After the Ram 1500 REV drove onto the stage of the 2023 New York motor show, the company confirmed the all-electric pickup will be coming to Australia.
Initially, at least, this will be done via a local conversion process, just like other Ram vehicles sold Down Under. Timing has yet to be confirmed, but the 1500 REV won’t be arriving in American drivetrains until late 2024.
Speaking to the Australian media, Ram CEO Mike Koval Jr confirmed the 1500 REV is heading our way and not too long after the American vehicles start rolling off the production line.
The Ram 1500 BEV is powered by a pair of 250kW electric motors, one for each axle. Total output is said to be 488kW and 841Nm. Ram claims the 1500 REV can dispatch the 0-60mph (0-97km/h) standard in 4.4 seconds.
The drive unit at the front features automatic wheel disconnect, enabling the front wheels to spin freely in certain conditions to improve efficiency and range. An electronic locking rear differential will be available on some models.
Drivers will be able select between regular two-pedal driving, or a one-pedal mode with regenerative braking whenever you lift off the accelerator.
The truck is said to be capable of fording up to 610mm (24 inches) of water, towing up to 6350kg (14,000 pounds), and carrying up to 1225kg (2700 pounds).
In the US, the standard battery pack is a 168kWh unit that should be good around 560km (350mi) of range. There’s also an optional 229kWh pack that Ram believes will yield 805km (500mi) of range.
The company has also teased an XR or Extended Range variant, but details about that car won’t be available until later in the year.
Both the standard and long range variants of the 1500 REV support 800V DC fast charging up to 350kW. With such a charger, range can be topped by 177km (110mi) in just 10 minutes.
The 1500 REV can pump power back into the grid, power a home in an emergency, or be used as a power source at a campsite, job location, or family picnic. It comes equipped with a 7.2kW power panel in the cargo tray, and a 3.6kW in the 425L front trunk.
Although the REV has a body that’s almost identical to the existing V8-powered Ram 1500 models except for the front and rear-end styling, under the skin the EV pickup is said to use the STLA Frame architecture designed specifically for body-on-frame EVs.
STLA Frame uses high-strength steel to reduce weight, and is wider around the middle to accommodate the battery pack within the confines of the rails. A full-length aero pan helps to keep the big truck’s drag coefficient to a reasonable 0.34.
Entry-level versions of the REV will have 20-inch alloy wheels, while top-spec versions have 22-inch rims with 275/50 Pirelli Scorpion all-season all-terrain tyres.
All 1500 REV variants come fitted with multi-link independent rear suspension, as well as a four-corner air suspension setup with adaptive damping and five modes: entry/exit, aero, normal, off-road 1, and off-road 2.
Front trunk
To go with its high-tech drivetrain, the 1500 REV has an upgraded interior features 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display, 14.5-inch portrait touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard, and a 10.25-inch touchscreen ahead of the front passenger with HDMI input.
Other available tech features include a digital rear view mirror, head-up display, a 23-speaker Klipsch Reference Premiere sound system, and hands-free/eyes-on-the-road automated driving mode using the car’s lane centering and adaptive cruise control systems.
For the American market the 1500 BEV will be available in five trim levels: Tradesman, Big Horn/Lone Star, Laramie, Limited, and the new Tungsten trim, which includes a white quilted leather interior with ventilated seats, dual-texture metal accents, and suede-wrapped headliner and pillars.
MORE: Everything Ram 1500
