These days, most jobs demand a badge to prove you deserve to be there, from an ID photo to a shiny shield on a uniform. So it’s no surprise that the new Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison wears a badge to prove its ability – an off-road tire bolted behind the cab.

The midsize Colorado’s third-gen arose in 2022 with a new engine in a reborn chassis. And this most aggressive off-road version horned its way in this year – the Bison, ours in Radiant Red.

Some EV Alternatives: Rivian R1T | Ford F-150 Lightning | Tesla Cybertruck

There’s a blunt nose, 2025’s version getting a revised, aggressive grille/bumper shape under a chest-high aluminum hood with black power bulges. A slit upper grille flows into LED DRLs over small, powerful headlights. A gloss black nose bar with Chevy emblem lives over a deeper intake.

ZR2 Bison Gets Added Off Road Chops

Then comes the collaboration with American Expedition Vehicles (AEV).

The off-road equipment supplier offers stronger bumpers, tightly tucked in so there’s less chance of snagging something. There’s boron-steel skidplates. Special AEV wheels are also 1.2-inches fatter under squared-off fender flares almost a half-inch wider than regular ZR2s. That offers extra room when the suspension compresses gold Multimatic DSSV dampers, with hydraulic jounce bumpers to help buffer compression in extreme off-roading.

The lower sills get serious double-bar frame protection and because those 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler tires are so wide, the only place for the spare is bolted into the bed. That means less rearward vision for the driver, who now really needs those side mirrors since no rear view camera mirror option is available.

With a 12.2-inch suspension lift, the steering wheel is handy to grab to pull oneself into the black-over-gray interior and leather driver’s seat. The passengers all get grab handles. There’s a basic hard plastic interior, nicely padded on passenger dashboard, doors panels and center armrest. But door tops are hard plastic, which is tough on elbows.

Colorado Interior Includes Wide Center Touchscreen

The digital gauge display now has multiple configurations like a 7,000-rpm tach circling a digital speedometer; a single big speed readout, or one with pitch, roll, steering angle and 4-wheel-drive status. You can fire up a G-force display, or full engine gauges.

The two-tone gray leather interior has contrasting stitching, carbon fiber inserts and a padded dashboard.

A wide center touchscreen offers navigation, apps, audio, phone and wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, with 4G Wi-Fi Hotspot. The touchscreen gets a real volume knob, and our EV Rider test truck had heated and cooled seats.

The driver’s seat has basic power adjustments and dual memory presets, comfortable if a bit flat. A stitched leather steering wheel gets audio volume and tuning behind along with the usual buttons up front. There’s no headlight knob or control. Instead, you have to access a sub-menu in the touchscreen to activate automatic headlights.

The gearshift gets a manual shift rocker switch next to the 2-wheel/4-wheel-drive high and low range knob. There are Normal, Off-Road, Terrain and Baja drive modes, plus Tow/Haul, with trailer brake bias control. USB ports and a cellphone inductive charger are in the center console.

The back seat bench has good head room, but only just enough leg room for adults. Seatbacks split and fold 60/40 forward into a fairly flat cargo floor, while flip-up seat bottoms reveal cargo bins. The cargo box has tie-down hooks, and a damped tailgate with integrated cargo box.

Colorado V-6 Option Dropped

There’s no V-6 anymore. Lesser Colorados get a 2.7 inline four with 237 hp. This off-road boss had the 310 hp version with 390 lb-ft of torque, hooked to an eight-speed automatic transmission with selectable rear-wheel-drive, automatic or full-time four-wheel-drive, as well as low range.

Our 500-mile-old truck’s turbocharged four sounds busy under load, but had decent power, hitting 60 mph in 7.4 seconds. A highway slog in Normal/rear-wheel-drive modes only averaged 15 mpg. For comparison, a 2,700-mile-old 2019 Colorado Z71 I tested then with V-6 hit 60 mph in 6.8 seconds, averaging 17 mpg.

The off-road suspension with Multimatic DSSV dampers was actually pretty good at asphalt-based commuting. Within its fully boxed perimeter frame are independent coil-over-shocks and solid front and rear axles that made it taut but comfortable on road.

Colorado ZR2 Bison Off Road Impressions

Speed bumps and potholes were smoothed out with decent buffering on rebound and no harsh impacts. Handling was OK in rear wheel drive mode with the back end staying put as it tracked through curves. In auto all-wheel-drive it was mostly neutral in tighter turns, predictable with a bit of understeer — and body roll — circling our skidpad.

Steering was tight with a nice feel. It had a bit of lightness dead center due to off-road tread squirm, and a tight enough turning circle. The 13.4-inch front/13.3-inch rear disc brakes had a nice pedal bite up high and good control, but a bit of nose dive and ABS chatter under simulated panic stops. While our 4,971-lb. Colorado may be smaller than the big Daddy Silverado it can carry up to 1,151 pounds of stuff, and tow up to 6,000 pounds.

Then we took the Bison to a rut-filled field in 4-wheel-drive, and it did not buffalo us. Deeply treaded Goodyears grabbed easily as it neatly handled everything with a comfortable ride and very good bump absorption, no head bounce or mushiness from the long-travel suspension. Bouncing over a small hill saw the Bison just absorb the bump and land with aplomb. Terrain mode allowed for near-one pedal driving at slow speeds – the Bison can easily handle rough stuff.

