Yahoo Autos The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept Reshapes The Brand
Stellantis has officially joined the battle for EV truck dominance after pulling the cover off of the 2024 Ram 1500 Revolution BEV concept at CES 2023. Designed squarely with the Ford F-150 Lightning and Chevrolet Silverado EV in mind, Ram says this upcoming electric pickup truck will provide customers with segment leading performance across every major metric. Here’s everything we know so far about the all-electric Ram 1500 Revolution BEV.
This 2024 Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept may not be identical to the production vehicle slated to arrive next year, but it does give us a good look at what we can expect from Stellantis. The truck is based on the automaker’s new STLA Frame electric vehicle platform, which is slated to underpin a variety of full-size vehicles. While we do know that the STLA Frame platform will carry the largest battery pack on offer from Stellantis, the automaker is not ready to divulge specific measurements of any of the all-electric chassis at this time. What we do know is that the platform is capable of supporting a dual-motor setup, which will bring ever-important all-wheel drive to the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV. In order to make the most of the AWD system, the truck also features rear-steer with up to 15 degrees of angle. Every Ram 1500 Revolution BEV will also feature an adjustable air suspension system. The STLA Frame platform will also support 800-volt DC fast charging at speeds up to 350 kW, which will allow customers to add 100 miles of driving range in about 10 minutes. GM has stated that the Silverado EV will match the Ram’s 350 kW DC fast charging capabilities. That said, the F-150 Lightning can only charge at speeds of 120kW or 155kW, depending on which battery pack the vehicle is equipped with. Ram maintains that the truck will lead the segment in range, towing, payload and charge times.
The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV brings a whole new look to the truck brand. The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV will employ a four-door bodystyle like its segment competitors from Detroit. The doors themselves are set in a saloon style, negating the need for a B-pillar separating the two halves of the cabin. This particular design element is one that feels more akin to a concept car than a proper production variant. The front end is now dominated by the new tuning fork lighting elements, which are separated by an illuminated and animated Ram logo. The traditional grille area is filled in with black plastic to help cheat the air, while a large underbody skid plate protrudes up the chin of the truck. The rake of the windshield appears more pronounced as well, forgoing the upright look of the current pickup offerings. Outside of the heavily sculpted hood and LED marker lights, the front fascia is a clean, simple bit of design. The Ford F-150 Lightning is a far more traditional design by comparison, mirroring the look of the ICE-powered F-150 very closely. Even the aero-conscious Silverado EV carries more traditional design cues than this BEV Concept from Ram.
That changes as you move to view the truck’s profile, as the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV leans towards aggressive and futuristic cues. The front fenders and the hood work together to create large front shoulders, on top of which camera-based mirrors are located. The body Coke bottles its way back to where the front and rear doors meet, giving the truck a rather shapely appearance. The rear arches also fair out to help complete the look, while black cladding down low removes visual weight from the profile. The way the bed is attached to the truck doesn’t succeed in the same way. The diagonal cut line on the bodywork is somewhat jarring, and only further highlights that this isn’t a traditional truck design. That will certainly be a plus for some customers, but it's worth noting that the Ford F-150 Lighting took the exact opposite approach. This particular Concept is also equipped with 24-inch wheels, which come wrapped in unique 35-inch tires. It is worth noting that the truck does employ genuine body-on-frame construction.
Things are dramatically different from the current truck lineup when you hop inside of the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept. The cabin itself is four-inches longer than an outgoing crew cab, which adds a bit more seating room throughout. The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept has also arrived with third-row jump seating, which marks an industry first. Whether or not those seats make it to production, they do speak to how much room is actually inside of this truck. The truck’s seats are mounted on the brand’s new Ram Track system, which allows owners to reconfigure in a variety of ways. A midgate (like the one found on the Hummer EV) behind the seats will also allow for a cargo passthrough all the way to the frunk, bringing bed length up to 18-feet with the tailgate closed.
The lack of a B-pillar and electro-chromatic glass roof help to bring a sense of airiness to the cabin. There don’t appear to be any hard buttons on the dash, which is not unexpected in the EV era. The steering wheel does retain some of the buttons, but it’s worth noting this truck features an oddly square unit. That’s not something we expect to see make it to production. Next to the wheels sits a large infotainment system composed of two screens, measuring in at 28-inches overall. The bottom screen can be removed and used as a passenger display or even a gaming controller.
Other tech highlights include Shadow Mode, during which the truck can follow the owners movements while outside the vehicle. Ram also says the electric truck will be equipped with Level 3 autonomous features, which will see the steering wheel fold away for more driver seat comfort. It is worth noting that there are currently no Level 3 ADAS systems approved for use on U.S. roads at this time. According to J.D. Power, Mercedes-Benz does offer such a system in its EQS EV by way of the Drive Pilot feature, while Honda offers a Level 3 system in the Legend for the Japanese domestic market. Neither have been approved by regulators stateside.
Like many electric vehicles, the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV features environmentally conscious interior trimmings. The seats come covered in apple leather, which is a bi-product of apple production. Greyslate Nanostone veneers replace traditional wood throughout. The floors are even made from recycled rubber and cork. The elements combine to create an interesting looking cabin, though it will be important to see how it holds up to actual use. It’s hard to use touchscreens when wearing dirty work gloves, after all.
The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept marks an exciting moment for Stellantis, but we can’t help but feel like this design is more concept than a production preview. That said, we don’t have to wait too much longer before the production-ready offering is unveiled to the public. Ram says it should only be a few months before that day comes, as they target a 2024 release date for the electric truck The Ford F-150 Lightning is already on sale, while the Chevrolet Silverado EV is slated to arrive later this spring. Elon Musk has recently stated that the Cybertruck is aiming for a mid-2023 release, which would have the Ram arriving to the market well behind its competitors. Once that happens, we’ll all have a better idea of just how well this new electric truck stacks up against an already stout segment.
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