Would you wait for 2025 Ramcharger or buy 2024 limited, new to this forum help!

[wjd0288]

Hi all! I'm new to this forum as I'm thinking of trading my 18 Subaru sti for Ram 1500.
Ram accounced ramcharger not long ago and was waiting for it to come out, but fortunately it will be for 2025
Down here, I have couple things I want to hear from you guys. The EXPERTS!

SO! here is what I'm going to do with Ram if I buy either of them.
1. Camping. I'm prob going to put topo topper which I saw it as light as under 400lb. Great!
2. Of course daily drive. I don't drive a lot. I live literally 3 min away from my workplace.
3. Fishing Trip. I have Hobie Kayak which is 12ft long and heavy so I want to utilize the bed if I can even with the topo topper on. Maybe just open the tailgate down and the topper close. Prob will work.

Well, that's what I want to do. And here are couple of my 'concerns'.
1. Due to the nature of camping and fishing trip I go to, I will be going on and off the mountain (not a rocky terrain) and shore. Will I have to worry about the sand getting under the car for both Ramcharger and 2024 Limited? I know some of you might say why go for limited when I'm overlanding it, but I realy liked the interior quality of the limited verses rebel. If there is a big difference between limited and rebel for overlanding that I don't know of, please feel free to tell me
2. I know Ram will be relatively new to the EV market and I'm kinda worried about how Ramcharger be charging the battery while moving. Becuase in general, the lithium ion battery doesn't do well when it's charging and dispensing at the same time. Not sure what kind of battery they are going to use, but I'm worried this will be an issue going down the road. Any tech guys thoughts here?
3. I live in New Jersey and we have pretty good extreme hot and cold weather along with the salt on the road during the winter. Any of you guys have problem with undercarriage corrosion? Washing sounds easy, but not so much during the winter time. for me.

If I can think of more I will add them down, but I think that's all for now!
Tell me educated for Ram peeps!
Thanks in advance. Cheers!

 

[Pannis_humongous]

Two very different beasts. I wouldn’t want to take a first year EV off the beaten path, however I would the tried and true 5.7 no question.

The 2025 rebel SO would be suited for occasional towing or the 2025 limited would have the high output and air suspension for mild off road use.

 

[dcchris311]

You might be waiting quite a long time before the RamCharger even hits the dealerships. Basing that off of how the current model rollout has been going.

But I'd go with the Ram Charger. I put down the $100 deposit when it was announced.

 

[PetePA]

If those were my only two options, I'd absolutely go with the Ramcharger. I could have gotten a decked out 2024 Limited, but once I heard that there was a more modern engine available, I decided to wait. This is even considering that I knew it was going to be a 3+ month wait and that the color I wanted wasn't available (I'm a sucker for the Patriot Blue). In fact, if the Ramcharger was available now, I'd probably have gone with that.

Regardless of the direction that you go, I would get an extended warranty. I'm not one to usually go for warranties, but a vehicle is so important and I've heard some horror stories on the various forums. I think the warranty would be even more important for a 1st year EV.

In summary - There's risk to buying a first year EV, but you can mitigate that risk with a warranty. The alternative is to buy old technology for a lot cheaper... but it's old tech.

 

[AleksanderSuave]

Lease the ramcharger EV if youre not sure of it. Live with it for 3 years. If its problematic, return it at the end of your lease and wash your hands of the ordeal, or if you love it, buy it out.
Seems like the best case scenario to "Trial" it and see how it holds up.
I have similar concerns to yours. I take my trucks hunting, off road, etc. The added weight may not be ideal. If for some reason you need to be towed out, the added weight wont help either.

 

[rick619]

I would get the 2024 so you can have the 5.7. I bought one 3 months ago, didn't want the I6 Turbo. Figure it's the first year, so much more likely to have problems.

Give them a couple years at least to figure out the problems with the new Ram Charger. No thank you.

 

[Cueva del Osos]

I’m not sure ‘new tech’ is accurate for Ramcharger….new model- sure…but is there anything other than hands-free driving and 14.5” screen that’s actually ‘new’? I’m actually more concerned about dealers having upgraded service facilities and trained staff to handle EV/PHEV work. As my father would say, “this ain’t my Oldsmobile”

 

[PetePA]

New tech as in newer than the old tech in the 2024, especially the 5.7 as it's horribly dated and will be even moreso in the coming years. I'd bank on getting more support for the I6 starting rapidly considering no more 5.7.

 

[StuartV]

I’m not sure ‘new tech’ is accurate for Ramcharger….new model- sure…but is there anything other than hands-free driving and 14.5” screen that’s actually ‘new’? I’m actually more concerned about dealers having upgraded service facilities and trained staff to handle EV/PHEV work. As my father would say, “this ain’t my Oldsmobile”

You don't think a giant battery pack, a big generator, and two big electric drive motors qualifies as "new tech"? What RAM trucks already have those?

 

[StuartV]

I bought a first year ('09) 4th Gen RAM 1500, and then a first year ('19) 5th Gen RAM 1500.

Now, I have a '21 1500 EcoDiesel.

I am chomping at the bit for a new RamCharger. But, I will not again make the mistake of buying a first year model of anything from RAM/Stellantis.

I never had any major problems with my '09 or '19 that I would attribute to being first year models. But, I somewhat regretted both purchases because, both times, RAM came out with features that I really wanted in the 2nd year.

When I got my '19, I really wanted a diesel but the EcoDiesel was discontinued at that time. They brought back the EcoDiesel shortly after I bought my truck and they also added the Multi-Function Tailgate, which I also really wanted.

Now, I have my Limited EcoDiesel with RamBoxes and MFT and there is not a single truck on the market that I would rather have instead. Until the 2nd year of the RamCharger is available....

For the OP, I would NOT wait and then buy a new RamCharger as soon as they come out. History/experience has taught me to wait on that. But, if you can't wait, well, personally, I would do one of two things:

- find a clean, low-mileage, used EcoDiesel that is still under powertrain warranty

or,

- get a new 1500 with an SST motor. After a total of almost 270K miles of driving Hemis, I would not want another one. I had the exhaust leak repair done on my '09 something like 6 times and then had to have it on my '19 at around 45K miles, and it was starting to sound like it needed it again when I traded it in at 72K miles. All that on top of the Hemi really getting crap fuel economy. The SST motor has been in other Stellantis vehicles for long enough now that I would be inclined to trust it just as much as a Hemi (or more).

I test drove a '24 2500 Limited with Cummins today. I was considering trading in for it just to have a newer truck to drive until the 2nd or 3rd year of the RamCharger is available. It was nice, but my 1500 Limited ED is just flat-out nicer and drives better. I couldn't even bring myself to make a lowball offer on the 2500.

 

[Cueva del Osos]

You don't think a giant battery pack, a big generator, and two big electric drive motors qualifies as "new tech"? What RAM trucks already have those?

Just because it isn't on a RAM currently doesn't make it new...just makes it not currently on a RAM. And the Ramcharger isn't slated to have a giant battery...quite a modest battery compared to the REV. If the Ramcharger was totally new tech, I personally wouldn't touch it for at least 3 years. For a new use of existing tech that Stellantis has already been building into other products, I'm willing to consider late 1st year.