Ground clearance was just fine. I like the pitch/roll and steering angle displays in dash and center screen, graphically showing us on a shallow hill, where traction was just fine.

The Chevrolet Colorado WT base crew cab starts at $33,796; our crew cab adds $11,700 Bison package with all the offroad stuff and a bit more for a final of $50,680.

Bottom line: The most capable Colorado ever. It easily chews through the bush, yet is fairly comfy on the road, and maybe just enough truck for almost anybody.

2025 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison Crew Cab Specifications

Vehicle type – mid-size 5-passenger four-wheel-drive pickup truck

Base price – $48,695 ($50,680 as tested)

Engine type – Turbocharged DOHC 16-valve aluminum inline four

Displacement – 2.7 liter

Horsepower (net) – 310 @ 5,600 rpm

Torque – 390 @ 3,000 rpm

Transmission – 8-speed automatic transmission

Wheelbase – 131.4 inches

Overall length – 212.7 inches

Overall width – 84.4 inches

Height – 81.9 inches

Front headroom – 40.3 inches

Front leg room – 45.2 inches

Rear headroom – 38.3 inches

Rear legroom – 34.7 inches

Cargo bed payload – 1,151 lbs.

Towing capacity – up to 6,000 lbs.

Weight – 5,298 lbs.

The post Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison Easily Handles Rough Stuff appeared first on EV Rider.

Elon Musk decided to go big to try to win the EV pickup war with his Cybertruck, but it turns out the sales leader in gas pickups has extended that same lead in the EV space.

Ford’s F-150 Lightning is the all-time best-selling EV pickup. But more importantly, despite a slew of recent competitors from Chevy, GMC and Tesla, the Lightning remains number one in 2025 sales.

So far this year Ford has sold 10,829 Lightnings with Tesla coming in at a very close second, selling 10,087 Cybertrucks.

That’s according to Motor Intelligence, which has released January through May 2025 sales data, which was reported by CleanTechnica.com.

While the overall 2025 Cyberturck/Lightning sales race was neck-and-neck through May, some analysts believe interest in the Cybertruck is waning, despite it being a newer design than the Lightning. Cybertruck sales dropped by 32.5% between January and Feburary, according to InsideEVs, which cited data provided by Cox Automotive.

The automaker that should be the most worried about the January through May numbers is Rivian.

Its R1T had just 2,682 sales, which puts it in fifth place, behind Ford, Tesla, Chevy’s Silverado EV and GMC’s Hummer EV pickup.

Given General Motor’s EV pickups are finally moving beyond their initial production constraints and have significantly more range than the Ford, Tesla and Rivian pickups; GM’s pickups appear to be the ones to watch.

While all the pickups are capable hauling machines, when it comes to range, GMC’s top trim Sierra exceeds its non-GM competition with up to 478 miles per charge for the 2026 model year. Rivian’s R1T comes in second with 420 miles, compared to 350 miles for the Cybertruck and 320 miles for the Lightning.

Many of the base models come with smaller batteries.

While range is just one metric, when it comes to pickups, it’s likely among the most important, since when towing range can plummet by half or even more.

Video Reviews: EV Pickups

While this post and video just looked at sales numbers, EV Rider has covered a variety of EV pickups:

The post Ford F-150 Lightning Outsells Other EV Pickups appeared first on EV Rider.

There’s a plan to introduce a brand-new, U.S. built, clean sheet compact vehicle with a base price that could slide in just under $20,000 once the $7,500 federal EV tax credit is figured in.

The Slate is a small EV pickup truck prototype from a startup by the same name with a forecast base price right around $25,000.

It’s the smallest pickup we’ve seen introduced in the U.S. since probably the 1990s, or maybe even longer.

While some cool prototypes won’t necessarily translate into success, Slate does have some big names behind it. The CEO is Chris Barman, who is a former Fiat Chrysler executive, and a mechanical engineer by trade. The best known investor in Slate is Amazon Executive Chair Jeff Bezos, who also helped bankroll Rivian.

As far as the Slate pickup goes, it’s notable for what’s not included in the base model.

The base model has no electric windows, no infotainment system and none of the other giz-whiz stuff outside of what’s required by regulations. For example, it’s got a small digital speedometer that doubles as the backup camera when needed.

It’s the first truly entry level vehicle to be introduced here in the U.S. in years. Size-wise, it marks a return to the compact pickups we saw in the 70s and 80s. such as the 1985 Toyota Pickup SR5, which Slate uses as a comparison on its website.

In terms of specs, the bare bones version will feature a 52.7 kWh battery pack while a larger 84.3 kWh optional pack will be available for those that need extra range. Both will be RWD with 195 lb-ft of torque, 201 horsepower and a modest 1,000-pound tow rating.

The base battery is expected to have a range of about 150 miles while the larger battery is targeted for 240 miles. The bed length is 5-feet while the front trunk can store 7-cubic-feet.

An app is included along with the new NACS charging standard.

Although Slate is hoping to hook customers with a low base-price, plans call for plenty of optional features such as wraps, wheels, special lighting and two different kits to turn it into an SUV.

Slate is planning upwards of about 100 optional accessories, many of which will be do-it-yourself add ons.

