I guess you guys have been living under a rock. Diesel-electric Locomotives feature a big engine that turns a generator that powers electrical motors connected to the wheels. They have no mechanical connection between the engine and the wheels and have been around since the 1930's (before most of you were even born). They have PROVEN themselves to be the most efficient and reliable method of transporting mass cargo over the land. To say that this new RAM truck's hybrid system is "new" is just ignorance. The old Chevy Volt had the same system, as do the current Toyota Prius Prime and RAV4 Prime (there are more but can't think of them now). Automotive journalism calls these "Plug-in Hybrids", been around for more than a decade now.
Many people have brought up the comparison to Diesel Electric locomotives in the comments. It's NOT the same thing. As you said, that technology has been around since the 1930's and is brutally simple and effective....SIMPLE, and effective BECAUSE it's simple. Those are direct, purpose built machines that are not compromised by having to wear different hats, pretend to be things they are not, and are packaged in a way that makes them easily serviceable. If Ram or any other nameplate introduced a truck that was a direct downsize of a Diesel Electric locomotive, I would probably be in line to buy one myself.
Plug-in Hybrids Its electric motor provides some assistance to the gas engine, saving fuel compared to a gas-only vehicle. Additionally, certain driving situations can provide charge to the battery, though not enough to add more than a mile or so of electric driving at a time. So not the same as the 2025 Ram Ramcharger source google
@@UncleTonysGarage none of the arguments you made are based in engineering, science, or physics at all beyond right to repair which all newer vehicles including Ice suffer from. Saying a 3hp gas generator with a 1kw output that’s supposed to charge a 100kw battery powering a 660hp motor demonstrates how you lack basic understanding. Lmafo at the four day charge rate, I think your argument does more for the brain damage leaded gas causes than anything else.
I had a RAV4 Prime. Awesome vehicle. I just sold it because I needed a truck! The R4P is a true hybrid with big batteries. Both the engine and batteries are connected to the drive train. It is not a pure EV with a battery charger. In the long run, the R4P-style drive train is not suitable for many truck applications, such as towing, that require consistent high power output. Once the battery is depleted, the R4P a heavy 175hp SUV. The batteries will always give you great surge performance, hence great acceleration. But they do nothing to help you tow a trailer up a long, uphill grade. In fact, the engine has to work harder to charge the batteries after hard acceleration. For consistent high power loads, you will need an ICE engine with enough HP to maintain that level of power plus make up for the electric drive system energy losses. This works OK for locomotives, but has proven way too heavy for over the road power. Oh, and locomotives don't have batteries and do not need fast, variable power output.
Yes, I agree. Simple, lightweight, small gasoline engines in smaller vehicles with simple standard transmissions would be a hell of a lot more efficient way to go. In 1993, they sold a Honda civic that got 73 mpg(imperial). Why the hell do we need 800 horsepower, 4 ton machines with endless wiring and electronics, self driving and self parking, etc., etc.? Technology has gotten out of control. It's way beyond logical. People would love to have access to simple, efficient, reliable transportation that they could actually afford to buy and maintain.
Been saying this for years. In the 90s 2000s we got engines fairly efficient. Then they decided to keep them the same size as they always were. Why the old 2016 ford f250 4wd gets like 12.5 average is disgusting. It's got 380hp and I stuck with a mk4 VW Jetta vr6 in a "race" to about 75 when I lifted. We'd be better off if that 6.2 was like a 4.5 and had like 250-275hp if it would get like low 20s average,I know I'd be fine with that. Need all that power? That's what options are for.
In 1975 they had a carbureted car that would get over 50 mpg, a 2001 Buick park avenue would get 26 regularly. My full size 93 regular cab Silverado is smaller than a 4x4 4 door Colorado, and gets better fuel mileage with a V8 than they can with a 5 or 6 cylinder.
The thing is that many people have gotten lazy to the point that they rely on "technology" to do everything for them and, they're dumb enough to pay for it. Personally, the only things I want in my vehicles (other than a reliable drivetrain) are a tilt wheel, cruise control, a radio (without all the extra bs) and a/c. As a younger man, I could live without the a/c and almost insisted on a manual transmission. These days, I can still live without a/c as long as I have a sliding rear window but, with the arthritis in my left knee getting worse by the day, an automatic transmission is, unfortunately becoming a necessity. Power windows and locks are nice but definitely not necessary. Backup cameras, blind spot monitors and all the other garbage are also just more things to break and cost money! Hell, out of all the vehicles that I own, only 1 of them has cup holders!
I was asking about mini trucks and what happened to them and I found that manufacturers are claiming they can't make them because of the EPA's C.A.F.E. regulations. It looks to me American manufacturers wanted those regulations the way they are so they could sell the consumer vehicles with higher margins while using the EPA as a scapegoat.
The EPA is not a scapegoat but they are a branch of the federal government that has grown into an entity that dictates policies across the board that effect every single person in this country. Ranging from the food we eat ,water we drink and the air we breathe. They have no counter balance branch to keep them from getting out of line, like we have with other branches. Just a more aggressive way to control us, they are evil. Just as bad as the fuckin IRS
An Optional engine to go on 500+ miles range makes a lot of sense to me. When you are going around town doing your jobs and commuting, you just leave it in EV. While towing or on the highway, you have the engine juice up the batteries in order to keep moving longer. It makes a lot of sense, displaces the pollution to outside the cities while polluting less due to a smaller displacement but still making big power. Seems logical. The mechanical side also has less failure points because all it is doing is running the alternator. No power train.
Exactly. The guy in this video doesn't know what he's talking about. This is technology in wide use already. Think about this...there is no 3.6L V6 on the planet ( aka the generator in the ramcharger) that can tow even 10k lbs. However, this same V6 in the ramcharger is capable of supplying enough electricity to tow 14k lbs. That's wild and shows the inefficiency of petrol engines. It is why we move freight all around the world on diesel powered but electrically driven trains since the 30's. Any way you cut it, ICE engines are very inefficient if they're putting the power to the ground but they are necessary for long haul driving (in a generator capacity). Glad to see the industry moving this direction it is literally common sense.
How much will this beast cost? $150k? $200k?? Are you able to repair it yourself? Oh, battery needs changing and it’s out of warranty-that’ll be $75k. I don’t think so.
Exactly!! He totally missing the point in general terms . Here’s and easy explanation! It’s called the “Ramcharger” meaning it’s a regular Ram truck that charge 😂. So simple man! Most people don’t drive around their radius more than 120miles back and forth. Therefore, if you work in short distance driving it’s perfect . If you want to go further don’t worry the gas engine will turn on 😂 so simple. I’ll be trading my 2021 ram 1500 for this beast soon it arrives at the dealership. And believe me this beast will sell like crazy once folks are educated enough and understand the technology.
And people wonder why I bought a 1985 Ford F-150, with the 4.9L Inline 6, and a manual trans. The truck is absolutely beautiful in it's simplicity, from the Carter single barrel carb, to the 8.8 rear end.
Yup, I only buy old pos, manual trans preferably, people always tell me I need a new car. It's insane how programmed everyone is! Why would I want a new car?! First I don't have a car payment, second I can buy any part I need on it for 40 bucks or less, 3rd my insurance is nothing, 4th I've got money in my bank account and yall dumb asses complain how broke you're all the time. Smdh. Seriously people aren't capable of their own thoughts anymore... Everyone is a programmed, self important, slave!
I know that truck . My friend has one. It still runs, that manual trans is a beast, it's not been rebuilt. Who knows the milage now but it's around 300.000. Great truck.
Due to CAFE standards forced onto car manufacturers they have to continue to build bigger and bigger vehicles so they can meet the fuel efficiency requirements.. the heavier the car/truck the less miles per gallon they need to get.. look into it and your head will explode.. great video Tony keep them coming
Yes totally agree it the reason Toyota doesn't sell the hylux pick up in the United States it pushing 25 plus mpg but doesn't meet the ridiculous café regs due to the wheel base to mpg bs regs hear its also why the Ford ranger is now a mid size
You are 100% correct. It's the ONLY reason why true compact trucks like the old Ford Ranger, 1st gen Tacoma, S-10, etc are totally extinct. Modern "small trucks" are literally the size of what full sized PU trucks used to be 30 years ago. And modern full sized PU trucks are the size of small freight trains. The prices are outrageous too. You can buy a house in certain parts of the country for what a full sized PU truck costs these days. It's sheer insanity.
That's only part of the story. The car manufacturers themselves "help" the government to define those standards. So, of course they push for more stringent standards for cars because the trucks/SUVs are much more profitable. The CAFE standards may have started out as good-intentioned policies to help clean up our environment. But they've morphed into something that appears to be doing the opposite. In the end, it's all about money. It's always about money...
That's how come trucks like the Lil Red wagon was the most powerful and fastest things coming out of Detroit, back in the beginning of the Cafe standard.
This is what people were asking for... I don't think the average person needs this but it would work well for guys that want to tow long distances. The EV range will make most peoples daily commutes without needing to run the gas engine at all. The v6 generator makes enough electrical power to run it without needing to stop. I own an f150 lightning and wouldn't give up my frunk space for a range extender, home charging is enough 99% of the time. If I was towing long distances regularly I would want this ramcharger mainly because DC charging infrastructure is lacking
The ramcharger is for the family that spends most of their time in the city and can plug it in but maybe have a boat they tow on the weekend. The gas engine just fires up a few hours a week.
Agreed 100% this is for the guys who tow. It’s going to sell like hotcakes. Unfortunately Uncle Tony doesn’t get it, it really is not more complex or failure prone than a hybrid, in many ways it is simpler. Hybrids have an engine, electric motor(s), battery, and a complex transmission. The failure point on a hybrid isn’t the engine or the battery or the motors, it’s the transmission. Transmissions are also the most common failure point on almost every truck used for heavy duty towing. This thing has no transmission. Think about it. I suspect this will be more reliable, not less, at least for heavy use. When heavy duty towing, this thing has enough electric power to simply dominate. 600+hp and enough battery for pulling your 14k trailer from a light, or up and over the Rockies without slowing down. And the v6 produces enough steady state power to recharge on the flats while still pulling that trailer.
I own a new Outlander PHEV. Works just like the Ramcharger and has been perfect. More torque than gas. The engine is a generator so is detuned and lasts longer and there isn’t stress on it like being directly into the drive train. Oil changes are 16,000 for example. The OP is talking out his arse.
I live in germany and for over a decade now I'm driving a little volkswagen polo 2 (wasn't available in the US).It has a small 1.3L engine with only 54 hp but it only weights about 1650 pounds. If there is an unrepairable engine failure I can change the whole engine to one that I have in my shelf in about 4 hours. In my opinion, there is hardly anything handier and environmental friendlier than such an old car.
When I say "Car companies can't get any dumber" they seem to consider it a challenge and then prove me wrong. I agree with you, a mid sized truck with a very efficient 4 or 6 cylinder engine, backed up by a simple 5 speed manual transmission, priced under $20k, with simple analog gauges, manual crank windows and the absolute minimum computer controls and it would sell like hotcakes.
I have a few cars, one of them is a little Toyota sedan that's 30 years old. 5 speed, air-conditioning, pwr steering and cranking windows. It drives so smooth, I often forget it's 30 years old. If a new car offers what this car has, and no more, I'd buy one in a heart beat.
It takes a lot of power to turn a 180kw generator. Also, it won't be running all the time and the ice will be running at the right rpm for efficiency. I like it.
Why not put a 4 cyl turbo diesel in there as a power unit? Its better suited for the task, more efficient, more durable, just plain better than a gasoline engine.
@@CrazyForCooCooPuffs diesel emissions requirements require heavy exhaust systems. The V6 that they are using is a standard engine that's well known to their entire support and engineering structure.
@@CrazyForCooCooPuffs because Americans don’t want diesel and the v6 is already an engine the ram 1500 uses. It had a turbo diesel but it was an Italian pos
@@dawsongranger4940 As a component they already build and stock, the engineers know what settings are most efficient for generating electricity and can apply those permanently, since the gas engine has just the one job.
My younger co-workers a few years ago were in agreement that you buy a car based on how much tech per $ you could afford to pack in to a car. They thought it was crazy to think about the design, driving dynamics, prestige, what would happen when it was older, etc...the only things that I care about!
After talking to some people who work for Stellantis, this system is designed to be a prime mover. That is why it uses a 3.6 engine and not smaller 2.0L, 1.4L turbo or such. It needs the high horsepower to run system. This will be amazing, sadly old people will only slow evolution.
@garysgarage.2841 it's ok to be jealous, and it's not hard to make friends with engineers and software developers when you actually work in the automotive industry. Sorry your job sucks and you never pursued a higher skillset .
It's a stepping stone to "You will own nothing and be happy.". He wasn't lying when he uttered those words. I drive a 33 year old Miata with hand crank windows and I feel like it has too much electronic bs on it. My next car will be a 50s or 60s VW. Become ungovernable.
Just thought you'd like to know the 2026 model cars will come with government mandated remote kill switches..let that sink in for a minute or two.. @@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge
Hybrids don't barely justify existing. I drive about 100k per year for work. My Sonata hybrid gets about 55 mpg/700 miles per tank. This is with half city, half highway. I had the same car without the hybrid system, it did 19 mpg city, 38 highway. The hybrid is doing 50+ in the city, and about 60 on the highway if kept to 65 mph. If the government cared about the environment they would push hybrid cars, not EVS. My hybrid has a 1.62 kWh batter, a typical EV can be around 80 kWh. They could make about 50 hybrids for the same lithium/other metals and put no stress on the electrical grid, and no resources wasted on charging stations.
I'm not a huge fan of EVs but I've always been impressed with the range from Hybrid designs. I'm with you on the lower natural resources demand for the smaller batteries as well. No having to plot out where you're gonna find a charger. For the infrastructure that real world America has today, hybrid is by far the way to go. You're getting quadruple the mileage per gallon that was possible thirty years ago except for the smallest of engines.
I love my Toyota hybrid especially on long road trips. I pass by the Tesla EV owners all the time as they’re sitting there charging and all other EVs on the road. Haha
Unfortunately your 100% wrong on this one one. First of all this has already been been done already in the BMW I3, and Chevy Volt. The reason it’s a generator only… because this way you get the benefit of the electric motors (Monster torque), easy AWD, without the complication of a transmission and extra axles and drive shafts. Why the 3.6… because it already bolted into the chassis and the motor itself is paid for technically… also to provide enough electricity to keep up with the demands of running the truck real time, especially if towing they need a fairly large generation unit…. Lastly this will get x range on EV only but mid 20’s when the motor runs. Thats more efficient than any gas only truck including the 3.6 automatic, partially because the 3.6 will be able to run at a steady efficient rpm constantly.
As a 30 year Mopar parts employee, I can’t tell you how glad I am I was able to retire before seeing this legacy brand embarrass itself on the world stage. This is possibly the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard of. Feel bad for guys still out there working in this industry.
