With a claimed range of 500 miles, the Ram 1500 REV is the clear winner in the race for longest-range EV pickup. But does the massive battery that provides this range compromise the new Ram EV?
The folks at Ram have thrown down the gauntlet in the electric pickup arms race with a whopper of a battery that delivers whopping range and towing ability. Unveiled at the New York International Auto Show, the new Ram 1500 REV promises up to 500 miles of range – far more than the longest-range Ford F-150 Lightning and more than what the Chevrolet Silverado EV promises – but it does so with the largest battery we’ve yet seen in an electric vehicle. With 229 kWh of capacity, it might take you more than a day on a Level 2 charger to take on a full charge. So is the Ram 1500 brilliant or crazy?
The 2025 Ram 1500 REV will actually offer buyers two different all-electric options. The entry point is a 168-kWh battery pack, which the company says has a targeted range of up to 350 miles – already better than a long-range F-150 Lightning, though with a battery that is more than 50 percent bigger.
The optional 229-kWh battery pack – twice the size of that in the Lightning, and even bigger than in the monstrous GMC Hummer EV pickup – targets 500 miles of range. Ram says that thanks to 800-volt technology and the ability to DC fast-charge at up to 350 kW, drivers can still add over 100 miles of range in just 10 minutes, with a suitable charger.
Such a big battery offers advantages and disadvantages. The extreme range is just one of the advantages, giving the Ram 1500 REV longer legs than any competitor – and making it a winner for road trips. The huge battery pack should also help towing performance: the F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T have been criticized for losing range rapidly when exercising their impressive towing capability. But even when saddled with up to 14,000 pounds on the trailer hitch, the truck should be able to go a couple hundred miles before needing a charge.
On the other hand, the huge batteries also create compromises. It’s no surprise that Ram is not disclosing the curb weight of the 1500 REV, which is bound to be pavement-crushing. With a smaller battery, the GMC Hummer EV tips the scales at 9,000 pounds; we expect the Ram 1500 REV to be in the same ballpark with the largest battery option. And when charging at home, as most owners will, a huge amount of time will be needed to fully fill the battery. On the other hand, if the vehicle is mostly used for daily commuting, a Level 2 home charger will be fine for a daily top-up – with the disadvantage of having to carry around a lot of extra battery pack for no real benefit. It’s a real conundrum.
Gigantic battery aside, Ram has packed the 1500 REV with lots of interesting features. Vehicle-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-grid bi-directional charging gives this new electric pickup the flexibility to charge another battery-electric vehicle or even provide power back to the electrical grid. Like Ford’s F-150 Lightning, the 1500 REV can also send power to a home during a storm, run a tailgate party or provide power at a camp or job site. An on-board power panel in the pickup bed can provide up to 7.2 kW of juice while an available onboard power panel in the front trunk provides up to 3.6 kW.
All-wheel drive is standard on the Ram 1500 REV. Dual 250-kW electric drive modules combine a motor, gearbox, and inverter in a compact unit; there’s one on the front axle and one on the rear, and the front module can disconnect to improve efficiency in certain conditions. Total power output is 654 horsepower and 620 lb-ft of torque, and Ram claims a 0-60 mph time of 4.4 seconds. In addition to the 14,000-pound towing capacity, there is a 2,700-pound payload. Impressive numbers for any pickup – let alone an electric one.
The 2025 Ram 1500 REV is still built using a sturdy structure, which Ram calls its STLA Frame – it is designed specifically for full-size electric vehicles featuring a body-on-frame design. The all-new, high-strength steel frame is comprised of advanced materials and is stiff, light, and durable. Compared to gasoline pickups, the STLA Frame is wider in the middle to accommodate the battery pack while still offering the protection of the frame rails. A full-length aero belly pan further enhances the segment’s most slippery truck with an estimated .340 coefficient of drag.
Drivers should enjoy impressive ride and handling thanks to a multi-link independent rear suspension with standard four-corner air suspension with adaptive damping. The adjustable air suspension enables five different modes including entry/exit, aero, normal, off-road 1 and off-road 2. Entry/exit and aero lower the vehicle, while the two off-road modes raise it to increase ground clearance; Ram claims water fording capability of up to 24 inches.
The Ram 1500 REV has a familiar, if high-tech look that is closely related to the gasoline Ram 1500 inside and out. There are signature “tuning fork” LED headlamps, a one-touch power operated front trunk with 15 cu.-ft. of space, and body color trim throughout. Located by the driver’s door, the charge port is illuminated and has an audible signal when charging commences. Out back, there’s lockable bed storage on either side, a 115-volt outlet, and more.
On the inside, this electric truck looks and feels familiar, and is clearly related to the regular Ram 1500. The highest trim levels feature premium materials such as carbon-fiber, metal and leather elements. There’s also the excellent Uconnect 5 infotainment system, a vertical 14.5-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a segment-first 10.25-inch passenger screen, a digital rear-view mirror, and a heads-up display. There are more screens in this truck than you can shake a stick at.
As one would expect, this model also comes with a number of advanced driver assistance systems. Capabilities include hands-free active driving assist and ParkSense automated parking system. Active driving assist is available for hands-on-wheel/eyes-on-road and hands-free/eyes-on-road automated driving. It uses lane centering and the adaptive cruise control’s multiple sensors, including radars and cameras, to dictate appropriate roads for the technology.
The 2025 Ram 1500 REV is available in five trims, including Tradesman, Big Horn/Lone Star, Laramie, Limited and, introducing an all-new top-of-the-line trim, Tungsten. Ram promises an even longer-range version, rumored to include a gasoline range extender for the battery, called the Ram 1500 Rev XR, later. No final pricing has been announced yet; watch this space for details.
Senior Editor and GreenCars Contributor
Laurance Yap worked for a decade as an automotive journalist before joining Porsche, where he ran PR and marketing in Canada. He led global marketing for RM Sotheby’s, and is a senior manager at GreenCars and a regular contributor to the site.
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