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RAM makes big promises about upcoming electric 1500 REV

Credit: RAM Trucks

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RAM has promised big things for its upcoming electric pickup truck, the RAM 1500 REV, though specifications have yet to be released.

Superior range, payload, towing, and charge time; that was the message from RAM when it revealed the name of its first production electric truck, the RAM 1500 REV. This message was echoed in RAM’s Super Bowl commercial that poked fun at “Premature Electrification” (PE) concerns. But without releasing the specifications of its upcoming truck, it remains unclear if the historic American truck can achieve its new herculean task.

RAM has yet to release any information about the RAM 1500 REV, other than its design and release date of “late 2024,” shown in its first-ever Super Bowl commercial. However, looking at the current competition, you can get a good idea of what specs RAM is aiming for.

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One of the most critical factors a consumer will look at when buying an EV is the vehicle’s range, so it is no wonder RAM is promising to lead in the category. To achieve this and upset the current range leader in electric pickups, the Rivian R1T, the RAM 1500 REV would need to be able to go more than 328 miles on a single charge; no small task for Stellantis’ first EV in the United States.

Second, if the REV is going to have a superior payload, it will need to put up numbers almost equal to the current gas variant RAM. The Ford F150 Lightning leads electric trucks, having a payload of 2,235 pounds, while the gas-powered RAM 1500 has capacity for only 100 pounds more.

Towing, a massive challenge for any electric truck, could be a particularly difficult challenge for Stellantis engineers if their truck is to be a leader in the segment. While the Ford and Rivian trucks have towing capacities of 10,000 and 11,000 pounds, neither has been able to do so while towing for any considerable distance, a concern that is even addressed in RAM’s own Super Bowl ad. From the testing done by various sources on both the Lightning and the R1T, anything more than 100-120 miles of range while towing could make the 1500 REV a leader in its class.

As if these three tasks weren’t enough, RAM is promising to be a new leader in charge time, a crown that will certainly need to be battled for thanks to Ford’s impressive 30-40 minute 10-80% charge time.

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This leads us to the question; are these achievements remotely possible? There are a couple of reasons to believe they are.

First, suppose RAM can build its first EV on an 800/900-volt architecture. In that case, the drivetrain’s efficiency and charging time could improve dramatically, allowing the 1500 REV to hit many of the targets listed above. This is especially the case compared to the 400-volt architecture used within the current electric trucks on the market.

Second, if RAM can source higher efficiency motors, it may be able to circumvent issues of range, though it may face problems regarding power to move over 11,000 pounds when towing.

Third and potentially the most likely, RAM could opt to fit a gargantuan battery into its first electric truck. With a massive battery pack of over 150 kWh, the 1500 REV would benefit from increased range and increased power thanks to the battery’s ability to meet higher power needs. Though, with such a massive pack, the RAM 1500 REV would suffer in the weight department, potentially decreasing its payload and towing capabilities.

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Whether RAM achieves its design goals or not, the added competition in the electric vehicle market is always welcome. Though RAM isn’t introducing its first EV as quickly as many would have hoped, with such high goals, it may be worth waiting for. Though with competition on the horizon, Stellantis will need to work quickly if it hopes not to be left behind.

What do you think of the article? Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Shoot me an email at william@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @WilliamWritin. If you have news tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com!

Will is an auto enthusiast, a gear head, and an EV enthusiast above all. From racing, to industry data, to the most advanced EV tech on earth, he now covers it at Teslarati.

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Tesla Roadster unveiling gets pushed again, but new event details emerge

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Credit: Dan Burkland

Tesla has reportedly pushed the unveiling of the Roadster once again, but there are also evidently new details about the event that the company plans to show off.

The Information reported this morning that Tesla will now unveil, for the second time, the next-generation Roadster in August, a further delay from the multiple timeline that the company had previously stated.

The report has not been confirmed or denied by Tesla at any capacity.

It also states the unveiling event will take place in Texas, the same place that Tesla executives revealed in May would be the place of manufacture for the company’s highly-anticipated supercar, which boasts a top speed of over 250 MPH and 650 miles of range, according to its website.

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Tesla is also expected to showcase the SpaceX package, which will be used for faster acceleration and potentially hovering capabilities, at the unveiling event, the report states. Musk has always planned for this to happen, but now it seems it is more realistic than ever

The Roadster has had its unveiling date and manufacturing date pushed back on many occasions. It was set to start production in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic crippled supply chain operations, forcing Tesla to push its timeline back considerably.

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However, COVID has been over for some time, and Tesla has still not managed to successfully schedule and execute an unveiling event, which is something fans and enthusiasts, as well as those who have put down a $50,000 deposit, have been waiting for.

