Ram Aims to Start a Revolution at CES

The Ram Revolution Concept is here. Ram took the wraps off its competitor to the Ford F-150 Lightning and Chevrolet Silverado EV at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas today.

The truck also debuts Ram's new grille, which has animated badging and an animated LED "tuning fork" headling design. Out back, the rear lighting is also LED. The doors open saloon style and there's no B pillar, and a new interior features a removable center console space that has a fold-flat surface.

Ram has also given the truck what it claims is an industry first -- third-row jump seats.

The truck has a powered midgate with mounted jump seats and a removable lower section. This sets up various seating configurations and a pass-through into the front trunk that allows users to stow objects that are up to 18 feet (yes, feet, I had to check that twice) long.

The body-on-frame Revolution has underbody panels and an active diffuser. Two electric drive modules allow for all-wheel drive. Ram is promising that 100 miles of range can be added in 10 minutes with 800-volt DC fast charging at up to 350 kW.

There's more -- the Revolution has four-wheel steering with up to 15 degrees of articulation.

If the concept intrigues you, the production model will be launched in 2024. We'll note here that Ford has been selling the Lightning since this year, and the Chevy is projected to go on sale next year. You can even buy a Rivian right now. So Ram has some catching up to do.

Of course, the company claims this is just the first truck in a lineup that will be electrified over time.

"The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept is our clearest signal yet that we’re on the precipice of something extraordinary at Ram and points directly to where we’re going on our electrified journey,” said Mike Koval Jr., Ram brand CEO – Stellantis, in a statement. "At Ram, we’ve redefined what pickup trucks can be and will do so again by pushing past what competitors are offering by delivering the best electric pickups on the market."

"The Ram Revolution represents several important things to the Ram brand," Koval said. "Of course, it’s our new Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept that serves as a roadmap to our electrified future. Yet Ram Revolution is also our philosophy as we redefine the pickup segment, with a steady drumbeat of announcements and initiatives as we embark on our electrified journey."

Other features we haven't already mentioned include a Ram box, a multi-function tailgate, a skid plate, and tow hooks that can sit flush.

The front trunk/frunk will have one-touch power operation; and the charge-port door, tailgate, flush-mounted door handles, side steps, and rear step with an active diffuser will all be powered.

The side-view mirrors will be smaller and lighter, thanks in part to 3D-printed parts and the use of a digital camera.

Ram has given this truck other tricks, such as a self-leveling ride and light-up center caps for the 24-inch wheels (the fenders can handle up to 35s). The cabin gains four inches of space over the current production truck, though the bed length remains the same.

Ram promises that the interior will not only offer different seating configurations but will also have plenty of sustainable materials, such as cork in the floor. The seats can fold flat.

A 28-inch dual-screen infotainment system is the dashboard's centerpiece, and the lower screen is removable. There's a 360-degree camera, a rearview-mirror camera, and the head-up display has augmented reality.

The steering wheel adds to the trickery -- it's flat-bottomed and flat-topped and it's collapsible. It also offers capacitive touch and digital screens, and some of the interior controls can be adjusted just by swiping.

But wait, there's more! This truck has an artificial intelligence virtual assistant, a "shadow mode" that lets it follow a walking person at slow speeds (mostly so you can move the truck a few feet without getting back in), the ability to sync with drivers' schedules to optimize trips, and a "cabin mode" control that lets drivers set things up for how they're using the truck at any given moment at the press of a button. So, for example, if the driver is pulled over and wants to nap, he or she could select Relax Mode and the windows could darken so he or she could doze off.

There's still more: An app can help users figure out of items they want to haul will fit in the truck and how best to store said items. The truck has a projector feature that, yes, can be used to show movies. You can adjust your smart home via the infotainment. Finally, the truck has Level 3 autonomous driving, and the steering wheel can collapse to give you more space when that is engaged.

That's a lot -- Ram is clearly taking aim at the Lightning and its plethora of neat features for work and play. We'll see how many make it to production -- and if any of these features can, and will, be available on ICE trucks.

We're also curious to hear more about battery/range specs.

Let the electric full-size truck wars continue.

[Images: Ram]

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