Staying stuck in the past has always proven to be a great idea. ( That's sarcasm if you didn't get it.) Move into the future or die out like all things inevitably do.
The rants about modern absurdities are my favorite. I think a lot of us feel a bit like George Carlin, the guy in the movie Falling Down, Marvin Heemeyer, oh and Sly Stallone in Demolition Man while we watch our country and the western world swirl the bowl. I am fearful for my kids
My wife's PHEV Cadillac ELR (Chevy Volt powertrain) has been great. We've had zero issues from the gas generator engine in the 95K miles we've had it. The ELR/Volt are very much like the Ramcharger in that the ICE really only acts as a generator to power the battery/electric motor. The only thing I question on the Ramcharger is why they used a V6, they could have gone with a smaller 4-cylinder generator, but maybe there was some benefit to using an engine that's standard across their platforms already.
Correct, it's all about the most efficient way to provide 130KW of charging to the battery so the battery never goes under 20% and can maintain all it's 'juice' going to the wheels. The 3.6 is more efficient and simpler than a turbo at certain RPM's needed to act as a generator.
Tony knows as little as we all knew. The busses in my town are gasoline generators powering the electric drive motors. It’s great tech , small engine emissions and big power
The 3.6 liter V6 can supply power directly to the DC motors that drive the wheels on the Truck and in specific situations avoiding sending the power to the battery. So even though this is different than a traditional hybrid its still a hybrid. This is the similar technology that trains have used for almost a 100 years if not longer. Trains have engines on board that run generators that send power to the electric motors that drive the train. There must be something positive about doing it this way or that would not have been used for so long with the trains.
Tony, the size of vehicles has inflated (especially trucks) because there is a vehicle footprint factor to CAFE fuel standards, if you have a larger truck, it has to make less gas mileage. If you had a truck the size of a first gen Dakota, it would have to make something like 70 mpg based on current year CAFE requirements, or carry a guzzler tax on the vehicle when sold new
Yep. CAFE singlehandedly destroyed the small truck market. I still see a shitload of rangers and S10 around here putting around. Some almost 35 years old, most at least 20. A lot of them are on their second engine and rusted beyond belief, but as long as the frame isnt broken those mini trucks NEVER end up at the junkyard. If they started making those things they probably couldnt keep up with demand from the young tradesman market... The new "ranger" is bigger than a full sized f150 from the 90s yet the bed is uselessly small. No such thing as a work truck anymore
@@allurared9029wait till you see the mavericks. Those things look like a toy truck on the inside. At least it's a move back to small footprint trucks I guess, but good lord the engine bay is a mess on those
I agree, and as someone who actually uses a truck, daily, I pretty much HAVE to stick with an older truck..when the newer ones hit the used market, there will be none that are configured to my needs..they are pretty much all 4 door sedans, with tiny beds...with bedsides 6 feet off the ground....I prefer an 8 foot bed, but good luck finding a newer truck with one of those, unless it is one of those 40 foot long crew cabs with a long bed. I know there are a few(very few) fleet trucks sold that are regular cab with a long bed, but even those are impractical for work as the beds are so high off the ground, you can barely see inside them, much less reach inside the bed to get something...@@allurared9029
A range extended electric car can make a lot of sense. A battery big enough to do 90% of your driving on electric only, and a small gas powered generator to use on your occasional road trips. A lot better than sticking a 3000lb $30,000 battery in the car and hoping that's enough range to make it between charging stations in middle of nowhere Wyoming. It's just this is not a range extended electric car, it's an 8000lb monstrosity.
@@jaredlancaster4137 missing the point. If they had full faith in being able to deliver on the promise it wouldn't have a V6 in it to power it after the batteries get used up. That is the point Tony is making here. The engine is not the backup here the batteries are.
Think you missed the bus on this one. It's an EV Ram that carries a level 3 charger with it. The idea is that you don't have to pull over and scroll your phone for an hour while a lawnmower engine lets your truck barely sip enough power to make it to the next real charging station, you can just keep on driving normally and still recharge. Power outage? Plug your house into your truck. Jobsite with welders and tools to run? Plug into your truck. Construction office but you want to brew coffee and run the heat or AC? Plug it into your truck. Etc etc.
You are 💯 correct , I think he misses the whole point 😂. I believe people miss understood this technology. The ramcharger will sell like hot cakes soon it’s available.
@@TheBeaugarson I agree with the infrastructure that we currently have; I couldn't justify buying anything EV that I can't fully power without a backup. This is the perfect type of vehicle for now. Maybe in the next ten years, when things are more advanced, and if the Gov. keeps pushing EVs, then and only then, it would be worth more to buy an EV without the extender or, like I said, a backup option. This guy is stuck in the old way and old mentality.
145 mile electric only then the geny kicks in for 545 more miles on geny power... it's fast at 660 hp and it can tow over 11k lbs. ... it's a win win too...21 mpg and very low carbon footprint on all those short drives. This guy is ridiculous... $1-4 k to replace elect motors vs $10-15 for gas motor.
yah, this thing is awsome. Im not a fan of pure electric cars because of the battery, its nothing knew. But I LOVE the electric motor, and I always knew someone was going to make a hybrid like how Trains work, using a gas engine to produce the electricity to run thier electric motors. I LOVE THIS IDEA, and I cant wait till more do it. the electric motor is the future.
Not to mention the when the battery starts to degrade and not hold a full charge the gas engine will just run more often. This will extend the life of the vehicle He’s not wrong about the potential failure points, and the upfront cost will probably be massive. But this is not a terrible idea.
I hear that in England and Australia. Insurance rates for EV's have increased up to 1000% due to the cost of repairs. Some companies have dropped them all together, refusing to cover any EV.
For a secondary engine source would make sense but using it as a charger only. Especially a V6. It is a boat anchor if it only used to charge the battery only. That's like turning on a deisel generator to charge your phone for 20 minutes.
Yeah Wouldn't be like Catipiller is doing the same thing in the D-11s, electric motor has more torque and power than the gas, and the gas Gen set can run the Electric motor even without Batteries in the New Ram Charger.
I really don't understand the logic of your complaint. I think having a large battery that can run the vehicle alongside a gasoline engine that can also run the vehicle, kind of gives you the best of both worlds. One of the awesome things about Tesla's, is they can run their accessories without starting the engine. Things like cameras, built-in Wi-Fi hotspots, and many other things even including the air conditioning to make sure your interior doesn't reach extreme temperatures, can run on battery alone. Not to mention you get the torque of an electric motor without having to worry about running out of juice on long trips.
then just get a gas powered, why do you want an EV? so not only do you have to maintain its large batteries that go under the whole truck (not a small battery like true hybrids), you'll also have to maintain its engine with its coolants, radiator, etc,. moving parts. part of the argument for going EV is that there are practically no moving parts = lower maintenance cost, but this not only will drive horrible (because so much weight), it will be a maintenance nightmare.
These are built on purpose to fail. They want us all in smart cities..prison cities. Modern travel will too expensive for the majority of us peons. Only the ultra rich will have that ability.
Diesel electric locomotives have the best power to weight ratio of any vehicle . What a great marketing feather to have in your cap. To be able to say your truck is the closest thing to a locomotive that you can buy! @@carrollsanders9376
@@rwkerstetter Edison would probably opt for a gasoline generator too because gasoline is more commonly available, it's currently cheaper, gas engines have become very reliable, they're cheaper to maintain, they don't need as heavy-duty of parts and they don't have as much problems reducing smog. So I'm thinking this is actually going to be a fantastic vehicle despite what Mr Tony thinks.
Electric propulsion with ice charging capability is the future of pickup trucks because it is better than anything we have now. The available torque coupled with the ability to fill up with gas for longer towing/hauling trips checks all the boxes for people who actually use their truck like a truck. Within a decade this will be the most popular drive train configuration for all full size pickup trucks. Open your mind and get used to it. Better is just better.
Mechanic. "Well we found out why you could not charge your battery sir." Customer. "What was it?" Mechanic. "Well, your gas engine would not start because the catalytic converter was blocked. So, you EV would not go because your gas engine wouldn't start, go figure."
Hi Tony. I'm a Ramcharger engineer. You're correct on the architecture of the REV, but it's called a REPB (Range Extended Paradigm Breaker) which will go around 700 miles on a full charger plus full tank of gas to charge. I would love to give you my opinion of this too, but I don't want to lose my job. Lol
9:07 in most hybrids the car can't be driven when the battery is truly dead or missing. These cars don't have a traditional starter and require a working hybrid system and hybrid/main battery to start the engine. The engine is only used as a generator as that is more fuel efficient than letting it power the wheels directly. That is one of the reasons why Nissan e-POWER exists. Volvo xc90 turbo, supercharged, plug-in-hybrid-reliability.
THIS.... is why I'm hesitant to think about wanting a BYD Shark! the Ford PHEV on the other has still has a drive train from front to bk & Elec is secondary, 3 clear options, with GAS ONLY as 1 of them .. then Elec only or Hybrid... I believe. I prefer the look of the Ford PHEV pickup Truck, but I'm sure the price ain't going be reasonable at all... BYD may have the lower hand there... catch 22.
@@zechssiguro7476 it's likely both the ford ranger phev and byd shark can't start the combustion engine without a fully functional hybrid system and hybrid/main battery. But since they are both phev, they maybe able to drive a short distance without turning on the engine. And can be used as fully electric vehicles if you remove the fuel tank and combustion engine.
@hi9580 understood, tks for the some clarity, my hope then, is that the quality of the BYD & Ford hybrid technology, the generators etc, are to a high level of longevity, that maintenance is to the standard that Toyota set over the years.... in time. a new standard for hybrid trucks, every 6mths for the 1st 3-5yrs ... I guess we'll see. it's a brand new market.
I agree with you totally Uncle Tony, the more they add to a car the more potential problems. This is why I prefer older cars before computers with crank windows. You know back when almost everyone could fix their own car with basic hand tools.
You mean back when a car with 75k miles was worn out? I get it I love old cars. I also think new cars are to complicated. HOWEVER……..this is the best solution to an EV. Also trains and heavy equipment have used this tech for years and no one is complaining about them.
This is truly a RAM thing to do. Like putting a knob on the console as a replacement for a shift lever. Or making truck transmissions (for years) out of bubble gum and white metal.
There is nothing wrong with an electric shifter knob unless its tied to a dodge as the electrical problems alone will make it worthless but the ider is sound an the gum used isn't like brand new its abc gum still tho I bet a shopping cart holds up better
Idk what he's complaining about. First off, the electric charger exaust is not a speaker, and you can't choose whatever sound you want. Second, you don't need everything you need to run the engine. Please, look it up for yourself. It's actually very smart.
I was in this dilemma a few months ago. Using a 17 Ford Transit 150 for my business with 200k miles, looking to replace. The old van was 30k new, a new exact replacement is 50k , the electric version is 65k, but only has a range of 120 miles on a single charge, totally unworkable in my business. So I bought the gas version. I would have seriously looked at an electric version with a range extending generator, if one was available.
Sounds like Ramcharger is not for everyone, but it sure does seem to satisfy our interests and desires here in rural northern Utah. Glad to see the gas tank capacity is 27 gallons, and for the power outlets, both 120V and 240V up to 7.2 kW output. Besides the CCS1 and J1772 plug inputs (how about NACS?), I would like to see power input interface allowing for connection of solar panels, even while moving.
@@pin65371This is the point. This is also what dissenters don’t get. They also don’t get that the Plumber only travels 100 miles a day, that my Dad never tows anything but likes the bed for lumber projects and travels to see family 509 miles away occasionally, etc. It’s a great design that I think will be highly successful.
Solar panels probably won't add enough range to be worth the cost - they looked into this for the cybertruck. However, using this truck as a home backup would prove very useful
The reason we no longer have the S10 is because of the EPA. The smaller the vehicle the higher the milage it needs to get so they made it impossible to meet the standard. Now they just make them bigger so the bar is lower for milage ratings. Makes absolutely no sense.
I'm taking real good care of my S10. Hopefully it lasts until I croak LOL. With so many built plus the postal trucks, parts continue to be readily available.
It's efficient in the fact that it'll be like a locomotive. Edison motors just made a semi truck like that. The engine on the generator runs at a constant RPM to charge the batteries. Maintaining the most efficient RPM you'll have better
Caterpillar is making diesel over electric bulldozers now too. They are supposed to have crazy torque and save a lot of diesel, but that is a machine you just rent. I can't imagine who would buy a used one.
That's a series hybrid, like a locomotive. It can be very efficient, unless you put a 2000lb battery on it that it now has to drag around, pretty well negating any efficiency gains.
The only reason they do this is it is a more cost effective way to transfer large torque to the ground. It is less fuel efficient because there are more parasitic energy losses than a geared transmission.
Hey Uncle Tone! I KNOW WHY THEY DID THIS!!! It's because they no longer have to run on the ridiculous emissions standards with this cute trick! FIGURED IT OUT :)
If they brought back the dodge D50 Mitsubishi pickup with a modern 1600cc engine, the efficiency would blow that new Rev out of the water and they would sell millions of them
They have literally been made illegal by the EPA. Emissions are regulated by vehicle footprint. It isn't possible for a small truck to meet the emissions standards. Thus only huge trucks with big footprints. It is against the law to sell a truck like the Mitsubishi D50.
It's sad to hear this. I love my Dakota's. Just shaking my head at the lunacy that's taking place. All in the name of emissions. Soon they will be outlawing horses. All in the name of conversation of the environment. It's more about control and limiting the ability to go anywhere you want.
good idea but we'll never see it in the USA not because of emissions but because of modern highway safety regulations that would require the added weight, expense, and complication of air bags, ABS, and whatever safety bullshit modern trucks are required by law to have. BTW I have four D50's in my backyard cuz I know one day they'll be back in demand lol
The off-road dump truck I drive is very similar to this. It’s all electric driven and has a onboard generator to keep it going. Electric motors are very reliable
Earth haulers use electric motors and electric generator like freight trains because a transmission would be too difficult to build into it... they're not as efficient though (thus why this isn't done in passenger vehicles)
@@kramnull8962Haters gonna hate, huh 😂 Do better guy. Btw, definitely in a hurry to give them my $100k. They better get it before Tesla does. I’m leaning Ramcharger now.
@@carsbykev7037the Cybertruck is useless for anyone who hauls behind a truck. The Ramcharger is the future of electrification of trucks. As Edison Motors and Deboss Garage are proving up in Canada.
UT you're missing the point. The truck eliminated a transmission and range anxiety in one shot. Its a far better approach than the REV. I will never buy one or like one but the concept works on paper and in the real world. Diesel locomotives use the same series hybrid setup to travel thousands of miles. Bring that tech to automobiles, people will approach them with more enthusiasm, thats how the market works.
