Ram CEO Breaks Down The 2026 Ram 1500 Ramcharger

Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis is raising serious questions about today’s electric truck market—and what consumers want. In an in-depth conversation with Newsweek, Kuniskis opened up about the challenges Ram faces as it prepares to launch the 2026 Ram 1500 Ramcharger.

“We’ve invested over half a trillion dollars in our transition to electrification,” Kuniskis explained. “In today’s dollars, that’s more than double what we spent to get to the moon. It’s insane, right? But we had to do it. We had to comply with the regulations. The problem is—what regulations?”

The regulatory landscape has left even veteran auto execs like Kuniskis scratching their heads. “It’s like three-dimensional chess,” he said. “But every one of the players, every one of the pieces, is a king who’s actually calling the shots. Is it the administration? The regulators? The dealers? The NGOs? The customer? That’s what it used to be. Is that how it’s supposed to be? I don’t know.”

The Ramcharger: A Bridge Between Gas and Electric – 

At the center of this uncertain future stands the upcoming 2026 Ram 1500 Ramcharger—a truck that ditches traditional gasoline-only power but doesn’t go fully electric either. Instead, the Ramcharger blends both worlds. It runs on electricity until the battery runs low; at this point, a gasoline-powered V6 engine kicks on—not to drive the wheels directly, but to act as a generator that charges the battery.

The Ramcharger is expected to deliver up to 690 miles of range in the right conditions. That’s significantly more than most current electric trucks, a clear selling point for buyers concerned about range anxiety and infrastructure limitations.

Cost: The Elephant in the Room – 

Kuniskis didn’t sugarcoat the economics. Battery costs are the biggest factor separating traditional gas trucks from their electrified siblings. “REV was a 229-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery. Let’s pick $100 per kWh just to make the math easy. That’s a $23,000 battery,” he said. “The standard range REV has a 168 kWh battery. That’s a $17,000 battery.”

The Ramcharger’s battery, however, is smaller—only 92 kWh. “From day one, the cost basis is going to be anywhere from $8,000 to $14,000 less than those other options,” Kuniskis emphasized. “And that’s at $100. If you’re over $100, the cost basis is even better.”

Ram’s long-term goal is to get battery costs down to $50 per kWh. While some manufacturers claim they’re already below $100, Kuniskis suggested that Ram isn’t quite there yet.

“What Is the Right Product?” – 

For Kuniskis, the big question isn’t whether electric trucks should exist—it’s whether automakers are building the right electric trucks. “There’s one thing in that three-dimensional chess game that’s very important. Nothing else matters but the product,” he said. “If you get the product right… everything else gets a lot easier.”

The Ramcharger could be that “right product.” It solves for cost, range, charging infrastructure, and capability—all while still pushing the brand toward an electric future.

Real Truck Questions, Real Truck Answers – 

EV pickup buyers want to know more than just specs—they want real answers to real truck questions. “How do I charge it? How long does it take? Do I have the infrastructure where I live, where I work?” Kuniskis asked rhetorically. “Capability? Can it do the truck things that a truck buyer actually needs—for work and for play?”

Those questions are why Ram is betting big on a product that lives between two worlds. Kuniskis says the most important one in that complicated web is cost. “This is the one everybody’s talking about. This is the one that’s driving the industry today.”

A Delayed REV, a Fast-Tracked Ramcharger – 

Originally, the all-electric Ram 1500 REV was supposed to be the star of the show. But now, that truck has been pushed back to late 2026. The Ramcharger, meanwhile, is moving up the launch timeline and is expected to arrive in dealerships by the end of this year.

This strategic shift wasn’t random. It reflects both market realities and Kuniskis’ own skepticism about mass EV adoption—especially in the truck segment. Survey after survey shows that traditional truck buyers aren’t fully sold on battery-electric trucks just yet. In fact, over 60% of large truck buyers and 55% of midsize truck buyers still prefer internal combustion engines.

Wrapping It Up: A Truck That Actually Makes Sense? – 

In a market where automakers are under pressure to electrify—whether or not customers are ready for it—Ram is taking a more grounded approach. The 2026 Ram 1500 Ramcharger isn’t just another electric truck. It’s a strategic answer to a complex set of questions—questions that Kuniskis himself admits don’t have easy answers.

“You have all these challenges—cost, charger capability, and range,” he said. “It’s a very complicated web. But if we get the product right, maybe—just maybe—we’ve got a chance.”

Source: Newsweek