REV vs Ramcharger - who would buy a REV?

[HSKR R/T]

You can plug it in. It's a hybrid. It's an electric vehicle.

Why debate technicalities of terminology?

It's not a "hybrid" by definition because the ICE doesn't provide propulsion when the batteries are low. It just turns a generator. Will be interesting to see how the auto industry and insurance companies classify it. It's definitely its own class.

 

[StuartV]

It's not a "hybrid" by definition because the ICE doesn't provide propulsion when the batteries are low. It just turns a generator. Will be interesting to see how the auto industry and insurance companies classify it. It's definitely its own class.

You can take the battery pack out and the ICE can still propel the truck.

How is that not a hybrid?

I'm speaking somewhat figuratively, of course. But, I've read at least two different articles that said the under certain conditions, the electricity from the ICE generator will go directly to driving the wheels.

Whether the ICE propels the truck by turning a torque converter that turns a transmission, etc. to turn the wheels, or whether the ICE propels the truck by turning a generator that sends electricity to turn an electric motor to turn the wheels, I'd still say the ICE is propelling the truck.

It seems accepted that you could drive the truck even with the battery fully depleted.

It is a hybrid.

 

[Jimmy07]

It's not a "hybrid" by definition because the ICE doesn't provide propulsion when the batteries are low. It just turns a generator. Will be interesting to see how the auto industry and insurance companies classify it. It's definitely its own class.

Looks like the US Dept of Energy already has vehicles that would function like the ramcharger classified as series hybrid:

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles

 

[silver billet]

You can take the battery pack out and the ICE can still propel the truck.

How is that not a hybrid?

I'm speaking somewhat figuratively, of course. But, I've read at least two different articles that said the under certain conditions, the electricity from the ICE generator will go directly to driving the wheels.

Whether the ICE propels the truck by turning a torque converter that turns a transmission, etc. to turn the wheels, or whether the ICE propels the truck by turning a generator that sends electricity to turn an electric motor to turn the wheels, I'd still say the ICE is propelling the truck.

It seems accepted that you could drive the truck even with the battery fully depleted.

It is a hybrid.

Names aside, the ram charger engine will never directly drive the wheels. It's a generator system only. No torque converter, no transmission, just a generator to feed the battery.

 

[Belvedere]

I don't care about labels. I was never interested in the REV, but the wife and I are both excited about the Ramcharger. I'm a plymouth guy though, so might call mine a Trailduster if I get it.

As for pure EV, we have considered a small car for commuting, but this could take care of that want as well.

 

[StuartV]

Names aside, the ram charger engine will never directly drive the wheels. It's a generator system only. No torque converter, no transmission, just a generator to feed the battery.

Others have quoted to me the definition of "hybrid", which says, basically, that the ICE propels the vehicle. It doesn't say "directly propels". Propelling it by generating electrons that go directly to an electric motor to turn the wheels seems like it qualifies as "propels the vehicle", to me. The vehicle goes. It would not "go" if the ICE was not running and the battery pack was depleted. There is nothing else propelling it...

 

[Belvedere]

 

[Biga]

I think the Rev is okay if you just want an electric vehicle but if you actually want a truck to do truck things and be able to go the distance the RamCharger will be better for most.

 

[silver billet]

Others have quoted to me the definition of "hybrid", which says, basically, that the ICE propels the vehicle. It doesn't say "directly propels". Propelling it by generating electrons that go directly to an electric motor to turn the wheels seems like it qualifies as "propels the vehicle", to me. The vehicle goes. It would not "go" if the ICE was not running and the battery pack was depleted. There is nothing else propelling it...

It's a generator. It doesn't propel the truck, it charges the battery. Compared to (say) the volt where the gas engine charges the battery and is also connected physically to the drive train at times, at which point (when running in that mode) the engine definitely propels the car.

We can talk about various definitions of "propel", but taking your definition to the extreme I guess we can say EVs in my area are propelled by rain because rain falls from the sky, runs through a lake, turns a fancy water wheel, generates electricity, charges the EV then powers it.

If you put an engine in a truck and say "the engine propels the truck", literally everyone will think it's physically driving the wheels through the use of a transmission etc.

 

[AV8OR]

Chevy Volt - Once you have depleted the battery the load on the motor / generator is the same. From what I understand you can still motor down the highway at 70 mph on strictly ICE power.

Ramcharger - Once the battery is depleted how is that motor / generator going to handle a big square box that weighs 10,000 pounds? One weekend it’s just you and the wife on a 700 mile trip and the next weekend you are pulling a 10,000 pound trailer so will you be in the ”limp mode” for the last 150 miles doing 35 mph or do you have to pull over to charge the battery with the genset for 30 minutes?

This guy ask the same questions on what happens when the battery is dead and you are pulling a trailer -

 

[silver billet]

Chevy Volt - Once you have depleted the battery the load on the motor / generator is the same. From what I understand you can still motor down the highway at 70 mph on strictly ICE power.

Ramcharger - Once the battery is depleted how is that motor / generator going to handle a big square box that weighs 10,000 pounds? One weekend it’s just you and the wife on a 700 mile trip and the next weekend you are pulling a 10,000 pound trailer so will you be in the ”limp mode” for the last 150 miles doing 35 mph or do you have to pull over to charge the battery with the genset for 30 minutes?

