Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept: A Bold Step In The Right Direction

Stellantis unveiled the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) Concept at CES 2023, the much-awaited addition to a burgeoning electric truck segment led by the Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, GMC Hummer EV, the incoming Chevy Silverado EV, and the much-delayed Tesla Cybertruck. Although we’re talking about a concept, we praise Ram for pushing the envelope in developing its future electric truck. Best of all, it did it without being overly shouty about its modern styling and hi-tech capabilities.

“The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept is our clearest signal yet that we’re on the precipice of something extraordinary at Ram and points directly to where we’re going on our electrified journey,” said Mike Koval Jr., Ram brand CEO – Stellantis. “At Ram, we’ve redefined what pickup trucks can be, and we will do so again by pushing past what competitors are offering by delivering the best electric pickups on the market.”

Evolutionary Styling

We’ve seen nice electric trucks (F-150 Lightning and Silverado EV), we’ve seen the brutish kind (R1T and Hummer EV), and we’ve seen some push the boundaries between sanity and madness (Cybertruck). However, the Ram 1500 Revolution strikes a different chord, blending cheerful melodies with an upbeat vibe. We thought we’d seen it all, but Ram’s new electric 1500 truck will join the fray with plenty of thumbs-up styling features to make future truck owners swoon in delight.

Of course, the production-intent Ram 1500 BEV will most likely be a watered-down version of the concept on this page. We fervently hope the brand retains most of what makes the prototype infinitely desirable, like those saloon-style doors similar to a Rolls-Royce. Sure, it may look gimmicky, but it does emphasize the concept’s spacious interior. So roomy, in fact, that Ram found space to install a pair of jump seats behind the rear seats.

We also dig the rising window lines emphasizing the truck’s hourglass body shape. Meanwhile, we’re huge fans of the animated (and illuminated) Ram badge, those “tuning fork” headlight DRLs, flush-mounted tow hooks, sharp-looking 3D-printed side mirrors, 24-inch wheels, and inverted L taillamps.

Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept.
Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept. Photo: Ram.

Cab-Forward Body Style

Credit goes to the concept’s all-new STLA Frame platform and cab-forward design idiom for its airy cabin. The latter is crucial, as it allows Ram engineers to push the cabin almost on top of the front wheels despite retaining a similar overall length as a gasoline-powered Ram 1500. The Ram concept’s cab-forward design reminds us of the LH cars (Dodge Intrepid, Chrysler Concorde, and New Yorker) from the early 90s, known for their aerodynamic shapes and voluminous interiors.

Moreover, the concept has a generous front trunk or frunk with a pass-through opening that extends to the center console, allowing buyers to store 18-foot-long objects like skis or metal piping. Ram claims “multiple and flexible seating configurations,” including a removable and reconfigurable center console and a bottom-collapsible steering wheel.

Bleeding-Edge Highlights

Typical of modern electric trucks, the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept is brimming with cutting-edge innovations. It has an AI-powered vehicle personal assistant complete with a 3D Ram avatar serving as the vehicle’s face. It has a nifty Shadow Mode feature that automatically follows a person walking ahead of the truck, a neat feature when collecting or dropping off tools or equipment at the job site.

There are two 14-inch touchscreen displays on the center console. The lower display is adjustable and removable to function as a tablet, truck bed workstation, or video game controller. The full-glass roof has electro-chromatic panels with roof rails and ambient lighting. Furthermore, it has an available exterior projector that communicates information visually while doubling as a mobile movie theater when chilling at the campsite. Of course, the Ram 1500 BEV has an augmented reality heads-up display (AR-HUD) and Level 3+ driving autonomy using advanced cameras and sensors.

A worthy contrast from all the truck’s hi-tech components is a sustainable and animal-free interior. The seats come in Apple leather upholstery, while recycled rubber and cork make up the unique textured floor.  

Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept interior layout.
Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept interior layout. Photo: Ram.

Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept Powertrain

Ram has not divulged anything specific about horsepower, torque, driving range, or tow ratings. Still, it did say the concept has two electric motors, standard AWD, adjustable air suspension, four-wheel steering, a large battery pack under the floor, and DC fast-charging capabilities of up to 350 kW – enough to replenish 100 miles of range in 10 minutes. Ram also unveiled the Ram Charger at CES 2023, a robotic inductive charger that automatically moves and aligns with the vehicle while detecting the charging needs.

Ram 1500 BEV Arriving In 2024

Ram will unveil the production-intent 1500 BEV near the end of 2023, just in time for the truck’s impending early or mid-2024 debut. The electric truck market is growing yearly, but there’s always room for something nice and promising, like Ram’s new 1500 BEV.

Alvin Reyes is an Automoblog feature columnist and an expert in sports and performance cars. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine.

Photos & Source: Ram Trucks.