New Ram 1500 Revolution pick-up is a (very) distant cousin of the Citroën Ami

By James Attwood

5 Jan 2023

This is the new Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept, the latest addition to the ever-growing range of massive American-market electric pick-up trucks and the first pure EV from Stellantis’s US-focused truck and commercial vehicle brand.

The new rival to the Ford F-150 Lightning and Tesla Cybertruck is due to go on sale in North America, and will be the first step towards the electrification of the brand’s entire line-up of large pick-ups and commercial vehicles.

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Now, while Ram doesn’t have a presence in the UK and the 1500 Revolution simply wouldn’t fit on most roads here, it’s still a significant vehicle. Ram is part of the Stellantis empire alongside brands such as Citroën, Peugeot and Vauxhall. And yes, it is fun to reflect that this machine is effectively a very, very distant relation to the Citroën Ami.

To be clear: don't expect a Vauxhall-branded version of the 1500 Revolution, but some of the technology featured in the massive pick-up could make its way to EVs from other Stellantis brands that do reach the UK – particularly for commercial vehicles.

The Ram 1500 Revolution is effectively a battery electric version of the firm’s hugely popular 1500, but features revamped bodywork and styling to showcase its electric credentials. It’s definitely bold: Ram actually describes it as ‘brutiful’, because apparently it’s both brutal and beautiful.

There’s a new style Ram badge on the front of the truck, and a fully animated LED panel, along with new LED lights in the front bumper and rear lights. The truck also features a big skid plate and tow hooks, and sits on 24in wheels and chunky 35-inch tyres. The concept revealed at the CES tech show even features light-up self-levelling centre caps.

The machine is built on the new STLA Frame bespoke electric platform, and is powered by two electric motors positioned on each axle, although the firm hasn’t given any power outputs just yet. It has confirmed that the machine can be fast-charged at speeds up to 350kW, allowing 100 miles of range to be added in around 10 minutes.

The smaller electric motors means that the cab is around 100mm longer than the cabin of the combustion-engined version. The extra interior space means Ram has added third row ‘jump seats’ attached to the ‘mid-gate’ – that’s the bit that goes between the cab and the pick-up bed. That mid-gate also features powered glass so objects up to 5.4 metres long can be loaded in.

The lack of combustion engine means the new machine gets a sizeable frunk – front trunk, just in case you didn’t know – and because it’s quite big there are even powered side steps to help you clamber in.

Meanwhile, the cabin also features two screens with a total display area of up to 28 inches, and there’s a range of driver assistance systems including 360-degree cameras, a head-up display and digital wing mirrors.

There’s also some fascinating connected tech: an intelligent storage app can apparently help measure a load to work out if it will fit in your Ram, and the Smart Home Control system means you can control features of your house, such as the heading and lighting, from the pick-up’s infotainment.

As with many pick-ups, the machine has been designed for real utility, with adjustable air suspension and four-wheel-steering with up to 15 degrees of articulation.

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