Ram Halts Progress on Its All-Electric 1500 REV
"The car manufacturer announced plans to concentrate on its pickup truck with an extended-range powertrain."
Ram attempt to enter the all-electric pickup market has come to an early halt.
Stellantis’ Ram brand has announced it will halt development of the Ram 1500 REV in its originally intended battery-electric form. Initially unveiled in 2023 with a high-profile Super Bowl commercial, the fully electric full-size pickup faced multiple delays, most recently being postponed to 2027.
Ram has announced the program’s end, attributing the decision to ‘slowing demand for full-size battery-electric trucks in North America.
Instead, Ram will focus on its range-extended 1500, a model formerly called the Ram charger, which will now adopt the 1500 REV nameplate—a confusing change for those keeping track of the truck’s evolution.
Instead of a conventional plug-in hybrid, the range-extended REV combines a battery-electric drivetrain with a gasoline engine that functions as a generator for the motors. In theory, this setup offers a middle ground that could appeal to truck buyers hesitant about the limitations of fully electric vehicles.
The decision brings a brief but turbulent chapter to a close. Ram all-electric pickup, which impressed audiences at CES 2023, was followed by a production model that failed to capture the concept’s bold vision and faced repeated delays. Financial pressures at Stellantis compounded the challenges, leading the brand to abandon plans for a larger battery pack that would have made the BEV more competitive.
All focus now shifts to the renamed 1500 REV, which Ram says ‘will set a new benchmark in the half-ton segment, delivering outstanding range, towing capacity, and payload performance.
Those are ambitious claims in a market where Ford’s F-150 Lightning has struggled to keep up with demand, and GM’s Silverado EV rollout has been slow. Ram’s own truck, meanwhile, has already been delayed from its original 2025 debut to ‘sometime in 2026,’ leaving ample room for further postponements.
The shift highlights a wider recalibration in the EV truck market. Initial excitement over full-size electric pickups has waned as buyers confront high prices, limited charging infrastructure, and real-world towing constraints. By pivoting to a range-extended model, Ram aims to deliver the instant torque and eco-appeal of an EV while retaining the long-range reliability of gasoline. Whether this strategy succeeds will decide if the REV badge becomes a comeback story or just another nameplate that fell short of expectations.
