Ford has the F-150 Lightning and General Motors has the GMC Hummer EV, Sierra EV and Chevrolet Silverado EV. Admittedly, those last two are a little ways off, but two of Detroit’s Big Three automakers have spelled out a clear outline of their electrified pickup strategies. While Stellantis had previously announced that Ram would eventually go electric, we didn’t know what the end result might look like.
That changes now. Today, Stellantis formally unveiled the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept, a high-tech pickup that previews the eventual Ram 1500 EV that’s due in 2024. Among the headline features are a removable center console, a power midgate, and an 800-volt architecture capable of puling 350 kW of electricity (and adding 100 miles of range in 10 minutes). Oh, and a third row of seating. Let’s dig in.
Wait, what was that last part?
While there are some aftermarket companies that will custom-make a three-row passenger truck, such a vehicle has never been offered straight from the factories of Ford, Chevrolet or Stellantis. We’re delighted to see the latter — which does have a history of bucking truck trends with the Ram 1500’s use of rear coil-spring and air suspensions — innovate yet again. The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) Concept features third-row jump seats mounted on the midgate the separates the cabin from the bed. Unlike jump seats of yore, these face forward, and second-row passengers can move their seats forward to afford extra room to those in the very back. The Revolution’s rear-hinged rear doors are a concept vehicle staple, but they provide actual utility on the truck, allowing easy access to the second and third rows.
Useful features under a very concept-y exterior
While the Revolution BEV Concept carries the name of Stellantis’ most popular truck, it doesn’t look like the gas- or diesel-powered Ram 1500 at all. Aside from the split-opening tailgate, which is available on the current pickup, the only family motif you’ll see (if you stretch your imagination a bit) is in the daytime running lights, which kind of resemble the grille design elements of certain 1500 trim levels. The rest is unique to this concept, from the massive 24-inch wheels to the chopped roof and rear-hinged doors. The overall effect is a pickup that mixes the concept-y cab with the bed of a traditional full-size truck — kind of like if you grafted the front end and cab of the Hummer EV to the bed of the F-150 Lightning. The Ram’s bed, by the way, also features an extension platform that reaches about a foot off the back of the truck with the barn door-style tailgate open. This is actually the true bed, which slides rearward to reveal a hidden front platform when you need to carry longer objects. Between that, the folding midgate, removable center console and pass-through into the frunk, the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept can haul around items 18 feet long.
The Revolution BEV’s interior is similarly wild with some hints of production readiness. The roof, such that there is one, is almost made entirely of glass, with only a handful of rails composing the frame. It would be more accurate, then, to call the interior environment a canopy, like a fighter jet. (Perhaps Stellantis was inspired by the success of last year’s Top Gun: Maverick?) The concept also features two-tone seats and door trim, with a lighter gray up top that changes to black as you move downward. The glass everything plus gray upper trim make the passenger environment look bright and airy, even though the beltline is fairly high. Sustainable materials abound, from the apple-derived synthetic leather to the floor composed of recycled rubber and cork.
As expected of a futuristic EV concept, tech takes a center stage in the Revolution BEV’s canopy. Driver and front passenger interact with the infotainment system via twin 14.2-inch touchscreens, with one essentially “hiding” under the other when you don’t need all that virtual real estate. The lower screen is a tablet, by the way, so you can even remove it and hand it to backseat passengers to play DJ. Another neat feature is the augmented reality head-up display, which can overlay information onto the windshield to make that info appear at a distance. Imagine a freeway off-ramp notice that gets larger as you approach the off-ramp, and you have the right idea.
Then there are the features you can’t see. Take Shadow Mode, which will follow a person walking in front and even navigate around obstacles. Really cool if you just need to move the truck a few inches up your driveway. Also along for the ride are four-wheel steering and an adjustable air suspension.
