By Edward A. Sanchez — April 5, 2023
Over the last several decades, Ram has transformed from an also-ran truck brand to a top-of-mind, class-leading contender. Having won several back-to-back MotorTrend Truck of the Year awards, as well as numerous other industry awards, Ram has a right to be proud. But the team at Stellantis’s truck brand are hardly kicking up their Tecovas and resting on their laurels. The brand’s string of victories has seemed to make them more determined than ever to stay at the top of their game, and the specs announced this week on the 2024 Ram 1500 REV show it.
Range anxiety has been a persistent pain point for EVs, and something exacerbated further by towing, making it an especially critical factor for trucks. This issue has been highlighted by social media figures and journalists. To counter this issue, Ram did not skimp when it came to battery capacity with the 1500 REV. The standard pack is a substantial 168 kWh, enabling a claimed range of 350 miles (unladen). Not enough for you? Step up to the optional 229 kWh pack, enabling a claimed 500-mile range. You read that right, even bigger than the Hummer EV’s gargantuan 212 kWh pack.
While multiple real-world tests have shown that towing cuts the range of EV trucks approximately in half, a 200- to 250-mile range is still usable enough, assuming there’s a DC fast charger along your route. To help get back on the road quickly, the REV has 800V charging capability, and can add a claimed 110 miles in around 10 minutes.
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Although details were not given in the initial release in regard to ancillary hardware to enable it, Ram claims the truck is capable of vehicle-to-home and bi-directional charging, with a 7.2 kW power panel in the bed, and a 3.6 kW panel in the frunk.
On the inside, the REV takes a page from Jeep’s playbook in adding an optional 10.25-inch front passenger display, and a 12-inch standard and 14.5-inch optional vertical touchscreen display. Other tech features include an available heads-up display (HUD) featuring speed, navigation, lane keeping, lane departure alerts, and speed limit. A 23-speaker Klipsch audio system is available. The REV will be offered in the full spectrum of trims, from Tradesman, Big Horn/Lone Star, Laramie, Limited, and – exclusive to the REV – Tungsten.
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In terms of powertrain and performance, Ram is claiming a 0-60 time of 4.4 seconds courtesy of a dual motor system with a combined output of 654 hp and 620 lb-ft of torque, slightly more horsepower, but slightly less torque than the F-150 Lightning. If the REV’s substantial (for an EV truck) range figures still aren’t enough for you, stay tuned for the forthcoming REV XR (extended range) which promises an even more epic range figure, or “class-shattering” as Ram describes it.
While we’re somewhat disappointed that the production version of the REV isn’t quite as radical and innovative as the concept shown at CES, this more conventional approach, and a focus on the “big deal” items like range and capability is a smart strategy. As an avowed fan of the midgate, I’m a little disappointed the feature on the concept doesn’t seem like it made the transition to production, but there’s little dispute that Ram checked the major boxes on features and capabilities most prospective buyers will be interested in.
(Images courtesy Ram)
