Stellantis Looks to Build Truck Share with 2025 Ram ICE, EV and PHEV Trims

AUBURN HILLS, MI – The Ram 1500 isn’t the market share leader in fullsize pickup trucks, and it will likely stay cemented in the No.3 spot for a while even after it introduces its 2025 facelift, plus electric and hybrid versions. But the new truck should allow the Stellantis brand to find new customers and retain current ones.

The inclusion of Ram’s plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Ramcharger as a one-up competitor to Ford’s F-150 Hybrid as well as a fully electric pickup to match the Ford F-150 Lightning, may prove the way to satisfying customers as consumer enthusiasm about EVs seems to be pausing until pricing abates and public charging infrastructure matures.

Stellantis has killed the V-8 engine option for the Ram but is offering all-of-the-above options for customers: the all-new 3.0L Hurricane and 3.0L Hurricane High Output Straight-Six Turbo internal-combustion engines (ICE), as well as the 3.6L Pentastar V-6 eTorque; the all-electric Ram 1500 REV; and the Ramcharger PHEV that offers drivers 690 miles (1,110 km) of range.

Indeed, the Ramcharger PHEV may well become the rising star of the lineup as – on paper at least – it offers a more attractive solution for electrified trucking than either Ford or General Motors. Ford’s F-150 Hybrid offers V-6 power producing 430 hp and 570 lb.-ft. (773 Nm) of torque. Ramcharger handily beats those numbers. Chevrolet is not offering a Silverado hybrid, preferring to jump ahead to a battery-electric version.

New ICE Ram Cometh

The ’25 Ram 1500 introduces the all-new Hurricane 3.0L, which produces 420 hp and 469 lb.-ft. (773 Nm) of torque. The Hurricane High Output Straight-Six Turbo, the most powerful 6-cyl. in the segment, produces 540 hp and 521 lb.-ft. (636 Nm) of torque. The base internal-combustion engine remains the 3.6L Pentastar e-Torque V-6.

Towing capacity for the Ram ICE lineup is a maximum 11,580 lbs. (5,252 kg), with a max payload of 2,300 lbs. (1,043 kg).. That is bested by Ford’s top V-6 max towing rating of 14,000 lbs. (6,350 kg).

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Fullsize pickups, to be taken seriously today, must offer trim packages equipped with onboard power that can eliminate the need to carry an external generator in the bed to provide power at a worksite and offer backup power for homes. The onboard power inverter on Ram can produce up to two kw and features two covered outlets inside the bed that provide power for lights, a TV, tools, fan, etc. Handy, yes. But Ram’s ICE offering has less capacity than Ford’s Pro Power Onboard.

The ‘25 Ram 1500 has a double-wishbone front suspension and five-link solid rear axle with four-corner air suspension that enables up to five driving modes: entry/exit, aero, normal, off-road 1 and off-road 2.

Ramcharger: EV Advantages and No Anxiety

There is no doubt that the U.S. auto industry is headed to full electrification. The question is how fast it gets there.

While government mandates are gunning for a target of two-thirds of new vehicles sold in 2032 being electric, some automakers are pausing or slowing investments. To that end, Stellantis is including a plug-in-hybrid (PHEV) version of the Ram so buyers can experience electrification with minimal range or recharging anxiety.

The ‘25 Ramcharger, expected to roll out in late 2024, produces 663 hp and 615 lb.-ft. (834 Nm) of torque, with a tow rating of up to 14,000 lbs. (6,350 kg) and payload of 2,625 lbs. (1,191 kg). Stellantis says 0-60 mph (97 km/h) battery-powered liftoff takes a more-than-respectable 4.4 seconds.

Among PHEVs, the Ramcharger is in a class by itself based on the onboard tech and functionality. The 92-kWh battery pack is paired with a 3.6L 6-cyl. on-board with a 130-kW generator, sending power to a 250-kW front and 238-kW rear electric drive module (EDM). The EDMs combine the motor, gearbox and inverter along with all-wheel-drive capability. The truck features one EDM on the front axle with an automatic wheel-end disconnect that allows the front wheels to spin freely in certain conditions. The second EDM is positioned on the rear axle with an available electronic-locking rear differential.

The whole flow of power is artfully designed and engineered to provide the benefits of electric power while taking away reasons for driver anxiety. Power flows in sequence from the 3.6L V-6 to the 130-kW generator. The engine generates mechanical power which is converted to electrical power by the generator. The electrical power can be used to charge the battery when the battery is depleted or if the driver wants to preserve the battery power. It can also be applied to the high-voltage module where the EDMs can use the generator’s electrical power plus the battery electrical power to provide maximum power to the wheels. There is no direct mechanical path from the engine to the wheels. That is some crafty engineering.

The truck achieves up to 50 miles (80 km) of electric-only range, making daily driving a potential all-electric experience with an economical overnight charge. Drivers can add up to 50 miles of electric range in approximately 10 minutes with 400V DC fast charging at up to 145 kW. It will, of course, take longer with a Level 2 charger.

All-Electric Ram REV

The all-electric Ram 1500 REV will round out the powertrain options for the pickup line. Today’s appetite for fullsize EV pickups seems tepid at best, but Ram will be in the market ready to pounce when demand steps up and mandates draw closer.

The REV will be offered with an estimated driving range of 350 miles (563 km) with the standard 168-kWh battery pack or up to 500 miles (805 km) driving range with the optional 229-kWh large battery pack. Like the Ramcharger, estimated 0-60 mph acceleration is 4.4 seconds. The powertrain produces 654 hp and 620 lb.-ft. (841 Nm) of torque.

Ram REV makes no compromises to speak of when it comes to work, with 14,000 lbs. of towing capacity and 2,700 lbs. (1,225 kg) of payload. Like the Ford Lightning, the REV has a lockable frunk large enough for storing tools without having to eat up valuable storage space in the bed.  The frunk also houses an optional onboard power panel that provides up to 3.6kW for plugging in tools and the like.