With the pending arrival of the 2025 Ram 1500 REV electrical truck, becoming a member of the market alongside the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevy Silverado EV, GMC Silverado EV, and Rivian R1T, there can be no scarcity of absolutely electrical full-size truck choices.
However is there a future for compact or mid-size electrical vehicles, within the type of a small electrical pickup, within the U.S.?
A spread of manufacturers—together with Nissan, Kia, GM, and Volkswagen—have contemplated this out loud, both by saying it’s a risk or by displaying an idea. A Toyota electrical pickup has been confirmed, however it hasn’t revealed its measurement—or if it’s the long-desired Toyota Tacoma EV—but. And there may be a pickup variant of the extra reasonably priced Rivian R2 lineup.
All of those manufacturers have fallen wanting really confirming such a smaller electrical truck particularly for the U.S. When Inexperienced Automobile Stories mentioned the likelihood with Ram Model CEO Mike Koval Jr. final week on the New York auto present, that gave the impression to be the place Ram is with the concept.
Koval confirmed that Ram shared a mid-size, all-electric pickup idea at its current seller conference. The idea is reportedly in regards to the measurement of the present Ford Ranger—or the place the Dodge Dakota left off when it was discontinued in 2011.
“I had 6,000 of my greatest associates within the arenas, and I used to be searching for the thumbs up or the thumbs down,” he stated. “They usually must let you know however I feel it’s overwhelmingly constructive.”
Ram 1500 Revolution BEV idea
In fact, Inexperienced Automobile Stories requested if there may be a range-extended XR model of this mid-size truck, as was introduced for the Ram 1500 REV, and whether or not the mid-size truck would possibly look extra just like the Ram Revolution idea if it have been to be produced. However Koval wouldn’t but budge on both matter.
“It’s too early,” he stated. “It’s not utterly outlined but as a result of this was only a idea.”
Koval adopted this with a touch, suggesting that if such a truck have been a world mannequin, then the product may be extra viable. Whereas 95% of Ram quantity has traditionally been in North America, Koval defined that South America, elements of the Center East (Gulf states), and Australia have all turn into vital markets for the model.
“Increasingly more, I’m taking a look at our enterprise as a world enterprise,” Koval stated. “So I’m taking a look at all alternatives, whether or not it’s compact pickup, mid-size, and the place I can promote them and what they should have—metric-ton, rear-wheel drive.”
Nonetheless as regards to the mid-size truck, Koval summed: “Might I’ve an ICE and a BEV, as a result of I want ICE in South America? Yeah, it’s doable, and it’s all again to STLA Body and the pliability that’s in there. We might do it.“
2011 Dodge Dakota
So… what about Ram compact pickups?
When Inexperienced Automobile Stories pivoted the query to easy compact vehicles—with a degree of electrification, particularly, Koval shifted gears to cost considerations.
“We’ve got some superior stuff in South America, now we have some compact pickups, however this stuff are by no means simple—compliance, security, homologation,” he stated. “And profitability is the query proper now.”
“If I might convey a compact, a Ram model of a compact pickup, I’d do it at present. I see a chance there for positive,” he summed.
2025 Ram 1500 REV
An impending EV worth battle
After which, what do you do when there’s a mess of electric-truck entries, and an EV worth battle?
“That’s the elephant within the room,” Koval stated, with an exhale. “And the reply to that query, the best way you retain that scale and equilibrium at present is by preserving price out.”
“I’m already coping with downward strain on my ICE portfolio at present: Inflation’s up, rates of interest are via the roof, fuel costs are again up. I really feel that now,” he stated. “Everybody is aware of how costly electrification is, however on the finish of the day if we’re not making EVs, pickup vehicles included, which are accessible to the mainstream, then I’m unsure what the hell we’re doing.”
Koval sees the prices leveling off over time, with some applied sciences like solid-state battery cells serving to. “A few of the uncooked materials stuff is coming down, it’s not all doom and gloom, however we’ve received a protracted strategy to go,” he stated.
2025 Ram 1500 REV
Electrifying heavy-duty vehicles!
With the compact and mid-size vehicles at an thought stage, what’s subsequent?
“Heavy-duty vehicles current a completely completely different set of challenges. We’re taking a look at a number of fuel-cell kind applied sciences, which might make a number of sense in that house.”
In line with Koval, that would additionally probably soar off the STLA Body {hardware}, though the problem could be within the tanks.
“We’ve got nothing to announce at present, however gasoline cell could possibly be an attention-grabbing possibility for the use case—sure, towing and hauling large, large masses,” he stated. “Ram simply delivered its first hydrogen fuel-cell vans in Europe on the finish of final yr, so now we have that subject-matter experience.”
2022 Ram ProMaster
Ram ProMaster electrical van demand is powerful
Ram doesn’t even have a battery electrical mannequin in its lineup, presently. The primary is a model of the ProMaster, arriving later this fall.
As Koval defined, the fleet market has been open-minded in regards to the risk and locked onto the entire price of possession and route predictability—to the extent that electric-van demand is pushing the capability of the Saltillo, Mexico, plant.
“The demand is insane…I don’t know what I’m gonna do with that,” he stated.
2025 Ram 1500 REV
Pickups can be an enormous a part of EV gross sales, too
Whereas Koval made clear that the model is planning to make the Ram 1500 REV out there in a base Tradesman construct that gained’t be fleet-only, he emphasised that the electrical truck gained’t be a restricted providing.
Ram would not disclose official numbers, however it recommended affordability must be part of this. It sees electrical vehicles as no less than 1 / 4 of its combine by then—a heavy raise for a model that revolves round towing, hauling, and work.
“We all know that truck intenders are extra open now to the concept, and now we have a really, very bullish forecast for our EV combine via the top of the last decade.”