Ram trucks are getting the hybrid treatment

Yesterday, Stellantis unveiled a new electric-propelled Ram truck that’s equipped with a generator and gas engine.

The idea being: the combo of gas and electric can extend range for long trips without frequent charging stops. And the 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger grabs that idea by the horns, delivering a massive targeted range of up to 690 miles on a full tank and charge.

Driving Stellantis’ strategy… Kuniskis said the Ramcharger is meant as a bridge between traditional trucks with internal combustion engines and all-electric ones, which currently face significant hurdles regarding charging infrastructure and range anxiety, especially when the vehicles are towing – a major reason people purchase a truck, CNBC reports.

• For example: Ford is the only legacy automaker offering a work-oriented electric pickup truck. It has a drivable range of ~278 miles, but that drops down to 210 miles – a ~25% reduction – when carrying a full load in the back.

📸 Big picture: Though consumer demand for EVs is rising – US sales of battery electric vehicles were up ~50% in the first three quarters of this year – high prices and a lack of significant charging infrastructure have led these vehicles to only comprise a small sliver of overall car sales (projected to be 8%-9% in 2023). Ford, GM, and Tesla have all recently announced plans to pare back their respective EV investments.