Even though it’s extremely late to the all-electric pickup truck party, Ram believes that its newly revealed Revolution BEV will redefine the segment once again. From the standpoint of aesthetics, that is certainly the case.
Up front, the first detail that grabs one’s attention by the scruff of the neck is the design of the headlights. Backlit RAM lettering dominates the blocked-off grille, and marker lights are featured right where the grille meets the hood. The design of the hood is pretty different from the internal combustion-engined Ram 1500 as well, as expected of an electric truck.
Equipped with rear-facing video cameras rather than conventional side mirrors, the concept seems almost monolithic from dead-on front. Still inspired by the big-rig motif introduced by the second-generation Dodge Ram in 1993 for the 1994 model year, the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV concept looks aggressive, yet isn’t as butch as the fossil-fuel Ram 1500.
The Stellantis-owned truckmaker didn’t have a choice, though. Similar to the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevrolet Silverado EV, and GMC Sierra EV, the artistic freedom of the design team was limited by the drag coefficient. Reducing the drag coefficient in a combustion-engined vehicle results in better fuel efficiency at speed (think high-speed driving on the highway).
EVs, on the other hand, wouldn’t be viable in this driving scenario without a low drag coefficient. The Mercedes-Benz EQS currently holds the record for series-production vehicles with a 0.20 drag coefficient. By comparison, Rivian says the R1T electric pickup is rocking a 0.30 drag coefficient.
Photo: Stellantis
From the rear, Ram’s design study looks nothing like the fossil-fuel 1500. From the split-opening tailgate to the reverse L-shaped taillights and illuminated RAM lettering, the concept is nothing like the half-ton pickup trucks currently available for delivery at Ram dealerships nationwide. Certain peeps might even describe it as incompatible with Ram’s tried-and-tested exterior design language, but on the other hand, Ram understands that customers' preferences obviously change over time.
Auburn Hills-based automaker also knows that customers in the market for an ICE truck have different preferences and priorities compared to those willing to put a deposit down on a battery-electric truck. Speaking of differentiation, the EQS is often described as the S-Class of electric vehicles, even though it’s anything but an S-Class in terms of styling.
A five-door liftback rather than a four-door sedan, the EQS is advertised in a similar fashion to the S-Class. The relation between these full-size luxury cars is all the more apparent from their names. Merc also made an effort to bring the EQS and S-Class together in terms of interior design, which couldn’t be more different in Ram’s ICE and BEV workhorses.
Stellantis, the cross-border merger between Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Groupe PSA, isn’t known for high-quality interiors. The Ram 1500 Tradesman, for example, is borderline nasty in places. On the other hand, higher trim levels feature real wood, real aluminum, and real leather. The biggest difference, however, is the interior layout of the zero-emission truck concept from its fossil-fuel brothers. It’s day and night different.
Photo: Stellantis
No fewer than 28 inches worth of touchscreen are offered, split between two screens. The square-ish steering wheel doesn’t frame an instrument cluster, but an illuminated dashboard with ambient lighting that appears loosely inspired by the headlights. Being a concept, Ram couldn’t resist giving the Revolution two individual seats out back rather than a bench.
Gifted with 35-inch tires, self-leveling suspension, and 24-inch wheels with center caps that always stay upright (Rolls-Royce much?) and light up as well, the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV concept does not feature B pillars. The rear-hinged rear doors are pretty interesting in their own way, although Ram might want to focus more on truck-related stuff instead of gimmicks that grow old quickly. Equipped with an electro-chromatic roof, the concept also sports a roof spoiler for improved aerodynamics.
Most likely inspired by the Chevrolet Avalanche from the good ol’ days and the all-new Silverado EV, this fellow boasts a midgate that fits objects up to 18 feet long thanks to a pass-through into the frunk. 18 feet is nearly 5.5 meters in the metric system, which may seem like overkill. Mid-gate jump seats also need to be mentioned, resulting in a grand total of six seats.
Built on the STLA Frame body-on-frame architecture, which promises a driving range no higher than 500 miles (800 kilometers), the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV concept also prides itself on flush pivoting tow hooks up front and a powered rear step with an active diffuser. The cabin is said to be four inches longer than the fossil-fuel 1500, with Ram waxing lyrical about increased room and comfort. The bed length, however, is unchanged from the 5.6-foot bed of the combustion 1500. To whom it may concern, the Lightning offers 5.5 feet and the Silverado EV flaunts 5.9 feet.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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