Ram may have been the last among the Detroit automakers to announce their fully electric full-size pickup and judging by the response among interested truck buyers, it was worth waiting for. Ram closed reservations for its Ram 1500 REV less than a week after the order books were opened, although it’s unclear how many hand-raisers signed up for $100 to be among the first to own the truck when it arrives next year.
Ram unveiled the pre-production version of the 1500 REV during a Super Bowl commercial and began accepting orders on Feb. 12 for the truck. According to several social media and forum posts, those banks were closed by Feb. 16 prompting interested shoppers to instead sign up for email alerts. The Ram Revolution Forum noticed reservations were closed Friday. A spokesman for Ram confirmed Monday the orders were closed.
When it arrives late next year, the Ram 1500 REV will face stiff competition from the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevy Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, GMC Hummer EV pickup, Rivian R1T, and perhaps even the Tesla Cybertruck. Truck buyers interested in an electric pickup were once left empty-handed but soon will be spoiled for choice. By then, most of those competitors to the Ram will have been on the market for several years and perhaps looking ahead to updates or battery improvements. Ram has been relatively quiet about the specifications for the Ram 1500 REV except for its range extender, which hasn’t been announced by any other truck maker yet.
Ram’s range extender for its full-size pickup could persuade traditional truck buyers who might be wary of electric-only trucks to the 1500 REV. However, all of its competitors would’ve had several years to offer extended-range batteries or other improvements. For example, Ford announced this month it would change the chemistry of its F-150 Lightning batteries on some trim levels to improve reliability and charging or lower its price. It’s clear that Ram will need to separate itself from competitors when it arrives next year, but also it’s clear that initial enthusiasm for an all-electric Ram means that EV pickups will be popular—and will be here to stay.
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UPDATE: This story has been updated with Ram REV Forum information and comment from Ram.