2017 Ram 2500 Longhorn on 2040-cars

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Stellantis launching at least 25 EVs for America by 2030

Stellantis has announced a wide-ranging plan for the company through 2030 covering everything from product to financials. The product plans are what really caught our attention, particularly for the surprise reveal of the first electric Jeep, as well as new teasers of the electric Ram 1500. But the company also provided more broad details on what we'll be seeing in the future including both electric cars and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. All of the plans are in service of the Stellantis goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2038. On that way, it plans for all European vehicle sales and half of all American sales to be electric by 2030. It will launch 75 new electric vehicles by that year, and at least 25 of them will be coming to the U.S. The first of those electric cars will be the aforementioned Jeep in 2023, but many Stellantis models will follow close behind. The electric Ram ProMaster will launch in 2023 as well. In 2024, we'll see the electric Ram (and its plug-in hybrid counterpart), two more Jeeps (an off-road model and a family-oriented model) and the Dodge electric muscle car. We'll get a preview of the Dodge with a concept this year. Then in 2025, Chrysler will launch its electric car, likely based on the Airflow concept. Stellantis has previously announced Chrysler will be fully electric by 2028, and it further announced that Alfa Romeo and Maserati will be fully electric by 2030. Stellantis is also working on hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, mainly for commercial use. For the U.S., it plans on offering a large, ProMaster-size hydrogen van in 2025. That year or a little later, it also has plans for a hydrogen heavy-duty pickup truck, presumably Ram 2500 and 3500. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares noted that among the benefits of hydrogen for large and commercial vehicles is being able to avoid compromising payload capacity, since hydrogen powertrains are lighter than giant batteries. Hydrogen filling times are quick relative to charging, too. The company will continue working on and offering advanced driver aids. This year it will offer hands-free cruise control like GM's Super Cruise and Ford's BlueCruise. In 2024, the company intends to introduce a system that is hands-free and won't require the driver to be watching it the entire time. The technology is being developed alongside BMW. These are, of course, broad plans, and they could change as time goes on. Expect more details as we get closer to individual product releases.

Ram Revolution wants your ideas for electric 1500 pickup

Last week, we reported that Stellantis had trademarked the term “Ram Revolution,” and that it was a potential clue to what the pickup brand would name its upcoming electric 1500 truck. Today, we learn from Ram itself that Ram Revolution is not necessarily the name of a product, but rather a program to gather input for what that product should be. Ram has launched RamRevolution.com in order to do just that, as well as to keep customers apprised of its progress as it works toward the launch of its “1500 Battery Electric Vehicle” in 2024. The accompanying images you see here are RamÂ’s concept for the upcoming EV, which will incorporate learnings from Ram RevolutionÂ’s crowdsourced feedback. Ram is also launching a Ram Real Talk Tour, in which it will solicit “a series of year-long conversations with consumers at various events to better understand what the next generation of Ram Trucks and Vans must do to meet their needs.” Have ideas for what you want your electric Ram 1500 to be, do or look like? Ram wants to hear them. Regardless, Ram says the truck will be “powerful and capable,” and able to perform the regular pickup duties of towing. We already know that it plans to use its STLA Frame EV platform to underpin the 1500 BEV, with a battery capacity up to 101-118 kWh and providing up to 500 miles of range. Ram also says it “will push past what competitors have announced and what customers expect, to deliver a fuller portfolio of technology with more range, power, productivity and convenience.” With products like the Ford F-150 Lightning, GMC Hummer EV, Chevy Silverado EV, Rivian R1T, Lordstown Endurance and other electric pickups all coming to market, Ram has its work cut out for it. “Launched as a standalone truck brand in 2009, Ram revolutionized the pickup truck segment once, and is laser-focused on doing so again with the best electric trucks on the market,” said Ram CEO Mike Koval, Jr.  “Our new Ram Revolution campaign will allow us to engage with consumers in a close and personal way, so we can a gather meaningful feedback, understand their wants and needs and address their concerns – ultimately allowing us to deliver the best electric pickup truck on the market with the Ram 1500 BEV.” This Ram 1500 BEV will be the brandÂ’s first big step into the electric age (itÂ’s already taken a small step with plans to launch the ProMaster EV in 2023), with all of its truck and van segments offering electrified variants by 2030.

This or That: 2005 Dodge Ram SRT-10 vs. 2005 Subaru WRX STI [w/poll]

Some cars, due to ultimate desirability, particular rareness, or spectacular performance/prestige eventually become collectible. It's darn near impossible to know which ones will make it into the rarefied stratosphere of collectibility – why is a late 1960s AMC AMX so affordable these days, whereas prices for late '70s Pontiac Trans Ams are soaring? – but there are some useful indicators to keep tabs on. We're not exactly experts on investing, but we do know cars. As such, we've decided to take our non-expertise on one hand, combine it in the other with our knowledge of all things automotive, wad it up, throw it out and ask for your forgiveness. Or something like that. I've challenged Senior Editor Seyth Miersma to choose a car he thinks will become a future collector's item that's not more than 10 years old, and for no more than $25,000. I've done the same, and we vigorously argued for and against each other's picks. I feel good about my choice, but I don't have the best track record in these contests (I've lost three times, won twice, but they've all been pretty close), so, while I'm not going to beg (please vote for me!), I do hope you find my argument convincing. But first, let's hear from Seyth: Miersma: Ten-years old or newer makes this challenging. At that age most vehicles feel like a plain old used car to me, few hit the "classic" button. But the Subaru WRX STI has always been a special car, and the 2005 cutoff year proves to be very attractive for the parameters of our contest. It's rare; with fewer than 5,000 STI models sold that model year. It's probably the best looking WRX STI ever sold in America; narrowly avoiding the dreadful "horse collar" front fascia. And it's got one of the more die-hard car-geek followings out there. For $25,000, you can also still find examples that have reasonable miles, are in good condition, and haven't all been molested by grown-up Initial D wannabes. With the street racers hacking up collectable examples every day, I like my odds for steep appreciation by way of conservation. I couldn't agree more. It really is difficult to predict what cars will catch the eye of collectors, and the WRX STI seems like a pretty good choice. But I think mine is even better, and I can't let him know that I'd love to park just such an STI in my very own garage. And so goes my argument: Korzeniewski: I like your choice as a driver, Seyth. I'm less convinced of its status as a sure-fire collectible.