Ram’s pickups are being electrified … in a number of ways.
The company has already revealed the 2025 Ram 1500 Rev all-electric model and Ram 1500 Ramcharger extended-range plug-in hybrid, but now its working on one that runs on a different type of gas.
Hydrogen.
Ram’s parent company Stellantis has announced that Symbio, a joint venture it has with Forvia and Michelin to produce hydrogen fuel cells, is building a new factory in France called SymphonHy.
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The company currently has the capacity to produce enough for 16,000 vehicles annually, but will increase that to 50,000 by 2026.
Hydrogen fuel cells generate electricity by combining stored hydrogen and atmospheric oxygen into water vapor through the use of a catalyst. The advantages over battery power are quicker refueling times and a lighter overall weight for the system.
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Several fuel cell electric cars have been offered in the U.S., including the Toyota Mirai, but their adoption has been hampered by a lack of a public hydrogen refueling infrastructure. Many consider the technology better suited to commercial and long-haul trucks, which operate from depots and would otherwise require large batteries that are heavy, costly and take a long time to recharge to go zero carbon.
The Symbio powertrains are slated for a variety of vans and mid-size trucks along with a Ram pickup that will have a range of 320 miles of charge when empty and 200 miles when operating at its full gross combined weight rating with a trailer attached.
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Ram had previously indicated such a model was in the works and would likely be part of its heavy duty pickup range. It did not reveal the exact timing for its debut.