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Stellantis unveils 2025 Ram 1500 ‘Ramcharger’ with gas tank and battery

Credit: Stellantis

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Stellantis has unveiled its new 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger, which features both battery-electric motors and a gas engine to recharge on the go.

According to a press release shared by Stellantis on Tuesday, the Ram 1500 Ramcharger will feature 250-kW front and 238-kW rear electric drive modules, as powered by a 130-kW generator and a 92-kWh battery. Between these and a 3.6-liter, V6 gas engine, the truck is expected to offer up to 690 miles of range, with the gas-powered hardware turning on to charge the truck once the battery runs out of power.

The partially electric truck will essentially function like a plugin hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).

The Ramcharger also boasts a 0-60 mph acceleration of 4.4 seconds, along with 663 horsepower, 615 lb.-ft. Of torque, and up to 14,000 pounds of towing with payloads up to 2,625 pounds. The company says that the truck will be able to gain 50 miles of range in just 10 minutes using 400-volt fast charging at a capacity of up to 145 kW.

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“With unlimited battery-electric range, the Ram 1500 Ramcharger is the pinnacle of the light-duty pickup truck segment and the ultimate electric truck,” said Tim Kuniskis, Ram brand CEO for Stellantis. “The new Ramcharger is a beast of a light duty – 663 horsepower, 615 lb.-ft of torque, 4-second 0-60 mph, 14,000 lbs. of towing… and zero need for a public charger.”

The partially electric pickup will be built on the Stellantis STLA Frame platform, and it will feature advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) capabilities, including the Level 2 hands-free highway assist. The vehicle is also set to include regenerative driving modes, a set of e-shifter buttons, a 1,228-watt Klipsch audio system with 23 speakers and more.

It will include adjustable driving modes and air suspension with the following settings:

Driving Mode settings for the 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger

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  • Auto
  • Sport
  • Tow
  • Snow
  • Off-Road

Air Suspension settings for the 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger

  • Entry/Exit
  • Aero
  • Normal
  • Off-Road 1
  • Off-Road 2

The electric pickup will also include a 400-volt DC fast-charging port on the front quarter panel on the driver’s side. It also has a power tailgate and interior features such as a 14.5-inch front touchscreen, a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, a 10.25-inch passenger screen, a digital rearview mirror, a Head-Up Display (HUD) and more.

Those who are interested in buying the Ram 1500 Ramcharger can reserve a spot here with just a $100 refundable membership charge.

You can see a few more images of the forthcoming Ramcharger below.

Credit: Stellantis

Credit: Stellantis

Credit: Stellantis

Credit: Stellantis

Earlier this year, Stellantis announced the fully electric Ram 1500 REV, which reportedly ran out of reservation spots a little over a week after it went live. The upgraded trim of the electric pickup is expected to have a 229 kWh battery pack offering up to 500 miles of range, while the standard range option will feature a 168 kWh battery with up to 350 miles of range.

The announcement arrives amidst increased competition in the electric pickup sector, including direct Ram 1500 REV competitors like the Ford F-150 Lightning, the Chevy Silverado EV and the Rivian R1T. Although it’s a less conventional electric truck, the Tesla Cybertruck will also begin deliveries later this month.

Lucid Motors adopts Tesla’s NACS, leaving only Volkswagen and Stellantis

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What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send your tips to us at tips@teslarati.com.

Zach is a renewable energy reporter who has been covering electric vehicles since 2020. He grew up in Fremont, California, and he currently lives in Colorado. His work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, KRON4 San Francisco, FOX31 Denver, InsideEVs, CleanTechnica, and many other publications. When he isn't covering Tesla or other EV companies, you can find him writing and performing music, drinking a good cup of coffee, or hanging out with his cats, Banks and Freddie. Reach out at zach@teslarati.com, find him on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

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Tesla gets another layer of gamification with Free Supercharging on the line

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Supercharging is getting yet another layer of gamification, as the company is rolling out a new competition that could win Free Supercharging miles.

Tesla is ramping up its efforts to make vehicle ownership more engaging through gamification. In June 2026, the company announced the 2026 Free Supercharging Competition, building on the Charging Passport feature introduced the previous year. This initiative turns Supercharging into a competitive, collectible adventure while offering substantial real-world incentives.

The Charging Passport, rolled out late last year, functions like a digital travel log or a year-in-review for Tesla owners. These types of things are used by many platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music, which show listeners what type of taste they had for the year.

Accessed in the Tesla App under the ‘Charging’ section, it displays a map of visited Superchargers, key stats, such as total energy charged (kWh), number of unique sites, total charging sessions, top charging day, and miles added. Owners earn collectible Charging Badges in categories, which include:

  • Charging Milestones – for total energy, consecutive weeks of Supercharging, or unique sites visited
  • Iconic Chargers – for Flagship Locations or stations near famous landmarks
  • Special Events – limited-time badges for specific experiences. These badges appear within 24 hours of qualifying activity and provide a fun, shareable recap of an owner’s Supercharging journeys. Milestone progress resets annually, allowing fresh challenges each year

The 2026 contest elevates this gamification by rewarding top performers with lifetime free Supercharging. All Supercharging sessions from January 1 to December 31, 2026, count toward the competition. To participate, owners must enable “Share Charging Data with Tesla App” in vehicle settings and open the 2026 Charging Passport in the app at least once before January 1, 2027.

