If you aren’t already sitting down, I promise you’re going to want to do that right now. We have shocking news, and it really isn’t the kind of thing you should read standing up. Citing an email sent to members of the Ram Insider+ program, Edmunds reports the Ram 1500 REV is officially dead. Yes, the fully electric Ram pickup that was initially announced with an optional 229-kWh battery will never see the light of day. If only we could have possibly seen this coming. We could have been more prepared.
OK, so yes, Ram did announce back in December that the 1500 REV had been delayed. And sure, we also learned back in January that Ram would no longer offer the 229-kWh version with an estimated 500-mile range. Oh, and then we learned in April that the heavy-duty version of the upcoming electric pickup truck had also been scrapped. And yeah, we already knew Dodge was struggling to sell the electric Charger. And, of course, Ram just brought back the V8 with a “symbol of protest” badge, but still. It’s not like there were any signs the American arm of Stellantis might bail on its electric truck.
RIP REV
And yet, Ram Insider+ members reportedly received an email that read:
Our multi-energy platforms, alongside our existing offerings, are engineered to support a range of powertrain options. This strategic direction continues as we evaluate the needs of our customers and the impact of recent economic developments.
In response to customer feedback, and rapidly slowing industry demand for full-size BEV pickups, the brand is discontinuing development of the battery electric Ram 1500 (formally known as the Ram 1500 Rev).
Ram has since released a statement that reads:
As demand for full-size battery electric trucks slows in North America, Stellantis is reassessing its product strategy and will discontinue development of a full-size BEV pickup. As part of this, Ram is renaming its REEV-powered pickup to Ram 1500 REV (formerly Ramcharger). This vehicle will set a new benchmark in the half-ton segment, offering exceptional range, towing capability, and payload performance.
While it’s disappointing to see Stellantis back off on EVs in the U.S., it’s unlikely the 1500 REV would have been either competitive or popular. Ram isn’t wrong that demand for full-size electric trucks is faltering, and both Ford and Chevrolet already beat Ram to the electric pickup punch. By the time the REV launched, the F-150 Lightning could have easily been on its fifth model year. That isn’t exactly striking while the iron is hot. Also, knowing dealers, they probably would have added huge markups that made the truck even harder to sell.
So as much as I’d love to see more EV options in the U.S., I’m not too broken up about the fact that we won’t see another full-size electric pickup truck that MotorTrend expected to weigh about 7,500 pounds. Plus, the range-extended Ramcharger is still coming, even if it lost its cool name in the process.
