RAM has taken the veil off its brand-new 1500 lineup, headlined by its all-new technical showpiece, the 1500 Ramcharger plug-in hybrid (PHEV) that promises 7 tonnes of towing power and 1110km of range per tank.
Under the bonnet of the 1500 Ramcharger lies a 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 petrol engine, though it’s not connected to the wheels directly, instead, it powers a 130kW generator acting as a range extender.
Power to the wheels comes supplied by a pair of electric motors over each axle producing 250kW up front and 238kW at the rear offering an all-wheel drive layout and the option to decouple the front electric motor entirely, while a limited-slip differential can be added to the package.
Combined power figures for the 1500 Ramcharger stand at 494kW of power and 834Nm of torque, offering a 0-97km/h sprint of 4.4 seconds, braked towing figures of 6350kg and payload capacity of 1190kg.
Underneath lies a 92kWh battery pack that is topped up by the 150kW electricity generator, with RAM targeting range figures of 1110km per fill up, with the 1500 Ramcharger picking up vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and bi-directional power supplies.
In terms of suspension, the 1500 Ramcharger rides on the new STLA Frame platform with a body-on-frame design and receives multi-link independent rear suspension with four levels of adjustment for the air suspension.
It’s the same platform set to underpin the upcoming RAM 1500 REV that is set for a late 2024 release that will offer a pair of massive battery packs with capacities between 168 – 229kWh, offering maximum range figures of 805km per charge.
The electric motors can be dailed in with five drive modes, including automatic, sport, tow, snow and off-road, while the infotainment display offers up power flow, range estimates, charging schedules and the option to cut off charge at 80 per cent to preserve a longer lifespan for the battery.
Inside, the Ramcharger picks up a sleek new interior design packed to the gills with tech, including a new 14.5-inch infotainment display, 10.25-inch display for the passenger, a head-up display, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a digital rear-view mirror.
Interior highlights include a set of heated, ventilated and massaging quilted leather seats, a suede headliner and new dual-textured metal accents with a contrasting patina.
There’s also a tungsten finish for the centre console badging and VIN plate, a crystal-effect shifter, aluminium bezels and a premium 23-speaker, 1,228-watt Klipsch sound system; the most powerful fitted to a production truck, according to RAM.
The 1500 Ramcharger is expected to go on sale around the same point as its pure battery-electric sibling, which means deliveries are set for late 2024 in the U.S., and while no confirmation has been made for the Ramcharger here, RAM has confirmed that the REV will indeed be coming to Australia.