It was designed in California and Michigan and is scheduled to be built in the Midwest, although Slate hasn’t officially announced a plant location.

Slate is now taking refundable $50 reservations with the first customer deliveries currently expected in late-2026.

As with any startup, alot could still go wrong. For starters, there’s a good chance we’ll see President Trump and Congress end the $7,500 EV tax credit before the Slate reaches production while tariffs could change the math that Slate has been banking on.

The idea of witnessing the return of a truly entry-level compact pickup certainly is appealing. Let’s hope Slate can make it happen.

The post Clean Slate: Finally, A Compact Entry Level EV Pickup appeared first on EV Rider.

When it comes to EV pickups, Ford and Rivian were the first ones out of the gate to make it to volume production.  

While there are plenty of factories from General Motors, RAM, and Tesla ramping up to produce EV pickups, for this video, we’re looking at the two that have had their trucks on the road for many months now.  

Before anyone asks “what about the Hummer EV pickup,” since I haven’t had an opportunity to personally experience it yet, we’ll save that one for another day.  

Out of the gate, startup Rivian hit the ground running with a quad-motor setup and clean-sheet design while Ford has taken all the things that have made the gasoline F-series the best-selling vehicle in America and amped it up with an all-wheel-drive EV setup.  

Towing

Our first matchup is towing, which Rivian wins on paper with a maximum capacity of 11,000 pounds, while the Ford maxes out at 10,000.  

When it comes to real world towing, Ford has a neat trick up its sleeve.  It uses artificial intelligence, computer vision, and machine learning to automatically back up and align the truck’s hitch ball to a trailer coupler with a touch of a button.  

Lightning owner Sergio Rodriguez is also a big fan of how the Lightning recalculates range on the fly based on the towing load as he describes in this video:  

Both pickups come with integrated trailer-brake controllers.  

Speaking of towing, depending on the load, weather, terrain, etc. you could see your range take a hit of 40% or more, meaning with either vehicle you may be charging as often as 100 miles or so if you’re really pushing them to the limit. Edmunds did a detailed test between the two, using the same identical 7,500-pound payloads.

Charging

That brings us to charging speed. Car and Driver recently did a charging showdown and found the R1T hit a peak speed of nearly 200 kW while the Lightning managed 163.  

Perhaps more importantly, Rivian claims that eventually it will be able to charge at speeds of up to 300 kW via an over the air update.  

However, Ford may have the real trump card when it comes to charging. It recently announced a deal with Tesla that will open up every US Supercharger station to Ford EV owners.  

Ford will be mailing out adapters to existing Lightning owners in 2024 and adding a Tesla charging port to the next-gen Lighting.  

At the time of this video’s posting the question was whether Rivian might follow suit with a similar deal to gain full access to Superchargers. 

Storage

Both the Lightning and Rivian have massive frunks, putting them well ahead of gas pickups when it comes to storage.   

The Rivian also offers a unique pass-through innovation which is one of the things that attracted R1T owner Jimmy McGovern to his Rivian, as you’ll see in this video: 

Both trucks have some neat features in their cargo beds but the Ford runs away with the race when it comes to actual bed capacity with 52.8 cubic feet vs. The Rivian’s 22.6 cubic feet.  

Features

Both trucks come in a variety of packages. The top tier Lightning delivers 580 horsepower and 775 lb-ft of torque from its 131 kWh battery pack with 320 miles of EPA-estimated range. 

The fully loaded R1T has a 135 kWh battery with 835 horsepower and 908 lb-ft of torque, which explains its additional thousand pounds of towing capacity. The EPA rates the R1T at 314 miles of range.  

Both Ford and Rivian do over-the-air software updates so it’s possible those figures might be tweaked a bit by the time you read or watch this EV Rider episode. 

Tech

Moving inside, the Lightning and R1T are comfortable with large center stacks that boast plenty of tech, including a variety of driving modes.  

But the Ford once again pulls in the lead, offering wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.  

Neither is available in the Rivian and two different Rivian owners I spoke with complained about the Rivian’s native navigation. 

When it comes to build quality, I interviewed one Lightning owner and two Rivian owners. Both Rivian owners had taken their EVs back to have some panel gap issues addressed but were otherwise happy with their cars. 

All three owners were generally happy with their choices and I found the ride quality good in both pickups. 

As for off-road chops, Motor Trend did extensive testing, concluding the Rivian is more capable thanks in part to its five off-road modes and height-adjustable suspension. 

Looking at driver assist packages, Ford currently wins with Blue Cruise since it offers true hands-free driving on mapped interstates. The Rivian requires drivers to touch the wheel occasionally. 

Both the Rivian and Ford can be used as a backup generator. They have plenty of power outlets, including traditional household 12-volt outlets that are capable of charging another EV. But Ford amps it up with an optional kit that allows you to power your entire house, including air conditioning and refrigerator by tying directly into your home’s circuit breaker box.  

When it comes to price, the Lightning starts lower at around $60,000, compared to $73,000 for  the R1T.  That’s based on a June 11, 2023 price check. Those prices do not include additional fees, taxes or incentives.

Once you start checking all the boxes, their prices become very similar at roughly $98,000 for the Lightning and approximately $99,000 for the RT1. 

Unless you luck out or are willing to pay big markups, both trucks will likely require months of waiting before they’re delivered. 

