Here comes RAM! Again?
Logistics Pro
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,778
Likes: 864
From: Foothills of NC
Quite impressive. The price must be high since this is a luxury truck. Hybrid charging is the only way electric will catch on without great leaps in battery tech.
The 3.6 Pentastar used for charging is a great engine. I have one in my 2018 Ram, and love it. No direct injection, no start/stop, no turbos, just a good, smooth, quiet engine, that is easy on gas.
The 3.6 Pentastar used for charging is a great engine. I have one in my 2018 Ram, and love it. No direct injection, no start/stop, no turbos, just a good, smooth, quiet engine, that is easy on gas.
Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 25,479
Likes: 742
From: Isanti, MN
I've always thought PHEVs were more complicated than they were worth. I love to see innovation, but this seems like the most complicated and inefficient way of solving a problem. All of the complexity of a gas engine, fuel tank, emissions, and cooling. Then add all of the EV hardware, including a huge battery pack, big traction motors, charging hardware AND cooling. I think this will be less efficient than a pure BEV like the Lightning because of weight, and less efficient than a gas-powered truck when the engine runs because it lacks a mechanical connection to the engine.
I'd expect it'll make my 6,600-lb Lightning look downright sprightly. I think regular hybrids and pure EVs are great, but this seems like an expensive toy that does nothing well. I hope they prove me wrong, though. Toyota proved decades ago that complexity doesn't have to be unreliable with the early Prius. But every time I think about a PHEV, I think of this rundown of the 4xe system:
I'd expect it'll make my 6,600-lb Lightning look downright sprightly. I think regular hybrids and pure EVs are great, but this seems like an expensive toy that does nothing well. I hope they prove me wrong, though. Toyota proved decades ago that complexity doesn't have to be unreliable with the early Prius. But every time I think about a PHEV, I think of this rundown of the 4xe system:
Logistics Pro
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,778
Likes: 864
From: Foothills of NC
I've always thought PHEVs were more complicated than they were worth. I love to see innovation, but this seems like the most complicated and inefficient way of solving a problem. All of the complexity of a gas engine, fuel tank, emissions, and cooling. Then add all of the EV hardware, including a huge battery pack, big traction motors, charging hardware AND cooling. I think this will be less efficient than a pure BEV like the Lightning because of weight, and less efficient than a gas-powered truck when the engine runs because it lacks a mechanical connection to the engine.
I'd expect it'll make my 6,600-lb Lightning look downright sprightly. I think regular hybrids and pure EVs are great, but this seems like an expensive toy that does nothing well. I hope they prove me wrong, though. Toyota proved decades ago that complexity doesn't have to be unreliable with the early Prius. But every time I think about a PHEV, I think of this rundown of the 4xe system:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsIC...bGl2ZSA0eGU%3D
I'd expect it'll make my 6,600-lb Lightning look downright sprightly. I think regular hybrids and pure EVs are great, but this seems like an expensive toy that does nothing well. I hope they prove me wrong, though. Toyota proved decades ago that complexity doesn't have to be unreliable with the early Prius. But every time I think about a PHEV, I think of this rundown of the 4xe system:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsIC...bGl2ZSA0eGU%3D
You could very well be 100% right. I suspect the truck will have a version of the E Torque system to start the engine when needed. There has been some growing pains with that. The big push for EVs is forcing companies to reach for anything to meet government mandates for corporate fuel mileage standards,
I suspect there will be lots of less than spectacular results for achieving those goals in the foreseeable future. When mandates are outpacing technology, things don't go so well until tech catches up.
The first few years of clean burn wood stoves didn't work out well at all, the same with pellet stoves. One thing the clean burn wood stove mandates did was double, then quadruple the cost of the new stoves. Seems familiar doesn't it.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,997
Likes: 237
From: NE Ohio
After one replacement, they just scrapped the vehicles instead of replacing engines.
both the mini vans and the pro masters. Not very high miles either, I believe around 100k maybe a little more. These were the earlier engines so I'd guess they fixed them?
one mechanic stated it was due to cylinder walls being too thin. I personally have not dug into them just their opinion..
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 1,316
Likes: 313
At least on paper so far, what doesn’t this do well?
It’s a heavy duty platform, so you have payload and tow capacity to work with. I was mentioning to the amigo at lunch that his etorque ‘24 Ram would be perfect if it had a generator in it like a PowerBoost. Heck, this truck may take care of that. I’d take a Hemi where I can get it, but the 3.6 isn’t a slouch for its usage here.