I like the idea. Edison truck is doing it, Trains have been doing this for DECADES! I think the motor might be bigger than I would think it needs, but you can have a gas engine tuned to run at a single RPM to charge the electric system, and get buy with 1/4 of the battery weight. Now you can Tow more, and accelerate faster with the electric motors, but can go a long ways with the on board charger. Good Job Dodge!
These work a bit different than a diesel-electric or hybrid system. All this engine does is charge the battery. petrol-electric or hybrid would be far more useful in my eyes. All the shit the Prius got back in the day for being slow, they're actually really good cars brought down by the total idiots that drive them. They can even tow a little bit, I've seen people tow boats and small campers with them. If I absolutely had to get a new car it'd probably be a Prius, because I already have the old and simple classic and the big gas guzzling SUV. I don't need another large vehicle, I need a small gas saver for driving to and from work. Hell, if you could get parts for them a bit easier, I'd get a first gen Prius, they look better than the second gen shoebox in my eyes.
I totally agree with you. Series hybrid propulsion is the way to go if you're trying to escape high gas prices in a truck. Since the engine is only running at its most efficient power setting, failures are much easier to predict. This can make the failure rates much lower if they design it right. However, I do wish they would have used a diesel engine/generator instead.
You forgot about the Dodge learning curve. Remember when they released the Cummins. 3 were on the road after the first year...... They just want your $150K.
Why not just use a regular truck? Why does. It HAVE to be electric. This. Does what a. Normal truck does with 100 times more complexity and cost and more failure points.
I got to admit uncle tony has started to make mopars grow on me, as a GM guy from a bug GM family. Ive have a passion for 67 to 69 cudas and i love your 67 charger. cars. But i will always love Corvettes and other GM products, the one thing that attracts me to your channel is the honesty you provide to the muscle car community. I will always appreciate your content.
I guarantee fed regs played a big role in this. Any ICE in a vehicle has to meet clean air standards so it's not economical to sell it with a simple charging generator permanently affixed in the vehicle.
You can drive the vehicle still when the battery is dead because it provides enough energy to power the motors AND charge the batteries. When you start looking at the physics of it, you can make it a lot more efficient than an IC truck. You can eliminate a lot of the inefficiencies brought into a regular truck engine by the simple fact that the engine's running environment can remain consistent. No matter how you drive, that engine can run (these are hypothetical numbers) at 2500 RPM, stay at 2500 RPM, and never have to worry about acceleration or deceleration or idling, etc. You have to tune the engine for one point (or very few) and no more. That could simplify the hell out of emissions because in theory, you always know where the engine is going to be running at. You could tune the engine to run at peak power and peak torque at 2500 RPM and not give a damn about what it does at 5000 RPM. That makes everything a whole lot simpler. Another big factor is that electric motors are about 85% efficient, meaning 85% of the power coming out of the battery is put towards mechanical energy, while the other 15% or so is heat, etc. IC engines are at best about 40% efficient, meaning they waste about 60% of the fuel's energy in heat and other non-useful byproducts. That efficient varies by load, speed, etc. But if you make that IC engine run at it's peak performance/efficiency 100% of the time it is running and put that energy into the battery, you are still going to overall be more efficient than with just the IC engine.
I totally agree. My 98 6 cyl Dakota I bought new is still on the road in top shape. The maintenance is typical except for the occasional water pump, brakes etc. Nothing major. I drive it 3-4 times more than my 5.9 Cummins Ram, which I dearly love. Perfect size truck. No EV in my future of any type, wait til those poor folks have to by batteries and such in 5 years ...
yeah, tesla is nuts. $20k+ for power cells in nine years? The Prius seems to be the only prudent choice. Neighbor had her dash go ChristmasTree-Mode months ago. Shot main battery. Toyota swapped in new, $5,500. out the door. They said sometimes the main computer signs off when the main array goes, another $1,500. But neighbor got lucky. She loves her Prius. Probably the only hybrid worth it, think hers is 2003 or 2005. An oldie 2nd Gen.
I got to see one of those lightnings at a farm trade show in Nebraska. That thing felt like a piece of junk. The MAIN KNOB in the center of the dash, the knob that will be used for everything, rattled around loosely. Ford has no shame
Very good point. We can assume that all this new complications will create more points of failure. Why put a monster V6 in this thing? Does this new V6 comes with cyl deactivation too? I will stay with my 5.7L V8 more reliable and easy to fix.
Trains are extremely heavy, whether or not they have on board generators. Also, trains don't need to accelerate or decelerate nearly as often as cars and trucks do. Putting a generator in an electric truck is making an already overweight vehicle grossly overweight, overcomplicated and overpriced. It's a backwards design.
Good stuff! Dodge threw sacred out the window with the 4 door Charger (or as I call it the Diplomat). An onboard generator makes it a hybrid imo. I had a similar idea, but with a proper sized generator used like locomotives.
A “small” harbor freight generator would take a week to recharge the batteries, not an hour on the side of the road. A 3.6L is probably the minimum size engine needed to get enough energy production to actually charge the batteries in a reasonable time period.
Something that would compete with the Ford Maverick. There could be a diesel hybrid version with a 4 cylinder turbo diesel sourced from one of Stellantis European divisions.
Good points here, but I’m assuming they are using the 3.6 because the tooling is already there to produce it and the generator they are turning is high amperage output to keep up with the electricity demand which in turn requires substantial torque and hp to achieve. The point of this truck is it will make the commute for 90% or whatever of people on electric only. So you can drive to work all week on electric only, not having to fire up the engine. Then you can drive up north for the weekend towing a couple atvs without stopping at charging stations because of the OBG. I think its a good idea myself and a step in the right direction. Man is always creating more complex things, it should not be frowned upon. If you think this is complex take a look at a twin turbine helicopter drive / control system.
No , that would make sense as we already know that it works fantastic. This contraption uses a giant toxic battery pack to power the electric motors and a gasoline powered v6 to charge the battery pack.😂
Tony, I must admit that I am 68 Camaro owner since 1980. I love the channel regardless of brand. You bring great this content coming! Drill Baby drill we need to keep all these old girls going! Long live the 60"s.
I think you make a great point about adding points of failure. My question: is there that much less strain if the engine is only idling? Turns on, idles, turns off. It wont be under the normal strain of propelling a car. Also, if it’s always being plugged in (like it should be) what happens if the engine does essentially nothing until you take a long trip towing a heavy trailer? What does that mean for the failure points?
Stop asking common sense questions you know the answer to in order to make a point of objection….Thats my strategy! 😂 The Ramcharger is genius. And if I get to drive one before Tesla calls me on the CyberTruck it’s likely the way I’ll go.
@@carsbykev7037 the cyber truck is hilarious. It’s like dude had people throw that nightmare together in a hurry just to have something to roll out on a stage before the others. That is the most unserious vehicle Ive ever seen. Get the Ramcharger.
@@_krimzen_ I'm starting to think that. But I drive a Model S Plaid (and have had every other Performance Tesla since 2020: Model 3, Model Y, skipped the X though after Turo'ing one) and I'm just so used to being so comfortable passing anything, anywhere, anytime. Hyabusa? Move over. Corvette? Coming through! LOL. But the fact is: nobody really needs 1020 hp. It's ridiculousness... I loved my 2021 Ram for the 5 months I had it. Definitely think Cybertruck is getting cancelled. Hurry up Ram! I'll definitely put videos up when I get one. I'll make time for it.
It would not idle, When on it would operate in the most efficient RPM range it has for energy production unless the battery is completely depleted which would very rare.
Haven't the railroads have used diesel electric locomotives for decades? I don't think the have a battery for power storage either. The electric motor spins when the diesel is burning. The electric motor gives the unlimited torque a train needs. This setup in the ram charger would not have a trans failure. The 3.6 goes 200k miles when driving the wheels. No high revving in this application . Running part time, who knows how long it will go? Battery life is the only thing I see as questionable for reliability. That being said, I'm not getting in line to buy one.
😂 that 3.6l gets around 120k miles and the valvetrain croaks. The pcm or ecm shits itself. Forget the trans, they need to go back to the 3.3 or the 3.8
The speed of the engine depends on the load given to it. A basic car dosen't normally see high rpm either because the transmission changed gearing to provide faster speeds at lower rpm. If you have a high load on that generator. It will wear it out faster then a car application. Kinda like a boat that lives in the higher rpm.
Uncle Tony, thanks for these insights, it will be interesting what crops up when these units need servicing! Can't imagine how many volumes the technical guides will run! 🤣🤑
@@jamesocker5235 And when components fail, they wont be necessarily field serviceable, they’ll be integrated systems that are replaced as a whole, like when a laptop computer component gets fried, it isnt unsoldered replaced, and re attached, a whole new mainboard is shipped and installed. Plug and play drivetrains!😭🫣
It will result in owners waiting weeks or months to repair a problem that in times past may have been a nuisance while waiting to get fixed that now leaves the owner without transportation. Car makers are painting themselves into a corner with this technology for technology's sake mentality and it goes beyond cars.
It sounds to me like this is Dodge's way of ticking the EV Truck checkbox while providing the convenience of a gas motor and bypassing the emissions requirements. Since the "range extender" is not directly coupled to the driveline, it could be considered similar in nature to the generator on an RV or the welder on the back of a utility truck - not included in emissions calculations.
Bring back the El Camino, Ranchero, Rampage. Make them hybrid if you want. Minimal option versions too. A practical truck that can go anywhere and park without taking up every inch of parking space.
@@rwkerstetter I was interested in the SSR when it came out. Dealer premiums and the out of sight retail price did me in. A wanna be truck that could hold golf bags and not much else. When I finally saw it in the tin, I was glad that I didn't pull the trigger. The Holden Ute would have been fantastic. But, given the fiasco of the GTO it would probably have flopped. Again, dealers screwing the public openly as well as the terrible Grand Am styling, Had a 80 El Camino and a 61 Ranchero at different times. Chev S10 as well. It's what the public wants now. Look how well the Ford Maverick is doing. I don't know. 27 years later, my 96 F150 is still hauling stuff and doing truck stuff. I will stick with it.
100% agree about smaller pickups, I miss the 90s when you could get a basic single or extra cab toyota/nissan/mazda that wasn't full of blue teeth, keyless start, auto braking, computer screens and Bing bong noises
An 80hp range extender should be enough to maintain a truck at 60mph. 40 for an SUV, 30 for a car. Briggs and Stratton made a concept hybrid car in the 80s that proves this.
I'm an automotive Engineer, so I guess I'm one of the Insane of which you speak. A small V6 driving a generator, which runs in a small rpm and load range can be tuned for way more efficiency than a standard engine driving a transmission. Also, you seriously underestimate the amount of generator required to run a truck down the road, which the "Harbor Freight" model can't accomplish. This setup cures range anxiety, improves fuel economy and emissions, and still has enough battery for the average person to get their daily miles in without starting the engine at all. Engine mass is less than the weight of the extra batteries that would be required to get a decent range. Just look at the 9000 lb. HUMMER.
i mentioned I didnt think the 3.6 would be good for this in my comment up top, but maybe it could be tuned or bulletproofed to run in that high rpm range. I also like what the Volt did, where under very specific conditions, the engine would actually drive the wheels directly...for efficiency, because there are certain speeds where it takes more fuel to make the electricity than to just run the car on the ICE....
Maybe the electric vehicle companies could convince the government to put two thin bands of metal in the roads. Then power those up to transmit power via copper pickup shoes on the vehicle. Crazy idea I got from playing with AFX/ TYCO tracks as a kid. 😂😂😂😂
"Complexity is the enemy of reliability." There's definitely something to that. Now...what's more: I'm not sure in the end that they can really say this isn't a hybrid, can they?!
Don't care what they call it, I just disagree completely. It's not complexity, it's a generator which we've been making for centuries and a battery which we've been making for centuries and some electric motors which we've been making for centuries. The little V6, naturally aspirated probably, running at a steady ideal RPM because it's not determining the vehicle speed, will probably last 1 million miles with regular maintenance. You don't put an underpowered Harbor Freight 2-stroke or something as the generator because you want it to actually be able to drive at speed using that power, not just sit on the side of the road and wait as the battery trickle-charges. Watch this be one of the most reliable vehicles ever made. Meanwhile Tony here will be telling us how much better that 1969 Charger is that he has to replace every component every 100k miles.
You completely missed the context of this video. These vehicles will be designed to fail right after the warranty period. The cost to repair motors and batteries will far exceed the value of the truck. Most DIY people will not have the tools or skills to work on these. What good is the engine going a million miles if the battery doesn't and you cant use it without the battery???? The big difference is on that 69 charger, you could buy parts for dirt cheap and the average guy could work on them himself.
@@antonchigurh981 Funny, I didn't see the last guy's comment until yours popped up. Didn't get a notification. You're right about EVERYTHING you said. Spot on. Those batteries are too cost-prohibitive to replace, anyway. But I doubt that the previous commenter will ever buy a vehicle like that, anyway, which would only prove us correct. Nobody I know with a Tesla bought it for any reason other than to be trendy, anyway. I don't believe anyone is foolish enough to believe that electric vehicles are lower-maintenance or somehow less costly in upkeep. He might have a point about the generator, but then I can't see this type of vehicle being produced for very long. It sort of just perpetuates the use of fossil fuels to power the vehicle, so what's the point? You know, as if the car weren't being charged by a grid that runs on...fossil fuels...?
@@iFixJunk I think the point of a hybrid truck like this is it gets a heck of a lot more torque at the wheels without needing a bigger heavier engine or a diesel that now comes with a bunch of EPA headaches. The absolutely insane EPA regulations coming down the pipe certainly have something to do with it. But going with a hybrid instead of a full EV makes a lot more sense if you want the vehicle to be actually useable. Batteries are like every other component in a car: none of us regular people can make them ourselves. Most of us can't even machine an identical hubcap so I think its a moot point that we won't be able to work in the battery ourselves. There are battery shops. There are people who open them up and replace cores, just like they do with power tools, so it's not really rocket science. Consider this: it only costs about $1000 for a remanufactured 2005 Prius battery but it costs over $2000 for a remanufactured 2005 Camry transmission. Transmissions are a lot more finicky and complicated than batteries are, so they cost more even though the tech has been around a long time. So like I said, if they don't screw it up I think this has the potential to be one of the most reliable and low maintenance cost vehicles ever.
For me, the Ramcharger is straight up my alley and is something that I am very interested in. With that being said, I need to explain why. 1. Our truck is our primary means of transportation. My wife works but I am retired. 2. We average about 24k miles a year and about 90% of that is driving less than 50 miles one way from our home. My wife works 20 miles away from home. 3. We already have a big bumper pull RV that our current truck(2022 Ram 1500) can’t tow due to its dry weight exceeding the towing capacity. Payload capacity we are fine on though. 4. I’ve got a moderate sized off grid solar setup that should be big enough to keep an electric vehicle topped off Monday through Friday. 5. My wife and I have physical problems where we HAVE to have a comfortable vehicle, and we have found that the Ram trucks are very comfortable for us. So, a Ramcharger fits our needs. My wife can drive it on her normal commute at no expense to us. We can hop in it and do a road trip with no planning around charging stations. We can also tow our big RV to go camping. I’ve been waiting for, basically, a plugin hybrid 3/4 or 1 ton truck and that is basically what this is(it has 3/4 ton suspension and axles, and probably frame).
