A "Goldilocks" electric pickup truck with 700 miles driving range
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2026 Ram 1500 extended-range Ramcharger. Photo courtesy of Stellantis
Stellantis is calling its upcoming Ram 1500 extended-range Ramcharger the Goldilocks of pickup trucks — an electric truck with a backup gas-powered generator good for nearly 700 miles of worry-free driving.
Why it matters: Extended-range EVs, already popular in China, are a bridge technology for consumers who aren't ready to commit to a fully-electric vehicle whether because of cost, charging access or other concerns.
- And, because they use a much smaller battery, they're also thousands of dollars cheaper than a fully-electric equivalent model.
- The Ramcharger will be the first extended-range pickup for sale in the U.S.
Driving the news: Amid slowing demand for electric pickups, Stellantis in December shuffled its product plans, pulling the Ramcharger ahead of the Ram 1500 REV, its first battery-electric truck.
- The Ramcharger will be available for sale in the second half of 2025, while the fully-electric version is pushed to 2026.
Zoom in: The Ramcharger's 92-kw battery is good for 145 miles of pure electric driving, after which a 3.6-liter gasoline engine kicks on to power an onboard generator.
- Total range is expected to be up to 690 miles.
- The truck only runs on electricity; the engine powers the generator, but not the wheels.
Between the lines: One of the complaints about electric pickup trucks is that the driving range drops significantly when towing or hauling, or climbing up a steep grade.
- The advantage of the backup generator is that performance doesn't suffer, Stellantis said.
- The Ramcharger can tow 14,000 pounds and carry more than 2,600 pounds of cargo.
- "There are absolutely no downsides," Ram brand CEO Tim Kuniskis said.
What to watch: Pricing has yet to be announced.
- In a briefing for reporters Monday, Kuniskis floated a hypothetical price of $69,995.
- That's higher than a typical gasoline pickup, but would be $8,000 to $14,000 below a fully electric model with a larger battery, he said.
