Stellantis NV gave a sneak peek at the first electric pickup truck under its Ram brand, according to Bloomberg. It aims to advance from a follower to a pioneer in the fiercely competitive market for plug-in trucks.
Revolution Concept Car
The Revolution, a concept car unveiled on Thursday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, will go into production two years later than its rivals in 2024. The business withheld information on price and range. However, Mike Koval, head of the Ram brand, claimed that towing, payload capacity, and charging times are the features that truck buyers care about most.
A significant test for an automaker trying to change its reputation as an EV skeptic and maker of some of the most gas-guzzling vehicles on the road is the pickup. It will compete against well-known rivals like Ford Motor Company’s F-150 Lightning and upstarts like Rivian Automotive Inc.’s R1T. The Detroit engineering firm Munro & Associates founder, Sandy Munro, commented on Stellantis’ survival.
“They’re going to have to beat at least one of the big dogs in trucks.”
Sandy Munro
About Ram
The truck brand has previously achieved Munro’s challenge. At the start of 2019, it seized the No. 2 position in the lucrative US truck market. It installed a 12-inch touchscreen inspired by the Apple iPad in a redesigned, gasoline-powered Ram 1500, starting a trend that its crosstown rivals quickly followed.
About Stellantis
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV merged with France’s PSA Group to form Stellantis in 2020. It has a history of successfully reviving outdated models like its Dodge muscle cars through design and marketing flair. Ivan Drury, an analyst at Edmunds, noted that developing a successful new electric model is more complex than giving it a facelift and a beefed-up engine.
Stellantis claims that the features in the concept, though not in the final production version, are intended to appeal to construction workers, thrill-seekers, and sports fans who tailgate. It has a third row of detachable jump seats. It also boasts an 18-foot-long storage space that stretches from the truck bed to the front trunk, or “frunk,” an AI-powered “shadow mode,” and can respond to voice commands from outside the car.
Ram’s other plans for the Revolution Concept Car
Ram plans to sell a gas-powered range extender to allay range phobia. The company did not disclose the manufacturer’s location. With their more expensive electric models than their internal-combustion counterparts, automakers tend to target the upper end of the market. The price of an electric Hummer from General Motors Company is over $100,000.
Ram’s new truck will aim to accommodate a variety of customers, according to Koval. The vehicle platform will support a similar product lineup to its gas-powered one. It includes the Tradesman work truck starting in the mid-$40,000 range and the performance TRX that costs double that.
“We know EV affordability is very current, and we’re very focused on ensuring everyone has access to the Ram battery-electric vehicle.”
Mike Koval, Head of the Ram brand
Automakers need help maintaining low sticker prices while still making a profit because of the high cost of raw materials. GM increased the cost of Hummers in June, and Ford increased the price of the F-150 Lightning the previous year.
Koval claims that the Ram truck “will definitely be profitable.” It must be.
