2019 Ram 1500

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

The Longhorn interior looks pretty impressive. I like the colors, details and materials used.

 

[Tornado]

I'm not sure I understand what the Ram's tailgate does? On the GMC it seems like the main draw is the step (and the step's side-function as a load extender), and the rest of the stuff is "neat" but more gimmicky than anything. This just seems like there is no real main draw.

 

[05XR8]

New Ram 2500 arrives down under

2021 Ram 2500 Looking for a big, tough American pickup but the Ram 1500 is just too small? Well, Ram

www.speedcafe.com

 

[GranTurNismo]

2024 Ram REV, the fully-electric Lightning competitor, has been unveiled. ls. Ram has also confirmed that a range-extender version with a gasoline engine will be offered.

2024 Ram 1500 REV Revealed in Production Form

The electric Ram pickup is being shown during the Super Bowl, and production starts next year.

www.caranddriver.com

 

[Joey D]

That's one overdesigned truck.

 

[Veinz]

So this will start at $80k cad like the Lightning? Pass.

 

[Keef]

I like the approach they've taken which is really similar to the Lightning. Base it on a normal truck with some interesting design features. I also like the ranger extender idea which is a piece of the market so many OEMs are skipping entirely. Truck buyers especially have range demands that vary widely from day to day - the truck has to be able to take the kids to school on a monday but also tow a boat to the lake on Saturday. If it can't do both then it's effectively useless. This is also a relatively uniquely North American problem as even Australians don't use full size trucks in the same way we do.

 

[Keef]

According to Car and Driver, the Ram REV will be offered with a base 168kwh battery and Ram is targeting a 229kwh for the Extended Range pack with a predicted 500 miles of range. Ram may also be working on a range-extended verision of the REV. The F-150 Lightning Extended Range has a 131kwh battery with a claimed 320 miles of range with no range-extender planned as far as I know.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

At a similar power density to Tesla's batteries, that would be a 3,150lb battery 😵 😵 😵

 

[Keef]

At a similar power density to Tesla's batteries, that would be a 3,150lb battery 😵 😵 😵

According to The Drive it could have a GVWR of over 10,000 pounds like the Hummer EV.

 

[Tornado]

I'm having a hard time imagining a 229KWh battery truck that weighs 10,000 pounds would actually be any better for the environment than a Ram with the new turbo 6; nevermind the hybrid Silverado from 15 years ago.

 

[05XR8]

That’s wild. The weight of my wife’s Mazda2(1025kg/2260lb) wouldn’t weight enough in batteries to reach the targets of these trucks.

 

[JacoJa]

The cost to produce a 229kWh truck from a company who's not enjoying the economies of scale anywhere near the large EV makers, is going to be absurd.

Lovely truck (even though the interior looks like a graphics calculator), but it will either be ridiculously expensive, or an epic money pit for Stellantis.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

I'm having a hard time imagining a 229KWh battery truck that weighs 10,000 pounds would actually be any better for the environment than a Ram with the new turbo 6; nevermind the hybrid Silverado from 15 years ago.

At least one government agency (though, one without any teeth as it applies to car regulation) is starting to caution about the weight of batteries/EVs.

In a keynote speech, NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said she was worried the size and weight of modern EVs could increase the risk of serious injuries and death. A Hummer EV is over 9,000lbs, the board leader said, while electrified versions of vehicles like the Ford F-150 and Volvo XC40 are far heavier than their gas engine equivalents.


Homendy stressed that she supported the Biden administration's environmental goals, and that transportation represented the largest contributor to American greenhouse gas emissions. She just felt that automakers had to be wary of creating "unintended consequences," such as more road fatalities.

Of course there's also this

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, an advocacy group representing most major automakers in the U.S., did not respond directly to Homendy's comments but said in a statement: "Safety is a top priority of the auto industry. Vehicles continue to get even more safe as automakers across the board test, develop and integrate new safety technologies that can help save lives and prevent injuries."

Our battle tanks are TOTALLY SAFE for the occupants inside them

 

[Keef]

I'm having a hard time imagining a 229KWh battery truck that weighs 10,000 pounds would actually be any better for the environment than a Ram with the new turbo 6; nevermind the hybrid Silverado from 15 years ago.

It isn't in itself but en masse they reduce the fossil fuel infrastructure which is the real savings, yada yada.

It's less safe too which has been mentioned. I'm of the opinion that these truck and CDL rules need to be revamped and need to become much more strict, with lower weight and passenger limitations, and multiple levels of license and training requirements. Oh, hell, sorta like aviation how about that. People shouldn't be able to operate these massive machines without extra training and certification, regardless of whether its for commercial use. For example, I'm allowed to fly this and this:

But not this:

The damn thing barely has doors and the wings are made of table cloth. But I'm not allowed to fly it. But I can drive both of these all day long:

Why? I don't know. Freedom I guess.

 

[GranTurNismo]

A pretty scathing review of the Ram REV:

The RAM REV 1500 Makes a Good Case for the Sedan

The RAM REV 1500 needs more than four times the battery to go a little more than twice as far as the Ioniq 6. When it comes down to the nitty-gritty, you can’t cheat physics.

www.roadandtrack.com

 

[Joey D]

The big battery is likely less about the range and more about towing, which is why the RAM needs such a massive battery pack. I don't know why companies aren't focused on something like a diesel-electric hybrid for full-sized trucks. That way you can still tow, but also you won't nuke your battery in the process and it won't weigh as much as a house.

But I get it, Americans like their trucks and use them like cars so it makes sense to have pure EV ones. But you don't need a pure EV that has 500 miles of range. The number of people who need that is very, very small.

 

[Keef]

Okaaayyyy, not exactly what I had in mind but apparently Ram is getting in on the tiny truck market. And I fear they're doing it in the softest way possible.

Now I may be wrong here but given that the Toro has been seen testing in the US and visually all the lines look right, it appears Ram may be adapting this little thing for the American market.

That would mean Chevy and Ram are doing the exact same thing, adapting tiny foreign trucks to sell here and compete with the Maverick. Problem: The Maverick was designed specifically for the American truck market. Note the rakish design and tall bedsides of this Toro - and the Chevy - which the Ford doesn't have, helping make it easier for less-trucky owners to use the bed. Note the bed length which is clearly shorter than the Maverick and not really big enough to do much with. This Fiat doesn't have a traditional tailgate which I assume can be replaced, but the traditional tailgate is an American favorite and will need to be present, especially if only to extend the bed length. Maybe this chassis is modular and Ram already has plans to extend it? They're going to massage the hell out of those body shapes because this thing is way too soft for this market. The wheel and tire package and fitment combined with tall slab sides isn't helping its presense. They look undersized and frail, a problem that even the base model Maverick doesn't suffer from thanks to a wide track. Luckily the interior looks decent enough although it still has previous-generation Fiat-Chrysler switchgear, especially the steering wheel.

 

[05XR8]

Would appeal to people that were not interested in trucks. Maybe like someone that didn't like Minis, but now MINIs are the right size for consideration. Also, it's not like a Laramie, the way a CUV is not like a Durango, Yukon, etc.

I say bring on the small utes. Might not see the second coming of VW Rabbit pick ups, but car makers can get creative on the way to EV rules.

 

[GranTurNismo]

I’m still pretty skeptical that it will be offered in the US, sadly.

 

[Keef]

The Rampage has been unveiled in Brazil, primarily for the Brazilian market. But given how tremendously popular the Maverick is - I've already seen several Tremors roaming around - it only makes sense to sell it in the US too.

Interestingly they did actually change the interior considerably from the Fiat, getting rid of the Ram-like vertical screen and going wide with it. Interesting choice. I figured they'd want to keep the interior very similar to the big truck but then again the verticalness of the Fiat's design would make the cabin feel skinnier than it already is.

 

[05XR8]

Ram lands 1500 Laramie Sport in Oz

Athletic looks and additional equipment join V8 power in new $136,950 variant

www.goauto.com.au

2023 Ram 1500 pricing*:

Express Quad Cab (a)	$85,950
Express Crew Cab (a)	$98,950
Express Crew Cab RamBox(a)	$103,900
Warlock II Crew Cab (a)	$109,950
Warlock II Crew Cab RamBox (a)	$114,900
Laramie Crew Cab (a)	$127,950
Laramie Crew Cab RamBox (a)	$132,900
Laramie Crew Cab Sport RamBox (a)	$136,950	New variant
Limited Crew Cab RamBox (a)	$153,950
TRX Crew Cab (a)	$209,950

*Pricing excludes on-road costs.

 

[GranTurNismo]

Ram lands 1500 Laramie Sport in Oz

Athletic looks and additional equipment join V8 power in new $136,950 variant

www.goauto.com.au

2023 Ram 1500 pricing*:

Express Quad Cab (a)	$85,950
Express Crew Cab (a)	$98,950
Express Crew Cab RamBox(a)	$103,900
Warlock II Crew Cab (a)	$109,950
Warlock II Crew Cab RamBox (a)	$114,900
Laramie Crew Cab (a)	$127,950
Laramie Crew Cab RamBox (a)	$132,900
Laramie Crew Cab Sport RamBox (a)	$136,950	New variant
Limited Crew Cab RamBox (a)	$153,950
TRX Crew Cab (a)	$209,950

*Pricing excludes on-road costs.

Is the Ram considered more of an upmarket vehicle down under? I know that AUD/USD price conversions aren't the whole story, but that would dictate the Laramie is roughly $87,000 and the TRX is over $140,000.

 

[FPV MIC]

Is the Ram considered more of an upmarket vehicle down under? I know that AUD/USD price conversions aren't the whole story, but that would dictate the Laramie is roughly $87,000 and the TRX is over $140,000.

They wouldn't be classed as upmarket here, more of a workhorse for most, but there's still a few that it's a penis extension for.

Most of the extra cost for us down here is in the conversion from LHD to RHD. Mustang's, for example, dropped from about $120-140k AUD (converted to RHD) down to about $65k for a fairly standard V8 version when it was shipped here as RHD from the factory.

Edit: Check out the price of this Raptor that's been RHD converted

2022 Ford F150 Raptor Velocity Blue 10 Speed Crewcab - Performax International, Glanmire

2021 F150 Raptor READY FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERYAll new styling for 2021/22, bigger bolder and more agressive. Equipped with an Ecoboost Twin Turbo High Output Petrol Engine coupled to Fords 10 Speed automatic with selectable 4x4 modes. This is a fully loaded Raptor with the optional Raptor 37...

cars.performaxint.com.au

 

[05XR8]

Is the Ram considered more of an upmarket vehicle down under? I know that AUD/USD price conversions aren't the whole story, but that would dictate the Laramie is roughly $87,000 and the TRX is over $140,000.

What FPV said. However, I see RAMS more like breast implants and puffy lips than penis extension, where I live anyway.

 

[Omnis]

Not sure if we should make a new thread for this or continue this as the de facto Ram thread. They released the new trucks today. I'm really impressed with the lineup. Hopefully the Hurricane I6 proves to be a big hit, but I'm also really impressed with the idea of the Ramcharger. Sounds like they basically went for the Accord Hybrid approach with the pentastar v6 turned into a fuel-sipping range extender. While it unfortunately wouldn't have any frunkability, I can see this being the ultimate urban-suburbia truck. Perfect for Floridians, to be honest.

 

[Veinz]

The Ramcharger is a really interesting, that would be a lot better here with our winters compared to an electric truck. That’s still a lot of money though.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

The Honda system is different in that in some circumstances, like when the ICE is at peak efficiency and steady state (highway driving, basically), the engine can directly drive the wheels. This means that you aren't wasting energy by converting it from mechanical to electrical and then back to mechanical. Unlike the Honda, this seems to lean on the battery a lot more. Honda's hybrid system uses only a 1kwh battery whereas this has genuine PHEV capability.