BTW, locomotives have been using this technology for decades. Are there more failure points? ABSOLUTELY!! ……. and mechanics had the same reservations about fuel injection over carburetors back in the day too. Some fuel injections systems were horrible, others worked really good and were reliable. As to people complaining that the 3.6L Pentastar V6 is a horrible inefficient platform to use……… yes it is inefficient in most of the vehicles that it is in. With this particular setup though, it can be tuned to run at the engine’s most efficient rpm at a steady state. Would a purpose built motor be more efficient? Yes. Would it increase the overall cost of each vehicle by thousands and push back the release date of the truck? Yes. In short, it isn’t the perfect setup, but no vehicle is. It will fit the needs of some people(like myself) but it isn’t for everyone. But what vehicle is for everyone?
Every new vehicle that comes out just goes a little further toward convincing me to never buy a new vehicle. Thanks for helping me save money auto makers! 😂
Engineered obsolescence is the name of the game. Once it's out of warranty, they want you to trade it in for a new one, that way they can keep making money off of you
If you think about it though this is probably going to be one of their most reliable vehicles ever, unless they massively screw up something. No transmission issues, no differentials. Engine can be overpowered for its task, not some turbo'd, supercharged monstrosity that blows itself up. No DEF problems. Engine generator will run at a steady, ideal RPM instead of revving up and then idling depending on speed. Batteries last longer when they don't get discharged too far, so having an on-board generator will help with that. And of course the wheels have electric motors and those will last forever.
As I understand it, the V6 Generator unit produces enough KW to power the electric motors when there is no more battery power. Thats substantially different than being a battery charger. When on battery alone it'll go for many miles, when more power is needed the gas generator can kick in giving a combination of battery and generator power, and if you've gone beyond the battery range you can continue with the power created by the generator. This system would then eliminate the transmission and transfer case and propeller shafts also. I understand your points but Im not sure Id dismiss it till more information is available.
the 3.6 is not a reliable engine to begin with. You don't need much energy to maintain 60mph even for a heavy vehicle. They should have just put a basic 3 or 4 cylinder in it. The 80s dodge trucks had around 90hp for the base model engine
I think this is a great idea. Complex yes, but the truck is still electric, with a v6 generator. Check out Edison motors, they are doing it with a big truck. The flexibility to charge and run gasoline is key for northern climates. Plus the albility to have regenerative braking, etc.. Ya its not for everyone but its not really any more complex than a hybrid but you have the options of burning no fuel. You think a "harbor freight generator" will move a 5000lb pickup truck down the road? It would take days to charge your truck with that, maybe only useful for emergencies.
I've often thought why not have a set up like diesel electric locomotives? Have enough battery to have lots of power in short supply and have a smallish motor tuned for optimal power to charge the system. Maybe Ram is doing this. Huge batteries are heavy and expensive
I like the pickup as diesel electric train idea, but the 3.6 pentastar is a weird choice of engine outside of being a cheap-ish off the shelf solution (currently used for stellantis hybrids). It is bigger than what seems needed for the application and not enough to be cool through excess like a Hellcat motor generator would be.
This actually does work really good in heavy applications. Submarines,construction,freight. The difference is we're talking about a basic pickup. The hybrid would be a better application for this idea. I knew there was going to be a day when I see a electric vehicle going down the road with a generator hooked to it. The likelihood off of this getting the full use out of this is very miniscule. A train has to go cross country and they can handle all that weight. Just look at the new hummer EV weight and now add a generator that is a car engine in its place. It's just silly.
I've had a first gen 2.5l 5 speed Dakota. Loved it decent milage. Only thing I missed was the 2.5 k car turbo because with that and it's intercooler it would make torque equal to a 318 ans better milage as the n/a 2.5
I have a 4 cylinder tacoma and it is way under powered especially on the hills of west virgina. On cruise control at 70mph it will have to drop down from 6th to 3rd at 5k rpm to maintain speed. The tacoma is also the size of a 90s half ton
@@JD-yx7be I had a 97 Dakota with a 2.5 Jeep 4 cylinder. Greatest truck in the world. Yeah hills were challenging but I loved to down shift. Those 2.5 Jeep 4 cylinders run forever. I sold mine with 270000 mi. No engine probs
@@racehemi426425 the 3rd gen tacoma is a heavy truck for that engine. the 2.7L is also one of the most reliable engines just under powered for the weight of the truck.
@@matthewronsson 6 million? That's about as many cumulative miles of odometer fraud he is responsible for in the Houston area back in the early 90's, when he was charging used car dealers $50 a pop for each rollback.
Scotty Kilmer is a fraud. He's not a mechanic. His lack of knowledge is so bad, I'm amazed that someone hasn't gotten killed listening to his jackass advice. Its just a matter of time. If you want proof, go watch a few of his diagnostic videos where he rides around and pretends he knows how to read a scanner. Then tell me what they are and I'll give you specifics that you can verify. You won't have to take my word for it. Or better yet, if you want to learn more about modern cars, visit these youtube channels. Scanner Danner, Diagnose Dan, Eric the car guy and South Main Auto. There's others, as well, but these are my favorites. Watch some of their diag videos, then compare them to Scotty's. You'll never call him a mechanic again.
We have a Chevy volt and it has basically the same setup. We love the volt. We drive how most people would, using the electric daily and the gas on long trips. We only need to fill up 3 or 4 times a year. I believe this truck will be a very good fit for most people.
Exactly. Non-EV experienced people don’t get it. They’re not for everyone. They’re for people who have a home where they can charge. I bought Teslas FOR my long distance commutes and road trips and it’s the best thing I ever did with vehicles.
I agree with you. The EPA with their mph standards. The old small truck (4 cylinder) (wheelbase matters too) has to get about 50 mpg. The bigger the truck, the lower the mpg requirement. Like the gas can, the government screws everything it touches.
...I haven't read up on this vehicle to see how it's all being implemented, but if they execute this the way I'm thinking...then it's actually a really good idea...especially for something like a truck where pure EV trucks ranges are shite, borderline useless... ...I would use the 3.6 (or maybe a smaller variant, but I imagine they want to use a tried and true engine that they already have...replace the transmission with a generator large enough to either charge the batteries at a rate that isn't painful (as it would be with a small genset). Now if done right, the engine would be designed to rev at a constant RPM (no attachment to the go pedal) in its peak efficiency. This would be a similar set-up to a diesel-electric locomotive, but as the batteries act as a buffer, there would be no need to rev it up and down. If this is the approach, then a large fuel tank is also not needed as the engine will always be in its optimal RPM and use less fuel per hour. The other positive aspect to using a full sized engine is that it could also be setup to operate like a diesel-electric locomotive and then the accelerator would rev the engine for more or less electric speeds, but due to having to carry a suitable battery the gas tank still would have to be a lot smaller than a gas only truck would have. Now this mode would still have limited range, but as fuel stations are everywhere you aren't restricted to EV charge stations. Again, I am just speculating here...but if I was to design an electric pick-up, this is how I would do it so that the truck isn't useless as a truck like the current offerings are......in fact, up here in Cananda there is a small outfit making a semi just like this and it is about the only way to make anything beyond a car work in the real world.
You've basically nailed how this thing is designed, great insight. It is supposed to have 145 miles of electric range and 690 miles of gas/electric range.
Ultimately you are still creating emissions using gas and I'm sure people are going to plug them in electricitycomes from somewhere. The point of an ev is to reduce that. And the batteries don't last forever.
The concept seems like a good one for someone that wants to drive an elective pickup but also wants to tow. If it works you can use fuel to tow long distances and avoid charging where you are going to block a bunch of chargers with your trailer. It also gives you good range for daily driving. My bet is that this won’t be made or sold in huge numbers as I think most people who want to tow will probably just stay with gas or diesel. I doubt any of those are as fun to drive as an electric truck with 600 hp. Sure it will be complicated and it might not work well. We’ll see. I’ve got a PHEV and so far so good after 2.5 years. People who don’t like PHEV’s always say nobody charges them. I charge mine as it’s a lot of fun to drive electric. I think anyone buying this will be motivated to charge it for that reason, but also to avoid the pump.
@@bullitthead7853...I still haven't looked as to how they are building it lol...but if as I had figured, it won't be completely new, even for Chrysler as they had the ENVI program which was basically the same as the above, BUT if they give the engine the option to drive (via the generator and electric motors) the vehicle when the batteries are low...I would buy this truck if done like I was thinking...
Guy needs to look into how trains work and Edison Motors. Series hybrid vehicles are not new. They have good range and full torque at 0 RPM...unlike a straight ICE setup that only generates good torque at a certain RPM range.
Рік тому+18
Damned straight, mate! During high school, one of my best mates had a '74, green on white Eamcharger. As wee lived deep in the mountains, we quickly found out just what a beast it was! A 440 into a 727, was one of the best domestic drive-trains ever put together,- As a former BC, Ontario and Federal Green party member, for NINETEEN years. I became a PPC Founding member five years ago. I spent my entire life worshipping the environment, and doing as much as I possibly could to protect her. To the point of converting my work Van to CNG, and my '73 440 Charger to LPG. Due to my decades of R&D, I have known that EVs are BULLSHIT, for decades. RIP MOPAR.
I guess you guys have been living under a rock. Diesel-electric Locomotives feature a big engine that turns a generator that powers electrical motors connected to the wheels. They have no mechanical connection between the engine and the wheels and have been around since the 1930's (before most of you were even born). They have PROVEN themselves to be the most efficient and reliable method of transporting mass cargo over the land.
To say that this new RAM truck's hybrid system is "new" is just ignorance. The old Chevy Volt had the same system, as do the current Toyota Prius Prime and RAV4 Prime (there are more but can't think of them now). Automotive journalism calls these "Plug-in Hybrids", been around for more than a decade now.
Many people have brought up the comparison to Diesel Electric locomotives in the comments.
It's NOT the same thing.
As you said, that technology has been around since the 1930's and is brutally simple and effective....SIMPLE, and effective BECAUSE it's simple.
Those are direct, purpose built machines that are not compromised by having to wear different hats, pretend to be things they are not, and are packaged in a way that makes them easily serviceable.
If Ram or any other nameplate introduced a truck that was a direct downsize of a Diesel Electric locomotive, I would probably be in line to buy one myself.
Plug-in Hybrids
Its electric motor provides some assistance to the gas engine, saving fuel compared to a gas-only vehicle. Additionally, certain driving situations can provide charge to the battery, though not enough to add more than a mile or so of electric driving at a time.
So not the same as the 2025 Ram Ramcharger
source google
So what part of that is good for a pickup truck ?
@@UncleTonysGarage none of the arguments you made are based in engineering, science, or physics at all beyond right to repair which all newer vehicles including Ice suffer from. Saying a 3hp gas generator with a 1kw output that’s supposed to charge a 100kw battery powering a 660hp motor demonstrates how you lack basic understanding. Lmafo at the four day charge rate, I think your argument does more for the brain damage leaded gas causes than anything else.
I had a RAV4 Prime. Awesome vehicle. I just sold it because I needed a truck!
The R4P is a true hybrid with big batteries. Both the engine and batteries are connected to the drive train. It is not a pure EV with a battery charger.
In the long run, the R4P-style drive train is not suitable for many truck applications, such as towing, that require consistent high power output. Once the battery is depleted, the R4P a heavy 175hp SUV. The batteries will always give you great surge performance, hence great acceleration. But they do nothing to help you tow a trailer up a long, uphill grade. In fact, the engine has to work harder to charge the batteries after hard acceleration.
For consistent high power loads, you will need an ICE engine with enough HP to maintain that level of power plus make up for the electric drive system energy losses. This works OK for locomotives, but has proven way too heavy for over the road power.
Oh, and locomotives don't have batteries and do not need fast, variable power output.
Yes, I agree. Simple, lightweight, small gasoline engines in smaller vehicles with simple standard transmissions would be a hell of a lot more efficient way to go. In 1993, they sold a Honda civic that got 73 mpg(imperial). Why the hell do we need 800 horsepower, 4 ton machines with endless wiring and electronics, self driving and self parking, etc., etc.? Technology has gotten out of control. It's way beyond logical. People would love to have access to simple, efficient, reliable transportation that they could actually afford to buy and maintain.
Been saying this for years.
In the 90s 2000s we got engines fairly efficient.
Then they decided to keep them the same size as they always were.
Why the old 2016 ford f250 4wd gets like 12.5 average is disgusting.
It's got 380hp and I stuck with a mk4 VW Jetta vr6 in a "race" to about 75 when I lifted.
We'd be better off if that 6.2 was like a 4.5 and had like 250-275hp if it would get like low 20s average,I know I'd be fine with that.
Need all that power?
That's what options are for.
It makes you take it to the stealership constantly
So well said it almost makes sense
In 1975 they had a carbureted car that would get over 50 mpg, a 2001 Buick park avenue would get 26 regularly. My full size 93 regular cab Silverado is smaller than a 4x4 4 door Colorado, and gets better fuel mileage with a V8 than they can with a 5 or 6 cylinder.
The thing is that many people have gotten lazy to the point that they rely on "technology" to do everything for them and, they're dumb enough to pay for it.
Personally, the only things I want in my vehicles (other than a reliable drivetrain) are a tilt wheel, cruise control, a radio (without all the extra bs) and a/c. As a younger man, I could live without the a/c and almost insisted on a manual transmission. These days, I can still live without a/c as long as I have a sliding rear window but, with the arthritis in my left knee getting worse by the day, an automatic transmission is, unfortunately becoming a necessity. Power windows and locks are nice but definitely not necessary. Backup cameras, blind spot monitors and all the other garbage are also just more things to break and cost money! Hell, out of all the vehicles that I own, only 1 of them has cup holders!
I was asking about mini trucks and what happened to them and I found that manufacturers are claiming they can't make them because of the EPA's C.A.F.E. regulations. It looks to me American manufacturers wanted those regulations the way they are so they could sell the consumer vehicles with higher margins while using the EPA as a scapegoat.
sounds right to me
Good point...
The EPA is not a scapegoat but they are a branch of the federal government that has grown into an entity that dictates policies across the board that effect every single person in this country. Ranging from the food we eat ,water we drink and the air we breathe. They have no counter balance branch to keep them from getting out of line, like we have with other branches. Just a more aggressive way to control us, they are evil. Just as bad as the fuckin IRS
It was probably also that combined with the Chicken Tax and importing small trucks.
Above a certain weight, the safety standards become more lenient.
