The new Ram ProMaster EV adds another electric vehicle to the mix, giving us van that can handle the delivery needs of many companies. The Ford E-Transit is much more affordable than this new Ram, but the Ram is a much nicer electric van than the Ford, which makes it more tempting than the Ford, in terms of quality, but it might be priced a little too high.

Here’s what the new Ram ProMaster EV brings to the mix.

Stellantis has done this before

If you’re concerned that Ram doesn’t have the electric powertrain experience that Ford possesses, think again. Although the new EV Ram van is the first wearing the badge, Stellantis, Ram’s parent company, has two other electric vans already running around in various cities. IN 2020, Peugeot brough the electric Boxer van to the market called the E-Boxer. Next, Fiat arrived with the E-Ducato to serve the same purpose. These two vans give Stellantis more experience than Ford in the electric commercial van world.

The new Ram electric van mirrors the Peugeot the most, using a higher-output motor setup and snub nose style.

How much power does this Ram van produce?

The new Ram ProMaster EV has a single, high-output electric motor driving the front wheels. This motor produces 268 horsepower and 302 lb-ft of torque. This is only slightly lower than the V6 Pentastar engine and much more torque than the gas-powered V6 engine.

The power is certainly in line with the Ford E-Transit, which has 266 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque. In the Ford, the power is sent to the rear wheels instead of the front.

How far can it drive?

This new electric ram van uses a 110-kWh battery pack that gives it up to 174 miles of electric driving range when empty. If it’s loaded to half its payload capacity, that figure drops to 160 miles, which isn’t too bad or around-town driving during a single day of deliveries.

For comparison, the Ram has a much larger battery than the Ford electric van, which uses an 89-kWh battery pack and has a quoted maximum driving range estimate of 159 miles.

Two available versions

Ram is making two versions of its new ProMaster EV. There will be the deliver van with a high-roof setup that has a roll-up rear cargo door and a sliding pocket door behind the front passenger. These doors allow easier access to the cargo bay and keep the door out of the way, which is a change from the swing-door builds offered for most cargo vans.

The other option is a more conventional cargo van that will arrive later next year. This model also has a high roof but is equipped with a more standard split rear door layout and a normal sliding van door behind the passenger door.

The delivery van, which is the model with the roll-up door, has a much lower cargo capacity of 2,030 pounds, than the traditional cargo van, which boasts 3,020 pounds of payload capacity. The cargo capacity for the E-Transit ranges from 2,799 to 3,249 pounds, depending on the wheelbase and roof height.

The EV Ram is a good drive

When the job is to carry cargo around town, an electric van is the way to go, provided you can stay within the driving range of the electric van. The single-speed transmission allows the electric Ram van to take off quickly and get up to highway speeds much faster than its gas-powered counterpart. This immediate throttle response makes it easy to handle on-ramps and putters around town where you need to make deliveries.

Other than the driving experience, the Ram ProMaster EV is extremely similar to the gas-powered model, with a large echo-chamber cargo area when its empty. The visibility is excellent, which makes driving this van a little easier for the person behind the wheel.

The tech found in the dashboard includes a 7-inch instrument cluster and a 10.1-inch center infotainment screen that allows the driver to connect and receive GPS directional data during the ride. As a modern van, the ProMaster EV also has a full package of impressive safety features to keep this van out of trouble on the road.

Is it worth the price?

The new Ram ProMaster EV has a starting price of $79,990, while the Ford E-Transit comes in at nearly $52,000. Is the Ram and its FWD layout worth a nearly $30,000 premium over the Ford? That’s for you and your delivery team to decide.

The post Ram ProMaster EV Challenges Ford’s Electric Van Dominance first appeared on Ride4Watts.com.

The post Ram ProMaster EV Challenges Ford’s Electric Van Dominance appeared first on Ride4Watts.com.

Ford and GM have been in the EV market for a few years already, and the Stellantis brands continue to hold back and avoid building electric vehicles. Now, it’s time for the future of the Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Fiat, and Chrysler brands to show up with EVs that can be great for future diving experiences.

Let’s dig in and take a look at what these brands bring to the market to move into the future.

Stellantis has an extremely aggressive EV goal

Waiting until 2024 means Stellantis hasn’t embraced electric driving nearly as fast as other American automotive brands. This company created a new initiative called Dare Forward 2030. This new strategy shows the automotive company’s goal of 50% of total US sales and 100% in Europe to be electric by 2030. This is an incredible goal that explains much of what we’ve already seen this company change.

Some of the Stellantis brands will begin offering only electric vehicles soon. Two that will adopt a complete EV lineup are Alfa Romeo by 2027 and Chrysler by 2028.

Fiat brings a new electric 500e

The Fiat 500 was a bust in America, but the electric 500e has already been launched in US markets. This new version of the small Italian electric car should be one of the most affordable and useful city cars in the entire EV market. This car comes with a maximum driving range of 149 miles on a single charge, which can make it a pleasure to experience on the streets of your town. If you want a little car that shows off a fun side and flair for the unexpected, you’ll be glad to take the new Fiat 500e out for a drive.

Ram’s electric truck heads to dealers soon

One of the most hotly anticipated of the Stellantis EVs is the new Ram 1500 Revolution. This new electric truck is built on the STLA Large frame platform and is expected to deliver the most power and capability in the class. This electric Ram includes dual 250-kW electric motors that produce 654 horsepower and 620 lb-ft of torque. These figures should be enough to enable this Ram to tow up to 14,000 pounds and carry 2,800 pounds of payload.