Nine winners will be selected — three per region (Americas, Asia-Pacific, and EMEA, with some  countries excluded for regulatory reasons) — one in each of three categories:

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  • Longest Trip: Longest continuous streak of unique Supercharger locations where each new site is visited within 24 hours of the previous session’s start time
  • Most Unique Supercharger Sites Visited: Highest number of distinct locations
  • Most Energy Supercharged: Highest total in kWh charged at Superchargers

A unique site is defined as shown in the Tesla app or vehicle navigation. Repeat visits during a streak are allowed but do not extend the count. Ties are broken by total energy charged. Ineligible participants include vehicles already receiving free Supercharging, commercial-use vehicles (taxi, rideshare, delivery), Tesla employees and their immediate families, and residents of certain excluded countries.

Winners receive free Supercharging on the winning vehicle for as long as they own or lease it.

This contest is part of Tesla’s broader gamification strategy. The Safety Score has long rewarded safe driving habits with a numerical rating that can influence insurance rates or feature access. The referral program incentivizes owners with credits or free Supercharging months for successful referrals.

In-app statistics, streaks, and community features further encourage engagement. Older third-party apps even awarded “mayor” titles for frequenting specific Superchargers.

By combining digital badges, competitive leaderboards, and high-value rewards, Tesla boosts network utilization, gathers usage data, and fosters deeper owner loyalty. The 2026 Free Supercharging Competition invites enthusiasts to plan epic road trips while turning everyday charging into a rewarding pursuit. With the Passport already proving popular, expect heightened activity across the Supercharger network throughout the year.

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Tesla tops American-Made Index for sixth-consecutive year

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is atop the American-Made Index from Cars.com for the sixth-straight year, as the Model 3 and Model Y took the top two spots, respectively.

Last year, the Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X took the top four spots, respectively. The company has routinely performed well in the Index. However, Tesla discontinued its flagship Model S and Model X earlier this year, which took the two cars out of the ranking.

Cybertruck is not considered due to its curb weight being above the 8,500-pound threshold, which eliminates it from being required to have more detailed assembly information.

Cars.com uses five main categories to develop its rankings:

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  • Location(s) of final assembly
  • Percentage of U.S. and Canadian parts
  • Countries of origin for all available engines
  • Countries of origin for all available transmissions
  • U.S. manufacturing workforce

These five major factors are then put into a 100-point scale. The vehicles with the highest scores sit atop the list. The Model 3 edged out the Model Y.

Tesla uses a strong domestic strategy to build its cars and parts domestically. It relies on intense vertical integration that reduces its dependence on global suppliers, keeping more value and jobs in the United States.

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This strategy has helped Tesla gain a strong reputation for domestically produced vehicles and parts. However, it helps it with more than just awards like this one. Keeping a supply chain local has also helped insulate Tesla more than others from tariffs and supply chain disruptions.

This year’s American-Made Index from Cars.com studied nearly 400 vehicles from the 2026 model year. Tesla was the only manufacturer to have an EV inside the Top 10. The Kia EV9 was the next EV to make the list, scoring the 17th position.

The Hyundai IONIQ 5 was 21st, and the final EV to make the list was the Cadillac LYRIQ in 77th.

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Tesla finally clarifies fatal Texas crash, confirms driver manually overrode acceleration

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Credit: CNBC

Tesla has finally clarified the situation regarding the viral crash in Texas where a Model 3 slammed into a home.

CEO Elon Musk replied to reports on Monday that stated the crash was due to the company’s Full Self-Driving or Autopilot suite, which seemed unlikely to those who are familiar with it. Video showed the car slamming into a house at an excessive rate of speed, making it highly unlikely the crash was due to the suite’s operation, as it does not travel at those speeds in residential areas.

Musk said:

“This makes no sense. FSD drives slowly through neighborhood streets, and this was a high-speed crash!”

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Tesla’s Head of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, added context, revealing that the company’s data shows the driver “manually overrode self-driving by pressing the accelerator all the way to 100%.”

He revealed the speed reached by the car was 73 MPH, and the accelerator was still pressed “even after the crash.”

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Authorities are reportedly investigating “whether Tesla’s Autopilot system played a role after a Model 3 left the roadway…slammed through a brick house at high speed and fatally struck Matha Avila as she sat inside,” the New York Post reported.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is now investigating the crash. Tesla will work with the agency to provide them with whatever information they need in order to clarify the cause of the crash.

Similarly, Tesla had claims of a fatal accident in Harris County, Texas, a few years ago. Early reports indicated that Full Self-Driving was the cause of the crash. After the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) worked with Tesla, the agency proved there was “no use of the Autopilot system at any time during this ownership period of the vehicle, including the time frame up to the last transmitted timestamp on April 17, 2021.”

Tesla alleged “driverless” crash in Texas: What is known so far

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“Application of the accelerator pedal was found to be as high as 98.8 percent,” the NTSB said in their findings. The highest recorded speed in the five seconds leading up to the impact was 67 miles per hour. The area where the crash occurred is residential, and Texas State laws have default speed limits of 30 MPH in residential streets.

This appears to be a similar situation. However, an investigation will prove what happened for sure.

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