Since Stellantis’ EV Day 2021 presentation, the Ram brand has been pushing around a new electrified term that not many people have understood – Range Electric Paradigm Breaker (REPB).
So what does REPB mean? Basically, it is a fancy way of saying “range-extender”. With the switch to electric vehicles, the public’s uneasiness about range anxiety (or the fear that a vehicle doesn’t have enough power to cover the distance needed to reach its intended destination) is at an all-time high. That goes double for those who actually use their pickup trucks for things like towing, which has proven to reduce range up to 50% depending on the vehicle, trailer, and road conditions.
But thanks to a recent trademark put through by Stellantis (FCA US, LLC) to the United States Patent Trademark Office (USPTO), it appears we now will know the official name of the REPB Ram 1500 when it makes its debut in 2024. The automaker got approval for the name “Ram 1500 REV”, which we believe is short for Range Extended Vehicle.
We like the term, as it sounds a lot better than REPB.
According to our sources, the Ram 1500 REV will feature a smaller displacement gasoline-powered engine that acts like a generator to recharge the vehicle’s batteries, similar to how the Chevrolet Volt operated. This would mean that the engine does not drive the wheels at all, but turns on to generate power for the battery pack once the battery gets to a low point.
This system would ultimately solve range anxiety for those who tow a long distance, are going on an extended drive, or forget to charge the vehicle the night before a journey.
It will be interesting to see if the REV will feature the same battery pack as the battery-electric vehicle (BEV) version.
Ram will show off its first electric pickup concept: the Ram 1500 Revolution on January 5th. We will cover all the details dropped during CES 2023 in Vegas when it does happen, so stay tuned.
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