- The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV concept unveiled at CES 2023 is our first look at Ram’s first electric pickup, featuring sleek bodywork and a stretched cabin.
- The interior features a rail system that allows for customizable seating arrangements, and the power center door includes third-row jump seats and a pass-through to carry objects up to 18 feet long.
- Electric motors on the front and rear axles provide all-wheel drive, and Ram claims the steering wheel can be retracted into the dashboard for Level 3 autonomous driving.
While Ford is busy churning out thousands of F-150 Lightnings from its Dearborn, Michigan plant and Chevy is preparing the Silverado EV for its launch this year, Ram has so far stayed out of the electric truck arms race. But now at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show, Ram has unveiled the 1500 Revolution BEV concept, previewing the electric 1500 pickup that will arrive in 2024 and giving the first hint of the brand’s future styling direction.
The concept features a sleek look, with a stretched wheelbase and swept-back windshield. The blacked-out front end is dominated by an illuminated “RAM” badge nestled between LED lights, which Ram refers to as having a “tuning fork” design. A large skid plate in the bumper hides an integrated tow hook, and the taillights and Ram badge on the tailgate are also LED.
The Revolution is decked out with a power front, charge port, flush door handles, side steps and rear step, and we expect most of these features to make it to production, at least on the more expensive trims. The rear door can also be opened outward—like a barn door—to extend the bed a few more feet to haul larger loads.
The concept also shows the coach doors—the rear doors opening in the opposite direction to the front doors—allowing Ram to remove the B-pillar for easier ingress and egress. We imagine these flashy doors will be scrapped for production, but a 3D-printed lightweight camera that replaces the side mirrors could make it if US regulations change. The 1500 Revolution rides on 35-inch tires wrapped around 24-inch wheels, with a flared center cap that stays still as the wheels spin, just like on Rolls-Royces.
The cab is four inches longer than on current gas-powered trucks and features a “Ram Track,” an above-the-floor rail attachment system that allows for flexible interior configurations. Rails also act as fasteners for cargo and are also present in the frunk and bed. The lightweight seat—which has an integrated seat belt, grab handle and speaker—can be folded flat or removed completely.
The two rows of seats can also be supplemented with a third-row jump seat, which Ram says is mounted on the power center door and can be attached to the bed, echoing the Subaru Brat of the late 1970s. Unfortunately Ram didn’t provide any photos showing the jump seats, but the center door is also said to include an entryway that extends all the way to the frunk—an idea previously seen on the Bollinger B2—and can accommodate objects that are 18 feet long.
Continuing the cabin’s theme of adaptability, the center console can be removed to increase interior space, while the armrest converts to a table. The “tuning fork” design reappears on the dashboard via orange ambient lighting, which flows behind the dual display setup totaling 28 inches of touchscreen. The bottom screen can be removed and used as a tablet or adjusted into three different positions—minimum view, extended view, and full screen view—while the top screen also appears to be able to slide on the Ram Track system.
As expected from an electric truck concept, the interior is filled with high-end technology, from a 360-degree camera system to an AI-powered voice-activated assistant and augmented reality in the head-up display. The octagonal steering wheel has a small built-in screen, while the glass roof has an electro-chromatic panel that can adjust its opacity individually. Sustainable materials are also found throughout the interior, including leather made from the byproducts of the apple industry and flooring constructed from recycled rubber and cork.
Another neat feature on the Revolution 1500 is Shadow Mode, where the truck autonomously follows the driver as they walk ahead, which Ram says will save time on short trips around the job site. There are also several cabin modes that change seat position, ambient lighting, window opacities, suspension and more with the push of a button.
The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV concept is built on the body-on-frame STLA Frame EV platform and has two electric motors, one on each axle, for all-wheel drive. No power output or performance stats are given, but Ram says that up to 100 miles of range can be added in around 10 minutes with 800-volt DC fast charging up to 350 kW. Rear-wheel steering with up to 15 degrees of movement should improve the big truck’s agility in tight spaces at low speeds, and the air suspension can be set to three levels: in/out, aero and off-road.
Ram also says the concept is capable of Level 3 autonomous driving, where the steering wheel retracts and “interior lighting, AR HUD, smart seats and the steering wheel work together to provide the driver with next-level situational awareness.” An external projector also communicates with the driver and can turn the truck into a mobile cinema. Ram also says drivers can manage their smart home from the truck and can use a phone app to measure objects and determine how best to carry them in the Revolution.
More information on the production version of the 1500 Revolution BEV will come in the coming months, ahead of the electric truck’s launch in 2024. For now, the concept seems to give a pretty clear idea of what’s to come and some of the technological innovations Ram aims to bring to the segment. electric truck.
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This content is imported from polls. You may be able to find similar content in other formats, or you may be able to find more information, on their website.