When it comes to getting service, Ford pulls back in the lead in most parts of the country with more than 2,900 dealers, while Rivian had less than three dozen service centers across the country at last check, although it was planning a major expansion.

Rivian R1T Specs, Pricing & Equipment Packages

More information about the Rivian R1T is available at Rivian.com.

More information about the F-150 Lightning is available at Ford.com.

The post Showdown: Ford F-150 Lightning Vs. Rivian R1T appeared first on EV Rider.

At CES 2023, Stellantis unveiled the Ram 1500 Revolution Battery-electric concept pickup truck.

The Ram 1500 BEV concept is powered by a dual-motor electric powertrain that delivers a total of 700 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. This allows the truck to go from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, according to RAM. The powertrain is designed to be highly efficient, with an estimated range of 300 miles on a single charge.

The Ram 1500 BEV concept also has a number of sustainability features. It is equipped with a 100 kWh battery pack that is made up of recycled materials, and the exterior of the truck is coated with a special paint that is designed to reduce drag and improve its aerodynamics.

One of the standout features of the Ram 1500 BEV concept is its interior, which is designed to be both comfortable and functional. The cabin features seating for up to six passengers, as well as a number of high-tech features.

A full touchscreen display comprised of two screens offers up to 28 inches of screen space as the centerpiece of an interior, with a augmented reality heads-up display taking the place of a traditional dashboard.

The truck also has a number of storage solutions, including a fold-down center console and under-seat storage. Previously Ram has indicated its next-gen pickup would be a plugin hybrid, although there was no mention of a battery generator feature in the news release, which is reprinted here in its entirety:

Ram 1500 Revolution Battery-electric Vehicle (BEV) Concept Unveiled at CES 2023

The Ram Revolution BEV Concept is a visionary road map showing how the industry’s leading truck brand will redefine the pickup segment once againSegment-redefining Ram 1500 Revolution Battery-electric Vehicle (BEV) Concept demonstrates Ram’s commitment to electric vehicle (EV) leadershipLoaded with advanced technology, the concept reinvents the customer experience by integrating leading-edge technology, a fully connected customer experience and advanced mobility featuresRam 1500 Revolution BEV Concept delivers seamless connectivity to transform the experience for driver and passengersStunning, ultra-modern exterior design represents the future of Ram trucksAll-new face of Ram includes animated and modernized “R-A-M” badging and animated full LED “tuning fork” headlight designDoors have been reimagined in a grand saloon-style opening that showcases a cavernous occupant space without a B-pillarNew interior layout offers even more flexibility with room to configure workspace with a removeable center console with fold-flat surfaceRam continues to build on its list of industry-shaping features with the 1500 BEV Concept, ushering in an industry-first feature: third-row jump seatsPowered mid-gate features mounted jump seats with a removable lower section that allows for multiple flexible seating configurations and enables a pass-through (and into the frunk) that can fit objects up to 18-ft. longBuilt on new STLA Frame body-on-frame architecture designed specifically for full-size electric vehicles, the concept incorporates the battery pack efficiently with full underbody aero panels and active diffuserPowered by two electric drive modules (EDMs), the concept features all-wheel-drive capabilityRam 1500 Revolution BEV Concept can add up to 100 miles of range in approximately 10 minutes with 800-volt DC fast charging at up to 350 kWRam 1500 Revolution BEV Concept features four-wheel steering with up to 15 degrees of articulation for greater vehicle maneuverabilityRam will once again redefine the pickup truck segment with revolutionary Ram 1500 BEV production model in 2024, to be introduced in the coming monthsRam 1500 BEV will be the leader in a combination of areas customers care about the most: range, towing, payload and charge timeEntire Ram lineup will offer electrified solutions with disruptive, leading-edge advanced technology in the years to comeRam’s move toward electrification supports the Stellantis Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan to lead the way the world moves by delivering innovative, clean, safe and affordable mobility solutions

January 5, 2023 , Auburn Hills, Mich. – The Ram Truck brand introduced a visionary road map today at CES 2023 with its Ram 1500 Revolution Battery-electric Vehicle (BEV) Concept, which provides a glimpse into the future and demonstrates how the industry’s leading truck brand will once again redefine the pickup truck segment. The leading-edge Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept showcases a truckload of innovative features that will be seen in future Ram trucks and in particular on Ram’s electrification journey.

Ram will differentiate itself by offering a portfolio of fully electrified solutions to better meet customer needs, including a segment-redefining Ram 1500 BEV in 2024. The entire Ram lineup will offer electrified solutions with disruptive, leading-edge advanced technology in the years to come. The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept establishes how Ram will push past competitors’ future EV offerings.

“The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept is our clearest signal yet that we’re on the precipice of something extraordinary at Ram and points directly to where we’re going on our electrified journey,” said Mike Koval Jr., Ram brand CEO – Stellantis. “At Ram, we’ve redefined what pickup trucks can be, and we will do so again by pushing past what competitors are offering by delivering the best electric pickups on the market.”

The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept is part of Ram’s significant contribution to Stellantis’ Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan to lead the way the world moves by delivering innovative, clean, safe and affordable mobility solutions.

