Is the RamCharger Just a Hyped Up Hybrid?
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- čas přidán 19. 06. 2024
- Ram has come out with its answer to EV truck range anxiety - and they're doing it by throwing a V6 under the hood in what they claim is still a full-blown ev truck equipped with an onboard range extender generator. Many CZcams Influencers such as Raiti's Rides, TFLEV, and Redline Reviews have pitched this as a straight EV, following the company's narrative and praising this as the best bridge to EV truck adoption. But iss that what this is, or is there more to this story than what Ram is letting on?
Sources quoted in this video:
Ram Trucks CZcams Ramcharger promotional video:
• The New 2025 Ram 1500 ...
Sandy Munro's take on the Ramcharger: • Sandy's Initial Though...
One of my informed and always helpful viewers suggested I provide a link to a video that seems to clarify the generator 'electric mode' issue, but it still could be interpreted multiple ways. I'll leave it here if you wish to dig deeper (time stamp 1:09:00)
• 2025 Ram 1500 & Ramcha...
Redline Review's Ramcharger review: • The 2025 Ram 1500 Ramc...
Raiti's Rides Ramcharger review: • Is the 2025 RAM Ramcha...
TFLEV Ramcharger review: • First Ever Hands-On wi...
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Thank you for watching!
0:00 - Intro
0:50 - Is it really 'launched'?
1:14 - Move by Stellantis is a smart one
2:25 - An EV or a series hybrid?
3:51 - What's up with the batteries?
5:39 - Isn't this what we all wanted?
5:59 - BREAKING EDIT!- does Ramcharger burn gas all the time?
7:25 - Weight
9:20 - Complexity
10:50 - Cost
11:53 - Practicality
13:38 - Conclusion
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Hybrid train accreditation: Author: RS1421 under licence en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Fre... Series
Hybrid drive-train illustration, creative commons licence, Author: CC BY-SA 2.5, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Chevy Volt image Permission: PD-USGov, public domain
BMW i3 image provided by Vauxford author, licence: creativecommons.org/licenses/...
#ramcharger #evtruck - Auta a dopravní prostředky
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Legacy Auto claims that there is a huge divide that North America manufacturers have to bridge to convince truck buyers that EV trucks are a viable option. In order to do so, Ram Trucks is leaning heavily on a century-old technology and revamping it in the Ram 1500 Ramcharger. Do you think this is the direction we should go, or is this feeding a fear that is rapidly diminishing each year as technology advances? Let me know in the comments!
EVs are made with meticulous focus on efficiency, like weight and aerodynamics. Yet people wonder why the milage drops so drastically when towing something that was built with little or no concerns about efficiency.
If you think the ICE industry is far behind, RVs are much worse and have a lot of room for improvement, some of which are very simple.
Edit: This is where the industry should go- making deals and partnerships with companies that make trailers/rvs.
Excellent comment. We have some start-ups already coming to the field that are actually building aerodynamics and even lithium 'range extenders' into the rv designs. Bruder out of Australia and Lightship RV immediately come to mind.
Your point is incredibly important. Look at the Tesla Semi. For over a century the truck industry has thrown a brick wall at wind resistance. No wonder the Semi seemed so revolutionary when, in fact, it's just common sense. That product would make an excellent RV if the same focus was extended back.
This would make a great future video. Thank you for the inspiration! If I do, mind if I cite your comment?
As the current owner of an f150 powerboost and former owner of an I3 Rex I can say You don't have a clue what you are talking about. The v6 will only run when the battery is low. Most people will be able to drive 100 miles a day on electric only . When you tow it will be like every other truck, just put gas in every 300 miles or so. I will be getting one
I agree.. I'm getting one for sure. Best of both worlds. I will need to tow, and at least 11,500 lbs, so this truck is a dream come true.
Agree. Same. There are alot more channels that get pretry technical about the 2025 Ramcharger.
Ive been a Dodge Ram shady tree mechanic all my adult life, and I work.on my wife's Lexus hybrid.
Im getting one of these Ramchargers as well.
What and amazing concept and first class engineering.
So you can go 100 miles on electric only via charging the battery with a plug, then beyond that the engine will kick on and recharge the battery?
@@mattterry30Yup. Exactly that. I currently own a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and that’s exactly what it does. it only gets about 75km range on a charge but then flips to gas. You can turn it to gas or electric whenever you want to maximize economy. It also has a charge mode. If you go into McDonalds on a long trip say, you can leave it in charge, the motor will run only at about 1000rpm which maximizes generator use and uses the least gas to charge the battery. And after all that, electric motors have more torque and are much more pleasant to drive. And… I still have 248hp and 332lb/ft. Which allows me to out accelerate your standard Chev truck easily.
Oh forgot to add so far our best is 3456km on one tank of gas.
The OP really is speaking out of his butt here. Typical “Old Think”. Afraid of anything new and guessing how bad it is…..
From other overviews I've watched, the only time the generator would run most of the time is when it is set into "towing" mode. This keeps the battery in a highly charged state to ensure the vehicle keep it's high performance capability for as long as possible, because if the battery is empty when putting the vehicle under a high load, the generator's power will likely not be enough to sustain the high levels of power needed.
There is a need and desire for such options because a truck is not solely meant as a transport vehicle. It is a high performance Work vehicle where hauling and towing a sizable load can severely drain the vehicles energy much faster. And many owners will need the versatility of not relying on public electric infrastructure to source their energy.
I drive a Chevrolet Volt, It also has the range extender gas engine, the volt gets an average 50 miles on all electric, my wife uses it for daily runs she averages 40 miles per day, she puts gas in maybe 1 a year and this is only due to use the gas before it ages. the Ramcharger is the perfect scenario for me for my 100 to 150 miles average trip and will never use gas, I am on the list to order one as soon as it arrives. It may not be for everyone, but it sure works for me.
Why GM didnt put the Volt drivetrain into their suv’s and trucks is mind-blowing. They had the market at their fingertips. Even with the volt engine in a larger suv with an extra e axle and more batteries it would have been so good. GM is either leading or the beancounters get in the way. Let the engineers run the company and use lean design. The RamCharger will be a winner for the large suv and truck crowd. Thing of going RV ing and having a mobile charger that could run multiple RV’s at the same time. Add solar to the RV and you have the perfect off grid rig.
The engine does not run constantly. You can find several interviews on youtube with engineers that will tell you that was a mistake. You didn't mention anything about the specs of this vehicle ( which are impressive). It boosts 660 hp, 14k towing, 2300 lbs of payload. This truck will cost a lot but its more of an alternative to a diesel engine. They cost a lot also. Its not for every consumer but you think just because it's not for you its bad. Its a good idea. Its a new way to deliver massive power to the wheels and lower environmental footprint during daily driving. Of course reliability will be an issue! ITS NEW!!!! Reliability has been an issue in EV in every EV car without a tesla badge. Despite having fewer components because in most cases they are new as well.
Thank you for the feedback.
You have every right to love this thing and disagree with me, and many of your points are strong ones. I think this concept is a good approach but not convinced Ram has done it right. It's also my right to deliver my opinion and assessment as you are with yours. I think its a good idea to steer clear until the four factors I mention are clear and ironed out.
The best thing that can happen for this truck is to get our hands on one after production starts, put it through its paces, and determine if this does what many think it does. Until then, its numbers are as speculative as the Cybertruck's in 2019 - and we all know how that went.
I really appreciate your comment and getting many people's divergent views!
@truckedupevs Thank you for your reply. I will like and subscribe. I tend to be fairly outspoken. My apologies. I see the utility in many types of vehicles for many types of customers with many different needs. You are correct that we will need to wait and see. We get a better idea when they are actually for sale.
NO apology necessary, and thank you so much for subscribing! I am just putting out what I can dig up, and I'll most certainly get things wrong. I think you're 100% right about all the speculation being put to rest once we can drive these beasts.
Keep in touch, and always feel free to let me know what you think of my content. It makes the channel better. @@tylerproctor4878
So I do drive a PHEV -- 2023 Subaru Crosstrek to be specific. I mention it because it's got an appallingly small EV range - combined city/highway of ~27km. Realistically it's closer to 40km city and we generally avoid driving highway in EV mode because of it. What I can tell you from experience is that even that small range is enough for our regular commute & errands most of the time, with the gas for those camping trips into places where charging infrastructure doesn't exist (which are still fairly common for us) - not counting the summer camping season, we're buying gas once a month if even that, and a tank's only $40 CAD. I hope you're wrong that this one runs the generator all the time - that would be monumentally stupid. If it actually works like every other PHEV on the market, it really is a good interim step to address range anxiety. But even then - it's better for the environment to keep an old truck on the road than it is to buy a new one. Only buy it if you would be buying a new truck anyway, and only get the PHEV over a BEV if you actually have a use case where the gas makes sense.
Well said, and thank you for your comment!
I'm thinking that, even if I'm right, RAM will get so much feedback - or blow-back - that it will be changed. I think your statement about best use case is so important, as well as only making a switch when one has to. Unfortunately, Americans are swapping out their trucks every couple of years, and are more concerned statistically with resale value than they are with the long-term application and viability of the truck.
Ford's Ecoboost gets the same overall gas mileage as this thing. And to your point, most trucks never drive over 80 km a day. But I take trips with my Lightning, including back-country FSRs, and it's the tiny Standard range, and we've always been able to find chargers, if needed. Most still don't believe that, so to make it an easier transition, this mode seems like an attractive option. However, when the numbers are crunched, even if I'm wrong about the generator, this thing isn't stepping up to the plate to do it.
I would guess marketing just said it wrong, and it will be electric only until the battery gets low. I suppose it's possible it might run the engine at a low power level even at high states of charge, causing the battery to discharge more slowly, but I'll be surprised if that's really how it works. This type of hybrid can make sense if you want to drive electric but don't want to be limited by current electric range and charging infrastructure. Reminiscent of the Volt, but not quite the same thing. I'm not sure this makes as much sense as the Volt did, though. I think it would be pretty niche use case for someone that likes electric but has to tow trailers on the highway frequently.
I really believe the statement in the promo is simply a mistake, but I thought I would share it, and as I said in the video, I considered it an 'if'. But if somehow valid - that the gas generator runs more frequently than something like the Volt, it would make it a dud.
I don't see howits possible the gen runs all the time, if so that would make the battery completely pointless. There is a lot of advantages to having the engine running a constant peak speed and shutting off one the bat is full
I don't either, but I thought I should bring the promo statement to my viewers' attention. I have also dug through all the interviews and material on this truck, and even when asked, the engineer, Alan Falkowski was a bit vague about the 'electric only mode'. I think it has one, but we'll just have to wait and see if and when this thing makes it to full production.
@robertbowman9108 I'm with you on this one! First off, if the ENINE were to run all the time, HOW COULD IT POSSIBLY GET 690 MILES of RANGE?? Everything I have researched on the "RAMCHARGER", has indicated the Engine only runs when the battery gets to a predetermined value.
I saw a figure of 145 miles in electric mode on another video so I believe it’s not accurate that it would run the gas engine all the time. The only comment I have about a PHEV is that it’s going to want to run the engine sometime to keep maintenance on the engine. I’m experiencing that with my grand Cherokee 4xe.
I saw the same figure, but when the engineer was pressed by TFLEV on it going the 'entire 145 miles on electricity only' the answer was not only vague, he spoke of areas that might require, 'gas to be locked out in electric only zones' and that it doesn't have it yet but might in the future. I sure hope you are correct, but there seems to be a mized signal form Ram in that it might kick on and off, even in the electric only mode. We'll have to see.
Thank you for the comment! @@Mitchdzj
The V6 only runs when the battery reserve drops below 5%. Gasoline costs play a big part in this discussion. Where I live, near Aspen, CO, regular gas is over $4 per gallon and fuel is closer to $5.00 I seldom drive more than 100 miles per day, so the vast use of the truck will be costing me 8¢ per kwh, or about 10¢ per mile. When you factor 140 miles of range at 10¢ and the rest at 20¢, the average cost of even long-haul scenarios is bette than or equivalent to a 1/2 ton diesel pickup truck, say 24 mpg, and that's pretty great. Again, with the vast majority of Americans not exceeding the all-electric range limit on a daily basis, this truck is a fantastic option. Also overlooked in this dump-fest is all the camping and overlanding benefits of having a truck with inverter power that'll take care of the needs of a campsite for days, including power tools, electronics, refrigeration, etc. I'm getting one as soon as they're available.
I've owned two phevs now, I had a chevy volt for 10 years and liked it so much I wanted another phev and eventually decided on a Hyundai Tuscon Phev to replace the volt, and I'm loving the Tuscon too. PHEV's may be more complex but I will tell you the volt was the most reliable and lowest maintenance car I've ever owned so that complexity doesn't necessarily mean more problems, particularly if you normally stay within the electric range. I'm very interested in this RAMCharger, but price and other details will certainly be part of my decision.
I've heard great things about the Volt, but Ram will need to sell a lot more of these than the Volt did in order to keep it in production. I'm not sold on it - yet. I'll have to get my hands on one once they're out and see what the actual numbers are like.
Thank you for sharing your story - and for watching!
...actually, what really hurts engines isn't that they run...it's that they are all over the rev range, that is what eats up fuel and does the most polluting (due to a richer, and less efficient burn)...if you can keep that engine in it's optimal power range, it will use a lot less fuel pollute and less. It will also last much longer as it isn't near as stressed and heat cycling....this will also help reduce (likely by half) the maintenance costs of ownership as what does the most wear on the engine and it's fluids will be alleviated..........also, the size of fuel tank is fairly large in terms of a genset, you have to remember that the engine and primary load will take away the parts of the duty cycle that consumes the most, acceleration.
...locomotives work like this by keeping the engines at their peak and letting the motors change speed makes them more efficient and pull almost from the get go by using motors as the prime mover. However, you still have to idle down that engine to keep the generator from to 'electrically separating' at slower speeds...by using a battery as an 'absorber' you can maintain the engines RPM (for shits and giggles say, 2,500-3,500rpm - I'm not quite sure where it is, but peak power should be around there) then you loose all the efficiency losses by operating the engine in low power areas...
.......if RAM gets this truck to market, I think that it will be a hit with smaller contracting etc. it should be a success. Yes you can stop to do stuff and recharge, but this can stop, and go. Who knows, if they future proof designed this, it might just be a software upgrade to go from always motor and battery driven, and then the engine comes on to recharge/drive...that would really makes this a gamechanger.
Wow! What an informed and helpful assessment! Thank you so much for this comment!
In the video, as you know, I have concerns, and I think RAM will need to iron out many of them to make this a viable and cost-effective proposition, which they might have already done.
I also mentioned that, if they get this right and the worries are addressed in advance, this is exactly what a lot of truck folk have been looking for. I'm skeptical, but the true test will be getting our hands on one of these and putting it through its paces once it's released.
If one is going to burn fuel, a series hybrid with a battery pack is probably one of the best ways to do it.
Are you in engineering yourself?
@@truckedupevsThanks for the response. Actually I'm a 25yr. millwright who works on a lot of similar systems over the years. I also work in some aspects of industrial design.
I've always been a gas engine, in particular muscle engines, kind of guy...but I've always had glances in the alternative fuels/mode of power as it has come, and sometimes gone. Back when Ballard Systems from BC Canada started work on fuel cell powered EV's (local transit busses) and other hydrogen powered engines...to a more recent Chrysler ENVI program (similar to what the RAM Charger are planning) in the early 2000's Wrangler, 2000, Town & Country and pure battery Circuit...I love new technology, but only if it's in the completely correct direction and serves a useful purpose.
What are your thoughts on the direction of EV trucks, and do you see some as viable, or possibly in the future?
@@truckedupevs Whoops, completely missed your question lol. I think EV is a fine idea, it's simpler, less moving parts to wear out - and in an age of engineered obsolescence - this may inadvertently alleviate that issue, especially for people who look to trucks for work. My main issue with current EV's (and I don't think that I will change this stance regardless) is the battery. This is a weak link that can't be currently solved as most solutions would be just to throw more batteries at the problem ...except that add a lot of weight which consumes range/diminishes payload/towing. I don't see any future battery (unless near to 100% recyclable and capable, without sacrificing longevity, of super high speed charge rates ...because downtime is money lost. Five minutes at the pump vs. an hour or more on a charger multiple times of the day will keep anyone serious from buying them.
Hydrogen, weather gas or fuel cell and trucks like the Ram are the future. I would say that they would also likely represent a grade level perhaps. I would say hydrogen gas fuel ICE's being the least expensive to produce ...then what Ram is doing as it's probably middle of the road in production and development costs. Fuel cell would likely be the top end, but since it's been around for a long time it might not be as costly to develop now.
If I was a contractor and needed a work pick-up, I would likely choose the Ram as I like the optional use as a mobile genset (especially in an emergency situation). The other techs would work like this as well, but I'm not sure how they would handle a constant high strain environment, whereas I know the 3.6L Pentastar is a great and proven engine ...and the generator portion is old hat. So by that notion, we already know how well it should perform in either a truck or mobile genset environment.
I’m with you on this. You want a gas truck buy a gas truck. You want an EV get an EV without the gas. Range anxiety is like price per gallon anxiety. You just deal with it. The one thing I cannot deal with is the nasty thing that comes from the end of the tailpipe. You know what I mean.
100%.
This is exactly what the truck market needs. A PHEV is perfect for a truck. Electric torque when you need it and no range anxiety. It’s no different from a Chevy volt, I3, Toyota’s Prime models, or any of the other plethora of plug in hybrid’s. This isn’t anything new. It’s just new to the truck market.
1. Toyota has been making hybrids for over 2 decades. It has been going well. Easily get over 200K miles on one of their hybrid vehicles.
2. The train industry has been working with gas electric for over 7 decades. The locomotive diesel/electric works in the same manner that the ramcharger will where the engine runs during operation. This is the only way you are able to tow any sizeable weight over great distances. Battery only is a killer for towing. Also, Ram hasn’t had the best record when it comes to transmissions.
3. If the bean counters can stay out of the way of engineers, there is a chance a good product can be made.
4. There is no free lunch. Until there is a leap in battery technology or a different way to electrify a vehicle, this is what we have to choose from.
You make some fair points. However, the Ram website says there will be power mode select options like Electric+, E-Save, Eco and even Charge-Depleting Mode. So it sounds like there is a way to go all electric for short drives.
I think that's correct too. it just sends a chill down the spine when their own marketing and their chief engineer not only plant a statement of doubt, but then don't clarify in no uncertain terms that such is the case.
I think this will be a good truck, but I'll need to drive one in person before plunking down a wad of cash - and I doubt they'll be cheap :-).
Thank you for the great feedback!
@@truckedupevs Yes, we definitely need more info on this. I'm still excited about it though. This sounds like the perfect vehicle for my needs, if it does let you drive fully on battery only. That would cover 90-95% of my driving. But I would have the range for that 5% of the time I need to drive further and/or haul my camper trailer.
Chill down your spine? Come on man, it's not that serious. You'll be okay!@@truckedupevs
@@miamiblunts Tingles up my forearm?
What an awesome video! So down to earth. I like what you stated about needs and choices at the end. "If you are going to do this, buy that." " If you are going to do that, buy this." It all boils down to what your specific needs are. Falling into the trap of trying to buy something that makes you think it will cover all "nonexistent bases" does not make practical sense.
Thank you so much for the confidence boost! It means a ton (or a couple of 1/2-tons)!
Wow! Not sure where to start on this video. I don’t think it’s accurate especially on the generator function.
Thanks so much for the very informative video, Simon! I'm at the very beginning of my journey into researching more of the EV galaxy and appreciate more of your informative input. I can see yet another cost consideration of this very heavy truck... tires. More weight = more wear & tear on tires. As we all know, tires are very spendy and use many resources! Also, more weight = more wear & tear on our roads & bridges. Perhaps this would be more to be considered here?
Thank you, Peter! So glad to have you along for the journey!
I actually addressed tires in my 10 mistakes on the Lightning video, so great point on this one.
I think there is a lot of merit in Series hybrids, but I'm not convinced this will be an affordable, practical, and cost-effective long-haul pick-up. I guess we'll see how the market reacts to it.
Keep in touch, my friend!
I'm still driving my '05 Sienna (soccer mom ride). Happy to report this vehicle meets my needs for now. However, there's a few short comings that will need to be resolved in the future. Dreaming of a solid EV van (high top) for my travels, however that's going to take awhile (many moons) in this long journey. Might opt for a EV truck/camper if the price/quality/efficiency/convenience is right. We shall see.
Actually, Ford already has an e-transit van that might qualify for state and federal incentives - and comes in various sizes and battery packs. Might not have the range you're looking for, so might be worth waiting to see what happens with battery density, but here's a link to look into it: www.ford.com/commercial-trucks/e-transit/
@@n-xplorer
Thanks for the excellent video but there is no way the generator engine will run all the time despite the ceo stating it will. Your battery would never need to be charged for 690 miles. It has to kick in once the battery is depleted or on demand. You wouldn’t ever need a plug. You could only gas up because it’s almost always gonna be 100% full.
I'm actually in agreement with you on this.
There were three separate incidents that raised some red flags: one including the video I cited, and the others involving the chief engineer when in interviews. In the two cases, he didn't outright answer the question regarding the the 'all-electric' mode and at what point and for how many miles the Ramcharger can cover gas-free.
I think it will certainly have such a mode, and that one should be able to use it exclusively as an EV unless taking long trips, hauling or towing. But something is up with Stellantis' lack of forthcoming comments surrounding it. I imagine it is due to it still being in the planning stages and not up for release until some time in 2025, and they're keeping numbers close to their chest.
I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens once they hit the streets.
Thanks for the comment!
Great job. I'm subscribed. Best of luck!
Awesome! Thank you! So happy to have you along for the ride!
RAMCHARGER POWER MODE SELECTOR
Manage your truck’s energy and performance. Select between Electric Mode, E-Save Mode, and Eco Mode, and additionally choose Charge-Depleting Mode, Battery Hold Mode, eAWD Mode, or eSport Mode to optimize energy consumption and to enhance vehicle performance.
That's what I was hoping for when I put in my reservation. It's not my comment; it's RAM's.
I am hopeful that this is just a misinterpretation. But I do think having both ev and ice combined in such a way IS more complex.
A pure ev is just simpler. But yeah - without the range flexibility. But let's see where we're at on that front by 2025...
Thanks for your comment!
Your and me both heard this man say it would run all the time while driving but that is not true, the engine will still charge at idle and shut down while loads are not requiring it to run, the controller will decide when the engine needs to power the battery and bring up the rpms. I think that salesman was wrong stating the engine runs all the time. The pentastar engine will run around 7 hours while driving at 60 mph in the regular truck connected to a drive train, that same engine can idle at 1000 rpms for 35 hrs. so with time we will see the correct figure for full tank power on battery and if engine has to be running at above ratio of charge.
I think you're right. Thanks fro the comment!
The chevy volt proved the concept of this technology and it is one of the most reliable cars chevy ever made. If Ram can match that reliability of the volt with this , it will be a huge win. You have no clue as to how this technology actually works.
What’s complex? No transmission to go bad. 145 mi around town everyday normal driving is plenty. Long distance travel towing or not filler up
Once again, glad for the non-hype-train no-nonsense and fun reporting!
I have a "reservation" on the Ramcharger and am mostly aware of the potential downsides; basically just so I can assess the situation, which to be honest I've been skeptical since day-1. I do like the general idea, but would prefer an actual generator that is tuned exactly for what it's being used for, not a re-purposed engine. I was taken aback by the fuel tank and battery sizes...seems a bit large for what is essentially a plug-in hybrid, what in reality is what I believe I wanted. That "always charging" HAS to be mis-spoken; if it is not, Stellantis can get stuffed and needs to pull their head out of their derriere.
Also was typing this as you referenced the cybertruck memes with a generator - 100% what I was thinking lol. In reality, I want to go EV but really can't and shouldn't at the moment. We're close to what I need; if the density can get a little better, I'd be sold. For the moment I should just hold out on a large investment, buy another used gasser or continue limping along until things mature.
Always appreciate your comments and views!
Yeah, I think that's kind of where things are at: we need these things to make it to market, get them out on the road and treat them like trucks - and then see what happens :-).
I like the original CT concept. I drove my family and friends nuts talking about it - but it's not there yet in the production model, IMHO. I think it's close though. The 4680 is the hold-up. Tesla just couldn't wait any longer.
I really think it's just a faux-pas in the Ramcharger promo video. I provided a link to the TFLEV podcast interviewing the engineer, but still - he's deflecting and working around the direct questions. It tells me, due to the gas tank and engine size, that something's up with the operational efficiency of this thing.
I'm already getting the hater comments, but I actually agree with them. If this thing is reasonable in price, efficient in the electric mode, and not as complex as it's currently looking (my biggest worry), this thing fits the bill for most truck guys who actually work with their truck over any distance.
I had another good laugh at your expense :-). Sorry! Tough position to be in, no doubt. Again, I don't think you'll go wrong in any choice, but the 'first adopter' thing costs cash and isn't always the best outcome.
Keep in touch!
Yeah, well in some towns like my town the only chargers are Tesla at a grocery store or EV America at a Sam’s Club so how are you gonna stop and eat there and sit down and enjoy a meal for an hour or two there are no decent sitdown restaurants in near each of them.
It’s like that in a lot of places around the country maybe not in big cities where maybe you’re from but in real areas or in the country you’re in the south charging is scarce. if you know anything about motors motors are much more efficient longer lasting between maintenance oil last longer everything last longer if they run it one steady Rpm all the time that’s why a diesel electric train runs a diesel motor the entire time it’s running
Where does the power go when the battery is fully charged engine can’t always run that would be stupid
Probably the most important truck in two and half decades. Why it will win... (points abridged if similar points made by other comments)
1.) Redundancy: Maintenance Corrective or Preventative is powerfully enabled by this.
2.) Extended Generation: trucks do work - the capacity to use this truck as a generator in place of other generators/tractors
3.) Reduction in idle pollution: AC's running in stopped traffic. ...You know the engine won't run full time; you knew it when you said it. You said it as due diligence; fine. We both know better.
4.) Pentastar v6 supply chain. They used a strength to create a strength here.
5.) Heating & Cooling: heating is baked into ICE operation. Cooling is quite efficient from electric pumps. This is a win win.
6.) Longevity. You have hundreds of comments regarding the ICE at predetermined RPM ranges... The battery life will be extended by its protection from extreme levels (both ways).
7.) Fuel Agnosticism. SynFuel? GreenFuel? Ammonia? engine swaps for generators are academic with the reduced complexity - fuel changes in the future are possible here.
8.) Pollution reduction. Well covered and accurate in your comments section.
9.) Portability: overlanding/camping/rv'ing/sport'ing or operational necessity in off-grid areas. One of these is a big deal... a fleet changes everything.
10.) Lineup Scaleup: Fleets everywhere can benefit from this; as the supply chain and tool & die becomes more widespread, larger vehicles are quickly enabled - perhaps none need it more than Sanitations, Mail & Parcel districts and Refrigerated delivery, direct-to-consumer delivery, and Railroad fleets...where copious amounts of fuel are burned daily on known distance routes - but no solution exists to reduce their pollution or emission goals.
11.) Weight: the fuel tank doesn't have to be full, and your extra batteries weigh something too, and they're not lighter when they're near "E". The cited Chevy volt is 3519-3543 and the Tesla Model 3 is 3862-4034... So the "weight" and "complexity" narratives aren't full intellectually honest ... when we add interconnects and battery cells for that BEV, the noted complexity isn't nearly so dissimilar.
Just here to keep it 100%. Elon Musk started this with half truths in the mainstream thought-sphere ... there was more to be added to find "truth".
Good catch on that information . I hope RAM will not be manipulating us. I cant see the engine running constantly as a viable energy solution. im pumped about getting one and wondering when Ram will start taking orders here in Canada? Let me know if you hear anything. I like your honest journalism!
Thank you, Mike! Absolutely I will.
I have a feeling Ram will do the same as Tesla & Rivian did, and Canada will be a year later than the US launch. I think that's a good thing, in case these things have bugs.
I agree also that the electric only mode should be exactly that, but the statement, along with some less than direct responses form the lead engineer tells me that there might be more gas burned than one would expect. We'll just have to wait and see once these things hit the market.
It doesn't run all the time, only when you need it for long range. It will periodically come on to keep the generator fuel lines fresh. You never have to use gas if you don't need to go more than 145 miles, and even then, you can elect to charge if you do choose. This fits the bill for city daily driving and also fits the bill of you need to tow for long ranges.
It seems like your "breaking news" wasn't true after all. Per the website you can "Select between Electric Mode, E-Save Mode, and Eco Mode, and additionally choose Charge-Depleting Mode, Battery Hold Mode, eAWD Mode, or eSport Mode".
Your thinly veiled opinions are clear. I think this truck will be fantastic for traveling with a trailer and be a balance of ev-only and no range-anxiety. There will be driving modes that allow for charging while driving as well as e-only (so I was told). The motor will run the generator at a constant RPM so there will be much less wear and tear on the engine, tunable emissions and much greater efficiency.
There are many people (like me) who would like to see our planet last just a bit longer and not "just" getting a diesel truck will help!
I'm actually closer to your view than you think. I don't know if this gets us where we need to go, but it is moat certainly better than a diesel or straight gas. It might turn out to be the absolute best short-to-midterm fix. But as my video conveys, I have serious concerns, all of which might be alleviated once this thing hits the streets.
I know many people think this truck makes sense for them - and that is all that matters from their perspective because it will work for their applications.
Thank you for the comment!
I have a deposit on this truck. Here is my daily life:
Monday-Wednesday: a total 400 mile trip to office and back, with or without the possibility to charge depend on company limit charger availability.
Thursday-Friday: 10 mile max daily to pickup and drop my child at school, plus some food errands.
Weekend: Biweekly family trip for around 200 miles, or biweekly city trip total of 50 miles.
Most importantly, we already have a Tesla at home. We want to fully use our charging capability at home, but also keep the possibility if there is any need to go far, we could.
I also have cybertruck preorder, but everything considered, I do believe the ram ramcharger better fit my life than a pure EV or any ICE.
Sounds like it will work out beautifully for your applications. Thanks for the comment!
I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks this truck is gonna be a massive flop. I bet it'll be the most expensive powertrain in the whole 1500 line, and other than trips that can be done on electric only (which if what your saying is true, is not an option) you're looking at best 25mpg. For the cost of the truck you'd be better off with a used gas/diesel for your towing and an EV car/suv for daily driving.
Yep. My sentiments exactly.
I’d love to own an all electric pickup. Unfortunately they’re not quite there yet. The batteries and infrastructure need to improve. I use a pickup 90% of the time for towing and towing kills the range on all trucks but the existing infrastructure for ICEs makes owning them acceptable. This is a step in the right direction but only a step. Maybe one day instead of charging you can simply swap the discharged battery for a charged one like in my cordless drill.
Range extender has been the term for a series hybrid for decades…. Not sure if I can manage to keep watching after the opening
Examples of series hybrid automobiles called 'range extenders' for decades, please.
Not sure if I can manage to keep reading this comment after the opening...
This is an awesome idea. It runs like a diesel electric locomotive.
I this an awesome idea, but execution is important. 2 things that worry me that aren't in the video: 1) engine size, and 2) gas tank size. One has to ask why with a 92kwh battery and a DC fast charger terminal. Something's not right, and the best guy on that is this fella: czcams.com/video/aFFeJFfY35c/video.htmlsi=-2g6AWefFhq3-od5
Not exactly. A diesel electric locomotive has no battery. They rev the ICE generator up to create more charge. Im mystified why they wouldnt have a battery so that they could use regenerative braking...
I was seriously going to buy this truck.
I was led to believe it was going to be a PHEV. That was my entire reason for buying it.
I live in the Midwest, and we are always towing heavy long-distance.
That is why we keep saying that the F 150 Lighting just can't quite fill our needs.
I need an EV that can tow at capacity for 250 to 300 miles.
Not get that range empty.
I thought the new Dodge would be perfect for my needs.
I could plug in at home and use battery for most of my trips but still have decent range while towing.
There is the added benefit of regen braking while towing.
I really appreciate your comment!
It might live up to all those needs. As I said, Ram is still testing the waters, and this thing is at least a year away from being in consumer's hands. Also, as I mentioned at my edit halfway in, I was simply addressing their own promo video comment. Other videos state that there is a 100-plus-mile electric mode. I guess we'll all find out when we can get our hands on one.
I agree that EV trucks aren't quite there yet, especially with towing any great distance, which wouldn't be that much of a problem if there were pull-through charging stations. But that is changing fast. Consumers might be shocked with how rapidly range anxiety becomes a thing of the past. My Tesla supercharger adapter is in the mail from Ford for my Lightning, and Tesla has indicated they are installing pull-through chargers at many locations for Cybertruck over the coming two years, which my Lightning will have access to.
We'll know soon enough. I hope the Ramcharger comes out and meets all of your needs. Thank you again for your insights!
I am going to buy this truck because it will meet all the needs. This truck is a game changer for people that need to tow sometimes but also want an EV truck for city driving. Ram responded that it should get 300-400 miles in range when towing. That's better than the diesel trucks that get 6 miles to the gallon 🙄
It’s beyond stupid that this isn’t a plugin hybrid where you can use the battery power until you need the gas. I’m glad you highlighted this - I was kinda bummed that I can’t get it yet. My Silverado EV reservation will likely fill by the end of this year and I was tempted to hold off and wait for this. No way, knowing this I will be perfectly happy with the Chevy.
We'll have to see. Maybe they'll totally deliver and we'll get exactly that when it hits production, but something smells a little funny, if you know what I mean.
I also have a Silverado EV order, and will weigh in whether I keep the Lightning or go for it when the phone finally rings.
In my own personal view - and I could be 100% wrong on this - but if/when this thing rolls out in 2025, even with a complete 145-mile electric-only mode as we hope it will have, battery tech might already be getting close to closing the range gap anyway, and if it does, this truck will depreciate like a rock off a cliff. Just my two bits.
Thank you so much for watching and joining the discussion!
Not sure where the information came from on this, but the first 120 miles are on battery power and then the gas motor kicks in as a generator once the battery gets to 20%.
It is a PHEV just like the Chevy Volt is. It’s just a different marketing term.
There is going to be lots of innovation in towing/trailers to make it viable for evs. For contractors towing around town, evs are fine. For long distance towing, more attention will be made to aerodynamics. Also batteries will be integrated into the trailer itself. For RVs, the battery will be useful in running trailer functions when camping. Of course solar panels will be part of the picture. When parked at home, the battery can be home backup, and if on a time of use tariff, your rv can make a bit of money for you.
When I get my ev truck, I will put up with the inconvenience of the very occasional long distance towing in order to save big on fuel with day to day driving with my work truck. Being able to charge batteries remotely is a good thing for me.
We got a model Y recently, and nobody wants to drive our other gas vehicles.
I'm with you 100%. Some people are going on about loss of resale value with EVs. This thing will be obsolete possibly before it makes it to market.
I do exactly what you suggest, and I haven't yet had to experience any inconvenience with towing and hauling, but I haven't had to do any long distance stuff - yet.
And it is so ironic and amazing that you bring up trailers! Guess what my upcoming video is on?
Yup! You beat me to the punch!
Thank you for this awesome comment.
@@truckedupevsLooking forward
Just FYI. EV trailer video posted!
Remember in Canada they announced last week that insurance rates will be high because of the high expense of fixing EVs . In accidents the insurance companies stated accidents may result in full replacement due to high cost.
Ya that's not good when you also think about charging , more demands equal more.cost.
Why don't companies work on BIO fuels ?? This way hundreds of thousands of people won't lose their job building mostly EVs ?
Toyota seems to be doing well with its hybrids yet Stellantis is going backwards.
Stellantis said that this is going to be the most powerful, capable pickup they sell. What it does is forces the people who argue against it to make the same arguments that EV people make arguing against ICE vehicles. Arguing that the most powerful pickup isn't the most efficient may not be the best counter argument to "it's got more toys."
I think that EVs with smaller built-in batteries and built-in provision for a range extender are ultimately the best vehicles for range anxiety, with the provision that the range extender be easily removable. So, I'm not thinking of a Pentastar V6 burning gasoline. I'm thinking of a couple Aquarius free piston engines burning propane. The built-in plumbing for the exhaust and the fuel would weigh less than extra built-in batteries, and range extending batteries could be used instead of a range extending engine as the vehicle owner prefers. It's better for the practical upshot of your range anxiety to be taking up space in your garage than for you to be driving it around with you every day.
Great comment! Thank you for this!
I 100% agree. In fact, as an ev truck owner myself, having a form of range extension is just a sweet bonus. In my video 'Charging Apocalypse' (czcams.com/video/DlA8wG1EL6I/video.html), I talk about the need for an aftermarket 'tidy tank' battery range extender, a month before Tesla disclosed theirs for the Cybertruck. The growing charging network will eventually make the idea of a range extender redundant, but in the meantime, it can really make a lot of sense. Some monster 'powerhouse' however, is just outright dumb.
In another CZcams video by Uncle Tony's Garage, he says almost the exact same thing as you (czcams.com/video/aFFeJFfY35c/video.htmlsi=BApuS4kb8RjXD4-I ).
You have the right formula for a series hybrid in a pickup truck, absolutely.
Good points, but most of them have been countered by the thoughtful commenters below. I'm a proponent of EV's and believe that Tony Seba's energy transformation predictions are already well underway. If the Military Industrial complex and the Oil Lobby don't drag us into civilization ending conflicts, it's likely that we will see dramatic improvements in battery energy density in the next few years. Until then, there isn't a viable electric vehicle with enough range to make towing viable - until the Ramcharger. We'll see if it is as good as advertised - but it's easy to see why the truck community is so exited at the prospect. Sandy is a propagandist for Tesla - his review of the Ramcharger was laughable and I lost a lot of respect for him when he ridiculed it. Ram may end up having the last laugh based on how the cybertruck is doing so far. We will see once the Ramcharger is released.
Thanks for the feedback. I think Ram might have a winner here, but I'll remain cautious until I see the actual product, specs, and real-world driving. Also, I think ppl might be a bit surprised within the next 24~36 months how far along ev trucks will go.
V6 to run the generator? Why? Why not a tiny 3-cylinder engine? It is my understanding that you need less than 60hp to maintain 65mph on the freeway in a modern pickup. So a tiny engine capable of making 70-80hp very efficiently should be sufficient to keep the battery charged while cruising.
Exactly. This is one of two glaring red flags.
I love the idea for those who want to tow and haul and worry about a 100% ev truck, but both the gas tank size and engine displacement told me something was up.
It is also odd that its overall range leads to an average 25 MPG. It should be much higher.
Lastly, not only the last-minute RAM promo video faux-pas, but comments from the chief engineer has me wanting to hold off until we see these things on the road and get a real-world idea of what is actual going on.
Until then, sounds like a lot of FUD milking for profits - and to sell a lot of languishing Pentastar V6 inventory - to me.
Thanks so much for your comment!
HP is irrelevant since the motor is just a generator. The important figure is how many kw the generator produces, and that the generator can stay ahead of the battery under max output. In this case, the 3.6 creates 130 kw as a generator. The electric motors need less than 130kw to provide full power to the wheels. So the end result is full power is always available whether the generator is running or not.
You don't get what's going on here at all. As truck operating farmers, constructors, etc. the deal we want is high mileage, low fuel consumption. We are running businesses, not fake environmentalist hippie beggar groups. The efficiency is the reason why submarines, ships, and trains use diesel electrics. Conversion from electric energy to mechanical energy is close to 100%. So they generate electricity to run the generator, then the generator fills batteries of subs, or the pickup truck in here. The arrangement is more fuel efficient than the diesel running the transmission directly. And the battery is much smaller and cheaper than a huge Tesla battery with thousands of utterly stupid cylindirical cells. I drive a Toyota Hilux, and eagerly waiting Toyota to put out a hybrid pickup truck, OK. Don't try to debate with the actual users who are voting with their vallets. Run a business with trucks, than talk to us in length, please.
With a 27-gallon tank and a max 690 mile range, that's 25 mpg, same as an F150 ecoboost. So much for that theory.. And if you want to be taken seriously, stay away from the bs name-calling. I'm no hippie and use my truck for work. I'm doing an upcoming vid on a farmer that uses his Lightning full-time as a farm truck. So yeah, I DO get it.
@truckedupevs the f150 ecoboost doest get anywhere close to the hp and torque as the ramcharger should get. The closest comparison is the trx. Which is an absolutely amazing truck but requires 91+ octane fuel and gets horrible mpgs. Having a mid 600 hp vehicle getting 20+ mpgs? That's amazing.
@dupevs In an effort to discredit me, you are resorting to lies unfortunately. Both technical and literary. Technical one is shown below by@shanebirt1. Literary one is in my writing I didn't call you a beggar hippie, you are way too old for that. Merely stated that we are running businesses here not hippie groups. But if you had to feel that somehow applies to you, oh well. If you were really serious about running a real business using trucks you would have stayed away from the EV hoopla until the dust settles. Looks like this is what RAM guys are trying to do. And I agree with you about added complexity and headache that we don't need. They have to justify the added complexity in terms of fuel consumption. Annnd, the last but certainly not the least, your grand total of earth shattering 352 subscribers, 351 if you substract me, speaks for how much you really get it, and the value of information you provide. And I am glad you at least had the sense to dump cybercraptruck at least.
Fake hippie beggar groups? Lol. Farm subsidies are some of the biggest welfare programs out there, and none of the corn and soy goes to feed actual people.
Give me a break from the moralizing, Jethro: y’all got your hands out more often than most.
Wish it was 4 or 2 cylinder engine
Me too.
I put a reservation on one
I am doing the same. As Trucked Up EVs, I need to get these things out in the world and put them through their paces.
I hope that it lives up to expectations, and let's see what actually rolls off the assembly line. It's the right strategy for a large number of working truck folk.
I just hope it delivers on expectations.
Thank you for sharing in your experience, and the comment!
@truckedupevs I want the tradesman model I'm hoping it's around 50-55k and I can put a plow on it
Me too..I can't wait!!
6:40 ok so this doesnt make sense. why would you have a dc fast charging port if it will always use the generator? thats ridiculous. why cant they let you turn it off? seriously, just make it so after a certain % charge it turns on.
It doesn't run all the time. There will be something like 7 different modes you can drive it in. You get 145 miles electric, then the generator will kick in if you need a longer range. I think this truck is amazing and I'm on the list to buy. Fits all the bills for me.
@@deniseemilio1031 honestly for towing applications and honestly just truck applications in general, this is by far the best way to make an ev truck. Big Trucks don't have space constraints so you have plenty of room for the gas generator. And you have a massive generator to power basically anything, including your house for far longer than even a massive ev battery pack could.
Absolutely fantastic. This will dominate ev towing and assuming the price range is right, could be a serious contender against diesel rigs of similar size. I wonder how well it will tow against a 2500 diesel
Since this is practically an ICE truck, its only selling point would be its efficiency, but at 20 MPG its on par with an ICE F150.
Exactly! That's where I was going. WTF, right?
Thank you for the feedback!
Oh? You don't think that massive towing capacity and payload might be a good point to sell with? Capable when you need it efficient when you don't. That's what I'm hearing. The will be endless mpg when it runs on electric only. That's the only promotion where they said it runs all the time. It doesn't. The engineers said different
This is moron is spreading false info for clicks. The v6 doesn't kick in until its charge hits %16 or %30 while towing
@@truckedupevs Right, because in 10 years of hauling 14,000 lbs when you replace a 3.6L V6 Pentastar without a transmission, or even a connected drive train it will likely cost $100,000,000,000 dollars. xD
(LOL @ 3.6L V6 Pentastar crate engine cost of $6k USD.)
It is highly likely that the only two parts on the Ram Charger that would fail after 250,000 km "or 5 years whichever comes first" are the battery and the gas engine.
The 130kW gas engine/generator is a cheap replacement since it isn't connected to a transmission or a drive train.
And since the battery is Lithium it would presumably deplete to 60% of it's overall capacity from 96kWh to 58kWh after 10 years of use.
Luckily, because it's a hybrid, you'll only lose the electric only range. 60% of 225km is still a driveable 130km.
Also, the 130kW gas generator doesn't care if it's floating electricity to a 96kWh battery vs a 58kWh battery.
It's only there to keep the battery topped up while you're driving so it can deliver what actually matters to the V8 Mopar folks: ~660 horsepower and ~610 lb-ft of torque.
If it can do that for 10 years, while towing 14,000 lb every now and then, then it's likely worth the price.
And a bonus, connecting your home, cabin, or job site to a sizeable 240VAC/120VAC inverter certainly helps.
You totally missed the point of this truck and it's capabilities... No worries, I'll be enjoying my RamCharger next year. Maybe watch a real video on what this truck has to offer.
This truck has a vert different drivetraon than the Chevy Volt. The Volt's engine would (at times) assist electric motor directly at times of heavy load or low battery. The RamCharger's pentastar engine Will Not do that. (Allegedly)
Actually it will. Chief Engineer, Joe Tolkacz specifically states that it assist with heavy load when towing and hauling, driving up hills and if accelerating rapidly.
So yeah...no.
Having owned and now sold two EV’s… there is “zero chance” I’ll buy a pure EV until the battery cost, reliability and range issues are fixed. The lightning couldn’t even get me 1/2 the range of my gas vehicle. In the winter it dropped to 260 miles and we found out you damned better charge at first available charger around 180 miles as the range often dropped without warning. The final death bell was cost to replace cell block 4. It took 4 months and $12000. Thank god for the warranty. I’d never own an EV without a battery warranty. These vehicles at $80000 and subsidize by ICE pickups and SUV massive price increases and tax payer dollars really cost society about $40,000 dollars to make the “green religious zeolites” feel low they’re actually changing the temperature… lol. It will take at least 400 years for them to enjoy the changes.
just make sure it has a NACS adapter and all is good. and no 125KW charger
I think a lot of people will be happy with this truck. I'm skeptical, but the proof is in production release, and it might just be exactly what truck folk have been hoping for.
And good point on the charger. Thanks for the comment!
A maverick plug in hybrid would be what many want. Abilty to drive around 50 miles on electric. ability to go 500 miles without stop. stop in a walmart to charge while you pick up snacks for your trip. to resume and hit the toilet.
LMAO. I know, right?
It makes a lot of sense for a lot of truck folk, and I'm of the mind that once it hits the road, it might be all things to all people. But the size of the gas tank and engine, along with some less-than-clear, Q&As with those who asked the engineer, we need to see these things in real time and then weigh in on the big four hang-ups I cited.
Thank you so much for joining in the discussion!
This is probably the most moronic take on this truck I have seen to date. First, this will basically be a 2500 with a much higher payload than a 1500 and a GVWR higher than a 1500 (prelim #'s from Ram are around 1000-1500 lbs higher payload than the 1500). For my purposes, this is exactly what I have been waiting for. I use my truck as a daily, meaning less than 100 miles each day so I would use zero gas most of the time. I also have property in the mountains where I like to use my travel trailer. I will be able to tow my travel trailer to my property (or anywhere to camp) without having to stop and charge every 75-100 miles like in the Ford Lightning, not to mention EV charging stations are not set up for tow vehicles (requiring me to disconnect a trailer somwhere and leave it so I can charge for a couple hours if i am lucky). I will have the power provided by electric motors which is much better than a gas engine (especially in the mountains at high altitudes) and when the batteries die and I am running low on gas, I can just pull into a gas station and fill up and keep going. To top it off, I can use the truck as my camper generator instead of a portable generator when there is no shore power available. And your take on "centuries old technology" is ridiculous. This layout is used because it works and for the last century there hasnt been a better alternative. The complaints on current EV trucks is simply you could not do truck things because it significantly reduced range, enough to make them unusable as trucks. This literally has all the benefits of the electric drivetrain (power and fuel effeciency) without the main drawbacks (range). To be transparent, I was part of a focus group over a year ago about EV trucks and this was the same opinion from everyone that owned or wanted trucks, EVs were not the answer, but an EV with a generator would be perfect.
All the complexity and downside of each system all rolled up together. How could this go wrong for Stellants, a company known for mediocre quality and reliability.
My worries exactly. Thanks for commenting!
It’s funny locomotives have been doing it for decades
And ships. It's a technology that has great applications.
Thanks for the comment!
No batteries on a locomotive though. Why not and then have regen braking?
Let’s wait for the price. While we are waiting, I can tell you this makes no sense whatsoever. This is going to be a loss for those who buy this truck considering that long range EV’s that are much cheaper than my grandparents EV’s are right around the corner. The V6 engine may lower the upfront cost of the truck, but not the long-term cost of the truck. This truck does the same amount of work as the pure electric version. So why not go for the pure electric version and save yourself the oil change, the spike plugs, engine tuneup, the exhaust fumes, and the list goes on.
For the towing/hauling crowd who hate the idea of a pure EV truck, they're going to love this thing, and my newest video gives a lot of credit to why that works for them. However, I'm in complete agreement with your assessment. The argument I hear the most is for the most part, this truck will always be in electric mode, but when towing and hauling are needed it can just do it with never having to figure out how to charge it while dragging a trailer along.
I get it. I hate towing with my Lightning - but not because of the truck. We need oodles more pull-through chargers as well as increased charging speeds.
I have as pre-order for the Silverado EV. Fingers crossed legacy doesn;t keep back-pedaling on moving ev tech forward.
disagree. if you have any doubts if your lifestyle fits this, just keep most of your commutes/use cases under 140 miles a day and you'll never buy gas. simple
This video will not age well. EV evangelists and Tesla pumpers will tell you hybrids are the worst of both worlds, but the truth is somewhere in the middle. Used wisely or have the right use case, you can get the best of both worlds. Great towing with the immediate torque, regen in hilly conditions and long range without the delays and charging anxiety of pure battery EV. Yes it will be heavy, but not as heavy as the equivalent range in batteries. Its biggest valid criticism, which applies to all hybrids, is that it is not as efficient as a pure battery EV, but most savvy consumers will sacrifice some efficiency for the convenience, and it will be way cheaper to run and long lasting overall than a pure ICE vehicle.
another car jpurnalist that doesn"t understand....like Munroe & another local here in Montreal.....if it as reliable as the Volt well it would be the perfect truck for a lot of people... weekdays to go to work on all electric & weekend to tow the travel trailer stop at regular gas station not the EV charging that has no room for the trailer and also the campings have no mean of charging an EV and if you are in the woods camping with no elecricity !
Very biased video. Erasing from memory. Moving on.
Oh, thank you, thank you for your obvious wisdom and empowering chastisement (I know that's a big word but there's always Google defninitions...)!
You must be some kind of engineering expert who knows the inside dynamics of the series hybrid, and I just want to let you know how MUCH your discounting of my video has profoundly and negatively impacted me. I'm not sure how I'll recover from your professional critique.... I think I'll join a monastery.
Moving on...
If someone wants to be credible, they do the proper research before taping a segment. It is super apparent that this guy didn't do his due diligence before misleading his audience on how this truck works or it's capabilities. Just typing a correction in the bio area isn't enough, redo it if you are incorrect. Ugh. 🤦 It might take a minute to understand the true value of this truck, but once you do, you'll be glad you took the time. Me, I have definitely done my research and even had conversations with the engineers at RAM, and I am stoked to buy this truck. 🤘😁
This guy findamentally misunderstand the everyman-truck buyer.
100%
Not true about the ICE running all the time. It has electric plus mode which powers the truck on the battery alone. This guy is really cynical and likely is anti-EV. there was nothing he brought up that we didn't already know.
I own a Lightning.
The amount of ignorance in this video is insane. Simon obviously has no idea what he’s talking about.
Typical troll comment: "Makes brazen statement with absolutely nothing to back it up".
Tell me what I don't know, please. Would love to hear it. That's called healthy debate.
There is no way they are making the gas engine run all the time. That is illogical.
That's exactly what I was thinking all along. But according to the video I shared in the description that's not the case. It makes no sense, so I'm still guessing that there will be an 'electric only' mode that keeps the engine off. We're still early in the cycle, so we'll know more when this thing is in the final Pilot/Mule phase of development. Let's hope!
Thanks for the comment!
@@truckedupevs Let me be frank, sometimes it feels like you do not dig deep enough and I would suggest you spend a wee-bit more time doing that instead of some quirkly editing like zooming in to your face at multiple levels. Sorry if that felt harse. It only took me a couple minutes to dig deeper. I've driven Chev Volts since early 2011 and have owned a Gen 1 and Gen 2 so am familiar with their modes and the reasons for them. Ramcharger has the same issues plus towing.
_ Here are two big things with the 2nd one being major.
a) Ram says the 2025 Ramcharger will have seven drive modes, but only six were shared with us. These are comprised of: Charge‑Depleting Mode, Battery Hold, Electric Mode, eAWD, eSport, and Eco Mode. This gives the driver versatility in how to use, store and manage battery use. We anticipate that the surprise seventh mode will be a party-trick extreme-performance setting, like Hummer EV’s fast-accelerating ‘WTF Mode’.
b) See this 3 month old video where they talk to Ramcharger engineer: 1:09:00 2025 Ram 1500 & Ramcharger DEEP DIVE with the Chief Engineers! via TFLtalk
Thanks for your input. Actually, when I first made the video, I made these same conclusions, since I had watched all related video, including the one you cite, and the same articles. However, research doesn't involve watching other CZcams influencers, especially if you watched Raiti's Rides, TFLEV and Redline Reviews debut videos from Texas several days ago, which were more advertisements for RAM and far more vague than mine. However, after re-watching the promo video by RAM and hearing that statement regarding the generator. I went back through all the available information, including the '12 things you need to know' article from Driving.ca that you cited above.
Even in the 'electric mode' the engineer, Alan Falkowski was very vague when asked that question and said that it drives in the first 145 miles but doesn't exhaust that before the generator kicks in. In fact, even in the 'electric mode' he refers to as a 'charge sustaining point', and implied that it acts more like a standard hybrid action between the motors. Later on, he mentions that it 'doesn't yet have an electric only mode that restricts the generator' but in some jurisdictions this will be a requirement, such as in Europe, where the generator will need to be restricted. That sound like the vehicle in its current design has no such option. From the 1:15:35 point on, it may not be on full time, but in every mode it is kicking on and off continuously, including in 'electric mode' only. I overlooked this when I first made the video, making the same conclusion you did, but if that is not the case, both RAM and their Engineer are being vague as to the actual operation of the ICE component.
