This is the Ram 1500 Revolution all-electric pick-up concept, revealed at CES.

With Ram saying that its entire line-up will be available with electrified variants in the future, the 1500 Revolution marks quite a statement of intent, with the company, while not revealing every detail such as battery size and range, saying that the pick-up has all-wheel-drive capability, is powered by two electric drive modules (EDMs), and will have a battery pack that will be efficiently incorporated into the company’s STLA body-on-frame platform. It added that the pick-up will be able to add up 160km of range in around 10 minutes with 800-volt DC fast charging at up to 350kW.

Ram showcased a new inductive robot charger – the Ram Charger – with the 1500 Revolution. It is designed to detect the vehicle’s presence and its charging requirements, and automatically move into position under the vehicle. Smart-charge capability will allow charging during off-peak time.

Four-wheel steering is on tap for the 1500 Revolution with up to 15 degrees of articulation, and there’s three-mode adjustable air suspension too. Inside, is a high-tech, spacious interior, and the placement and size of the battery allows for plenty of cargo volume.

Lots of top tech and goodies are stuffed into the 1500 Revolution. Powered features include a frunk with one-touch open-and-close functionality, a powered charge-port door, and powered tailgate, while there are also powered side steps and a powered rear step. The interior is configurable in plenty of ways with a powered mid-gate and flexible seating including a fold-flat option.

Side-view mirrors use a digital camera to capture the truck’s surroundings, and there’s an augmented reality (AR) head-up display for the driver. Other nifty features include an AI-powered vehicle personal assistant; a ‘shadow mode’ that allows the vehicle to automatically follow the driver walking ahead of the vehicles; an intelligent storage app that helps users measure objects to determine if they can be transported in the vehicle; an exterior projector; and a smart home control system, amongst much else. The company says there’s Level 3+ autonomous mode driver capability too, and the full touchscreen display, which is comprised of two screens, offers acres of display space. A nice touch is that the lower display is removable and can be detached from the centre console and used as a tablet.

All this technology and clever thinking hasn’t led to a Cybertruck-like reimagining of the pick-up truck. The 1500 Revolution is recognisably a chunky American beast, even with some tasty touches – including saloon-style doors, animated LED tail-lamps and badging at the rear and animated RAM badge upfront between nice ‘tuning fork’ LED lights. Ram actually refers to the styling as ‘brutiful’ – brutal yet beautiful – and that’s a pretty good description.

VIDEO: RAM REVOLUTION CONCEPT | REVEAL

Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (February 2023) 

14 February 2023