The vehicle was close to completion last year, but Musk truly wanted Lars Moravy and Franz von Holzhausen to push the limits of the Roadster. In July of last year, Moravy said:

“Roadster is definitely in development. We did talk about it last Sunday night. We are gearing up for a super cool demo. It’s going to be mind-blowing; We showed Elon some cool demos last week of the tech we’ve been working on, and he got a little excited.”

It is important to note two things: Tesla has not confirmed these details, and the company has regularly pushed these dates back. Until Tesla sends out formal invitations with a concrete date, taking any unveiling event reports with a grain of salt is a good idea.

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Tesla Model 3 has a tasty Supercharging incentive, but it’s ending soon

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is offering a tasty Supercharging incentive on certain Model 3 trims, but the company has officially put a concrete end date on it, so those interested should act fast.

Tesla is offering Free Supercharging for One Year on the Model 3 Premium and Performance trims, the top two offerings of the all-electric sedan. There are three trims of the Model 3 that will have the Free Supercharging offer attached:

  • Premium Rear-Wheel-Drive – $42,490
  • Premium All-Wheel-Drive – $47,490
  • Performance – $54,990

Tesla has now announced that this offer will expire on June 15, giving potential buyers about ten days to take advantage of the incentive.

This could be an additional incentive for car buyers to transition to electric vehicles. Many states are showing gas prices well over $4 per gallon, with the national average currently sitting at $4.22, according to AAA.

Tesla Model 3 wins Edmunds’ Best EV of 2026 award

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A free year of Supercharging miles would allow people to charge and travel for free, other than routine maintenance, which is already incredibly cheap compared to a gas car.

At Tesla Superchargers, peak rates, meaning prices between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m., average between $0.45 and $0.60. One year of driving at an average of 12,000 miles would cost between $1,000 and $1,500 at $0.50 per kWh. It’s a pretty good deal.

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Supercharging prices have also increased recently:

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Tesla has used Free Supercharging to move units in the past, and it’s a great strategy for those who plan to use the car for longer commutes, cross-country drives, or do not have reliable access to home charging.

It should be noted that Tesla recommends that Supercharging be used at a minimum to preserve the life of the battery, as fast-charging is more stressful on the cells.

However, some people might not have an option, so the Free Supercharging incentive could truly be a great reason for many people to charge their cars.

The Supercharging incentive is short-term, and it is pretty rare that Tesla utilizes it, so once this offer is gone, we probably will not see it on the Model 3 for some time.

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Ferrari CEO’s self-driving stance echoes Elon Musk’s — sort of

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Credit: Tesla | Ferrari

Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna revealed that the Italian automaker’s future will not involve self-driving, a point that echoes that of Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s — sort of.

You might be thinking, “Are you insane? Musk has been so incredibly hellbent on delivering self-driving vehicles to the public, so much so that he has even hinted that Tesla won’t need the ever-popular and widely-requested Model Y L in the U.S.

However, when it comes to electric supercars with high-performance specs and lofty price tags, Vigna’s stance is exactly what Musk wants for Tesla’s own hypercar project, the Tesla Roadster.

In a new interview with Australian media outlet Drive, Vigna made it clear that Ferrari’s ambitions for the future do not involve autonomy, simply because the company’s cars are not designed for anything but manual, spirited driving.

He said:

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“We will not make fully autonomous cars — loud and clear. We want the people to have fun, not the [computer] chips. We want to have a steering wheel and a man or a woman behind the steering wheel. Otherwise, why do you buy a Ferrari?”

This seems to be a reasonable assertion. Ferraris are not made for daily commutes, cross-country road trips, or bumper-to-bumper traffic. They’re made for fast, spirited driving, and many of their buyers will only put a few thousand miles on them throughout their lifetime. True, exciting, fun driving is meant to be done manually.

That is not to say Full Self-Driving or other semi-autonomous suites are not “fun,” but they are meant to take the stress out of driving. They are made for the daily commutes, the rush hour traffic, and the parking lots and garages. It’s made to take the stress out of driving.

Tesla Full Self-Driving attempts 150-mile stress test: the good and the bad

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Musk had stated in an interview in early 2026 that the Roadster would also be geared toward fun, manually-controlled driving. On the Moonshots podcast with Peter Diamandis, Musk said about the Roadster:

“This is not a…safety is not the main goal. If you buy a Ferrari, safety is not the number one goal. I say, if safety is your number one goal, do not buy the Roadster…We’ll aspire not to kill anyone in this car. It’ll be the best of the last of the human-driven cars. The best of the last.”

There are cars out there that simply are meant to be driven by humans, and Ferraris and Roadsters are a few of them. Ferrari has no true advantage in developing self-driving; their cars sell at low volumes with high price tags, and their performance specs and engineering are all geared toward spirited driving.

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