An Optional engine to go on 500+ miles range makes a lot of sense to me. When you are going around town doing your jobs and commuting, you just leave it in EV. While towing or on the highway, you have the engine juice up the batteries in order to keep moving longer. It makes a lot of sense, displaces the pollution to outside the cities while polluting less due to a smaller displacement but still making big power. Seems logical. The mechanical side also has less failure points because all it is doing is running the alternator. No power train.
Exactly. The guy in this video doesn't know what he's talking about. This is technology in wide use already. Think about this...there is no 3.6L V6 on the planet ( aka the generator in the ramcharger) that can tow even 10k lbs. However, this same V6 in the ramcharger is capable of supplying enough electricity to tow 14k lbs. That's wild and shows the inefficiency of petrol engines. It is why we move freight all around the world on diesel powered but electrically driven trains since the 30's. Any way you cut it, ICE engines are very inefficient if they're putting the power to the ground but they are necessary for long haul driving (in a generator capacity). Glad to see the industry moving this direction it is literally common sense.
Finally, some sense in this comment section.
How much will this beast cost? $150k? $200k?? Are you able to repair it yourself? Oh, battery needs changing and it’s out of warranty-that’ll be $75k. I don’t think so.
This is literally the answer
Exactly!! He totally missing the point in general terms . Here’s and easy explanation! It’s called the “Ramcharger” meaning it’s a regular Ram truck that charge 😂. So simple man! Most people don’t drive around their radius more than 120miles back and forth. Therefore, if you work in short distance driving it’s perfect . If you want to go further don’t worry the gas engine will turn on 😂 so simple. I’ll be trading my 2021 ram 1500 for this beast soon it arrives at the dealership. And believe me this beast will sell like crazy once folks are educated enough and understand the technology.
And people wonder why I bought a 1985 Ford F-150, with the 4.9L Inline 6, and a manual trans. The truck is absolutely beautiful in it's simplicity, from the Carter single barrel carb, to the 8.8 rear end.
Yup, I only buy old pos, manual trans preferably, people always tell me I need a new car. It's insane how programmed everyone is! Why would I want a new car?! First I don't have a car payment, second I can buy any part I need on it for 40 bucks or less, 3rd my insurance is nothing, 4th I've got money in my bank account and yall dumb asses complain how broke you're all the time. Smdh. Seriously people aren't capable of their own thoughts anymore... Everyone is a programmed, self important, slave!
I know that truck . My friend has one. It still runs, that manual trans is a beast, it's not been rebuilt. Who knows the milage now but it's around 300.000. Great truck.
Tough durable truck
I'm buying a 1984 Dodge van later next week. I work on new cars for a living, they are all shit.
A friend had one, and it was a great truck. They used those engines a lot in Australian Ford's
Due to CAFE standards forced onto car manufacturers they have to continue to build bigger and bigger vehicles so they can meet the fuel efficiency requirements.. the heavier the car/truck the less miles per gallon they need to get.. look into it and your head will explode.. great video Tony keep them coming
Yes totally agree it the reason Toyota doesn't sell the hylux pick up in the United States it pushing 25 plus mpg but doesn't meet the ridiculous café regs due to the wheel base to mpg bs regs hear its also why the Ford ranger is now a mid size
You are 100% correct. It's the ONLY reason why true compact trucks like the old Ford Ranger, 1st gen Tacoma, S-10, etc are totally extinct. Modern "small trucks" are literally the size of what full sized PU trucks used to be 30 years ago. And modern full sized PU trucks are the size of small freight trains. The prices are outrageous too. You can buy a house in certain parts of the country for what a full sized PU truck costs these days. It's sheer insanity.
Now just put your finger on the part of the constitution that authorizes such nonsense.
That's only part of the story. The car manufacturers themselves "help" the government to define those standards. So, of course they push for more stringent standards for cars because the trucks/SUVs are much more profitable. The CAFE standards may have started out as good-intentioned policies to help clean up our environment. But they've morphed into something that appears to be doing the opposite. In the end, it's all about money. It's always about money...
That's how come trucks like the Lil Red wagon was the most powerful and fastest things coming out of Detroit, back in the beginning of the Cafe standard.
This is what people were asking for... I don't think the average person needs this but it would work well for guys that want to tow long distances. The EV range will make most peoples daily commutes without needing to run the gas engine at all. The v6 generator makes enough electrical power to run it without needing to stop. I own an f150 lightning and wouldn't give up my frunk space for a range extender, home charging is enough 99% of the time. If I was towing long distances regularly I would want this ramcharger mainly because DC charging infrastructure is lacking
All that and not screwed on the days where you really need it to go farther or tow more.
The ramcharger is for the family that spends most of their time in the city and can plug it in but maybe have a boat they tow on the weekend. The gas engine just fires up a few hours a week.
@@pin65371 Or famers and tradesmen. This would include both of my brothers.
Agreed 100% this is for the guys who tow. It’s going to sell like hotcakes. Unfortunately Uncle Tony doesn’t get it, it really is not more complex or failure prone than a hybrid, in many ways it is simpler. Hybrids have an engine, electric motor(s), battery, and a complex transmission. The failure point on a hybrid isn’t the engine or the battery or the motors, it’s the transmission. Transmissions are also the most common failure point on almost every truck used for heavy duty towing. This thing has no transmission. Think about it. I suspect this will be more reliable, not less, at least for heavy use. When heavy duty towing, this thing has enough electric power to simply dominate. 600+hp and enough battery for pulling your 14k trailer from a light, or up and over the Rockies without slowing down. And the v6 produces enough steady state power to recharge on the flats while still pulling that trailer.
I own a new Outlander PHEV. Works just like the Ramcharger and has been perfect. More torque than gas. The engine is a generator so is detuned and lasts longer and there isn’t stress on it like being directly into the drive train. Oil changes are 16,000 for example. The OP is talking out his arse.
I live in germany and for over a decade now I'm driving a little volkswagen polo 2 (wasn't available in the US).It has a small 1.3L engine with only 54 hp but it only weights about 1650 pounds. If there is an unrepairable engine failure I can change the whole engine to one that I have in my shelf in about 4 hours.
In my opinion, there is hardly anything handier and environmental friendlier than such an old car.
Americans are cucked for giant fukken trucks and race cars
Correct, but our overlords want us to consume constantly!
I wish more stuff was designed this way.
When the weather is decent I daily my 1974 VW Beetle. Very simple, light and efficient. Repairs are a breeze. I love it.
You still shit, so there's that.
When I say "Car companies can't get any dumber" they seem to consider it a challenge and then prove me wrong. I agree with you, a mid sized truck with a very efficient 4 or 6 cylinder engine, backed up by a simple 5 speed manual transmission, priced under $20k, with simple analog gauges, manual crank windows and the absolute minimum computer controls and it would sell like hotcakes.
I have a few cars, one of them is a little Toyota sedan that's 30 years old. 5 speed, air-conditioning, pwr steering and cranking windows. It drives so smooth, I often forget it's 30 years old. If a new car offers what this car has, and no more, I'd buy one in a heart beat.
But you can’t trap folks under debt and leech up any and all of their extra money for years if we do that.
It's a stated goal to eliminate the private ownership of automobiles. It's not supposed to work for the general public.
@@bobm9509 absolutely, force everyone into cities as well. All about control.
@@johncrazyboy3250exactly, 💯 we've raised a generation of morons that'll believe what ever the hell is on the tube or screen.
It takes a lot of power to turn a 180kw generator. Also, it won't be running all the time and the ice will be running at the right rpm for efficiency. I like it.
Like it! No, love it!
Why not put a 4 cyl turbo diesel in there as a power unit? Its better suited for the task, more efficient, more durable, just plain better than a gasoline engine.
@@CrazyForCooCooPuffs diesel emissions requirements require heavy exhaust systems. The V6 that they are using is a standard engine that's well known to their entire support and engineering structure.
@@CrazyForCooCooPuffs because Americans don’t want diesel and the v6 is already an engine the ram 1500 uses. It had a turbo diesel but it was an Italian pos
@@dawsongranger4940 As a component they already build and stock, the engineers know what settings are most efficient for generating electricity and can apply those permanently, since the gas engine has just the one job.
Tony you are so true about technology gone to far. The garbage most car makers are putting out today. I would never buy a new vehicle.
With a subscription model. Pitiful
I agree, but many a fool will.
My younger co-workers a few years ago were in agreement that you buy a car based on how much tech per $ you could afford to pack in to a car. They thought it was crazy to think about the design, driving dynamics, prestige, what would happen when it was older, etc...the only things that I care about!
Lemme guess, you can only use the v6 if you buy a subscription for it
That would actually be hysterical, and not illogical at all to how things head. But I'm still hoping to get one of these fr.
nope, its not connecting to the wheels..
poe's law and exaggeration
After talking to some people who work for Stellantis, this system is designed to be a prime mover. That is why it uses a 3.6 engine and not smaller 2.0L, 1.4L turbo or such. It needs the high horsepower to run system. This will be amazing, sadly old people will only slow evolution.
I'm guessing you got the top guys on speed dial. Ya ok lol
@garysgarage.2841 it's ok to be jealous, and it's not hard to make friends with engineers and software developers when you actually work in the automotive industry. Sorry your job sucks and you never pursued a higher skillset .
@@killerta87 I'm also gonna guess your the type of guy who's mom wakes him up every day to remind him to take his meds and make him breakfast.
It's a stepping stone to "You will own nothing and be happy.". He wasn't lying when he uttered those words. I drive a 33 year old Miata with hand crank windows and I feel like it has too much electronic bs on it. My next car will be a 50s or 60s VW. Become ungovernable.
The heck is an old bug gonna make you "ungovernable"?
Just thought you'd like to know the 2026 model cars will come with government mandated remote kill switches..let that sink in for a minute or two..
@@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge
Michael Hastings didn't kill himself.
@@jayarnold8883 Don't care, modern cars are garbage.
And with these cars, parts are harder and harder to find, by design, I'd guess
Hybrids don't barely justify existing. I drive about 100k per year for work. My Sonata hybrid gets about 55 mpg/700 miles per tank. This is with half city, half highway. I had the same car without the hybrid system, it did 19 mpg city, 38 highway. The hybrid is doing 50+ in the city, and about 60 on the highway if kept to 65 mph. If the government cared about the environment they would push hybrid cars, not EVS. My hybrid has a 1.62 kWh batter, a typical EV can be around 80 kWh. They could make about 50 hybrids for the same lithium/other metals and put no stress on the electrical grid, and no resources wasted on charging stations.
I'm not a huge fan of EVs but I've always been impressed with the range from Hybrid designs. I'm with you on the lower natural resources demand for the smaller batteries as well. No having to plot out where you're gonna find a charger. For the infrastructure that real world America has today, hybrid is by far the way to go. You're getting quadruple the mileage per gallon that was possible thirty years ago except for the smallest of engines.
Your comment should be much higher up
Hybrids are underrated.
If only there were any Brains in the Government. The dumbest of people control us.
I love my Toyota hybrid especially on long road trips. I pass by the Tesla EV owners all the time as they’re sitting there charging and all other EVs on the road. Haha
Unfortunately your 100% wrong on this one one. First of all this has already been been done already in the BMW I3, and Chevy Volt. The reason it’s a generator only… because this way you get the benefit of the electric motors (Monster torque), easy AWD, without the complication of a transmission and extra axles and drive shafts. Why the 3.6… because it already bolted into the chassis and the motor itself is paid for technically… also to provide enough electricity to keep up with the demands of running the truck real time, especially if towing they need a fairly large generation unit…. Lastly this will get x range on EV only but mid 20’s when the motor runs. Thats more efficient than any gas only truck including the 3.6 automatic, partially because the 3.6 will be able to run at a steady efficient rpm constantly.
As a 30 year Mopar parts employee, I can’t tell you how glad I am I was able to retire before seeing this legacy brand embarrass itself on the world stage.
This is possibly the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard of. Feel bad for guys still out there working in this industry.
They’re all embarrassing themselves and being run out of business.
Staying stuck in the past has always proven to be a great idea. ( That's sarcasm if you didn't get it.) Move into the future or die out like all things inevitably do.
@@AbolishCommunism well, are there millions of dumbasses out there? My calculations say yes!
Chrysler is no more due to Stellantis...
Yeah I was at the dealer in the 90's....good products that ppl were happy with.
The rants about modern absurdities are my favorite. I think a lot of us feel a bit like George Carlin, the guy in the movie Falling Down, Marvin Heemeyer, oh and Sly Stallone in Demolition Man while we watch our country and the western world swirl the bowl. I am fearful for my kids
Add idiocracy to the list.
Does that 3.6 run off of Brawndo🤣🤣🤣
@@FrankTimms-cs5hl idiocracy! Yes! Lol
@@jimmy_olds
Escape from New York (our current police state)
“The last chase” with Lee Majors.@@Calc_Ulator
My wife's PHEV Cadillac ELR (Chevy Volt powertrain) has been great. We've had zero issues from the gas generator engine in the 95K miles we've had it. The ELR/Volt are very much like the Ramcharger in that the ICE really only acts as a generator to power the battery/electric motor. The only thing I question on the Ramcharger is why they used a V6, they could have gone with a smaller 4-cylinder generator, but maybe there was some benefit to using an engine that's standard across their platforms already.
I don't think a 4cyl engine would produce enough (electric) power to tow 14k pounds
Correct, it's all about the most efficient way to provide 130KW of charging to the battery so the battery never goes under 20% and can maintain all it's 'juice' going to the wheels. The 3.6 is more efficient and simpler than a turbo at certain RPM's needed to act as a generator.
@@matt3054 Edison Motors uses a 3.6-liter CAT inline four.
Tony knows as little as we all knew. The busses in my town are gasoline generators powering the electric drive motors. It’s great tech , small engine emissions and big power
I think they should have gone one step further and just included blown hemi from the hellcat to run the generator :)
That truck is much better executed and engineered than the Ram
That reminds me of Thrust 2, the land speed car holder that has either a V8 or V12 (forget which), just to drive the fuel pump for the jet engine.
The 3.6 liter V6 can supply power directly to the DC motors that drive the wheels on the Truck and in specific situations avoiding sending the power to the battery. So even though this is different than a traditional hybrid its still a hybrid. This is the similar technology that trains have used for almost a 100 years if not longer. Trains have engines on board that run generators that send power to the electric motors that drive the train. There must be something positive about doing it this way or that would not have been used for so long with the trains.
It is the only way to get that much torque to the wheels. The concept was a huge breakthrough. It made the steam locomotive obsolete.
Tony, the size of vehicles has inflated (especially trucks) because there is a vehicle footprint factor to CAFE fuel standards, if you have a larger truck, it has to make less gas mileage.
