News
Stellantis RAM 1500 Revolution vs Tesla Cybertruck, Rivian R1T & the Ford F-150 Lightning
Stellantis’ Ram Truck brand revealed its RAM 1500 Revolution battery electric vehicle concept during CES 2023 in Las Vegas. The all-electric RAM pickup has already generated some buzz in the market for its exciting features and next-gen design. With the growing electrified pickup truck market, RAM has developed a strong contender with the 1500 Revolution BEV.
RAM 1500 Revolution BEV Details
The RAM 1500 Revolution BEV will be built on Stellantis’ STLA Frame EV platform, designed to deliver a range of up to 500 miles (800 km). Unlike other STLA platforms—which are unibody—the STLA Frame platform is a body-on-frame. In the past, Stellantis planned to use 2 battery cell chemistries to ensure affordability in its electric vehicles. The company will have to carefully consider the RAM 1500 Revolution’s starting price if it wants the pickup to qualify for tax incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act.
The electrified RAM 1500 Revolution concept includes some nifty tech innovations, including digital side-view mirrors. The rearview mirror alone is packed with tech, like a smart backup camera with 360-degree views, plus speakers and receivers compatible with voice assistants like Alexa and Siri. The review mirror is connected to biometric cameras, which observe the RAM 1500 Revolution’s surrounding environment.
With its EV pickup concept, RAM plans to take advantage of the most useful tech innovations on the market. For instance, the biometric cameras appear connected to the EV pickup truck’s biometric identity recognition and two-factor authentication. The RAM 1500 BEV also utilizes augmented reality (AR) for a see-through heads-up display (HUD). Other features RAM plans for the 1500 Revolution BEV are Shadow Mode and an exterior projector.








RAM vs. Tesla Cybertruck, Rivian R1T & the Ford F-150 Lightning
RAM aims to redefine the pickup truck segment, demonstrating its position in the EV pickup truck market along the way. It is one of North America’s top pickup truck brands, alongside Ford and Chevrolet. The Ram pickup, Ford F-Series pickup, and Chevy Silverado have long held the top three positions in the pickup truck market in the United States. Still, the advent of electric vehicles has opened up the pickup segment to other legacy competitors and EV startups.
Tesla Cybertruck
Tesla unveiled its Cybertruck concept in 2019 and has yet to deliver the futuristic pickup truck. However, Giga Texas has started preparing for Cybertruck production in 2023. Tesla plans to deliver its first batch of Cybertruck units to customers this year.
When the electric truck concept was first revealed, it generated a lot of buzz for its unique design and technology. But other EV trucks have started selling on the market since 2019, so Tesla has improved the Cybertruck’s design and introduced up-to-date technology to the pickup truck. Due to the Cybertruck’s design changes, its prices might also change.
“I worry more about like how do we the Cybertruck affordable despite having awesome technology. That’s the thing that will really set the rate,” Elon Musk said back in the Q4 2021 earnings call.
Rivian R1T
The Rivian R1T has generated some buzz of its own since hitting the market. Rivian’s electric pickup truck appeals to a niche customer base who live for adventure and fun. Rivian literally threw everything into the R1T that an explorer would need—including the kitchen sink.
In preparation for 2023, Rivian has tweaked its R1T configuration options. For instance, the Rivian R1T Quad-Motor with Max battery pack is unavailable this year. However, the company strives to improve its vehicle. Last month, Rivian announced that the 2023 R1T with 21-inch wheels received the highest EPA range estimate for an electric truck in the market.
Ford F-150 Lightning
If Rivian was made for fun and adventure, Ford designed the F-150 Lightning for heavy-duty work. Ford’s all-electric pickup won Motor Trend’s 2023 Pickup Truck of the Year. It was the first electric pickup to win the award with a unanimous vote from the judges.
Ford is steadily ramping up F-150 Lightning production at its Dearborn Truck Plant and Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Michigan. The legacy automaker initially targeted an annual manufacturing capacity of 40,000 units for the F-150 Lightning. However, demand for the electric pickup seems to be strong since Ford doubled its manufacturing capacity for the Lightning to 80,000 vehicles annually by 2024.
With the RAM 1500 Revolution, Rivian R1T, Ford F-150 Lightning, and Tesla Cybertruck, the electric pickup truck market is starting to take shape. More competitors are likely to come in the future—like Volkswagen’s Scout pickup—making the EV pickup truck market something to watch in the coming years.
The Teslarati team would appreciate hearing from you. If you have any tips, contact me at maria@teslarati.com or via Twitter @Writer_01001101.
Elon Musk
Tesla AI5 chip nears completion, Elon Musk teases 9-month development cadence
The Tesla CEO shared his recent insights in a post on social media platform X.
Tesla’s next-generation AI5 chip is nearly complete, and work on its successor is already underway, as per a recent update from Elon Musk.
The Tesla CEO shared his recent insights in a post on social media platform X.
Musk details AI chip roadmap
In his post, Elon Musk stated that Tesla’s AI5 chip design is “almost done,” while AI6 has already entered early development. Musk added that Tesla plans to continue iterating rapidly, with AI7, AI8, AI9, and future generations targeting a nine-month design cycle.
He also noted that Tesla’s in-house chips could become the highest-volume AI processors in the world. Musk framed his update as a recruiting message, encouraging engineers to join Tesla’s AI and chip development teams.
Tesla community member Herbert Ong highlighted the strategic importance of the timeline, noting that faster chip cycles enable quicker learning, faster iteration, and a compounding advantage in AI and autonomy that becomes increasingly difficult for competitors to close.
AI5 manufacturing takes shape
Musk’s comments align with earlier reporting on AI5’s production plans. In December, it was reported that Samsung is preparing to manufacture Tesla’s AI5 chip, accelerating hiring for experienced engineers to support U.S. production and address complex foundry challenges.
Samsung is one of two suppliers selected for AI5, alongside TSMC. The companies are expected to produce different versions of the AI5 chip, with TSMC reportedly using a 3nm process and Samsung using a 2nm process.
Musk has previously stated that while different foundries translate chip designs into physical silicon in different ways, the goal is for both versions of the Tesla AI5 chip to operate identically. AI5 will succeed Tesla’s current AI4 hardware, formerly known as Hardware 4, and is expected to support the company’s Full Self-Driving system as well as other AI-driven efforts, including Optimus.
News
Tesla Model Y and Model 3 named safest vehicles tested by ANCAP in 2025
According to ANCAP in a press release, the Tesla Model Y achieved the highest overall weighted score of any vehicle assessed in 2025.
The Tesla Model Y recorded the highest overall safety score of any vehicle tested by ANCAP in 2025. The Tesla Model 3 also delivered strong results, reinforcing the automaker’s safety leadership in Australia and New Zealand.
According to ANCAP in a press release, the Tesla Model Y achieved the highest overall weighted score of any vehicle assessed in 2025. ANCAP’s 2025 tests evaluated vehicles across four key pillars: Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection, and Safety Assist technologies.
The Model Y posted consistently strong results in all four categories, distinguishing itself through a system-based safety approach that combines structural crash protection with advanced driver-assistance features such as autonomous emergency braking, lane support, and driver monitoring.

This marked the second time the Model Y has topped ANCAP’s annual safety rankings. The Model Y’s previous version was also ANCAP’s top performer in 2022.
The Tesla Model 3 also delivered a strong performance in ANCAP’s 2025 tests, contributing to Tesla’s broader safety presence across segments. Similar to the Model Y, the Model 3 also earned impressive scores across the ANCAP’s four pillars. This made the vehicle the top performer in the Medium Car category.
ANCAP Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg stated that the results highlight a growing industry shift toward integrated safety design, with improvements in technologies such as autonomous emergency braking and lane support translating into meaningful real-world protection.
“ANCAP’s testing continues to reinforce a clear message: the safest vehicles are those designed with safety as a system, not a checklist. The top performers this year delivered consistent results across physical crash protection, crash avoidance and vulnerable road user safety, rather than relying on strength in a single area.
“We are also seeing increasing alignment between ANCAP’s test requirements and the safety technologies that genuinely matter on Australian and New Zealand roads. Improvements in autonomous emergency braking, lane support, and driver monitoring systems are translating into more robust protection,” Hoorweg said.
News
Tesla Sweden uses Megapack battery to bypass unions’ Supercharger blockade
Just before Christmas, Tesla went live with a new charging station in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm, by powering it with a Tesla Megapack battery.
Tesla Sweden has successfully launched a new Supercharger station despite an ongoing blockade by Swedish unions, using on-site Megapack batteries instead of traditional grid connections. The workaround has allowed the Supercharger to operate without direct access to Sweden’s electricity network, which has been effectively frozen by labor action.
Tesla has experienced notable challenges connecting its new charging stations to Sweden’s power grid due to industrial action led by Seko, a major Swedish trade union, which has blocked all new electrical connections for new Superchargers. On paper, this made the opening of new Supercharger sites almost impossible.
Despite the blockade, Tesla has continued to bring stations online. In Malmö and Södertälje, new Supercharger locations opened after grid operators E.ON and Telge Nät activated the sites. The operators later stated that the connections had been made in error.
More recently, however, Tesla adopted a different strategy altogether. Just before Christmas, Tesla went live with a new charging station in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm, by powering it with a Tesla Megapack battery, as noted in a Dagens Arbete (DA) report.
Because the Supercharger station does not rely on a permanent grid connection, Tesla was able to bypass the blocked application process, as noted by Swedish car journalist and YouTuber Peter Esse. He noted that the Arlandastad Supercharger is likely dependent on nearby companies to recharge the batteries, likely through private arrangements.
Eight new charging stalls have been launched in the Arlandastad site so far, which is a fraction of the originally planned 40 chargers for the location. Still, the fact that Tesla Sweden was able to work around the unions’ efforts once more is impressive, especially since Superchargers are used even by non-Tesla EVs.
Esse noted that Tesla’s Megapack workaround is not as easily replicated in other locations. Arlandastad is unique because neighboring operators already have access to grid power, making it possible for Tesla to source electricity indirectly. Still, Esse noted that the unions’ blockades have not affected sales as much.
“Many want Tesla to lose sales due to the union blockades. But you have to remember that sales are falling from 2024, when Tesla sold a record number of cars in Sweden. That year, the unions also had blockades against Tesla. So for Tesla as a charging operator, it is devastating. But for Tesla as a car company, it does not matter in terms of sales volumes. People charge their cars where there is an opportunity, usually at home,” Esse noted.