Worse, if we go on maximum 690 miles using 27 gallons of gasoline, that's only 25 miles per gallon. So yeah, there's that, which is no better than Ford's Ecoboost F150, never mind the Volt.
I guess we'll find out if and when this vehicle makes it to full production. I will continue to do my due diligence in all my videos but with such a limited amount of data being released by RAM one can only go on what is said by the company directly. I have also received considerable positive feedback on my video production style, so I understand some might not like it but I do plan to continue making the videos as engaging and interesting as possibly, and overall, viewers and commenters seem to agree.
I really appreciate the feedback!
@@Scott-sm9nm
@@truckedupevs Thank you for the details. It was *very* unclear that you did that much research and you only quipped about that promo video and very brief remark about the ICE running. I left your video being very mislead especially after hearing the details from the engineer. There are 6+ modes. I thought the engineer explained it well. I ignore a lot of influancers but TFL had the details with the *engineer* if you listened closely. Big props to TFL for getting that interview. I'm getting a BEV truck but I really understand the Ramcharger concept after 13 years of talking about it. Your biais in this case stood out to me and was a disservice IMO. I'm very familiar with the tweaks they did with the Volt over the generation. Charge sustaining is a common idea and it has to do when the battery gets down to a certain SOC. eg. The volt battery phyiscally goes from 0-100 but generally uses 20%-90% of it to protect the battery AND for longevity of the battery since these are not cell phones we replace 'frequently'.. When it hits 20% then it goes into 'charge sustaining' mode. It may dip down for extra power during a pass or something. HTH.
As I pointed out in my video, I agree with most of what you are saying, until I heard the comment in the promo video. Again, as I clearly stated, "...if this is correct..." I also asked viewers to watch the Ram video and make an assessment for themselves. If anyone is being misleading, it's Ram, by not clearly demonstrating how this thing will work to the average consumer rather than the smoke and mirrors in its marketing. Someone shouldn't have to go to the 9-minute mark of a CZcams truck channel to hear the answers of their engineer (and still vague - I listened closely) .
I imagine the promo statement was simply a marketing error, but I am glad that I shared it last minute.
In my (biased?) opinion, while being 100% supportive of plug-in hybrids, Ram packaged the Ramcharger in a way to capitalize on range anxiety fears in order to sell a lot of trucks, in my view, not to improve ev adoption, being that its overall fuel economy is a dud. I owned a regular hybrid. I owned a gas truck until a year ago. I hope everyone will do due diligence before buying a new ev hybrid, gas, or diesel truck. However, I wouldn't touch this thing, and I think others would be wise to steer clear of it until it has been on the street and up on the hoist of engineers like Munro & Associates (who also think it's a bad idea), before ever considering it. Thanks again for your feedback.
What a terrible video. Only good point is about the complexity and cost.
RAM Charger could be the solution for somone who wnats to drive EV weekdays, and pull their boat/RV to the lake on the weekends. Cant do those thongs with an EV truck, or a fully gas truck. This guy is not understanding the target demo. And EV trucks wil NEVER be good for towing long distances, with NO pull through chargers and the weight of a trailer decimating the EV range.
Well, at least you got the part right on complexity and cost ;-)
And as far as understanding the 'everyman-truck buyer' - I do. I'm one of them, including all my logger and miner friends and neighbours, who drive diesels and would love this truck to change the playing field so they can save company cash and operate at better margins.
This is why critiquing this truck is so important. It is EXACTLY what truck buyers want, and for obvious reasons, and as others in the comments - much more educated than me - have pointed out, Series Hybrids are a great way to do it - if done right.
This truck doesn't look like it's the one. That might prove false - but until we can drag this beast on the road and put it through its paces, and actually see if it delivers, it's a dud before ever going to market.
The red flags are the size of the gas tank, the engine size and output, and the actual comments from both RAM's promo video and their chief engineer, Joe Tolkacz .
I actually agree with you and what truck folk need, but any attempt to market that segment for the simple sake of selling a LOT of trucks by exploiting them, without first doing due diligence and challenging what these guys are actually up to, is a disservice to the hard-earned dollars of working truck folk.
Thank you for the comment, and your honest feeling about my video's content. I appreciate it.
Also, please note that ALL the points you raise about EV trucks, I raised in my video on why diesel truck guys think EV trucks suck. If interested - since it cites all the points you raise - is here:
czcams.com/video/aWYQhpXgIAI/video.html
If you're correct about the gen running all the time, then that's not a good deal
But ev trucks just stupid anyway , well back to the phev truck...
Haha! Okay, well, based on my amazing psychic powers, I'm guessing you're not a big ev fan ;-).
All good. Everyone has a view and some good reasons to back it up. Consumers should have a right to choose.
But this Ramcharger has too many what-ifs and wtfs to make it a top contender on my radar currently.
I really appreciate the comment, and thanks for watching!
The engine won't be running all the time, total nonsense.
He is not correct and this is a game changer of a truck.
Your presentation is misleading to say the least, if the engine runs all the time no one would put in the massive battery and that is a fact. This truck is perfect for a "can do all" situation. With our current government elected by "halfwit-majority," you can expect the lights to go out any time for a long period where the pure EV owners will be screwed unless they have an alternative.
On the other hand, another burst oil pipe from Canada can cause a gas crisis where EVs will be on the road. Not to mention some incentives from our government can help to mitigate the price and luxury of not wasting 5-10 minutes * 52 weeks * 10 years = 4 - 8 work days to fuel up, and then less maintenance, etc. It would be better if the engine was flex fuel.
Just remember, statistically, the worst drivers have RAMs, followed very closely by Tesla. What a great combo.
This video is click bait at its finest. Full of assumptions and opinions and nothing new that is solid.
I'd like to train an allergy where you have a diesel engine creating electricity to power electric motors and space will be what they're trying to do here but I don't think you need such a big engine to repower the battery and it's range and the later battery compensates for the engine and everything else which was reduces the cost of a battery If you really need to tell something with this I think it's great for towing campers whatever are trying to replace diesels but why not just make more energy efficient gas engines or diesels
This is probably the most moronic take on this truck I have seen to date. First, this will basically be a 2500 with a much higher payload than a 1500 and a GVWR higher than a 1500 (prelim #'s from Ram are around 1000-1500 lbs higher payload than the 1500). For my purposes, this is exactly what I have been waiting for. I use my truck as a daily, meaning less than 100 miles each day so I would use zero gas most of the time. I also have property in the mountains where I like to use my travel trailer. I will be able to tow my travel trailer to my property (or anywhere to camp) without having to stop and charge every 75-100 miles like in the Ford Lightning, not to mention EV charging stations are not set up for tow vehicles (requiring me to disconnect a trailer somwhere and leave it so I can charge for a couple hours if i am lucky). I will have the power provided by electric motors which is much better than a gas engine (especially in the mountains at high altitudes) and when the batteries die and I am running low on gas, I can just pull into a gas station and fill up and keep going. To top it off, I can use the truck as my camper generator instead of a portable generator when there is no shore power available. And your take on "centuries old technology" is ridiculous. This layout is used because it works and for the last century there hasnt been a better alternative. The complaints on current EV trucks is simply you could not do truck things because it significantly reduced range, enough to make them unusable as trucks. This literally has all the benefits of the electric drivetrain (power and fuel effeciency) without the main drawbacks (range). To be transparent, I was part of a focus group over a year ago about EV trucks and this was the same opinion from everyone that owned or wanted trucks, EVs were not the answer, but an EV with a generator would be perfect.
I think half of the people who commented could've done a seriously better job conveying the true capabilities, specs and usefulness of this truck. I don't think this video will pile on the subscribers. Just kind of irritated I even contributed to one extra view on this piece of crap review.