avalanche]

Interesting. Curious what transverse mounting is?

[@ALMX5DP]

@@Silverado_EV_ChEVy_Avalanche transverse is where the engine orientation and crankshaft are positioned side to side like in a typical front wheel drive car. Longitudinal is where the engine/crankshaft are pointed in-line with the chassis like in a typical rear wheel drive car.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

I saw a brief, distant look but don't recall the orientation. Sorry! -Travis

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Circling back to add that the engine is mounted longitudinally. -Travis

[@ALMX5DP]

@@EVBuyersGuide woo! Thanks Travis for looking into this. Kinda figured that would be the case but it’s just strange to think about being there is no transmission behind it. Let us know if you get any pictures of the hood up. Still super keen on what it all looks like under there.