REV vs Ramcharger - who would buy a REV?

[Darksteel165]

Perceptual motion machine folks!

 

[HSKR R/T]

The Ramcharger is marketed as an EV.

It's marketed as a hybrid if anything.

 

[HSKR R/T]

When you're driving you're using kW to propel the vehicle. The generator would have to produce more kW than you're consuming by driving.

The onboard generator for the Ramcharger can produce more kW than it takes to drive the motors.

 

[StuartV]

When you're driving you're using kW to propel the vehicle. The generator would have to produce more kW than you're consuming by driving.

Yep...

In hilly terrain you could be right but that's likely dependent on the terrain you're driving. On level ground you need very little power to keep the truck at a steady speed. Hence the advent of multiple displacement technology. I can see plenty of scenarios where the generator would surpass the power needed to keep the truck moving, with the excess being sent to charge the battery.

^ this.

They said the Ramcharge ICE drives a 130kW generator. 130kW is 174 HP.

As long as you are driving where it takes less than 174 HP to do what you're doing, then the rest is (or can be) charging the battery. And 174 HP is a fair bit of motivation...

And a quick Google search suggests that it probably takes 50 HP or less for our trucks to maintain highway speed on flat ground. So, it seems like it's not much of a stretch to believe that the onboard generator can let you drive around while also keeping the battery topped up. At least, as long as you are not continually drag racing up hill.

 

[Darksteel165]

It's marketed as a hybrid if anything.

Ill just leave these here...

 

[StuartV]

Ill just leave these here...

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To be fair, that first one says "Range Extended Electric Truck". It does not just say "Electric Truck" like you have it circled.

 

[StuartV]

Probably a nod to all the people who, if they said "hybrid", would drown out the party screaming "it's not a hybrid"!

 

[Darksteel165]

To be fair, that first one says "Range Extended Electric Truck". It does not just say "Electric Truck" like you have it circled.

Tesla calls their bigger battery extended range EV, theirs doesn't run on gas.
The word "Range Extended" means has a gas engine in it???

Probably a nod to all the people who, if they said "hybrid", would drown out the party screaming "it's not a hybrid"!

We have been asking for a Hybrid Ram for a while.
I fail to see how something being a hybrid is a bad thing. It's not a Prius.

 

[StuartV]

The Nissan X-Trail E-Power SUV has the same powertrain architecture.

Forbes calls it a "serial hybrid".

Nissan X-Trail 2023 E-POWER E-4ORCE Review: Electrified SUV Without The Hassle?

Can Nissan’s latest electrified X-Trail family SUV deliver the smooth driving of an EV without the range anxiety?

www.forbes.com

Motortrend calls it a series hybrid.

https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/nissan-x-trail-e-power-hybrid-first-drive-review/

But I digress...

 

[StuartV]

Tesla calls their bigger battery extended range EV, theirs doesn't run on gas.
The word "Range Extended" means has a gas engine in it???

Personally, I just take it to mean that it has more than JUST a battery in it. But, it's all Marketing, so you can't really pin an exact scientific definition on any of it.

We have been asking for a Hybrid Ram for a while.
I fail to see how something being a hybrid is a bad thing. It's not a Prius.

I agree! I say it's totally right to call it a hybrid. But, some people have already tried to argue against using that label for the Ramcharger...

I've been saying for years that plug-in hybrids are the way of the future. And when I say that, I'm not specifying whether it's an ICE driving a generator, or an ICE actually turning a driveshaft. I'm just saying that some combo of ICE and ability to drive purely off batteries that can be charged by plugging in is the way to go.

Though, today, it certainly does seem like the ICE-driving-a-generator variant is the best option around.

We should probably all be grateful to the greenies, at least a little bit, for pushing EVs so hard, which has contributed a lot to the EDMs and batteries that are now available to use in vehicles like the Ramcharger.

 

[theblet]

It’s definitely better than just an EV, because you have options. Just imagine evacuating for a hurricane, or even returning to the area after when there no power for 8 days.

Of course that’s an extreme scenario. I can just picture myself during normal use with an EV saying “where the hell can we charge this piece of crap for two hours so we can get home?”

