New Ram electric pickup can go up to 800 km on a charge

The Ram 1500 Revolution electric battery powered pickup truck during the Stellantis keynote at CES, on Jan. 5, 2023. (John Locher / AP)

DETROIT — An electric Ram pickup truck with up to 500 miles of range per charge is among the new vehicles being introduced Wednesday at the New York International Auto Show.

The Ram 1500 Rev joins pickups from Ford, General Motors, Rivian and Lordstown Motors in a field that's growing increasingly crowded. Tesla also is supposed to start selling its long-awaited Cybertruck later in the year.

The Ram debut is among only nine automaker press conferences that will be held at this year's New York auto show, far fewer than previous years. Many of the new models being shown have been rolled out previously as automakers move away from auto shows and introduce new products virtually.

The Ram electric pickup looks more like the current gas-powered model than a more futuristic concept vehicle the company showed off in January. But it's full of new technology.

The Rev will come with a choice of two battery packs, the standard one with up to 350 miles of range and an optional larger pack with an expected range of 500 miles.

The company says it also can tow up to 14,000 pounds and carry 2,700 pounds in its bed. The 654-horsepower truck also can travel from zero to 60 mph (97 kilometres per hour) in 4.4 seconds.

Stellantis, which makes Ram vehicles, says the all-wheel-drive Rev can add up to 110 miles of range in about 10 minutes with a 350 kilowatt fast charger. The truck also is capable of powering worksite tools, sending power back to the grid or powering a home during an outage, the company says.

It's built on a new frame designed specifically for larger electric vehicles.

The truck isn't due in showrooms until the fourth quarter of 2024. The price will be announced closer to the on-sale date.