Those crazy b*stards at Ram actually did it

[TimW451]

Great to see this. I am extremely pleased that it has a plug in charging. I don’t know why (it’s $) that manufacturers have haven’t included it more. If I had to replace my RAM today, I’d look at the hybrid F150, but it not being plug in is a problem for me.

I am ambivalent about the REV. I don’t think BEV is there for hauling. If it were, there would be more buses, dump trucks, and trash trucks using it. I don’t think big batteries to get range is compatible with the current tech and are only needed to overcome related limitations (charge time) and customer unease. BEV weights need to come back down to normal and full charge (at least 80%) in a reasonable time period (<20 min).

Just like the Lightning, it is going to come down to price. That became too expensive. I’ll pay a little bit of a premium over a comparable RAM, but not much. My interest in the Jeep 4xe is as high as it is because in my market the available incentives make it price neutral with the gas models. I’ll look for similar here.

Another article on the Ramcharger:

Ram’s new 1500 EV truck has ‘unlimited’ range, thanks to built-in gas generator — The Verge

The 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger runs on electricity but can burn gas for a maximum range of 690 miles on a full fuel-up.

apple.news

 

[NewGuy]

This is the way. Even just the 2025 mid cycle refresh looks great. If I didn’t just spend a mortgage on my other car I’d highly consider replacing my truck

and lol at the 3.6 being trash. You must have a lemon, that motor has been consistently one of the best motors in the industry for over 10years now.

I've had great experience with the 3.6 in a 2015 JGC. 130K now with no issues. Of course, it's probably because I bought the lifetime warranty on the Jeep! Not sure if they sell the lifetime anymore.

 

[Beachbummer]

Lifetime!! That's awesome.

I have had 2 types with warranty for pots.

Stainless for the life of the original buyer.

For non stick, the life of the pot... It's peeling... End of life, sorry it's dead, no more warranty.

Do you know what kind you have?

 

[gthorson]

Not quite, the v6 isn't connected to the powertrain at all, so the v6 is only used to charge the batteries. Whether it can charge fast enough to keep up with the power drain of towing a large and heavy load at 80mph up a steep hill, well, that remains to be seen. That said, if they wanted to, I guess they could sense that it's using more power than the generator is making, and limit speed to compensate.

I understand that. Physics already has your question answered. A V-6 cannot produce more power in electricity than than a V-6 directly connected.

 

[BlkGS]

I understand that. Physics already has your question answered. A V-6 cannot produce more power in electricity than than a V-6 directly connected.

Ah, I see what you're saying now.

I suspect that even with losses, the v6 can produce enough power to charge the battery while towing something at highway speeds on flat ground, or going downhill (which will benefit from regenerative braking too).

It's not going to out tow a Cummins ram up the ike gauntlet. But it should have no problem towing a 23-25ft boat in most cases. That little v6 still haspre power than a 80s or 90s small block, maybe even big block. And since it theoretically will almost never be exclusively powering drive, bypassing the battery, it should be fine.

I wouldn't buy it to haul a horse trailer up the Rockies. But to haul a boat or RV around town or the Appalachians, no problem.

I do think with it's unique powertrain there will be some.oddball situations. But it's gonna be WAY better than a full BEV. Even if you were "towing with v6 power" some of it, that's better than "not towing cuz of no battery charge" with a regular BEV.

 

[suke]

Ah, I see what you're saying now.

I suspect that even with losses, the v6 can produce enough power to charge the battery while towing something at highway speeds on flat ground, or going downhill (which will benefit from regenerative braking too).

It's not going to out tow a Cummins ram up the ike gauntlet. But it should have no problem towing a 23-25ft boat in most cases. That little v6 still haspre power than a 80s or 90s small block, maybe even big block. And since it theoretically will almost never be exclusively powering drive, bypassing the battery, it should be fine.

I wouldn't buy it to haul a horse trailer up the Rockies. But to haul a boat or RV around town or the Appalachians, no problem.

I do think with it's unique powertrain there will be some.oddball situations. But it's gonna be WAY better than a full BEV. Even if you were "towing with v6 power" some of it, that's better than "not towing cuz of no battery charge" with a regular BEV.

I got into a somewhat heated discussion about this exact thing with a buddy yesterday. Eventually we agreed to disagree until more numbers come out. I feel like powering a generator to produce electricity is far less taxing on that V6 than say trying to move that big heavy truck. Spinning at 1500 rpms like a standard generator I feel like it'll provide the 130kw quite easily. Which given the range their touting you'd get somewhere in the high 20's-low 30's in MPG with the gas engine powering the generator 100% of the time. Reckon we'll find out what reality is.

 

[jthackman]

surprising to see the payload/towing numbers so high, wonder if the gvwr is higher than the current ice version. almost double the current ram v6 truck towing of about 7500lbs. i'm not smart enough, but like the hybrid trains, must be a more efficient distribution of power.
seems like a big generator engine, would of thought a 2.0 4cyl...but a quick look at a generac 130kw generator uses a 9.0L v8.
wonder how big the fuel tank is....and what towing range will be. seems like most current towing ends up around 12ish mpg.

 

[Julian]

I understand that. Physics already has your question answered. A V-6 cannot produce more power in electricity than than a V-6 directly connected.

I'd disagree with this statement. Think about all the moving parts between the engine coupler and the wheels on an ice vehicle. All those parts cause friction and heat, and loss of power.