“The Ram Revolution represents several important things to the Ram brand,” Koval added. “Of course, it’s our new Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept that serves as a roadmap to our electrified future. Yet Ram Revolution is also our philosophy as we redefine the pickup segment, with a steady drumbeat of announcements and initiatives as we embark on our electrified journey.” 

Ram is committed to innovation and powertrain leadership with a lineup that consists of anything and everything truck buyers want and need, meeting real-world demands. Today, Ram offers the most fuel-efficient 4x4s and the quickest, fastest and most powerful pickup truck straight from the factory.

Ram will once again redefine the pickup truck segment with its revolutionary Ram 1500 BEV production model in 2024. It will be the leader in a combination of areas customers care about the most: range, towing, payload and charge time. More news on the production version will be available in the coming months. 

Pioneering design establishes the vision for Ram’s electrified future
The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept provides a stunning vision of the ultimate pickup truck as part of the future of Ram trucks. Ram’s exterior design team set out to revolutionize the pickup truck segment by creating an ultra-modern concept that exudes heroic strength, maintains its purpose and is environmentally responsible.

The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept features an exterior design that is strikingly “brutiful” – brutal yet beautiful. An animated and modernized “R-A-M” badge adorns the all-new face of Ram, which features a fully animated LED “tuning fork” design. The doors have been reimagined in a grand saloon-style opening that showcases a cavernous occupant space without a B-pillar. Bright LED lights have been cleverly integrated into the front bumper flares and advancements in lighting are highlighted by fully animated LED taillamps and badging. Building on Ram’s reputation as North America’s off-road and performance truck leader, the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept features an integrated fascia design with a skid plate and new pivoting tow hooks that can sit flush.

Innovative features are thoughtfully integrated throughout and include a new powered frunk with one-touch open-and-close functionality that adds capability and storage. Other powered features, including a powered charge-port door situated on the driver’s side front quarter panel, a powered tailgate, flush-mounted door handles, powered side steps and a powered rear step with active diffuser, round out the extensive list of powered features.

The concept features revolutionary side-view mirrors that are smaller, more lightweight and use 3D printed materials for optimal aerodynamics and reduced drag. The side-view mirrors use a digital camera to capture the truck’s surroundings, allowing for a smaller physical size.

The charge port illuminates and blinks while charging. An audible sound will signal it’s plugged in and charging has begun. The charge port features Level 1 and Level 2 AC charging on the top half and DC fast charging on the bottom half of the charger.

Recognizable Ram design cues with added capability include a power multifunction tailgate and a larger RamBox. The acute hourglass body design and fender wells clear 35-inch tires with a new unique design. The 1500 Revolution BEV Concept features self-leveling capability and rides on 24-inch wheels with center caps that light up and stay in place.

These new proportions are achieved courtesy of the innovative STLA Frame EV platform on which the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept is built. New intelligent safety systems and smaller, more powerful electric motors afforded the design team the ability to shift the cabin forward and increase cabin length. The 1500 Revolution BEV Concept features a cabin that is four inches longer than today’s production truck for increased room and comfort while the bed length remains the same.

New interior boasts sustainable materials with never-before-seen levels of flexibility, comfort and innovation
Known as a “one space environment,” the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept uses one continuous space front to back that enables several different interior configurations. The “one space environment” theme is bolstered by a new interior layout that offers even more flexibility with room to configure a workspace or for your next adventure.

A significantly more spacious interior and greater cabin length are the result of a new architecture while the battery’s size allows for more cargo volume. Ram Track, Ram’s rail attachment/floor track system, provides cabin flexibility for the seats and console, as well as usable tie-downs or other storage potential. Ram Track is also incorporated in the frunk, as well as the bed, allowing for true flexibility from front to back.

Nearly 50 years ago, the club cab was introduced with second-row seating. Half a century later, Ram continues to build on these industry-shaping features with the 1500 BEV Concept ushering in a new feature: third-row jump seats. The powered mid-gate features mounted jump seats with a removable lower section for placement in the bed or outside the vehicle. The mid-gate with powered glass enables a pass-through (and into the frunk) that can fit objects up to 18-ft. long with the tailgate closed.

Seating and console flexibility was a focus with the center console’s ability to be removed for even more space. If desired, the center console armrest individually converts to a workstation surface. Combined with mid-gate and jump-seat options, the 1500 Revolution BEV Concept offers multiple flexible seating configurations. Lightweight seats feature integrated seatbelts, grab handles and speakers with the ability to fold flat along with extended recline, work, conference modes and deploying the jump seats. Vastly more interior volume benefits second-row and third-row jump seat passengers who enjoy limo-like space.

The “tuning fork” design is present inside the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept, stretching the length of the dashboard and continuing a theme line to the mid-gate. A full touchscreen display comprised of two screens offers up to 28 inches of screen space as the centerpiece of an interior loaded with advanced technology. The lower display has three different positions depending on the task at hand – minimal view, extended view and full screen view – and can be removed and used in different areas of the truck. The upper screen can also slide on the Ram rail attachment system.

The rearview mirror combines leading-edge technology to improve safety and convenience. Significantly smaller than traditional truck mirrors without compromising effectiveness, the rearview mirror is packed with a range of sophisticated technologies, including a smart backup camera with 360-degree views, speakers, and receivers compatible with voice assistants, such as Alexa and Siri.