This guy ask the same questions on what happens when the battery is dead and you are pulling a trailer -

Those YT guys are just drumming up drama for click counts.

Let's give Ram the benefit of the doubt here and assume they've thought about what happens when pulling a trailer. They probably have some profile that keeps the battery above a certain percentage, at which point you run out of gas before battery. I doubt they let it get to 0 and then turn on the generator.

 

[HSKR R/T]

Chevy Volt - Once you have depleted the battery the load on the motor / generator is the same. From what I understand you can still motor down the highway at 70 mph on strictly ICE power.

Ramcharger - Once the battery is depleted how is that motor / generator going to handle a big square box that weighs 10,000 pounds? One weekend it’s just you and the wife on a 700 mile trip and the next weekend you are pulling a 10,000 pound trailer so will you be in the ”limp mode” for the last 150 miles doing 35 mph or do you have to pull over to charge the battery with the genset for 30 minutes?

This guy ask the same questions on what happens when the battery is dead and you are pulling a trailer -

Considering nobody making videos like that know anything about the truck in real world usez or how it operates, I'd take it with a grain of salt. I highly doubt there will be a "limp mode" when on generator power. I would hope they sized it enough to provide proper output to keep it operating normally. And as Silver Bullet said, I'd be highly surprised if they let the battery completely drain before switching on the ICE to power generator.

 

[Jimmy07]

Chevy Volt - Once you have depleted the battery the load on the motor / generator is the same. From what I understand you can still motor down the highway at 70 mph on strictly ICE power.

Ramcharger - Once the battery is depleted how is that motor / generator going to handle a big square box that weighs 10,000 pounds? One weekend it’s just you and the wife on a 700 mile trip and the next weekend you are pulling a 10,000 pound trailer so will you be in the ”limp mode” for the last 150 miles doing 35 mph or do you have to pull over to charge the battery with the genset for 30 minutes?

This guy ask the same questions on what happens when the battery is dead and you are pulling a trailer -

Here’s an article that explains more about towing, drive modes, and power distribution.
While nobody is ever going to do this, you can technically drive throughout the entire ownership of the ramcharger without ever plugging it in to charge the battery. And, on the other hand, it’s possible to go without ever using any fuel.

Range Sucks When Towing with Electric Trucks, but Not with the 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger

The Ramcharger’s dual-electric-motor drive system is fed by a plug-in battery and a 3.6-liter V-6-powered generator to deliver a claimed 690 miles of combined range.

www.caranddriver.com

 

[AV8OR]

From what I understand is the Chevy Volt will automatically use the gas in the tank before the gas goes bad.

 

[HSKR R/T]

From what I understand is the Chevy Volt will automatically use the gas in the tank before the gas goes bad.

Does it have a sensor that can detect if the gas is going be?

 

[habu987]

Those YT guys are just drumming up drama for click counts.

Let's give Ram the benefit of the doubt here and assume they've thought about what happens when pulling a trailer. They probably have some profile that keeps the battery above a certain percentage, at which point you run out of gas before battery. I doubt they let it get to 0 and then turn on the generator.

I've read approximately 25 different articles on the Ramcharger and one of 'em stated exactly that. No clue which particular article it was, but it stated that there is a built in buffer (30%?) and the ICE will maintain that buffer under load conditions. I believe that article also stated the ICE runs in several power generating profiles based on the state of charge.

The Pentastar, unless Ram severely detuned it on the upper end, should be easily capable of maintaining a charge level in the battery under pretty much any load condition.

 

[theblet]

how fast the v6 will charge the batteries? I don’t know how they label that generator was a 130kw.

 

[arod412]

The Ramcharger doesn't use the turbo engine - it uses the pentastar V6.

Correction....I'm just taking about engine in general for ram and 2025. Not just the ev side.

The pentastar engine in the ramcharger is technically just a big a$$ generator. Pretty expensive generator to be honest. Could probly go with something alot smaller.

2022 Ram Big Horn Back Country
2016 Dodge Charger scat pack
2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara

 

[theblet]

The pentastar engine in the ramcharger is technically just a big a$$ generator. Pretty expensive generator to be honest. Could probly go with something alot smaller.

Right, but do you have to run it for 8 hours to charge the batteries? Does it keep them at the same level while driving, or just buy a few extra miles?

 

[arod412]

Right, but do you have to run it for 8 hours to charge the batteries? Does it keep them at the same level while driving, or just buy a few extra miles?

Don't know when the engine actually kicks in. My guess here is that you still have to charge it normally as an EV. Then at some point maybe 30-40% charge left, the engine kicks in to charge it...but not completely charge the battery.

Don't think that the engine would be designed to fully charge the battery. Its to just supplement the battery when it gets to a specific battery level.

That's my thought. Just kinda curious to why putting a full size v6 engine. Don't need a trans, but then your going to need to service that engine. It sounds more like a reverse hybrid.

2022 Ram Big Horn Back Country
2016 Dodge Charger scat pack
2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara