Ram previews new electric pickup to rival Ford, Rivian and others

Ram Truck previewed its upcoming electrical pickup Thursday astatine the CES exertion show, arsenic the automaker plans its entranceway into the emerging conception adjacent twelvemonth to vie with Detroit rivals arsenic good arsenic Rivian and, potentially, Tesla.

The Stellantis motortruck marque revealed the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV conception up of a accumulation exemplary that's expected to beryllium unveiled successful the coming months. While the motortruck shares a sanction with Ram's existent full-size pickup, it's a caller conveyance from the crushed up featuring the company's caller dedicated electrical architecture.

Its exterior plan is noticeably a "RAM" with illuminated badging and caller lighting patterns, but the interior of the conveyance features a much modern, cleanable and tech-centric plan than existent Ram pickups. The interior features fewer carnal buttons, with a 28-inch touchscreen lodging astir of the controls, and a solid roof.

Stellantis executives did not disclose however akin adjacent year's accumulation exemplary volition beryllium to the conception vehicle. They referred to the conception conveyance arsenic a roadmap for the brand's aboriginal products.

"This is simply a vision, oregon a glimpse, into the aboriginal of Ram Trucks," Ram CEO Mike Koval Jr. told CNBC. "Honestly, from my perspective, arsenic caput of the brand, it is our roadmap connected what customers tin expect from Ram successful the future."

Stellantis did not merchandise scope oregon show specifications of the conception vehicle. It did item a database of imaginable features specified arsenic a "Shadow Mode" wherever the conveyance could travel the operator astatine a harmless distance; an in-vehicle artificial quality idiosyncratic assistant; and a retractable steering instrumentality for self-driving capabilities.

The electrical Ram motortruck is expected to participate an progressively crowded conception of electrical pickups that already includes the GMC Hummer EV, Ford F-150 Lightning, Lordstown Endurance and smaller Rivian R1T. Other products expected by adjacent twelvemonth see the Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV and the long-delayed Tesla Cybertruck.

Koval said Ram isn't disquieted astir being precocious to the segment.

"When we travel to marketplace for 2024, it volition beryllium astatine the intersection erstwhile request and the marketplace and the infrastructure are ready," helium said. "We don't for a 2nd deliberation we're 'late,' truthful to speak. We deliberation we're going to beryllium hitting the marketplace astatine the nonstop close time."

Stellantis appears to person nary plans to extremity accumulation of its gas- oregon diesel-powered pickup trucks anytime soon. Koval said EV adoption volition not hap overnight and has already been slower than immoderate expected.

Thus far, the astir palmy of the electrical trucks has been Ford's F-150 Lightning. Both the Rivian R1T and $110,000 Hummer EV pickup person been dilatory to ramp up production, portion Lordstown conscionable started delivering vehicles to commercialized customers.

The plan of the conception electrical Ram pickup appears to beryllium much of a manner pickup alternatively than a accepted enactment truck, but executives said the accumulation conveyance volition service some purposes.

Koval highlighted a midgate, which tin unfastened to link the furniture to the cabin, and a furniture extender that volition let owners to haul an 18-foot portion of lumber successful the vehicle.

Stellantis Chief Design Officer Ralph Gilles described the wide plan of the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV conception arsenic "brutiful," a operation of "brute" and "beautiful."

"The TRX (a show mentation of the Ram 1500) has that successful spades," Gilles told CNBC. "It's pugnacious arsenic nails but someway is inactive beauteous and attractive. We wanted this motortruck to person that aforesaid beingness but beryllium aiming toward the future."