At 5:30 EST on January 5th, 2023, the RAM EV concept was announced as the RAM Revolution at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
This article will discuss what was revealed at the conference and what RAM has announced so far on their website: ramtrucks.com
What we Know So Far
The RAM Revolution, or to be known as RAM Rev, is a 2024 all electric vehicle to be released as a full-sized pickup truck.
It will likely start to take orders in 2024 and the production version will be released in the coming few months.
As this is a concept vehicle, there are things that still may change when the car goes into production.
Ram is the last of the major other competitors to release the concept of an EV truck, after the first concept from the Cybertruck, the Rivian R1T and Ford F150 Lightning are already on the road.
Chevy, GMC, and Toyota have all also previously released their concept of EV truck.
Even though it is a bit late in the game, it still wants to compete; it is making efforts to make a statement in the electric pickup truck market.
Exterior of the Revolution
The RAM revolution is riding on the electric truck look that was first coined by the Cybertruck.
It features a tall body, large cab, and a small truck bed (compared to similar trucks).
The extra space is due to the new STLE frame with is 4 inches longer than the current 2023 RAM 1500.
In the rear there is a diffuser that reduces drag to improve efficiency. The truck bed is equipped with a multifunction tailgate that opens like a double door, is powered and can extend the bed with an adjustable flooring.
In the front of the RAM Revolution is a new LED brand label.
On the front of the truck there are also tow hooks and an extended skid plate to offer extra off-roading capabilities.
As with most electric trucks, there is what is called a “frunk” or front truck, which is fully powered. What makes this feature quite unique is that there is a compartment that opens from the front trunk into the cab to accommodate large items (like many cars have for trunks.
On the side of the vehicle is the RAMBOX which has a dual tiered storage system with anchor rings for maximizing storage.
And to access the truck the concept includes a “pillarless” entryway with saloon style doors and powered side steps.
Interior of the Revolution
The interior is a very large and versatile cab. It has notably larger space throughout the cab, and especially in the rear compared to the 2023 RAM 1500.
There is likely going to be a 3rd row of seats! These are jump seats sitting in the back of the cab. The middle seats (or second row) are fully adjustable, seats which can fold flat and be repositioned to allow more space for cargo or third row passengers.
To follow along with the sustainability trend, RAM is designing the RAM Revolution interior materials to contain up to 74% polyester made from recycled water bottles and flooring made from recycled rubber and cork.
As mentioned in the prior section, the RAM Revolution has an opening that connects the front truck to the cab, but throughout the length of the truck running from the front trunk, cab and truck bed is a Ram Track Rail System lined on the floor to secure and support cargo throughout the vehicle. The center console can also be removed to create more space.
When it comes to the dashboard and control center in the front row, there are 28 inches of available touch screen area. It is composed of two screens with the bottom being removable.
Along with features iconic to the Tesla, there will be Level 3+ automomous driving control which means that it will allow for hands free driving to some extent (at the minimum) (Source: JD Power).
Our Opinion
What We Don’t Like
Upon first review of the RAM Revolution, we can honestly say that we do not like the design. It looks funny.
The large cab style, small windows, and tall base seem for a funny looking truck. Seems to us that they are trying to go for the Cybertruck look.
This feels a bit more like an oversized Crossover with a truck bed rather than a real pickup truck. The cab is just so big. I mean it has a third row! Trucks aren’t designed to be passenger cars and the RAM Revolution seems to be trying to cross that bridge between pickup trucks and crossovers.
The Ford F150 Lightning looks much better in our opinion. It looks more like a regular truck with some special features to make it feel more electric.
I also don’t love the idea of having 28 inches of display area. Though this will be a self-driving car (at least to an extent) there is no need for that much screen area.
What We Like
There are however, some really cool features on this truck. The first one to note is the Trail Rail System that extends throughout the entire truck. It is so cool to think that something, like a piece of wood could enter from the truck bed, and extend the length of the cab into the front truck to completely be encapsulated by the truck is wild.
I do appreciate their dedication and ability to incorporate recycled materials into the inside of the cab. As someone who cares about sustainability and reducing waste, this is great to see. Hopefully it can lead the way for new innovation.
And the last feature thats really interesting is the second screen being able to be removed. Though it is a bit excessive to have two screens on a dashboard, RAM has identified that they are making the second device detachable to be used basically as a in car tablet. Likely it will be able to be used for video watching for passengers, or sharing documents for workers on-site.
What We Don’t Know About the RAM Revolution
Because we have just been given the concept, there are lots of things that we still don’t know.
Though there was mention of potential range and charging capabilities, there is no official word really on the capabilities of the truck including estimated range, towing capacity, or payload capacity.
One of the biggest questions I have here is the “pillarless” design of the saloon doors. Structurally, I don’t think it is a good idea to have this format because it is not as safe as cars with mid frame beams. Along the idea of safety, we don’t know how this truck will match up to others.
And the last thing we don’t know of course, is the price. How will this align with what is currently on the market?
