Mar 29, 2025 by admin

Confirmation of an Australian launch for the Ram 1500 REV electric pickup is premature and the range-extender Ram 1500 Ramcharger dual-cab is more suitable for this country, making it more likely to be sold here.

That’s according to Ram Trucks Australia general manager Jeff Barber, who told CarExpert at this week’s launch of the facelifted MY25 Ram 1500 lineup that neither electrified US pickup has yet been locked in for local release.

“Yes, definitely. I think Ramcharger is better suited to our geography here,” he said.

“It’s too early to say whether we will bring it to market. It’s something we’re looking at right now. It’s under consideration and when we make the decision we’ll announce it then.

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“But I personally think the Ramcharger is a better solution than the BEV [battery-electric vehicle], because of range anxiety. People buy these vehicles to drive them long distances, to tow large boats, and a BEV may not be suited to that, particularly not in the rural sector.

“Both we have looked at, both we are looking at, but that’s all I can share.”

Mr Barber pointed out that the vast majority of Rams sold in Australia are bought by customers outside cities, where driving range is key.

“Ramcharger is very, very interesting in terms of having that ICE [internal combustion engine] engine at the front to charge the battery when it runs low. It overcomes that range anxiety, particularly for long-distance driving,” he said.

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“Ramcharger would be unique if it came here. Very, very unique. A lot of people have said they’re interested in that, because it’s quite a unique technology in that vehicle. So it’s something we’re looking at.

“We’ll make a decision sometime in the future. It really depends on how it stacks up. The biggest thing we have to do is look at the demand for these things, what it’s going to cost us to engineer the vehicle [in right-hand drive] and bring it the market, and work out whether the business case for it.”

Electrified versions of Australia’s most popular (mid-size) utes are rare, with the Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV set to join the BYD Shark 6 PHEV soon.

There’s just one electric ute on sale in Australia right now, the pioneering LDV eT60, but the Chinese brand has the larger eTerron 9 coming soon.

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Electrified full-sized pickups remain non-existent in Australia, with the exception of the Ford F-150 Lightning EV imported and converted independently by Brisbane-based AusEV, which is priced from almost $200,000.

Like other US-only competitors such as the Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, GMC Hummer EV and Rivian R1T, the headline-grabbing Tesla Cybertruck is yet to be confirmed for ex-factory right-hand drive production.

That didn’t stop Ram’s former global CEO Mike Koval Jr, who has now been replaced by the returning Tim Kuniskis, confirming the all-electric Ram 1500 REV for Australia when it was revealed at the 2023 New York motor show.

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The Ram 1500 REV is powered by a 250kW electric motor on each axle, produces total outputs of 488kW and 841Nm, and is offered with 168kWh and 229kWh battery packs delivering ranges of around 560km and 800km respectively.

As standard, the Ram 1500 EV is claimed to hit 60mph (97km/h) in 4.4 seconds, ford up to 610mm of water, tow up to 6350kg (14,000 pounds), and carry up to 1225kg (2700 pounds).

Both the standard and long-range variants of the 1500 REV support 800V DC fast-charging up to 350kW, but the promised XR or Extended Range variant has been cancelled.

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Revealed in late 2023, the Ramcharger is based on the same dedicated-electric STLA Frame platform as 1500 REV, but also has a similar footprint to the regular Ram 1500. It also has specific front and rear styling.

However, it will become the only vehicle in its segment to offer a range-extender powertrain, comprising a 92kWh battery pack that powers 250kW front and 238kW rear electric drive modules (EDMs), and is recharged by the venerable 3.6-litre Pentastar petrol V6.

Ram claims total outputs of 487kW and 834Nm, a 0-60mph (0-97km/h) time of 4.0 seconds, towing capacity of 6350kg, and a payload figure of 1190kg. Also like the 1500 REV, the Ramcharger features a one-pedal drive mode, but its smaller battery can only be DC fast-charged at up to 145kW.

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However, Ram says it can still add up to 80km of range in about 10 minutes, and can be used as a power source thanks to vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-home bi-directional charging, and an onboard power panel in the tub providing up to 7.2kW, allowing you to power appliances and power tools.

Crucially, the Ramcharger also claims a longer targeted range of up to 1110km.

There’s also multi-link independent rear suspension, active-levelling four-corner air suspension with five different modes and, inside, the same 14.5-inch multimedia touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and segment-first 10.25-inch passenger display as MY25 Ram 1500 models.

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When asked if there was a place for all-electric full-sized pickups in Australia, where the federal government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) will soon penalise auto brands for selling high-emitting vehicles, Mr Barber was cautious.

“The market will tell,” he said. “Certainly, the market over the past while has been very pro-EV. It seems to be coming back a bit. Two years ago every brand out there was saying 100 per cent EV by 2030 or something like that.

“EVs will be part of the future of automotive, but who knows what the numbers will look like, and whether that’s a technology to suit a big truck. Time will tell.”

MORE: Everything Ram 1500