DETROIT – Stellar announced Wednesday that the introduction of an all-electric Ram pickup truck might be further delayed from 2025 to 2026 because the automaker faces a slower-than-expected EV rollout and competitors struggle to make a cash in on electric trucks.
The decision to delay the fully battery-electric model, which had already been postponed for this 12 months, will help prioritize an electrical version of the truck with prolonged range called the Ramcharger, which encompasses a gas engine combined with EV technologies, Das said Company.
“The decision to launch Ramcharger first was driven by overwhelming consumer interest, maintaining a competitive advantage in technology and weaker industry demand for half-ton BEV pickups,” Ram said in a press release.
Ramcharger might be open for customer orders in the primary half of 2025, followed by the launch of the Ram 1500 REV in 2026, Stellantis said.
The change in priorities is the primary major shift announced since Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis returned earlier this month following a management shakeup that saw Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares leave the corporate.
Kuniskis retired from Stellantis in May before returning to the automaker. He said earlier this month he expected changes for the embattled brand, which reported a 24% decline in sales within the third quarter of this 12 months.
“I didn’t come off the bench not to come here and call some audibles, so hang in there. More to come,” he said during a temporary media appearance a day after his return to the corporate.
Kuniskis attributed the brand's current sales problems to a slower-than-expected launch of the redesigned Ram 1500 model in addition to delays in upcoming heavy-duty trucks.
“It's getting better every day, but we still have a lot of work to do,” said Kuniskis, who called the Ramcharger pickup the brand's “Goldilocks truck” — meaning the suitable mixture of power, range and capabilities.
The Ramcharger is referred to as an Extended-Range Electric Vehicle (EREV). It can operate as a zero-emission electric vehicle until the battery runs out and an onboard electric generator – powered by a 27-gallon 3.6-liter V6 engine – is switched on to power the vehicle.
Stellantis estimates the Ramcharger's range to be as much as 690 miles, including as much as 145 miles with a 92-kilowatt-hour battery on a full charge without the prolonged range of the gas engine and 130-kilowatt electric generator.
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