Ram getting rid of the 5.7 in favor of an Inline 6?

[HemiDude]

I, too, am musing at the transformation from a 6 vs 8 thread to an ev vs gas discussion. As I mentioned in my post earlier, I am not against ev. However, let me present this: I usually drive my Ram when I am working local. At times, my job puts me on the road for long runs. I have had weeks where I head out in my company car on Monday from central Ohio to Philadelphia. Tuesday I drive from Philly to Jersey, where I conduct business for a couple of days. Thursday I drive back from Jersey to Ohio. A majority of my trip is spent on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Anyone who has ever encountered an accident or construction delays on the turnpike can attest, if you don't start with a full tank of gas, you will be stranded. There are precious few places to exit. It's hard for me to imagine what that looks like with a fully battery powered vehicle. Things would have to change drastically for this trip to make sense driving an ev.

 

[ktl5005]

The problem with this rush to switch to EV.

there is no infrastructure to support them. As of today I can’t take an EV from Scranton PA to Wildwood NJ. Why? Range is too far, no charging stations and even if there was no way your charging in the time it takes to add a tank of gas.

I’m all for the switch, but we are rushing when there is no infrastructure in place to support it. Until there is, you could say goodbye to vacations.

 

[theblet]

True. Also, the electrical grid is gonna $h!t when everyone’s charging their vehicles.

 

[ktl5005]

True. Also, the electrical grid is gonna $h!t when everyone’s charging their vehicles.

Exactly. 10 years from now unless they start building the infrastructure, we’re going to be in deep Doo Doo

 

[Grape_Ape]

Grape_Ape- if you live in a rural area, I would expect you to be less naive. "I really don't see any real cons to electric." I suppose you may have the same perspective on ethanol. However, theblet nailed it in his post.

EV requirements and ethanol mandates are examples of overreach by the federal government (and "new world order") to introduce regulations and taxes that nobody wants. It is the phony creation of "demand" through the use of federal requirements intended to pass an agenda. I've lived in Iowa my entire life, and ethanol production does no favors to the environment. It encourages overproduction of corn to the detriment of the environment, water, and wildlife habitat. Bio and soy diesel have the same impacts. Why do you think 90% or more of waterways in Iowa are impaired? Further downstream, take a moment to read about the dead zone at the mouth of the Mississippi.

The expansion of EV and the surge in demand for rare earth minerals needed for the batteries and micro chips to run these vehicles and to upgrade the infrastructure will have the same consequences. Anybody who thinks these "green" initiatives are truly for the benefit of the environment are being either tacitly or passively ignorant. Don't get me started on the stupid wind turbines either...

For anybody who is drinking the Kool Aid on increasing our dependency on EV, I highly encourage you to read the book "One Second After". The forward is written by Newt Gingrich, and it is a story based on real world studies on the massive vulnerability of this nation's electrical grid and infrastructure. It is a sobering tale to say the least.

I'd expect people's reading comprehension to be better before being called naive. I believe I said explicitly "that I don't really believe this but screw the environment. The power from an EV sounds awesome." Implying that I don't buy the green aspect from it. The irony is not lost on me that we're still charging them from fossil fuels.

I also believe I pointed out that our infrastructure needs to be addressed as a whole and the past 2 presidents and biden (so far; not holding my breath) have failed to persuade congress to do anything about it. Despite making it a component of their campaign.

 

[SpeedyV]

I’m all for the switch, but we are rushing when there is no infrastructure in place to support it. Until there is, you could say goodbye to vacations.

Vacations are a bad example. I'm sure you've rented a car before.

The truth is that for a very small percentage of drivers with frequent extended-range trips or frequent towing, EVs don't make any sense right now. But for pretty much every other use case, they are already capable.

Quick math says I'm averaging about 1-2 tanks of gas a month right now—mainly running errands and hitting the gym. If I switched to an equivalent EV (e.g. F-150 Lightning), I'd have to charge it 2-3 nights per month. Ironically, I wouldn't even have to drive to the gas station to do that.

Now, the one time every few years where I take a big road trip instead of flying, I'd have to do a lot of advance planning or rent a vehicle. I'd be okay with that minor inconvenience on an infrequent basis.

Back on topic...I'm not going to be writing anything new here, but the HEMI makes sense from a simplicity and general reliability standpoint. It's never going to break records for economy (or specific power output). It just "does the job", and it sounds good doing it. A small displacement forced-induction engine would almost certainly provide better power and economy, perhaps with an increased risk for higher maintenance costs over the long term. A small turbo-electric hybrid would take this to the next level without the EV "uncertainty" others have posted. I guess we'll see what Stellantis announces in the very near future.

 

[Grape_Ape]

It's not the every day aspect that's the problem. It's the remaining 10% of truck use that makes it a non-starter. Try towing an rv/trailer with an all electric truck and then tell me A) you managed to get where you intended to go, B) it only took a few extra hours for charging stops, and C) it was as stress free as gas/diesel.