Then compare that to the same engine directly connected to a generator...much less loss to friction.

This is part of the reason why freight trains are diesel electric...they optimize engine power and then have electric motors for massive torque with no gearing needed.

Very often engines are rated at HP at the coupler, not at the wheels... because they know by the time it gets to the wheels they've lost HP to friction.

 

[steveinmd]

This is going to be real interesting in the real world. That 130kW from the generator equates to around 175hp. So the question becomes, how does it perform if the battery is depleted and you are running in essentially locomotive mode?

 

[gthorson]

It'll also be fun stopped at a stop light with the engine at 3500 rpm as it recharges the batteries.

 

[gthorson]

I'd disagree with this statement. Think about all the moving parts between the engine coupler and the wheels on an ice vehicle. All those parts cause friction and heat, and loss of power.

Then compare that to the same engine directly connected to a generator...much less loss to friction.

This is part of the reason why freight trains are diesel electric...they optimize engine power and then have electric motors for massive torque with no gearing needed.

Very often engines are rated at HP at the coupler, not at the wheels... because they know by the time it gets to the wheels they've lost HP to friction.

Make sure you add in battery charging and generator inefficiencies.

 

[steveinmd]

It'll also be fun stopped at a stop light with the engine at 3500 rpm as it recharges the batteries.

Was just talking about this with a former Ram engineer. It adjusts the charge rpm based on demand. So in theory, it could really be revving at a stoplight. I don't know if there is a limit to the rpm during a charge.

Every Civic will be thinking you are about to hit the two step for some real fun.

 

[captras]

This is not a new idea. That is exactly what the Chevrolet Volt was....and electric car with a built in 3 cylinder engine (I believe) that ran a generator that charged the battery. I think Chevrolet either has or soon will halt production.

 

[Julian]

This is going to be real interesting in the real world. That 130kW from the generator equates to around 175hp. So the question becomes, how does it perform if the battery is depleted and you are running in essentially locomotive mode?

It wouldn't be hard to code a towing mode that anticipates the longer term need for power and keeps the generator running sooner to recharge the battery.

@steveinmd According to the article below, the V6 runs at a constant RPM (who knows if they are accurate)

"The gasoline power plant engages as needed, running at a constant rpm since it isn't correlated to the truck's acceleration."

https://www.thedrive.com/news/2025-ram-1500-ramcharger-smashes-ev-range-with-690-miles-v6-range-extender

 

[steveinmd]

It wouldn't be hard to code a towing mode that anticipates the longer term need for power and keeps the generator running sooner to recharge the battery.

@steveinmd According to the article below, the V6 runs at a constant RPM (who knows if they are accurate)

"The gasoline power plant engages as needed, running at a constant rpm since it isn't correlated to the truck's acceleration."

https://www.thedrive.com/news/2025-ram-1500-ramcharger-smashes-ev-range-with-690-miles-v6-range-extender

While the charger operates ~ 130kW nominally, I'm reading on the Ram pages that it's capable of 190kW for brief demands. That reads, in my mind, higher rpm. I guess we shall see.

In talking with my friend, it would be wise of them to have some sort of Tesla style gps, that the charging system can be optimized by location and destination.

 

[jthackman]

did your friend offer any insight to the chosen generator engine not being the ecodiesel?

 

[steveinmd]

did your friend offer any insight to the chosen generator engine not being the ecodiesel?

He left Detriot at least 10 years ago. He did work on the 2009, though.

 

[suke]

While the charger operates ~ 130kW nominally, I'm reading on the Ram pages that it's capable of 190kW for brief demands. That reads, in my mind, higher rpm. I guess we shall see.

In talking with my friend, it would be wise of them to have some sort of Tesla style gps, that the charging system can be optimized by location and destination.

That could mean running at 1300 rpms for most of the time and bumping to 1500 rpms at peak load. Most generators run at really low RPMs. Or maybe even running at 900 rpms and bumping up to 1200 rpms. Time will really tell unless someone has inside information. I can tell you from having one of those motors running that thing constantly at 3500rpms would be hella inefficient and loud AF.

 

[Jim_in_Delaware]

This is an interesting video that Ram has shared with current Ram truck owners:

Its kinda neat to see the 2025 Ram REV/Twin Turbo/Ramcharger trucks without their bodies.

Jim

 

[BlkGS]

That could mean running at 1300 rpms for most of the time and bumping to 1500 rpms at peak load. Most generators run at really low RPMs. Or maybe even running at 900 rpms and bumping up to 1200 rpms. Time will really tell unless someone has inside information. I can tell you from having one of those motors running that thing constantly at 3500rpms would be hella inefficient and loud AF.

That's kinda why I thought it would make sense to use ecodiesel.

A few other thoughts... Much has been said of the "what if you are running in locomotive mode", but really that won't happen that frequently. You're not ally going to be braking, coasting downhill, slowing for traffic, etc enough that the battery will likely maintain enough reserve charge that you won't be hand to mouth on electricity. I suspect that unless you tell it to drain itself, the truck is designed to keep the battery at a reasonable charge level to prevent that kind of situation from happening.



Semi related news, the hurricane I6 is going to be 540hp.in the ram. It's gonna be a freaking rocket. Almost 100hp.more than Ford offers out of the HO Ecoboost. Over 100hp.more than GM offers with the 6.2L V8. 150hp more than hemi offered. It's 20hp.more than the twin turbo V8 in the BMW X5 I've been looking at.