Not gonna happen

 

[PurpleRT]

Solar panels decked out on a roof rack.. charging problem solved lmao


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[6of36]

Solar panels decked out on a roof rack.. charging problem solved lmao


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If the roof rack is the size of a house. A solar panel the size of the truck doesn't put out enough electricity, unless you park it for a month to charge.

 

[6of36]

It’s definitely better than just an EV, because you have options. Just imagine evacuating for a hurricane, or even returning to the area after when there no power for 8 days.

Of course that’s an extreme scenario. I can just picture myself during normal use with an EV saying “where the hell can we charge this piece of crap for two hours so we can get home?”

Not gonna happen

Extreme? weren't you around in I think about 2003, when the whole east coast, and a third of Canada were out for a week? It's not far fetched to happen again.

 

[StuartV]

Solar panels decked out on a roof rack.. charging problem solved lmao


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So, if we need 50HP (just for the sake of discussion) constant to maintain rolling down the road, that is 37 kW.

It looks like the best solar panels can produce 200W per square meter.

So, for 37kW, we're going to need 185 square meters of panel.

That is just under 2000 Freedom Units (square feet).

Probably going to need them on a roof rack and on top of a very long trailer to pull behind...

LOL!

 

[StuartV]

Extreme? weren't you around in I think about 2003, when the whole east coast, and a third of Canada were out for a week? It's not far fetched to happen again.

Yes. Extreme. Does it really get worse? Has it? And the time you're talking about was 20 years ago?

I think his scenario qualifies as extreme.

Most people just wouldn't even go home if they had to evacuate and the power was still out.

Yes, it will happen again. But, it still about as extreme of a scenario as most of us are really likely to be dealing with. This is 'merica! It's not like we're going to have to deal with not being able to charge up because all the nearby electrical power stations were unexpectedly bombed and the charging stations are all dead and there is nowhere to go that does have electricity. When hurricanes hit, we see them coming for days ahead of time.

It's extreme, but it does happen and I agree with @theblet on not wanting to have a vehicle that would leave me stranded when it does. I can easily stock up on enough gas to get me well away from a disaster area. Not so much on stocking up on electricity to save for an emergency.

 

[6of36]

Yes. Extreme. Does it really get worse? Has it? And the time you're talking about was 20 years ago?

I think his scenario qualifies as extreme.

Most people just wouldn't even go home if they had to evacuate and the power was still out.

Yes, it will happen again. But, it still about as extreme of a scenario as most of us are really likely to be dealing with. This is 'merica! It's not like we're going to have to deal with not being able to charge up because all the nearby electrical power stations were unexpectedly bombed and the charging stations are all dead and there is nowhere to go that does have electricity. When hurricanes hit, we see them coming for days ahead of time.

It's extreme, but it does happen and I agree with @theblet on not wanting to have a vehicle that would leave me stranded when it does. I can easily stock up on enough gas to get me well away from a disaster area. Not so much on stocking up on electricity to save for an emergency.

My northern Michigan home loses power at least a half dozen times a year, and most times are less than 24 hours, but sometimes it can be 3 days. I doubt I will ever buy a total electric car.

 

[Belvedere]

This thread reminds me of the old days...

"It's a car"
"It's a truck"
"It's a utility vehicle "
"It's a sport utility vehicle "
"It's a crossover"
"It's a crossover utility vehicle "
"Well, it doesn't matter what it is. It's ugly I ain't buying it"

 

[HSKR R/T]

Ill just leave these here...

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You missed a few words in the second pic leaving our contexts where it says it combines elements from the REV all electric truck. And StuartV already covered the other screen shot

 

[Ramroader]

Not sure which way I will go when time to trade in the eco diesel for some kind of electric truck probably plug in hybrid as we have a massive solar array but very few public chargers within 300 miles. Just got a plug in hybrid Santa Fe but it only has 35 mile range on battery alone and on the highway it never seems to keep up with the charging unless there is a setting I haven't found yet to just let it charge and not use up battery on hills etc.