Ram introduces new electric pickup to compete with Ford, Rivian and others

Ram Truck previewed its upcoming electric pickup Thursday at the CES tech show, as the automaker plans to enter the emerging segment next year to compete with rivals in Detroit as well as Rivian and eventually, You’re here.

the Stellar The truck brand unveiled the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV concept ahead of a production model that is expected to be unveiled in the coming months. Although the truck shares a name with Ram’s current full-size pickup, it’s a new vehicle from the ground up, featuring the company’s new dedicated electrical architecture.

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Its exterior design is visibly “RAM” with illuminated badges and new lighting patterns, but the vehicle’s interior features a more modern, clean, and tech-focused design than the current Ram pickups. The interior has few physical buttons, with a 28-inch touchscreen housing most controls and a glass roof.

Stellantis executives did not reveal how similar next year’s production model will be to the concept vehicle. They called the concept vehicle a roadmap for the brand’s future products.

“It’s a vision, or a glimpse, of the future of Ram Trucks,” Ram CEO Mike Koval Jr. told CNBC. “Honestly, from my perspective as a brand manager, this is our roadmap for what customers can expect from Ram in the future.”

Stellantis has not released range or performance specifications for the concept vehicle. It detailed a list of potential features such as a “shadow mode” where the vehicle could follow the driver from a safe distance; an on-board artificial intelligence personal assistant; and a retractable steering wheel for self-driving capabilities.

The Ram electric truck is expected to enter an increasingly crowded electric pickup segment that already includes the GMC Hummer EV, Ford F-150 Lightning, Lordstown Endurance and smaller Rivian R1T. Other products expected next year include the Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV and the long-delayed Tesla Cybertruck.

Koval said Ram isn’t worried about being late in the segment.

“When we come to market for 2024, it will be at the intersection when demand, market and infrastructure are ready,” he said. “We don’t think for a second that we’re ‘late’, so to speak. We think we’re going to hit the market at the right time.”

Stellantis doesn’t seem to have any plans to end production of its gasoline or diesel vans anytime soon. Koval said EV adoption won’t happen overnight and has already been slower than expected.

The most successful electric truck so far has been Ford’s F-150 Lightning. The Rivian R1T and $110,000 Hummer EV pickup have been slow to ramp up production, while Lordstown has just started delivering vehicles to commercial customers.

The design of the Ram electric pickup concept appears to be more of a lifestyle pickup than a traditional work truck, but executives said the production vehicle would serve both purposes.

Koval highlighted a middle door, which can open to connect the bed to the cabin, and a bed extender that will allow owners to carry an 18-foot piece of wood into the vehicle.

Stellantis Design Director Ralph Gilles described the overall design of the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV concept as “brutal”, a combination of “brutal” and “beautiful”.

“The TRX (a performance version of the Ram 1500) has it in spades,” Gilles told CNBC. “It’s tough as nails, but in a way it’s still beautiful and attractive. We wanted this truck to have the same presence, but look to the future.”