If you had a truck the size of a first gen Dakota, it would have to make something like 70 mpg based on current year CAFE requirements, or carry a guzzler tax on the vehicle when sold new
Yep. CAFE singlehandedly destroyed the small truck market. I still see a shitload of rangers and S10 around here putting around. Some almost 35 years old, most at least 20. A lot of them are on their second engine and rusted beyond belief, but as long as the frame isnt broken those mini trucks NEVER end up at the junkyard. If they started making those things they probably couldnt keep up with demand from the young tradesman market... The new "ranger" is bigger than a full sized f150 from the 90s yet the bed is uselessly small. No such thing as a work truck anymore
My 96 dakota 4x4 v8 got 20mpg all day long before I put a bigger cam and no cat. Down to 16 now. But I can easily get 20 in a almost 30 year v8.
@@allurared9029wait till you see the mavericks. Those things look like a toy truck on the inside.
At least it's a move back to small footprint trucks I guess, but good lord the engine bay is a mess on those
thats stupity of goverment and reason why all brands build some stupit stuff
I agree, and as someone who actually uses a truck, daily, I pretty much HAVE to stick with an older truck..when the newer ones hit the used market, there will be none that are configured to my needs..they are pretty much all 4 door sedans, with tiny beds...with bedsides 6 feet off the ground....I prefer an 8 foot bed, but good luck finding a newer truck with one of those, unless it is one of those 40 foot long crew cabs with a long bed. I know there are a few(very few) fleet trucks sold that are regular cab with a long bed, but even those are impractical for work as the beds are so high off the ground, you can barely see inside them, much less reach inside the bed to get something...@@allurared9029
"Range Extender" is double speak for "we can't deliver on the promise of EV's and we are trying make it functional at least."
yep
Simple as this
A range extended electric car can make a lot of sense. A battery big enough to do 90% of your driving on electric only, and a small gas powered generator to use on your occasional road trips.
A lot better than sticking a 3000lb $30,000 battery in the car and hoping that's enough range to make it between charging stations in middle of nowhere Wyoming.
It's just this is not a range extended electric car, it's an 8000lb monstrosity.
@@jaredlancaster4137 missing the point. If they had full faith in being able to deliver on the promise it wouldn't have a V6 in it to power it after the batteries get used up. That is the point Tony is making here. The engine is not the backup here the batteries are.
I cannot agree more.
Think you missed the bus on this one. It's an EV Ram that carries a level 3 charger with it. The idea is that you don't have to pull over and scroll your phone for an hour while a lawnmower engine lets your truck barely sip enough power to make it to the next real charging station, you can just keep on driving normally and still recharge. Power outage? Plug your house into your truck. Jobsite with welders and tools to run? Plug into your truck. Construction office but you want to brew coffee and run the heat or AC? Plug it into your truck. Etc etc.
You are 💯 correct , I think he misses the whole point 😂. I believe people miss understood this technology. The ramcharger will sell like hot cakes soon it’s available.
@@TheBeaugarson I agree with the infrastructure that we currently have; I couldn't justify buying anything EV that I can't fully power without a backup. This is the perfect type of vehicle for now. Maybe in the next ten years, when things are more advanced, and if the Gov. keeps pushing EVs, then and only then, it would be worth more to buy an EV without the extender or, like I said, a backup option. This guy is stuck in the old way and old mentality.
145 mile electric only then the geny kicks in for 545 more miles on geny power... it's fast at 660 hp and it can tow over 11k lbs. ... it's a win win too...21 mpg and very low carbon footprint on all those short drives. This guy is ridiculous... $1-4 k to replace elect motors vs $10-15 for gas motor.
yah, this thing is awsome. Im not a fan of pure electric cars because of the battery, its nothing knew. But I LOVE the electric motor, and I always knew someone was going to make a hybrid like how Trains work, using a gas engine to produce the electricity to run thier electric motors. I LOVE THIS IDEA, and I cant wait till more do it. the electric motor is the future.
Not to mention the when the battery starts to degrade and not hold a full charge the gas engine will just run more often. This will extend the life of the vehicle
He’s not wrong about the potential failure points, and the upfront cost will probably be massive.
But this is not a terrible idea.
I hear that in England and Australia. Insurance rates for EV's have increased up to 1000% due to the cost of repairs. Some companies have dropped them all together, refusing to cover any EV.
$40,000 to fix a dent on a rivian what sane insurance company would insure that...
@@soliniv1411exactly that's what everyone's insurance is going up to pay for this crap
For a secondary engine source would make sense but using it as a charger only. Especially a V6. It is a boat anchor if it only used to charge the battery only. That's like turning on a deisel generator to charge your phone for 20 minutes.
That's a damned good way of putting it my friend.
Yeah Wouldn't be like Catipiller is doing the same thing in the D-11s, electric motor has more torque and power than the gas, and the gas Gen set can run the Electric motor even without Batteries in the New Ram Charger.
None of it makes sense. Just get a freaking gas motor and save the money and weight. Lol. None of this is efficient or the so called “green”. Lol
@@mikepalmer1971 And Let the only rock we have to live on Continue to die?
Climate change freako cultist alert >> carrollsanders9376 🤣🤣🤣
I really don't understand the logic of your complaint. I think having a large battery that can run the vehicle alongside a gasoline engine that can also run the vehicle, kind of gives you the best of both worlds. One of the awesome things about Tesla's, is they can run their accessories without starting the engine. Things like cameras, built-in Wi-Fi hotspots, and many other things even including the air conditioning to make sure your interior doesn't reach extreme temperatures, can run on battery alone. Not to mention you get the torque of an electric motor without having to worry about running out of juice on long trips.
then just get a gas powered, why do you want an EV?
so not only do you have to maintain its large batteries that go under the whole truck (not a small battery like true hybrids), you'll also have to maintain its engine with its coolants, radiator, etc,. moving parts.
part of the argument for going EV is that there are practically no moving parts = lower maintenance cost, but this not only will drive horrible (because so much weight), it will be a maintenance nightmare.
I know I wont be buying one. Tony is so right about the additional complexity and increased failure points.
Reduced Failure points Catipiller has already converted the D 11 to Electric drive, Tony isn't an engineer not even close!
@@carrollsanders9376Nor are you….
These are built on purpose to fail. They want us all in smart cities..prison cities. Modern travel will too expensive for the majority of us peons. Only the ultra rich will have that ability.
Diesel electric locomotives have the best power to weight ratio of any vehicle . What a great marketing feather to have in your cap. To be able to say your truck is the closest thing to a locomotive that you can buy! @@carrollsanders9376
@@trolllibtards2604 I have forgotten more about engineering than Tony Knows.
They should make the generator a diesel and give it an air horn so I can live out my train fantasies
If Edison Motors decides to expand from semi's to pickups, that'd be an interesting one.
@@rwkerstetter Edison would probably opt for a gasoline generator too because gasoline is more commonly available, it's currently cheaper, gas engines have become very reliable, they're cheaper to maintain, they don't need as heavy-duty of parts and they don't have as much problems reducing smog. So I'm thinking this is actually going to be a fantastic vehicle despite what Mr Tony thinks.
Electric propulsion with ice charging capability is the future of pickup trucks because it is better than anything we have now. The available torque coupled with the ability to fill up with gas for longer towing/hauling trips checks all the boxes for people who actually use their truck like a truck. Within a decade this will be the most popular drive train configuration for all full size pickup trucks. Open your mind and get used to it. Better is just better.
Mechanic. "Well we found out why you could not charge your battery sir."
Customer. "What was it?"
Mechanic. "Well, your gas engine would not start because the catalytic converter was blocked. So, you EV would not go because your gas engine wouldn't start, go figure."
But you can plug it in to charge. If any other gas-only powered vehicle can't start its engine, it's not moving either.
@@OnTheRocks71 /whoosh
@@Calc_Ulator yes?
Borla just released a speaker system to make a Lightning sound like a V8 lmao
It’s like all these vegan companies making fake “meat” 😂😂
Yeah, and it sounds like a video game. Lol
How many were on pre-order?😂😂😂😂😂
@@Spike-sk7ql honestly no idea, nor do I care. It’s just as dumb as the new Ramcharger lol
can.... can I route that sound through some AirPods? : )
Hi Tony. I'm a Ramcharger engineer. You're correct on the architecture of the REV, but it's called a REPB (Range Extended Paradigm Breaker) which will go around 700 miles on a full charger plus full tank of gas to charge. I would love to give you my opinion of this too, but I don't want to lose my job. Lol
@@Wontreplyeverdontbother Sure thing, colon cowboy
I too am a RAMcharger engineer. I think it's a neat idea.
That's all
You can tow a mini tanker and call it the extra range extender for the generator…. That is a great idea!!!
9:07 in most hybrids the car can't be driven when the battery is truly dead or missing. These cars don't have a traditional starter and require a working hybrid system and hybrid/main battery to start the engine.
The engine is only used as a generator as that is more fuel efficient than letting it power the wheels directly. That is one of the reasons why Nissan e-POWER exists.
Volvo xc90 turbo, supercharged, plug-in-hybrid-reliability.
THIS.... is why I'm hesitant to think about wanting a BYD Shark! the Ford PHEV on the other has still has a drive train from front to bk & Elec is secondary, 3 clear options, with GAS ONLY as 1 of them .. then Elec only or Hybrid... I believe. I prefer the look of the Ford PHEV pickup Truck, but I'm sure the price ain't going be reasonable at all... BYD may have the lower hand there... catch 22.
@@zechssiguro7476 it's likely both the ford ranger phev and byd shark can't start the combustion engine without a fully functional hybrid system and hybrid/main battery. But since they are both phev, they maybe able to drive a short distance without turning on the engine. And can be used as fully electric vehicles if you remove the fuel tank and combustion engine.
@hi9580 understood, tks for the some clarity, my hope then, is that the quality of the BYD & Ford hybrid technology, the generators etc, are to a high level of longevity, that maintenance is to the standard that Toyota set over the years.... in time. a new standard for hybrid trucks, every 6mths for the 1st 3-5yrs ... I guess we'll see. it's a brand new market.
Thanks!
Thank you!
I agree with you totally Uncle Tony, the more they add to a car the more potential problems. This is why I prefer older cars before computers with crank windows. You know back when almost everyone could fix their own car with basic hand tools.
You mean back when a car with 75k miles was worn out?
I get it I love old cars. I also think new cars are to complicated.
HOWEVER……..this is the best solution to an EV.
Also trains and heavy equipment have used this tech for years and no one is complaining about them.
This is truly a RAM thing to do.
Like putting a knob on the console as a replacement for a shift lever.
Or making truck transmissions (for years) out of bubble gum and white metal.
Don't forget the "insta rust" steel they use for the body panels
@jamanjeval you must be mistaken. These are not Toyotas
Chrysler transmissions have not been known to last...at least beyond the factory warranty
@@Welcometofacsistube I had a dodge ram 1500. It was the nicest worst truck I’ve ever owned. I now own a Prius. 🤪
There is nothing wrong with an electric shifter knob unless its tied to a dodge as the electrical problems alone will make it worthless but the ider is sound an the gum used isn't like brand new its abc gum still tho I bet a shopping cart holds up better
Idk what he's complaining about. First off, the electric charger exaust is not a speaker, and you can't choose whatever sound you want. Second, you don't need everything you need to run the engine. Please, look it up for yourself. It's actually very smart.
The intent is to incrementally dissuade people from private automobile ownership. They want you immobile.
Tinfoil hat much
curb weight is probably 12000 lbs LOL
With probably a 1000 lb payload capacity.
@@ChrisLee1353-c6e We ain't got time for facts while we play pretend.
I was in this dilemma a few months ago. Using a 17 Ford Transit 150 for my business with 200k miles, looking to replace. The old van was 30k new, a new exact replacement is 50k , the electric version is 65k, but only has a range of 120 miles on a single charge, totally unworkable in my business. So I bought the gas version. I would have seriously looked at an electric version with a range extending generator, if one was available.
PPL/future generations will look back at these past few years as "the time of dumb"
The movie “Idiocracy” comes to mind.
Idiocracy is prophecy. Now if we could convince the “Rock” to run for president.
SO when the battery pack cooks off it now has a tank of gas to go along with it. Can you imagine that fire.
Oh my God🤣 a giant EV battery and 27 gallons of gas🤯
Maybe they can also fill every nook and cranney with DYNAMITE.
Does anyone sell a diesel/generator pick-up truck?
@@freddykruger3090 yeah just put a generator in the back of your pickup
@@juicebokz7743 im thinking diesel/electric like the locomotives.
Sounds like Ramcharger is not for everyone, but it sure does seem to satisfy our interests and desires here in rural northern Utah. Glad to see the gas tank capacity is 27 gallons, and for the power outlets, both 120V and 240V up to 7.2 kW output. Besides the CCS1 and J1772 plug inputs (how about NACS?), I would like to see power input interface allowing for connection of solar panels, even while moving.
Utah has alot of odd human desires, needs and strange alien beliefs.
Why not desire SIMPLICITY. A simple truck with a diesel engine that has similar efficiency and is SIMPLER to operate and repair.
@@pin65371This is the point. This is also what dissenters don’t get.
They also don’t get that the Plumber only travels 100 miles a day, that my Dad never tows anything but likes the bed for lumber projects and travels to see family 509 miles away occasionally, etc. It’s a great design that I think will be highly successful.
@@FarmingWithYahwehgo buy an old one
Solar panels probably won't add enough range to be worth the cost - they looked into this for the cybertruck. However, using this truck as a home backup would prove very useful
The reason we no longer have the S10 is because of the EPA. The smaller the vehicle the higher the milage it needs to get so they made it impossible to meet the standard. Now they just make them bigger so the bar is lower for milage ratings.
Makes absolutely no sense.
I'm taking real good care of my S10. Hopefully it lasts until I croak LOL. With so many built plus the postal trucks, parts continue to be readily available.
Makes sense if you want to sell more vehicles at a higher price point than small and efficient
It's efficient in the fact that it'll be like a locomotive. Edison motors just made a semi truck like that. The engine on the generator runs at a constant RPM to charge the batteries. Maintaining the most efficient RPM you'll have better
Caterpillar is making diesel over electric bulldozers now too. They are supposed to have crazy torque and save a lot of diesel, but that is a machine you just rent. I can't imagine who would buy a used one.
entropy
That's a series hybrid, like a locomotive. It can be very efficient, unless you put a 2000lb battery on it that it now has to drag around, pretty well negating any efficiency gains.
Yeah but why the hell a V6. Putting one of their 4 bangers would be hella cheaper, more economical & easier to work on..
The only reason they do this is it is a more cost effective way to transfer large torque to the ground. It is less fuel efficient because there are more parasitic energy losses than a geared transmission.
Hey Uncle Tone! I KNOW WHY THEY DID THIS!!! It's because they no longer have to run on the ridiculous emissions standards with this cute trick! FIGURED IT OUT :)
If they brought back the dodge D50 Mitsubishi pickup with a modern 1600cc engine, the efficiency would blow that new Rev out of the water and they would sell millions of them
They have literally been made illegal by the EPA. Emissions are regulated by vehicle footprint. It isn't possible for a small truck to meet the emissions standards. Thus only huge trucks with big footprints. It is against the law to sell a truck like the Mitsubishi D50.
