2014 Ram 1500 Tradesman on 2040-cars

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Stellantis previews 4 electric platforms: Here's how they'll be used

Stellantis EV Day is hitting hard and fast this morning, with big news coming from Dodge and Ram and Jeep and the rest. But to support those brand transformations, a core initiative within Stellantis will help it become a leader in electrification. To do that, the group is developing platforms and technologies with cross-shared components and systems. This starts with four flexible BEV platforms: STLA Small, STLA Medium, STLA Large and STLA Frame. As for targeted numbers, they’re lofty: By 2024, Stellantis aims for over 500 miles of range, 0-62 mph in 2 seconds and charging 200 miles of range in 10 minutes. The four platforms will offer battery capacities from 37 kWh to more than 200 kWh. More specifically, STLA Small will offer 37-82 kWh and up to 300 miles of range. STLA Medium will have 87-104 kWh and up to 440 miles. STLA Large will provide 101-118 kWh and up to 500 miles of range. The truck-focused STLA Frame will provide 159-200+ kWh and up to 500 miles of range (and will support an electric Ram 1500 pickup). Chrysler EV Front 34 View 8 Photos Stellantis has big plans for the STLA Large platform, and is currently developing eight vehicles for it in the next three to five years. Examples of possible vehicles shown include a midsize Ram truck and a Jeep off-roader that could fight against the likes of the Toyota 4Runner. Stellantis design boss Ralph Gilles could be seen in a presentation looking over a Chrysler electric crossover based on this platform. We also saw a Wagoneer badge teased momentarily. There was a rendered silhouette of a crossover that looked like it could compete with the Ford Mustang Mach-E. Gilles said the platform would allow Stellantis to “create a long-range luxury sedan, an all-conquering muscle car, a heart-of-the-market DUV, a heart-of-the-market SUV, a very capable Jeep off-roading white-space opportunity vehicle as well as a new mid-sized truck.” See for yourself in this video starting at the 90-minute mark. As for powertrains, Stellantis is developing three electric drive modules with a shared, scalable inverter, and other common components, as well as in-house software to control them. Those drive units will offer from 70 to 330 kW (94-402 horsepower). More specifically, one EDM will provide 70 kW, a second will provide 125-180 kW, while the most potent can produce 150-330 kW.

Kia leads J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study for 2022

For the first year ever, Kia leads J.D. Power's annual Vehicle Dependability Study with a score of 145 problems per 100 vehicles. Buick (147) and Hyundai (148) round out the top three. The highest premium brand on the list is Genesis, with a score of 148. It's common for so-called "mass market" brands to lead this particular study, according to J.D. Power, as "premium" brands "typically incorporate more technology in their vehicles, which increases the likelihood for problems to occur" and aren't necessarily built to a higher standard that less-expensive brands. The highest-rated single nameplate is the Porsche 911. It's the third time out of the past four years and the second year in a row that Porsche's quintessential sports car has taken top honors. Porsche as a brand sits in seventh place (162) just behind Lexus (159) and ahead of Dodge (166). At the very bottom of the list is Land Rover with a dismal score of 284; the SUV specialist held the same unfortunate distinction on last year's list. Ram (266), Volvo (256), Alfa Romeo (245) and Acura (244) also performed poorly. The overall industry average score sits at 192 — mass market brands average a score of 190 while premium brands sit 14 points lower at 204. While Tesla is unofficially included in some of J.D. Power's results, the agency says the sample size it has access to for this study is too small to include. As has been the case for the past several years, infotainment systems dominate the list of problems reported by owners. Popular (or unpopular, depending on your point of view) complaints include built-in voice recognition (8.3 PP100), Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connectivity (5.4 PP100), built-in Bluetooth system (4.5 PP100), not enough power plugs/USB ports (4.2 PP100), navigation systems difficult to understand/use (3.7 PP100), touchscreen/display screen (3.6 PP100), and navigation system inaccurate/outdated map (3.6 PP100). While problems with the car's infotainment and technology packages are indeed bothersome, it's important to remember that such issues aren't usually leaving owners stranded with an immovable vehicle like a broken transmission or blown engine would. Culling infotainment complaints from the results would reduce the average problem-per-100-vehicle score by a staggering 51.9 points. The vehicles included in this study are from the 2019 model year. That means owners have had three years to get to know their cars and trucks. It's the 33rd year that J.D.

FCA recalls 2019-20 Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks for transmission fluid leak

Once transmission fluid goes into the transmission, there's a general expectation that it will stay inside. On some 2019-2020 Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks, that ain't happenin'. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a recall campaign on January 24,  due to transmission fluid leaking from the dipstick tube on vehicles with a six-speed automatic (codenamed 68RFE) transmission.  NHTSA recall No. 20V043000 states that 84,978 trucks are potentially affected. On select Ram work trucks, "a buildup of pressure and heat inside the transmission may result in a transmission fluid leak." Due to the location of where the leak might occur, the transmission fluid could drip onto the nearby turbocharger or "another ignition source within the engine compartment." Should this occur, it's a fire risk. The recall breaks down to 64,590 units of the 2500 pickup and 19,612 of the 3500. FCA estimates that only 1% of the roughly 85,000 vehicles have the defect.  As a fix, Chrylser will replace the transmission valve body separator plate and reprogram the powertrain control module. Chrysler will officially begin the recall process on March 14, and all owners will be notified. Related Video: