2024 Ram 2500 Big Horn on 2040-cars

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Fiat Chrysler, Waymo expand partnership for Level 4 self-driving

Fiat Chrysler and Waymo, the self-driving unit of Google parent Alphabet Co., are expanding their partnership in an ambitious plan to develop fully autonomous commercial delivery vehicles and integrate Level 4 autonomous technology across the FCA fleet, the two companies said Wednesday. The agreement makes FCA (soon to be dubbed Stellantis when the PSA merger is complete) the exclusive partner for Waymo to develop and test self-driving Class 1-3 light commercial delivery vehicles. Initial efforts will focus on integrating the Waymo Driver system into the Ram ProMaster cargo van for commercial fleets, including Waymo Via, which have seen demand for home delivery services mushroom during the coronavirus pandemic. Conversely, FCA has tapped Waymo as its exclusive supplier for Level 4 self-driving technology across its vehicle fleet, opening up possibilities for ride-hailing and personal-use vehicles. An FCA spokesman would not commit to any timelines for integrating Waymo’s self-driving technology into the ProMaster or other brands or models. The Society of Automotive Engineers defines Level 4 systems as fully automated driving, though a human driver can manually override and take control of the wheel. There are currently no Level 4 autonomous vehicles offered to customers, and most experts believe the technology still faces many obstacles to broad adoption and regulatory clearance. Fiat Chrysler first partnered with Waymo in 2016. The two companies have worked to test WaymoÂ’s Level 4 technology using retrofitted Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans. “Our now four-year partnership with Waymo continues to break new ground,” Mike Manley, Fiat ChryslerÂ’s CEO, said in a statement. “Incorporating the Waymo Driver, the worldÂ’s leading self-driving technology, into our Pacifica minivans, we became the only partnership actually deploying fully autonomous technology in the real world, on public roads.” Waymo recently introduced its fifth generation of the Waymo Driver system, which it completely redesigned to be able to handle more environments and situations. It combines 360-degree lidar sensors positioned atop the vehicle and at four points around the sides, plus cameras and radars. Waymo said it had already manufactured the new sensors and integrated them onto Jaguar I-Pace test vehicles.

2019 Ram 1500 eTorque fuel mileage numbers released [UPDATED]

UPDATE: A previous version of this story said that the Ram 1500 with the 3.6-liter V6 and eTorque was the most fuel efficient gasoline-powered truck in America. The 2018 Ford F-150 powered by the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine has ratings as high as 20 city, 26 highway, and 22 combined, which is 1 mpg better on the highway than Ram's six-cylinder eTorque. According to the EPA, the 2019 Ram 1500, when equipped with the 3.6-liter V6 engine and the brand's new eTorque technology, delivers 20 miles per gallon in the city, 25 on the highway and 22 combined in rear-wheel-drive form. Adding four-wheel drive drops those figures to 19/24/21. Those are big improvements over last year's Ram, which had a max efficiency rating of 17/25/20 without the eTorque system. By way of comparison, a 2018 Ford F-150 with the 3.3-liter V6 is rated at 19/25/22. That's down a single mile per gallon in the city but is otherwise a match for the Ram. The most efficient truck from Chevrolet currently rated by the EPA is the 2018 edition with GM's long-running 4.3-liter V6 at 18/24/20. There's a good chance Chevy's upcoming 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder will take the efficiency crown, but it's not yet available. Ram also offers its eTorque technology on its Hemi V8-powered 1500. The EPA rates the two-wheel-drive V8 at 17/23/19 with eTorque (down one mpg on the highway with four-wheel drive). That's a meaningful gain of two miles per gallon combined over the standard non-eTorque Hemi offering. Ram's eTorque system replaces the trucks' standard alternator with a 10-horsepower electric motor and includes a 48-volt lithium-ion battery pack in addition to the standard lead acid battery. We took an eTorque Ram out for a quick spin and found that the technology makes for a truck that's nicer to drive, with the small electric motor working to make gearshifts feel smooth and refined. And now that we know it provides a real boost in fuel efficiency, it seems eTorque could be a big win for Ram. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2014 Ram Promaster pricing starts at $26,030*

Looking to get back into the thick of things in the commercial van market, Chrysler has set the pricing for the Fiat Ducato-based 2014 Ram Promaster. When it goes on sale by the end of this year, the new Promaster will have prices that range from $26,030 for the Promaster 3500 chassis cab cutaway with a 136-inch wheelbase and topping out at $36,150 for the long-wheelbase, high-roof 3500 cargo van (*prices don't include the $995 destination charge).
While pricing was released for a total of 14 build configurations (including the addition of a 2500 cargo van equipped with rear windows that was not previously announced last month), Chrysler has still not announced how much it will cost to get the optional combination of the EcoDiesel engine and the six-speed automated manual transmission and if it will be available in all styles. To see the full pricing breakdown for each Promaster model and body configuration, scroll down for Chrysler's official press release.