As much as so many of us would love this, they wouldn't sell millions
It's sad to hear this. I love my Dakota's. Just shaking my head at the lunacy that's taking place. All in the name of emissions. Soon they will be outlawing horses. All in the name of conversation of the environment. It's more about control and limiting the ability to go anywhere you want.
They can't they have regulations that specific to wheelbase and what mpg it would have to get it simply would not meet the mpg standards.
good idea but we'll never see it in the USA not because of emissions but because of modern highway safety regulations that would require the added weight, expense, and complication of air bags, ABS, and whatever safety bullshit modern trucks are required by law to have. BTW I have four D50's in my backyard cuz I know one day they'll be back in demand lol
The off-road dump truck I drive is very similar to this. It’s all electric driven and has a onboard generator to keep it going. Electric motors are very reliable
No battery though, right?
Run jump and turn cartwheels for it. It's your $150K.
Earth haulers use electric motors and electric generator like freight trains because a transmission would be too difficult to build into it... they're not as efficient though (thus why this isn't done in passenger vehicles)
@@kramnull8962Haters gonna hate, huh 😂 Do better guy.
Btw, definitely in a hurry to give them my $100k. They better get it before Tesla does. I’m leaning Ramcharger now.
@@carsbykev7037the Cybertruck is useless for anyone who hauls behind a truck. The Ramcharger is the future of electrification of trucks.
As Edison Motors and Deboss Garage are proving up in Canada.
UT you're missing the point. The truck eliminated a transmission and range anxiety in one shot. Its a far better approach than the REV. I will never buy one or like one but the concept works on paper and in the real world. Diesel locomotives use the same series hybrid setup to travel thousands of miles. Bring that tech to automobiles, people will approach them with more enthusiasm, thats how the market works.
I like the idea. Edison truck is doing it, Trains have been doing this for DECADES!
I think the motor might be bigger than I would think it needs, but you can have a gas engine tuned to run at a single RPM to charge the electric system, and get buy with 1/4 of the battery weight. Now you can Tow more, and accelerate faster with the electric motors, but can go a long ways with the on board charger.
Good Job Dodge!
These work a bit different than a diesel-electric or hybrid system. All this engine does is charge the battery. petrol-electric or hybrid would be far more useful in my eyes. All the shit the Prius got back in the day for being slow, they're actually really good cars brought down by the total idiots that drive them. They can even tow a little bit, I've seen people tow boats and small campers with them. If I absolutely had to get a new car it'd probably be a Prius, because I already have the old and simple classic and the big gas guzzling SUV. I don't need another large vehicle, I need a small gas saver for driving to and from work. Hell, if you could get parts for them a bit easier, I'd get a first gen Prius, they look better than the second gen shoebox in my eyes.
I totally agree with you. Series hybrid propulsion is the way to go if you're trying to escape high gas prices in a truck. Since the engine is only running at its most efficient power setting, failures are much easier to predict. This can make the failure rates much lower if they design it right. However, I do wish they would have used a diesel engine/generator instead.
You forgot about the Dodge learning curve. Remember when they released the Cummins. 3 were on the road after the first year...... They just want your $150K.
I know, this is a proven system. These guys are totally stupid. This will work.
Why not just use a regular truck? Why does. It HAVE to be electric. This. Does what a. Normal truck does with 100 times more complexity and cost and more failure points.
I got to admit uncle tony has started to make mopars grow on me, as a GM guy from a bug GM family. Ive have a passion for 67 to 69 cudas and i love your 67 charger. cars. But i will always love Corvettes and other GM products, the one thing that attracts me to your channel is the honesty you provide to the muscle car community. I will always appreciate your content.
Dodge is made by Stellantis! Lol 😂😆😂😂 Amsterdam company, they make absolute garbage
@@aaronknowlton3996 That didn't stop them from making garbage before.
I guarantee fed regs played a big role in this. Any ICE in a vehicle has to meet clean air standards so it's not economical to sell it with a simple charging generator permanently affixed in the vehicle.
UTG: "How many failure points can you put between two bumpers?"
Me: The same amount that is between their ears....
You can drive the vehicle still when the battery is dead because it provides enough energy to power the motors AND charge the batteries. When you start looking at the physics of it, you can make it a lot more efficient than an IC truck. You can eliminate a lot of the inefficiencies brought into a regular truck engine by the simple fact that the engine's running environment can remain consistent. No matter how you drive, that engine can run (these are hypothetical numbers) at 2500 RPM, stay at 2500 RPM, and never have to worry about acceleration or deceleration or idling, etc. You have to tune the engine for one point (or very few) and no more. That could simplify the hell out of emissions because in theory, you always know where the engine is going to be running at. You could tune the engine to run at peak power and peak torque at 2500 RPM and not give a damn about what it does at 5000 RPM. That makes everything a whole lot simpler. Another big factor is that electric motors are about 85% efficient, meaning 85% of the power coming out of the battery is put towards mechanical energy, while the other 15% or so is heat, etc. IC engines are at best about 40% efficient, meaning they waste about 60% of the fuel's energy in heat and other non-useful byproducts. That efficient varies by load, speed, etc. But if you make that IC engine run at it's peak performance/efficiency 100% of the time it is running and put that energy into the battery, you are still going to overall be more efficient than with just the IC engine.
I totally agree. My 98 6 cyl Dakota I bought new is still on the road in top shape. The maintenance is typical except for the occasional water pump, brakes etc. Nothing major. I drive it 3-4 times more than my 5.9 Cummins Ram, which I dearly love. Perfect size truck. No EV in my future of any type, wait til those poor folks have to by batteries and such in 5 years ...
yeah, tesla is nuts. $20k+ for power cells in nine years?
The Prius seems to be the only prudent choice. Neighbor had her dash go ChristmasTree-Mode months ago. Shot main battery. Toyota swapped in new, $5,500. out the door. They said sometimes the main computer signs off when the main array goes, another $1,500. But neighbor got lucky. She loves her Prius. Probably the only hybrid worth it, think hers is 2003 or 2005. An oldie 2nd Gen.
My first truck was 94 Dakota with the 3.7. I still kick myself for getting rid of it.
Personally, I think they already have drag the name Ramcharger through the mud just like four did with the lightning
I got to see one of those lightnings at a farm trade show in Nebraska. That thing felt like a piece of junk. The MAIN KNOB in the center of the dash, the knob that will be used for everything, rattled around loosely. Ford has no shame
Very good point. We can assume that all this new complications will create more points of failure. Why put a monster V6 in this thing? Does this new V6 comes with cyl deactivation too? I will stay with my 5.7L V8 more reliable and easy to fix.
Tony, my guy, this system is literally how train engines work.
Trains are extremely heavy, whether or not they have on board generators. Also, trains don't need to accelerate or decelerate nearly as often as cars and trucks do. Putting a generator in an electric truck is making an already overweight vehicle grossly overweight, overcomplicated and overpriced. It's a backwards design.
Good stuff! Dodge threw sacred out the window with the 4 door Charger (or as I call it the Diplomat). An onboard generator makes it a hybrid imo. I had a similar idea, but with a proper sized generator used like locomotives.
They copied ford doing the same dumb thing with the mustang name
@@E.IS.M.I.A. That SUV thing simply isn't a Mustang. I refuse to call it so.
A “small” harbor freight generator would take a week to recharge the batteries, not an hour on the side of the road. A 3.6L is probably the minimum size engine needed to get enough energy production to actually charge the batteries in a reasonable time period.
all i have to say is 170kw gen set with a 70kwh battery. the ultimate backup, I hope they have a decent 2 phase outlet.
I think it is 130kw generator with a 90kwh battery.
@@gregkramer5588 My bad
Gonna keep rolling with my super simple dead reliable slant 6.
You made a video about the 2025 Ram Charger
But the thumbnail is the Ram Revolution….
yes bring back a 4 banger Dakota , 8 speed trans and keep it cheap .
Something that would compete with the Ford Maverick.
There could be a diesel hybrid version with a 4 cylinder turbo diesel sourced from one of Stellantis European divisions.
Geez Tone, tell us how you really feel 😂! You’re right, they’re wasting technology on stupid ideas.
Good points here, but I’m assuming they are using the 3.6 because the tooling is already there to produce it and the generator they are turning is high amperage output to keep up with the electricity demand which in turn requires substantial torque and hp to achieve. The point of this truck is it will make the commute for 90% or whatever of people on electric only. So you can drive to work all week on electric only, not having to fire up the engine. Then you can drive up north for the weekend towing a couple atvs without stopping at charging stations because of the OBG. I think its a good idea myself and a step in the right direction. Man is always creating more complex things, it should not be frowned upon. If you think this is complex take a look at a twin turbine helicopter drive / control system.
So it’s very similar to a diesel/electric locomotive. The engine runs a dynamo which creates electricity to power for the electric motors.
Automotive engineers need to take notes from the train industry.
No , that would make sense as we already know that it works fantastic. This contraption uses a giant toxic battery pack to power the electric motors and a gasoline powered v6 to charge the battery pack.😂
No.There is no battery running the drive motors on locomotives.
Tony, I must admit that I am 68 Camaro owner since 1980. I love the channel regardless of brand. You bring great this content coming! Drill Baby drill we need to keep all these old girls going! Long live the 60"s.
I think you make a great point about adding points of failure.
My question: is there that much less strain if the engine is only idling? Turns on, idles, turns off. It wont be under the normal strain of propelling a car. Also, if it’s always being plugged in (like it should be) what happens if the engine does essentially nothing until you take a long trip towing a heavy trailer? What does that mean for the failure points?
Stop asking common sense questions you know the answer to in order to make a point of objection….Thats my strategy! 😂 The Ramcharger is genius. And if I get to drive one before Tesla calls me on the CyberTruck it’s likely the way I’ll go.
@@carsbykev7037 the cyber truck is hilarious. It’s like dude had people throw that nightmare together in a hurry just to have something to roll out on a stage before the others. That is the most unserious vehicle Ive ever seen. Get the Ramcharger.
@@_krimzen_ I'm starting to think that. But I drive a Model S Plaid (and have had every other Performance Tesla since 2020: Model 3, Model Y, skipped the X though after Turo'ing one) and I'm just so used to being so comfortable passing anything, anywhere, anytime. Hyabusa? Move over. Corvette? Coming through! LOL.
But the fact is: nobody really needs 1020 hp. It's ridiculousness...
I loved my 2021 Ram for the 5 months I had it. Definitely think Cybertruck is getting cancelled. Hurry up Ram! I'll definitely put videos up when I get one. I'll make time for it.
It would not idle, When on it would operate in the most efficient RPM range it has for energy production unless the battery is completely depleted which would very rare.
Haven't the railroads have used diesel electric locomotives for decades? I don't think the have a battery for power storage either. The electric motor spins when the diesel is burning. The electric motor gives the unlimited torque a train needs. This setup in the ram charger would not have a trans failure. The 3.6 goes 200k miles when driving the wheels. No high revving in this application . Running part time, who knows how long it will go? Battery life is the only thing I see as questionable for reliability. That being said, I'm not getting in line to buy one.
Maybe a well maintained one. i bet 70% owners will never change the oil in it and will deff not do the timing belt
😂 that 3.6l gets around 120k miles and the valvetrain croaks. The pcm or ecm shits itself. Forget the trans, they need to go back to the 3.3 or the 3.8
@@SLOCLMBR naw, go back farther to the slant six. Them things still power a bunch of forklifts. They govern them to about 2500rpm, and they never die
Locomotives have huge capacitor banks to store electrical energy.
The speed of the engine depends on the load given to it.
A basic car dosen't normally see high rpm either because the transmission changed gearing to provide faster speeds at lower rpm.
If you have a high load on that generator. It will wear it out faster then a car application.
Kinda like a boat that lives in the higher rpm.
Uncle Tony, thanks for these insights, it will be interesting what crops up when these units need servicing! Can't imagine how many volumes the technical guides will run! 🤣🤑
Stealerships will be wiping out owners savings
What will happen is that NO ONE other than the Dealer will touch it when it breaks....
@@jamesocker5235 And when components fail, they wont be necessarily field serviceable, they’ll be integrated systems that are replaced as a whole, like when a laptop computer component gets fried, it isnt unsoldered replaced, and re attached, a whole new mainboard is shipped and installed. Plug and play drivetrains!😭🫣
It will result in owners waiting weeks or months to repair a problem that in times past may have been a nuisance while waiting to get fixed that now leaves the owner without transportation.
Car makers are painting themselves into a corner with this technology for technology's sake mentality and it goes beyond cars.
@@mikem3695 and cost the owner a fortune
It sounds to me like this is Dodge's way of ticking the EV Truck checkbox while providing the convenience of a gas motor and bypassing the emissions requirements. Since the "range extender" is not directly coupled to the driveline, it could be considered similar in nature to the generator on an RV or the welder on the back of a utility truck - not included in emissions calculations.
Bring back the El Camino, Ranchero, Rampage. Make them hybrid if you want. Minimal option versions too. A practical truck that can go anywhere and park without taking up every inch of parking space.
If they brought the Holden Ute stateside and slapped a Chevy badge on it, I'd imagine it'd sell better than the SSR did.
@@rwkerstetter I was interested in the SSR when it came out. Dealer premiums and the out of sight retail price did me in. A wanna be truck that could hold golf bags and not much else. When I finally saw it in the tin, I was glad that I didn't pull the trigger. The Holden Ute would have been fantastic. But, given the fiasco of the GTO it would probably have flopped. Again, dealers screwing the public openly as well as the terrible Grand Am styling, Had a 80 El Camino and a 61 Ranchero at different times. Chev S10 as well. It's what the public wants now. Look how well the Ford Maverick is doing. I don't know. 27 years later, my 96 F150 is still hauling stuff and doing truck stuff. I will stick with it.
100% agree about smaller pickups, I miss the 90s when you could get a basic single or extra cab toyota/nissan/mazda that wasn't full of blue teeth, keyless start, auto braking, computer screens and Bing bong noises
An 80hp range extender should be enough to maintain a truck at 60mph. 40 for an SUV, 30 for a car. Briggs and Stratton made a concept hybrid car in the 80s that proves this.
I'm an automotive Engineer, so I guess I'm one of the Insane of which you speak. A small V6 driving a generator, which runs in a small rpm and load range can be tuned for way more efficiency than a standard engine driving a transmission. Also, you seriously underestimate the amount of generator required to run a truck down the road, which the "Harbor Freight" model can't accomplish. This setup cures range anxiety, improves fuel economy and emissions, and still has enough battery for the average person to get their daily miles in without starting the engine at all. Engine mass is less than the weight of the extra batteries that would be required to get a decent range. Just look at the 9000 lb. HUMMER.
i mentioned I didnt think the 3.6 would be good for this in my comment up top, but maybe it could be tuned or bulletproofed to run in that high rpm range. I also like what the Volt did, where under very specific conditions, the engine would actually drive the wheels directly...for efficiency, because there are certain speeds where it takes more fuel to make the electricity than to just run the car on the ICE....
Maybe the electric vehicle companies could convince the government to put two thin bands of metal in the roads. Then power those up to transmit power via copper pickup shoes on the vehicle. Crazy idea I got from playing with AFX/ TYCO tracks as a kid. 😂😂😂😂
Add the slots for simple self driving.
😂
@@WhiteTrashMotorsports Choices, choices. Do I use the Blade style or the pointed pin style?
@danfarris135 ahh, the simple times.
I still play with them I'm 55
Man…I was really getting excited about this ramcharger too. 😅
"Complexity is the enemy of reliability."
There's definitely something to that.
Now...what's more:
I'm not sure in the end that they can really say this isn't a hybrid, can they?!
Don't care what they call it, I just disagree completely. It's not complexity, it's a generator which we've been making for centuries and a battery which we've been making for centuries and some electric motors which we've been making for centuries. The little V6, naturally aspirated probably, running at a steady ideal RPM because it's not determining the vehicle speed, will probably last 1 million miles with regular maintenance.
You don't put an underpowered Harbor Freight 2-stroke or something as the generator because you want it to actually be able to drive at speed using that power, not just sit on the side of the road and wait as the battery trickle-charges.
Watch this be one of the most reliable vehicles ever made.
Meanwhile Tony here will be telling us how much better that 1969 Charger is that he has to replace every component every 100k miles.
@@gorkyd7912I totally agree with you this guy is so full of shit it’s coming out his Dodge Charger ass 😂he’s a hack old uncle Tony Baloney .
You completely missed the context of this video.
These vehicles will be designed to fail right after the warranty period. The cost to repair motors and batteries will far exceed the value of the truck. Most DIY people will not have the tools or skills to work on these. What good is the engine going a million miles if the battery doesn't and you cant use it without the battery????
The big difference is on that 69 charger, you could buy parts for dirt cheap and the average guy could work on them himself.
@@antonchigurh981 Funny, I didn't see the last guy's comment until yours popped up. Didn't get a notification.
You're right about EVERYTHING you said. Spot on.
Those batteries are too cost-prohibitive to replace, anyway.
But I doubt that the previous commenter will ever buy a vehicle like that, anyway, which would only prove us correct.
Nobody I know with a Tesla bought it for any reason other than to be trendy, anyway. I don't believe anyone is foolish enough to believe that electric vehicles are lower-maintenance or somehow less costly in upkeep.
He might have a point about the generator, but then I can't see this type of vehicle being produced for very long. It sort of just perpetuates the use of fossil fuels to power the vehicle, so what's the point?
You know, as if the car weren't being charged by a grid that runs on...fossil fuels...?
@@iFixJunk I think the point of a hybrid truck like this is it gets a heck of a lot more torque at the wheels without needing a bigger heavier engine or a diesel that now comes with a bunch of EPA headaches. The absolutely insane EPA regulations coming down the pipe certainly have something to do with it. But going with a hybrid instead of a full EV makes a lot more sense if you want the vehicle to be actually useable.
Batteries are like every other component in a car: none of us regular people can make them ourselves. Most of us can't even machine an identical hubcap so I think its a moot point that we won't be able to work in the battery ourselves. There are battery shops. There are people who open them up and replace cores, just like they do with power tools, so it's not really rocket science.
Consider this: it only costs about $1000 for a remanufactured 2005 Prius battery but it costs over $2000 for a remanufactured 2005 Camry transmission. Transmissions are a lot more finicky and complicated than batteries are, so they cost more even though the tech has been around a long time. So like I said, if they don't screw it up I think this has the potential to be one of the most reliable and low maintenance cost vehicles ever.
Chevy did this 13 years ago with the Volt. Totally reliable.
Any man that still has a pair does not want an electric truck.
For me, the Ramcharger is straight up my alley and is something that I am very interested in. With that being said, I need to explain why.
1. Our truck is our primary means of transportation. My wife works but I am retired.
2. We average about 24k miles a year and about 90% of that is driving less than 50 miles one way from our home. My wife works 20 miles away from home.
3. We already have a big bumper pull RV that our current truck(2022 Ram 1500) can’t tow due to its dry weight exceeding the towing capacity. Payload capacity we are fine on though.
4. I’ve got a moderate sized off grid solar setup that should be big enough to keep an electric vehicle topped off Monday through Friday.
5. My wife and I have physical problems where we HAVE to have a comfortable vehicle, and we have found that the Ram trucks are very comfortable for us.
So, a Ramcharger fits our needs. My wife can drive it on her normal commute at no expense to us. We can hop in it and do a road trip with no planning around charging stations. We can also tow our big RV to go camping. I’ve been waiting for, basically, a plugin hybrid 3/4 or 1 ton truck and that is basically what this is(it has 3/4 ton suspension and axles, and probably frame).
BTW, locomotives have been using this technology for decades.
Are there more failure points? ABSOLUTELY!! ……. and mechanics had the same reservations about fuel injection over carburetors back in the day too. Some fuel injections systems were horrible, others worked really good and were reliable.
As to people complaining that the 3.6L Pentastar V6 is a horrible inefficient platform to use……… yes it is inefficient in most of the vehicles that it is in. With this particular setup though, it can be tuned to run at the engine’s most efficient rpm at a steady state. Would a purpose built motor be more efficient? Yes. Would it increase the overall cost of each vehicle by thousands and push back the release date of the truck? Yes.
In short, it isn’t the perfect setup, but no vehicle is. It will fit the needs of some people(like myself) but it isn’t for everyone. But what vehicle is for everyone?
Every new vehicle that comes out just goes a little further toward convincing me to never buy a new vehicle. Thanks for helping me save money auto makers! 😂
So, this is like a locomotive but gas at a smaller scale?
Engineered obsolescence is the name of the game. Once it's out of warranty, they want you to trade it in for a new one, that way they can keep making money off of you
If you think about it though this is probably going to be one of their most reliable vehicles ever, unless they massively screw up something. No transmission issues, no differentials. Engine can be overpowered for its task, not some turbo'd, supercharged monstrosity that blows itself up. No DEF problems. Engine generator will run at a steady, ideal RPM instead of revving up and then idling depending on speed. Batteries last longer when they don't get discharged too far, so having an on-board generator will help with that. And of course the wheels have electric motors and those will last forever.
That's right
As I understand it, the V6 Generator unit produces enough KW to power the electric motors when there is no more battery power. Thats substantially different than being a battery charger. When on battery alone it'll go for many miles, when more power is needed the gas generator can kick in giving a combination of battery and generator power, and if you've gone beyond the battery range you can continue with the power created by the generator. This system would then eliminate the transmission and transfer case and propeller shafts also. I understand your points but Im not sure Id dismiss it till more information is available.
the 3.6 is not a reliable engine to begin with. You don't need much energy to maintain 60mph even for a heavy vehicle. They should have just put a basic 3 or 4 cylinder in it. The 80s dodge trucks had around 90hp for the base model engine
I think this is a great idea. Complex yes, but the truck is still electric, with a v6 generator. Check out Edison motors, they are doing it with a big truck. The flexibility to charge and run gasoline is key for northern climates. Plus the albility to have regenerative braking, etc.. Ya its not for everyone but its not really any more complex than a hybrid but you have the options of burning no fuel. You think a "harbor freight generator" will move a 5000lb pickup truck down the road? It would take days to charge your truck with that, maybe only useful for emergencies.
Regen braking won’t be possible with this system as the engine isn’t powering the drivetrain
@@justinolesen1737 correct
I've often thought why not have a set up like diesel electric locomotives? Have enough battery to have lots of power in short supply and have a smallish motor tuned for optimal power to charge the system. Maybe Ram is doing this. Huge batteries are heavy and expensive
I like the pickup as diesel electric train idea, but the 3.6 pentastar is a weird choice of engine outside of being a cheap-ish off the shelf solution (currently used for stellantis hybrids). It is bigger than what seems needed for the application and not enough to be cool through excess like a Hellcat motor generator would be.
CAT is doing the exact same in its heavy Equipment drive train, it makes bulldozers more dependable the electric motors have fewer failure points.
Diesel electric locomotive - that's to eliminate a clutch. No batteries.
This actually does work really good in heavy applications.
Submarines,construction,freight.
The difference is we're talking about a basic pickup.
The hybrid would be a better application for this idea.
I knew there was going to be a day when I see a electric vehicle going down the road with a generator hooked to it.
The likelihood off of this getting the full use out of this is very miniscule.
A train has to go cross country and they can handle all that weight.
Just look at the new hummer EV weight and now add a generator that is a car engine in its place. It's just silly.
@@stevemurray710 Cats Diesels can use Batteries as well as the engine.
Great idea. If they made a 4-cylinder dakota, I would buy it tomorrow
I've had a first gen 2.5l 5 speed Dakota. Loved it decent milage. Only thing I missed was the 2.5 k car turbo because with that and it's intercooler it would make torque equal to a 318 ans better milage as the n/a 2.5
I have a 4 cylinder tacoma and it is way under powered especially on the hills of west virgina. On cruise control at 70mph it will have to drop down from 6th to 3rd at 5k rpm to maintain speed. The tacoma is also the size of a 90s half ton
@@JD-yx7be I had a 97 Dakota with a 2.5 Jeep 4 cylinder. Greatest truck in the world. Yeah hills were challenging but I loved to down shift. Those 2.5 Jeep 4 cylinders run forever. I sold mine with 270000 mi. No engine probs
@@racehemi426425 the 3rd gen tacoma is a heavy truck for that engine. the 2.7L is also one of the most reliable engines just under powered for the weight of the truck.
This guy is one of the most sensible people I've come across in quite some time.
UT and Scotty Kilmer need to get together and speak your minds on the electric vehicle culture. That would rock UA-cam.
No one wants to hear Scott's drunken rambling.
@@dougfisher1813 Yeah. That's why he has nearly six million followers...
@@matthewronsson 6 million? That's about as many cumulative miles of odometer fraud he is responsible for in the Houston area back in the early 90's, when he was charging used car dealers $50 a pop for each rollback.
Scotty Kilmer is a fraud. He's not a mechanic. His lack of knowledge is so bad, I'm amazed that someone hasn't gotten killed listening to his jackass advice. Its just a matter of time.
If you want proof, go watch a few of his diagnostic videos where he rides around and pretends he knows how to read a scanner. Then tell me what they are and I'll give you specifics that you can verify. You won't have to take my word for it.
Or better yet, if you want to learn more about modern cars, visit these youtube channels. Scanner Danner, Diagnose Dan, Eric the car guy and South Main Auto. There's others, as well, but these are my favorites. Watch some of their diag videos, then compare them to Scotty's. You'll never call him a mechanic again.
It’s less cool than Cale Yarborough going around the track making race car noises while driving.
We have a Chevy volt and it has basically the same setup. We love the volt. We drive how most people would, using the electric daily and the gas on long trips. We only need to fill up 3 or 4 times a year. I believe this truck will be a very good fit for most people.
Exactly. Non-EV experienced people don’t get it.
They’re not for everyone. They’re for people who have a home where they can charge. I bought Teslas FOR my long distance commutes and road trips and it’s the best thing I ever did with vehicles.
@@carsbykev7037 does that come with maryjane?
I agree with you. The EPA with their mph standards. The old small truck (4 cylinder) (wheelbase matters too) has to get about 50 mpg. The bigger the truck, the lower the mpg requirement.
Like the gas can, the government screws everything it touches.
...I haven't read up on this vehicle to see how it's all being implemented, but if they execute this the way I'm thinking...then it's actually a really good idea...especially for something like a truck where pure EV trucks ranges are shite, borderline useless...
...I would use the 3.6 (or maybe a smaller variant, but I imagine they want to use a tried and true engine that they already have...replace the transmission with a generator large enough to either charge the batteries at a rate that isn't painful (as it would be with a small genset). Now if done right, the engine would be designed to rev at a constant RPM (no attachment to the go pedal) in its peak efficiency. This would be a similar set-up to a diesel-electric locomotive, but as the batteries act as a buffer, there would be no need to rev it up and down.
If this is the approach, then a large fuel tank is also not needed as the engine will always be in its optimal RPM and use less fuel per hour. The other positive aspect to using a full sized engine is that it could also be setup to operate like a diesel-electric locomotive and then the accelerator would rev the engine for more or less electric speeds, but due to having to carry a suitable battery the gas tank still would have to be a lot smaller than a gas only truck would have.
Now this mode would still have limited range, but as fuel stations are everywhere you aren't restricted to EV charge stations.
Again, I am just speculating here...but if I was to design an electric pick-up, this is how I would do it so that the truck isn't useless as a truck like the current offerings are......in fact, up here in Cananda there is a small outfit making a semi just like this and it is about the only way to make anything beyond a car work in the real world.
You've basically nailed how this thing is designed, great insight. It is supposed to have 145 miles of electric range and 690 miles of gas/electric range.
Ultimately you are still creating emissions using gas and I'm sure people are going to plug them in electricitycomes from somewhere. The point of an ev is to reduce that. And the batteries don't last forever.
The concept seems like a good one for someone that wants to drive an elective pickup but also wants to tow. If it works you can use fuel to tow long distances and avoid charging where you are going to block a bunch of chargers with your trailer. It also gives you good range for daily driving. My bet is that this won’t be made or sold in huge numbers as I think most people who want to tow will probably just stay with gas or diesel. I doubt any of those are as fun to drive as an electric truck with 600 hp. Sure it will be complicated and it might not work well. We’ll see. I’ve got a PHEV and so far so good after 2.5 years. People who don’t like PHEV’s always say nobody charges them. I charge mine as it’s a lot of fun to drive electric. I think anyone buying this will be motivated to charge it for that reason, but also to avoid the pump.
@@bullitthead7853...I still haven't looked as to how they are building it lol...but if as I had figured, it won't be completely new, even for Chrysler as they had the ENVI program which was basically the same as the above, BUT if they give the engine the option to drive (via the generator and electric motors) the vehicle when the batteries are low...I would buy this truck if done like I was thinking...
Guy needs to look into how trains work and Edison Motors. Series hybrid vehicles are not new. They have good range and full torque at 0 RPM...unlike a straight ICE setup that only generates good torque at a certain RPM range.
Damned straight, mate! During high school, one of my best mates had a '74, green on white Eamcharger. As wee lived deep in the mountains, we quickly found out just what a beast it was! A 440 into a 727, was one of the best domestic drive-trains ever put together,-
As a former BC, Ontario and Federal Green party member, for NINETEEN years. I became a PPC Founding member five years ago. I spent my entire life worshipping the environment, and doing as much as I possibly could to protect her. To the point of converting my work Van to CNG, and my '73 440 Charger to LPG. Due to my decades of R&D, I have known that EVs are BULLSHIT, for decades. RIP MOPAR.