Despite multiple delays, Ram insists the Ramcharger and REV electric trucks are still coming
- While the Hemi V8 returned for 2026, Ram continues pushing toward electrified trucks.
- Ram delayed both the Ramcharger and REV after weak demand for electric pickups.
- CEO Tim Kuniskis believes the Ramcharger will be a game changer that rivals will follow.
Lucy always pulls the football away from Charlie Brown at the last minute, and that dynamic has been echoed by Ram and their electric pickups. When one of them seems close to being launched, it inevitably gets delayed.
The Ram 1500 REV was unveiled at the 2023 New York Auto Show and was slated to be launched in the fourth quarter of 2024. A few months later, in November of 2023, the brand introduced the 1500 Ramcharger, which promised to solve electric truck woes by adding a 3.6-liter V6 engine into the mix.
First Look: The 2025 Ram 1500 REV Is A Classy, Conservative, 500 Mile Electric Juggernaut
Fast forward to today and neither model is available at dealerships. Ram announced a delay and a product switch in late 2024, which would see the Ramcharger be the first out of the gate in 2025. The fully electric 1500 REV would then follow in 2026.
However, the latest reports suggest the trucks have been delayed again as the Ramcharger could arrive early next year. The 1500 REV, on the other hand, might finally reach dealerships in the summer of 2027.
A Long Wait, But A Lucky Break
Michael Gauthier
If that time table pans out, more than four years will have passed between the debut and launch of the 1500 REV. That’s a staggering delay, but Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis said their electric trucks are still coming.
Also: Ram Screwed Up Dumping The V8 So They Brought It Back For 2026
As he explained during a recent media briefing, electrification is still happening despite the Hemi’s return. While the current administration isn’t nearly as gung-ho on EVs, a number of regulations and efficiency standards remain in place, so Ram needs models like the Ramcharger and REV.
However, Ram has the ‘luxury of timing’ and the benefit of being late to the game. Ford, General Motors, and Tesla all launched electric trucks and they’re about as hot as a snow cone.
Michael Gauthier
In the first quarter, GM sold 3,479 Hummers (SUVs and pickups), 2,383 Silverado EVs, and 1,249 Sierra EVs. That’s a grand total of 7,111 units, which compares to the 78,199 regular Silverado pickups sold in the same period.
Over in Dearborn, Ford sold 7,187 F-150 Lightnings in Q1. The Cybertruck, on the other hand, has fallen well short of projections.
Ram Saw The Writing On The Wall
Ram was paying attention and counting their lucky stars. Being late to the game enabled them to see the lack of demand, so Kuniskis said they decided to delay the models. He said this was strictly a business decision and it’s hard to argue with that as electric vehicle adoption has been slower than many companies anticipated.
Kuniskis also said Ram messed up originally as they should have planned on launching the range-extended Ramcharger first. He’s particularly excited about it and believes other brands will “chase it.”
Michael Gauthier
This already seems to be the case as Ford CEO Jim Farley has come out praising range-extended EVs. It’s not hard to see why as the 1500 Ramcharger is slated to have a 91.8 kWh battery pack as well as a dual-motor all-wheel drive system producing 647 hp (482 kW / 656 PS) and 610 lb-ft (826 Nm) of torque.
However, the real star is a 3.6-liter V6 engine that acts as a generator and could enable the truck to have a range of up to 690 miles (1,110 km). The Ramcharger also promises to be a ‘real’ truck thanks to a towing capacity of up to 14,000 lbs (6,350 kg) and a payload capacity of 2,625 lbs (1,191 kg).
In effect, Ram addresses the key pain points of purely electric trucks while also providing traditional gas truck benefits. That sounds like a winning combination, but only time will tell.