I'm all for an inline 6 hybrid for those that want them. But "all electric" is not going to fly in at least 20 years unless your truck duty is no different than what a civic would do.

That's fair. I feel like there is a compromise though somewhere in the middle that makes it a reality in 5-10 yrs vs 20.

 

[silver billet]

That's fair. I feel like there is a compromise though somewhere in the middle that makes it a reality in 5-10 yrs vs 20.

I feel the compromise is "hybrid". Best of both worlds for now, and gives time for the electric grid to catch up and expand. I'm not anti tech, or anti electric (commuter cars? Perfect candidates.), but for trucks and towing I can't see all electric working anytime soon.

 

[Grape_Ape]

I feel the compromise is "hybrid". Best of both worlds for now, and gives time for the electric grid to catch up and expand. I'm not anti tech, or anti electric (commuter cars? Perfect candidates.), but for trucks and towing I can't see all electric working anytime soon

Sure, I've been trying to wrap my head around it and I think we'd have to change our perception of hybrid. Currently we have a weak electric system behind a strong ICE system. The powerboost for example.

I feel like if we swapped those it would make for a viable solution. Maybe a 3 motor electric truck that qualifies as heavy duty that has an on board diesel generator for range extension for example.

 

[Eighty]

Sure, I've been trying to wrap my head around it and I think we'd have to change our perception of hybrid. Currently we have a weak electric system behind a strong ICE system. The powerboost for example.

I feel like if we swapped those it would make for a viable solution. Maybe a 3 motor electric truck that qualifies as heavy duty that has an on board diesel generator for range extension for example.

So in other words, we should still just drive around with fuel-burning engines. Amiright?

 

[SpeedyV]

So in other words, we should still just drive around with fuel-burning engines. Amiright?

We all just need faster horses

 

[Jako]

We all just need faster horses

Ah yes "The Good Old Days"

 

[dwalme]

Yup. Don't believe everything you hear on the news, or from the elite class. Their motivation has nothing to do with helping you, or the environment.

What is their motivation?

 

[Grape_Ape]

So in other words, we should still just drive around with fuel-burning engines. Amiright?

lol I did think about that after I wrote it. I do honestly believe electric motors can provide superior performance to current combustion engines though. The 100% torque is amazing. I mentioned my profession. I've seen little electric motors on gear boxes provide 500k lbs of torque. The sky is the limit with electricity. It's just charging it.

 

[Jako]

What is their motivation?

I don't speak for all politicians but I would go with the formula of gross worth at start of political career and gross worth at end of political career.
How does their income grow so incremental on such a comparable small salary!

Why does money have so much power? - HR Future

As the extent of the theft of public money becomes clearer, more and more people are being exposed for what they are prepared to do, or not do, for money.

www.hrfuture.net

And from NYC the mayor's wife has an unaccounted "900 million".

NYC Mayor De Blasio's wife spent $900 million in taxpayer money—with no record of how it was used | Blaze Media

She has some explaining to do

www.theblaze.com

 

[SpeedyV]

Ah yes "The Good Old Days"
View attachment 98611

Well, it was a subtle reference to a quote from Henry Ford…

 

[Biga]

Inline 6 is a great design, well balanced. An inline motor has 40% less moving parts than it's V-shaped cousin. The only downside to an inline configuration is engine length

I agree, I'm interested to actually see this come to fruition. The Ram has a long engine compartment and I it appears to be designed to fit in inline six in the first place.

 

[ForTehNguyen]

The ecoboosts have a problem towing, they work so hard that towing up hills in the summer they overheat. Checkout TFL truck where Andre pretty much overheated his little power boost pulling a modest load up a long hill. The hemi will heat up somewhat too, but Andre's truck actually cut power.

in one TFL video the ecoboost hybrid made 2 mpg less (6.5 mpg) than the hemi V8 Ram (8.5 mpg) towing the same load and route. The joke with Ecoboost is "Eco or Boost, pick one, cant have both"

 

[cdn.tbird]

Came across an interesting article in my newsfeed today. If their estimates of enough lithium to produce batteries for 6 million EVs by mid-2024 (and 15x cleaner than current lithium mining) become reality, this could be a game changer.

GM shakes up lithium industry with California geothermal project

General Motors Co (GM.N) is investing in a U.S. lithium project that could become the country's largest by 2024, making the automaker one of the first to develop its own source of a battery metal crucial for the electrification of cars and trucks.

www.reuters.com

Keep in mind as far as range and charging times is concerned, we're at the beginning just like when the first gas powered cars started showing up. When V8s first started replacing inline engines, popular opinion was that they were too delicate and wouldn't last. Things will improve.

And this may just be the fact that I'm too old and crusty but as much as I love my 5.7L Hemi, the sound can't hold a candle to a 383 with a 6 pack exhaling though long pipe headers and a thrush mufflers.

 

[theblet]

What is their motivation?

Money and power. And staying in power once they get there.