When in reverse, the camera stitches together images from various other cameras around the truck, providing the driver with a 360-degree view on the interior digital screens. This allows the driver to see their surroundings with greater clarity, helping to avoid accidents and improve safety, especially when backing up to a trailer. The mirror also includes a supplementary backup flood lamp that provides additional visibility when reversing the truck, which is especially useful in low light conditions. In addition to the backup camera, the rearview mirror also communicates with biometric cameras that observe the truck’s environment as it approaches objects and as it’s being approached.

Digital side-view mirrors and augmented reality (AR) head-up display (HUD) highlight the onboard advanced technology.

A flat-top and bottom collapsible steering wheel offers enhanced hand grips with capacitive controls, digital screens and a lit “RAM” badge. Tactile swiping technology enables occupants to configure the sun visors or the entire electro-chromatic roof with the ability to adjust the opaqueness. The full glass roof with electro-chromatic panels and integrated roof rails features ambient lightning that’s operated through the overhead console.

Sustainability was a key focus during development of the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept with unique and resourceful materials seen throughout the interior as a result. Examples include Greyslate Nanostone veneer that is resilient and lightweight and Apple leather, a bi-product from the apple industry that is naturally animal and cruelty free. The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept also features a uniquely textured floor that is composed of recycled rubber and cork particles that enhance durability and functionality.

Ram’s design team wanted to showcase ideas that deliver every passenger an individualized and personalized experience that seamlessly connects them with their digital lives, as well as the other passengers. Artificial intelligence and the autonomy to enable users to work and play from anywhere were also focal points.

Redefining pickup truck ownership again with leading-edge technology, connectivity and convenience
The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept provides a glimpse into leading-edge technology, a fully connected customer experience, and advanced mobility features that deliver confidence for hardworking people every day, no matter their line of work.

The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept delivers seamless connectivity to transform the experience for the driver and passengers. The concept creates a connected hub that brings a consumer’s digital lifestyle into the vehicle, using advanced technology to create a customized space for each occupant.

Some unique technology features on the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept include:

• Vehicle Personal Assistant – Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered virtual assistant that enhances in-vehicle and exterior interaction with users. A 3D Ram avatar acts as the vehicle’s face, responding to various voice commands from users. Additionally, voice control enables the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept to follow commands from the owner while they’re outside the vehicle, such as close the windows, play music, take a picture, and “follow me” with Shadow Mode
  • Shadow Mode – Allows the vehicle to automatically follow driver walking ahead of the vehicle. This voice-activated feature can be useful in situations where the driver needs to move a short distance and doesn’t want to get back in the truck, such as when picking up tools or equipment from a job site. The truck will follow the driver at a safe distance, using sensors and camera technology to navigate around obstacles. This innovation increases efficiency, making the job easier and more convenient
• My Day – Intelligent trip planning based on users’ schedules and preferences to provide suggestions at right time and right location
• Cabin Mode – Cabin Modes are “one button” settings that adjust multiple aspects of the cabin experience at once, based on the use case. They include options such as Productivity Mode, Social Mode, Party Mode, Relax Mode and user-created modes. Adjustments include interior lighting, seat position and orientation, window and skylight opacity, vehicle suspension, sound zones and display content
• Advanced Augmented Reality (AR) Heads-up Display (HUD) – This feature combines AR HUD and advanced camera and sensor technology to provide enhanced driving assistance. See-through vision uses camera and sensor technology to create an experience that allows the driver to see objects outside of their normal view on the AR HUD. The AR HUD can also display information
• Intelligent storage app – Mobile application that helps users measure objects to determine if they can be transported with their vehicle. To obtain an object’s dimensions, users can scan the product’s barcode or use a built-in AR camera measuring tool. The mobile app will show users how the object can best be positioned in their vehicle, and internal and external cabin projectors assist by displaying guides on the target storage location
• Adjustable and removable lower display – Used as a tablet, passenger display, truck bed workstation, vehicle control or video game controller, the two 14.2-inch displays can be combined to provide a larger viewing area
• Smart Home Control – User can control their smart home from the infotainment screen, adjusting devices such as lights, cameras, thermostats and sound systems 
• Advanced camera and sensor system – Multiple cameras and sensors works together to enhance the driving experience and provide additional functions, such as 3D capture, biometric identity recognition, and 360 photo and video capture
• Exterior projector – Multiple built-in projectors provide an efficient way to visually communicate information to the user. The projectors also double as a mobile movie theater, allowing the owner to have movie night anytime, anywhere
• Autonomous capabilities – In Level 3+ autonomous mode, the vehicle retracts the steering wheel to provide additional space for the driver. Interior lights, the AR HUD, smarts seats and the steering wheel work together to provide next-level situational awareness to the driver

Battery-electric power unlocks new levels of capability and performance
The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept features all-wheel-drive capability and is powered by two electric drive module (EDMs), which are positioned toward the front and rear of the vehicle, maximizing interior space and enabling the cavernous frunk. Designed to accommodate larger capacity EDMs, the Ram 1500 BEV Concept offers the potential for future high-performance applications.

The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept can add up to 100 miles of range in approximately 10 minutes with 800-volt DC fast charging at up to 350 kW.

As part of the Ram brand’s focus on providing consumers a growing and vast array of leading-edge advanced technology, Ram is showcasing a new inductive robot charger – or Ram Charger – at CES 2023, that will make home charging as easy as possible. It detects the vehicle’s presence and its charging needs, and automatically moves into position and aligns itself under the vehicle. Smart-charge capability will allow charging during off-peak time, providing more convenience and peace-of-mind for our customers.

The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept features four-wheel steering with up to 15 degrees of articulation and is designed to offer greater vehicle maneuverability while parking at low speed, on tight off-road trails, and increases the vehicle’s steering response at high speeds.

Based on the company’s STLA Frame platform, the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept features a body-on-frame design that incorporates the battery pack efficiently.

Adjustable air suspension enables three different modes: ingress/egress, aero, off-road.

Ram Truck Brand
In 2009, the Ram Truck brand launched as a stand-alone division, focused on meeting the demands of truck buyers and delivering benchmark-quality vehicles. With a full lineup of trucks, the Ram 1500, 2500/3500 Heavy Duty, 3500/4500/5500 Chassis Cab and ProMaster, the Ram brand builds trucks that get the hard work done and families where they need to go.

Ram continues to outperform the competition and sets the benchmarks for:

• 1,075 lb.-ft. of torque with Cummins Turbo Diesel
• Towing capacity of 37,090 lbs. with Ram 3500
• Segment first 1,000 lb.-ft of torque with Cummins Turbo Diesel
• Payload of 7,680 lbs. with Ram 3500
• Most luxurious: Ram Limited with real wood, real leather and 12-inch Uconnect touchscreen
• Best ride and handling with exclusive link coil rear and auto-level air suspensions
• Most interior space with Ram Mega Cab
• The most cargo space available in any traditional full size cargo van
• Most capable full-size off-road pickup – Ram Power Wagon
• Ram 1500 TRX is the quickest, fastest and most powerful mass-produced pickup truck in the world
• Most awarded light-duty truck in America
• Highest owner loyalty of any half-ton pickup

The post Ram Brings The Heat With Its Electric Pickup Concept At CES 2023 appeared first on EV Rider.

One of the first greater Jacksonville, FL-area Ford F-150 Lightning owners has already driven his EV pickup across the country.

Sergio Rodriguez, who is on assignment at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Kingsland, Ga., recently picked up his Lightning in California and drove it home.

Post your F-150 Lighting comments here

EV Rider was invited to Kingsland, which is just up the road from Jacksonville, to take Sergio’s extended-range Lightning for a spin and check out all of its features.

Sergio purchased the Lariat edition, which includes the 10,000-pound tow package and larger battery that has a useable capacity of 131 kWh, which can be charged from 15-80% in 41 minutes using a 150kW+ DC fast charger, according to Ford.

Ford estimates the extended range battery has about 300 miles of range on the XLT and Lariat, and 280 miles on the top-level F-150 Lightning Platinum.

In the video you’ll find a complete tour of the F-150 Lightning, road test and a few 0-60 mph runs, which Sergio says Ford estimates at 4 seconds.

The F-150 Lightning has garnered a good bit of initial praise from automotive journalists for features that include an available maximum payload capacity of 2,235 pounds, Blue Cruise hands-free driving, and the ability to power a home with up to 9.6 kilowatts of power.

“F-150 Lightning is built for seamless transitions between charging your vehicle and powering your house when needed – and Ford is the first in the U.S. to offer this capability on an electric truck,” said Ryan O’Gorman, Ford energy services business manager.

Sergio particularly likes what Ford calls the Lightning’s “Mega Power Frunk,” which offers 400 pounds of payload where an engine would normally go.

He plans to take full advantage of the Lightning’s towing technology, which includes onboard scales that are integrated with self-adjusting range estimates. The truck allows drivers to plug in the details of the boat, trailer or other objects they are hauling or towing to get more accurate range estimates that account for the additional load.

The Lightning is available as a 10-kilowatt smart power plant on wheels. With Pro Power Onboard, Lightning drivers can use built-in electrical outlets to directly power a variety of tools, electronics, and appliances away from home. Standard on base trims is 2.4 kilowatts of power with the option for more, while Lariat and Platinum series come standard with 9.6 kilowatts of power – a combination of up to 2.4 kilowatts available through the frunk and up to 7.2 kilowatts through 11 power outlets in the cab and bed.

F-150s are also capable of providing Level 2-speed charges to just about any other electric vehicles such as the Tesla Model S or Zero Motorcycles SR/F.

In the video at the top of this page you’ll get a tour of all of it along with the truck’s other features and Sergio’s impressions after his first 3,000-plus miles of driving the F-150 Lightning. Sergio also owns two Mustang Mach-Es. A video of his Mach-E GT-Performance is available here.

The 2022 F-150 Lightning is already sold out. At the time of this post the Lightning carried a base price of $39,947 with available option packages that top $90,000.

For EV Riders that may be cross shopping the F-150 Lightning with Rivian’s R1T EV pickup, here’s an in-depth look at it from the viewpoint of Jacksonville’s first Rivian owner.

The post F-150 Lightning: Features Tour, Owner Perspective appeared first on EV Rider.

2022 might go down in history as the year that electric vehicles went mainstream. That’s because this year electric pickups are finally on sale – just as a flood of EV SUVs have hit the market.

Post questions or comments on the EV Towing You Tube page.

Most telling of all is America’s best-selling vehicle, the Ford F-150 starts deliveries this year of its F-150 Lightning EV.

Ford sold more 362,000 F-150 pickups in 2021 and has produced over 40 million since they first started rolling off the line in 1948, with Ford saying it will produce 150,000 F-150 EVs a year, with more than that already reserved by customers.

Chevy is also rolling out its electric Silverado as a 2024 model and a host of electric SUVs that tow – from the Audi e-Tron to the Tesla Model X – are already pulling stuff along U.S. highways.

And that raises a big question: When it comes to towing, how good are EVs?

The short answer is, due to their superior torque, they should do just fine. But tow ratings are just one measure, which will get into.

But first, let’s meet a family of five – or, six if you count their lab – who have been towing RVs with their 2020 Tesla Model X across the country from their home in Lincoln, Nebraska.

You might recognize Katie and Steve Krivolavek from their All Electric Family channel on YouTube. We got together on a Zoom call to discuss their transition to EV towing and the future of EV towing.

“Yeah, we have towed with all sorts of vehicles, from your everyday SUV to an Excursion to F-150s. So we’ve done quite a bit of towing and have made the switch to EVs,” said Katie.

They’ve been towing a 22-foot 2021 Coachman Apex Nano 194BHS BunkHouse RV, which tips the scales at around 4,800 pounds, fully loaded. Their Model X has a maximum tow rating of 5,000 pounds.

One of the things they love about towing with an EV is the added stability. “One of the very surprising things, I don’t know why I was surprised by this, I should have figured this out, was the stability of the actual electric vehicle. When towing it’s just – bar none,” said Steve.

They’ve been so pleased with their EV towing experience that they’re now ready to take to the next level. They’ve put reservations down for both the Rivian R1T pickup EV and Ford F-150 Lightning EV.

Why both? Because of the chip shortage, battery constraints and pandemic-induced supply issues, many models now have delivery backlogs stretching six months or more. They’ll likely buy whichever of the new pickups is available first.

“It’s crazy. I am super excited to try some of these trucks that have, you know, a battery pack that’s 35% bigger than the Model X, potentially even more. So that weight, that stability, the bigger body. I’m anticipating that at least the Lightning, I would imagine the R1T as well, will be just as stable as our F-350 and it’ll be a fun experience on that side, at least for me,” said Steve.

The Lightning, depending on the option package, has a tow rating of up to 10,000 pounds, while the R1T can tow up to 11,000 pounds.

Just like gasoline pickups, the range of EV pickups will take a big hit when towing, with Rivian estimating up to half its range of 314 miles could be lost when towing a heavy load.

And that brings us to charging. Ford says its Lightning can refuel from 15 to 80% in 41 minutes. Both the Lightning and Rivian hit peak charging speeds of about 150kW.

But here’s the rub. Unlike gas stations, most EV charging stations feature pull-in charging instead of pull-through charging, meaning that in many cases EV drivers will be forced to unhitch.

EV Rider reached out to the media department at Electrify America, which is the nation’s largest public fast-charging network, along with Ford and GM to ask about whether there’s a plan to avoid needing to unhook, but only GM responded, writing what is basically a polite no comment that reads: “Unfortunately, our team doesn’t have the bandwidth at this time to support your request.”

Katie said so far, unhitching while charging hasn’t really been an issue. “It wasn’t really a huge deal to us. I think we timed it once and it was less than five minutes.”

Katie also points out there have been plenty of occasions – at least for now – when they haven’t needed to unhitch.

“You can get creative in some of the places and not have to unhook, pulling into the last charger and leaving your trailer out down the side. The local charger in town, it’s at the back of a grocery store, and so there’s a long line of chargers and then parking that continues on down the line and so we can pull up and use that last charger. And you know honestly, we live in an area where there’s not a ton of EVs, so when we pull into a charging station, there’s a lot of times where it’s only us or us and one other car, so we feel comfortable blocking off one or two chargers.  And, obviously, keeping an eye on it to make sure that they don’t fill up, and we need to clear out space for someone else to charge.”

Although Electrify America and the manufacturers didn’t comment for this video, it’s possible that we’ll see future chargers adapt designs similar to gas stations, such as the Electrify America pictured above, which can accommodate EV tow vehicles without unhitching.

As for the All Electric Family, they’re already planning even bigger camping adventures.

“Yeah, so we have a 30-foot Airstream, so the bunkhouse Airstream model. It’s quite a bit bigger than the 22-foot and is just over the limit of what we can tow with the Model X. And so we kind of put the horse before the cart, because we knew we were loving the experience of towing with the EV, figuring it all out and seeing what the EV could do while towing, so we decided to upgrade and wanted to go on some longer trips so the smaller trailer just wasn’t a good fit for our family anymore. So we had a chance to get this 30-foot Airstream and so we jumped on the opportunity, knowing that the trucks were coming down the line.”

You can follow Katie and Steve’s adventures on their YouTube channel or by going to allelectricfamily.com.

If you’ve enjoyed this edition of EV Rider please subscribe. It’s free and will help me grow my audience.

The post Will Wave Of New Tow-Worthy EV Pickups Need To Unhitch To Charge? appeared first on EV Rider.