Ram previews new electric pickup to rival Ford, Rivian and others

Ram Trucks previewed its upcoming electric pickup Thursday at the CES technology show, as the automaker plans to enter the emerging segment next year to compete with Detroit rivals. Rivian and potentially, Tesla,

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

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

Stellantis officials did not reveal how similar next year’s production model will be to the concept vehicle. He referred to the concept vehicle as a roadmap for the brand’s future products.

“This is a vision or a glimpse into the future of Ram trucks,” Ram CEO Mike Koval Jr. told CNBC. “Honestly, from my perspective, as the head of the brand, this is our roadmap of what customers can expect from Ram in the future.”

Stellantis did not release the concept vehicle’s range or performance specifications. It detailed a list of possible features such as “shadow mode”, where the vehicle can follow the driver at a safe distance; an in-vehicle artificial intelligence personal assistant; and a retractable steering wheel for self-driving capabilities.

The Electric Ram Truck is expected to enter an increasingly crowded segment of electric pickups that already includes gmc hummer ev, ford F-150 Lightning, lordstown endurance And Small Rivian R1T. Other products expected by next year include the Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, and the long-delayed Tesla Cybertruck.

Koval said that Ram is not worried about being late to the segment.

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

It appears that Stellantis has no plans to end production of its gas- or diesel-powered pickup trucks anytime soon. Koval said EV adoption won’t happen overnight and it’s already slower than some expected.

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

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

Koval highlighted a midget that can open to connect the bed to the cabin, and a bed extender that will allow owners to haul an 18-foot lumberjack into the vehicle.

Ralph Giles, Stellantis’ chief design officer, described the overall design of the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV concept as a combination of “brutal,” “brute” and “handsome.”

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