THE VEHICLES t was clear that the striking Ram 1500 REVolution Concept, unveiled at January’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, foreshadowed a production electric Ram 1500 within the next couple of years. Ram is the last of the three Detroit makers to reveal a batteryelectric full-size pickup, and the concept stole the show with many tantalizing features. These ranged from a lengthwise pass-through tunnel running bumper to bumper, for long lumber, to a mid-gate that allows the back of the cab to be used as an extension of the bed. Surprisingly, the production version of the electric Ram 1500—due in Q4 of 2024—didn’t debut at February’s Chicago Auto Show. Instead, it surfaced days later in a cheeky Super Bowl ad addressing “Premature Electrification,” and hinting that the Ram 1500 REV would be the right treatment for that ailment.
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Disappointment or smart tactic? When the chuckles died down, the striking concept truck was revealed as just that: a concept. The production Ram EV pickup will be considerably more conventional on the outside—with, of course, entirely new underpinnings. Aside from a blanking plate over the grille and different headlights, taillights and wheels, even truck fans might be hard-pressed to tell from the side that it isn’t just another trim variation on the gasoline Ram 1500.
Ram 1500 REVolution Concept
Even truck fans might be hardpressed to tell from the side that it isn’t just another trim variation on the gasoline Ram 1500. That came as a disappointment to some critics. It’s “not the game changer we expected,” said Car and Driver. “No design revolution,” sniffed Green Car Reports. But in that respect, Ram has followed the lead of the Ford F-150 Lightning. Both use instantly recognizable cabs, pickup beds and profi les of their makers’ latest combustion-powered pickup trucks. That puts Ram and Ford in contrast to the approach taken by General Motors. That company’s upcoming Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV pickups unite the cabin and bed in a single structure, with a mid-gate that allows use of the passenger cabin for extra storage ahead of the bed. It’s reminiscent of nothing so much as the 2002-2013 Chevy Avalanche four-door unibody pickup. Pickup aficionados will debate the merits of the two approaches for years to come. GM says it expects its
Ram 1500 REV Production Version
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