Yeah, is it complex? No doubt. Then again, not a whole lot of underhoods are simple these days.
It’s a heavy duty platform, so you have payload and tow capacity to work with. I was mentioning to the amigo at lunch that his etorque ‘24 Ram would be perfect if it had a generator in it like a PowerBoost. Heck, this truck may take care of that. I’d take a Hemi where I can get it, but the 3.6 isn’t a slouch for its usage here.
Yeah, is it complex? No doubt. Then again, not a whole lot of underhoods are simple these days.
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 4,012
Likes: 2,331
so...it is labeled as a 1500, but has 2620 lb of payload, with all the plug in stuff added? I can't imagine it will stay under the 8500lb GVWR threshold for class 2 pickups
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Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 7,946
Likes: 2,653
From: The Great State of Texas
I like it (for now) and would much prefer this over today's Lightning based on my usage... but I'm sure it's going to be more expensive and with those 8 lug wheels you know it's packing some weight.
Maybe Ram will release this in 2025 or 2026 or.....
Maybe Ram will release this in 2025 or 2026 or.....
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Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 7,128
Likes: 1,945
From: Sportsman's Paradise
I said it then and I'll say it again now, I hope that gas generator is optional and not standard. I don't need or want it. All I want/need is something to get me to homedepot, work, and the ocassional fishing hole and I'm good. The Ram is the only reservation I currently hold for an ev truck. The rest of them are just too expensive and it doesn't look like that cyber truck is ever going to be released.
Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 25,479
Likes: 742
From: Isanti, MN
I doubt it. My Lightning ER has an 8,550 lb GVWR, and that's with an aluminum body and no ICE in the frunk. Assuming a similar pack density, that 92 kWh battery slung underneath is over 1,200 lbs. It lacks a transmission, but I bet the generator and drive motor set is heavier than what's missing.
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 4,012
Likes: 2,331
I doubt it. My Lightning ER has an 8,550 lb GVWR, and that's with an aluminum body and no ICE in the frunk. Assuming a similar pack density, that 92 kWh battery slung underneath is over 1,200 lbs. It lacks a transmission, but I bet the generator and drive motor set is heavier than what's missing.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,778
Likes: 864
From: Foothills of NC
Our company had a different experience with that engine. everyone eventually overheated and needed an engine replacement. micro-fractures in cylinder wall leading to coolant loss.
After one replacement, they just scrapped the vehicles instead of replacing engines.
both the mini vans and the pro masters. Not very high miles either, I believe around 100k maybe a little more. These were the earlier engines so I'd guess they fixed them?
one mechanic stated it was due to cylinder walls being too thin. I personally have not dug into them just their opinion..
After one replacement, they just scrapped the vehicles instead of replacing engines.
both the mini vans and the pro masters. Not very high miles either, I believe around 100k maybe a little more. These were the earlier engines so I'd guess they fixed them?
one mechanic stated it was due to cylinder walls being too thin. I personally have not dug into them just their opinion..
My 3.6 only has 32k on it, and I may or may not reach 100k before I end up not driving or passing on. I've had my '87 F-150 since 1992, that had 76k on it when I bought it. I only have 132k on it now, and it was my main transportation most of the time until recently since I bought it.
Hopefully I will have good luck with it, but you never know.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,778
Likes: 864
From: Foothills of NC
I said it then and I'll say it again now, I hope that gas generator is optional and not standard. I don't need or want it. All I want/need is something to get me to homedepot, work, and the ocassional fishing hole and I'm good. The Ram is the only reservation I currently hold for an ev truck. The rest of them are just too expensive and it doesn't look like that cyber truck is ever going to be released.
Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 25,479
Likes: 742
From: Isanti, MN
The Ram 1500 Ramcharger, unveiled Tuesday morning, is based on the STLA Frame EV architecture, which also underpins the upcoming Ram 1500 REV model. The chassis features larger, wider-spaced frame rails than the gas-sipping truck to accommodate battery packs of different sizes, which also serve to protect the hardware in a crash. Whereas the REV will come as standard with a 168-kWh battery, the Ramcharger will make do with a smaller 92-kWh unit. Stellantis is able to get away with the smaller pack due to this truck’s most intriguing feature, which is a 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 based on-board generator that provides 130 kW of power.
https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a4...00-ramcharger/