The new Ram 1500 Revolution will have two battery options. The 168-kWh battery delivers a 350-mile range, while the 229-kWh battery returns 500 miles of driving on a single charge. Using the 800-volt fast charging architecture, this EV truck adds 110 miles of range in 10 minutes.

Dodge returns muscle cars with electric powertrains

The new Dodge Charger Daytona SRT will be the future of electric muscle cars. This new muscular car is one of the most aggressive moves for Stellantis with its new EVs. The Charger Daytona SRT is the replacement for the gas-powered Charger, and it comes with an exhaust noise system and multi-speed transmission with electro-mechanical shifting. The new 800-volt Banshee propulsion system will outperform the former SRT Hellcat engine in many ways.

This new electric Charger will feature a new badge that’s been resurrected from the Dodge muscle cars of the 1960s and 1970s. This is the three-point Fratzog badge design that was part of these early Dodge muscle cars. This use of the classic symbol shows Dodge’s commitment to performance in its new EVs.

Jeep brings two EVs to America

Jeep entered the electric vehicle market last year with the Avenger, which was only launched in Europe, and will add two new models this year. These two new models will be part of the American EV landscape as well. These impressive Stellantis EVs are the Recon and Wagoneer S.

The Recon will be an impressive small electric SUV inspired by the Wrangler. The Recon will have some of the same Wrangler features, including removable doors and windows. This little EV should have enough juice to handle some of the toughest trails, including the Rubicon Trail.

The new Wagoneer S is a smaller, two-row version of the Jeep Wagoneer. This new model has an all-electric powertrain setup and the upscale packaging you get when you choose a Wagoneer.

These models are just the beginning of the Stellantis EVs that we should see over the next few years. Expect a new Chrysler EV to be the next model released, along with an electric version of the Dodge Challenger. What else would you like Stellantis to add to its EV lineup?

The post Stellantis Shifts Gears: Jeep, Dodge, Ram EVs Set to Electrify first appeared on Ride4Watts.com.

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This electric pickup had so many goodies and features that it felt like an infomercial. Every time the Ram team showed an item, the expectation was they would say, “But wait, there’s more,” before revealing the next item.

Do you want a truck with a long tunnel for cargo? Have you been itching for a truck with three rows of seats? Should a truck have suicide doors, offering a large opening? These are only a few features found in the new electric Ram 1500, but wait, there’s more.

How Much Power Does This New Ram Electric Truck Offer?

The new electric Ram 1500 pickup is expected to hit the market in 2025, which makes it the last of the new half-ton electric trucks from the Detroit Big Three automakers. Power for the new electric Ram pickup comes from two motors, each producing 335 horsepower. The result of these two electric motors working together is 654 horsepower and 620 lb-ft of torque.

An Electric Truck With A Range Extender – Is It Really An EV?

Although details are still scarce, the electric Ram 1500 Revolution XR is expected to be offered with a gas-powered range extender. This feature should be a small gasoline engine that sends power to the electric batteries to increase the driving range of this Ram EV pickup truck.

Electric Towing Challenges

Why would anyone need a range extender in an electric truck? Electric pickups use more driving range while towing a trailer than gas or diesel-powered pickups. The Fast Lane Trucks team performed a test that showed how much range is lost when an electric pickup tows a trailer. Adding a gas-powered range extender to the new Ram electric truck can add power back to the electric system and allow this truck to tow a heavy trailer for longer distances.

Useful Storage Space Or Gimmicky Features

When Ram revealed this new EV pickup at CES, they showed off features in this prototype that might not make it to production. Still, a few items on display could be nothing more than gimmicks, but that’s for consumers to decide.

A Long, Narrow Cargo Tunnel

The first of these is a long cargo tunnel that passes from the front to the rear of the truck through the frunk, firewall, cabin, midgate, and into the bed. The ability to carry cargo up to 18 feet long sounds enticing, but the height and width of only one foot each limits the usefulness of this narrow pass-through.

Third Row Jump Seat

The second unique but questionable feature is the set of third-row seats. These aren’t your traditional seats found in minivans or three-row SUVs. Instead, the new electric Ram pickup features two small jump seats that provide a small space for a couple of kids to ride for short distances. The cabin area of the new Ram EV pickup is only four inches longer than the current gas-powered model.

These jump seats are akin to a pair of folding lawn chairs, which is where they can be more useful. If you love to tailgate at sporting events or go fishing at the lake, these seats can be removed from the cabin and affixed to the bed on top of the tailgate to offer a good place to sit during these activities.

A Unique Rear Suspension Changes The EV Truck Game

Gimmicky features aside, the new Ram electric truck showed items that make it more useful and capable than other electric pickups. One of these impressive new features is an independent rear suspension system with coil springs. This setup creates more space than solid axles and a leaf spring suspension system.

More Space Means Better Driving Range

The added space created by the unique suspension enables the electric Ram pickup to offer a premium on driving range, which is extremely important for truck owners looking for a truck that lasts all day long. This live rear suspension system is preferred for better towing, hauling, and drag racing as well. This new electric Ram 1500 pickup isn’t expected to be at many drag races, but this suspension setup makes it faster than if a traditional suspension was used.

Will the new electric Ram pickup feature the suicide/rear-hinged rear doors of the concept model, or bring a traditional door system? Will two large screens dominate the dashboard, or will there be screens across the entire truck width?

The new electric Ram 1500 pickup is scheduled for the 2025 model year. It will be interesting to see how much of the CES concept model makes it to the production version.

The post Unveiling the Electric Ram 1500 Pickup: A Game Changer in the Truck Market first appeared on Ride4Watts.com.

The post Unveiling the Electric Ram 1500 Pickup: A Game Changer in the Truck Market appeared first on Ride4Watts.com.