Last week, we posted a story on Stellantis’ hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), which are mainly being developed in Europe; but reader RustyDodge reminded us that heavy duty Rams have another path they can follow. Cummins, maker of Ram heavy duty pickups’ acclaimed diesel engines, has for years been working on hydrogen, natural gas, and electric … Read more
Battery-electric cars (BEVs) are in the works for most segments, but would they work for heavy duty trucks? Ram seems to think not; while a BEV Ram 1500 is coming, to join Rivian’s, Ford’s, and Chevrolet’s light-duty battery-electric pickups (in order of production), their EV Day presentation pointed to a different path for the Ram … Read more
Last weekend, Stellantis held the company’s first “Hackathon”, inviting college students from around the area to team up to showcase their programming skills. The name Hackathon may suggest that these students were trying to hack into the various systems, but that wasn’t the case. Instead, the teams of students used data from Stellantis vehicles, the … Read more
Ram teased an electric 1500 pickup on its social media channels (but not the media site) today, as Ford prepares for the official production launch of an electric F-150. Chevrolet, for its part, displayed its electric Silverado 1500 at the New York Auto Show last week. Ram had a brief, 15-second animation sending people to … Read more
The 2022 Jeep Cherokee dropped all but one front wheel drive configuration, raised the specs of the base model, and eliminated the 2.4 liter four-cylinder. At the time, Chrysler didn’t make a fuss about dropping the 2.4, which is also used by the Jeep Compass and ProMaster City. The Compass and Renegade are both rated at … Read more
Frederick Bender and Bryan Macek may have made it easier for future Ram pickup buyers to tie down—and lock down— their cargo. The FCA US employees patented a utility bar system which is attached to fittings which go into stake pockets in a pickup bed. The advantage of this system over conventional cross beams is aesthetic … Read more
A relatively small number of 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokees and 2021-22 Dodge Durangos are being recalled because the steering rack bar may not have been hardened enough, which can cause it to bind; that can make steering difficult or impossible. The fix is to replace the entire steering gear assembly on Stellantis’ dime. The recall … Read more
Incorrectly written software in the antilock brake control module in 370,437 Ram 2500s and Dodge Durangos can result in the ESC light failing to come on when the electronic stability control (ESC) does. This can increase the odds of a crash, as drivers will be less aware that they are approaching the vehicle’s road-adhesion limits. … Read more
The 2023 Ram ProMaster, formally introduced today at the Work Truck Trade Show in Indianapolis, adds to the many 2022 model-year upgrades with a new front end design, superior headlights, and other features. While the headlights and grille are the most obvious changes, this hauling machine is more than just a prettier face. The new super … Read more
The 2022 Jeep Cherokee dropped all but one front wheel drive configuration, raised the specs of the base model, and eliminated the 2.4 liter four-cylinder. Why is there still one front drive version? Most likely to keep the 31 mpg advertised highway mileage, which is much tougher to achieve with four driven wheels. Dropping the … Read more
Ram released two more sketches which may show the styling direction for the electric Ram 1500, which now has a projected release date of 2024. Future heavy duty Rams will, according to the strategy presentation, use hydrogen fuel cells rather than batteries to power their electric motors, though buyers can also expect Cummins diesels to … Read more
Stellantis has released its Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan for the next eight years, with a commitment to reach carbon net-zero emissions by 2038. Carlos Tavares introduced the plan by saying “We are expanding our vision, breaking the limits and embracing a new mindset, one that seeks to transform all facets of mobility for the … Read more
Two Mopars have been chosen as top safety picks by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The designation requires strong crash-test performance coupled with crash-avoidance capabilities and technologies. Vehicles are re-evaluated every year. For 2022, the Chrysler Pacifica reprised its 2021 performance as a Top Safety Pick+ (Plus). Unknown to most buyers, the Pacifica comes … Read more
The editors of Car and Driver have produced their list of the ten best (sorry, they spell it “10Best”) cars and trucks of 2022. The Ram 1500 came out tops in pickups, America’s largest single vehicle segment, beating the Ford F-series and the GM Silverado and Sierra (as well as the Colorado, Ranger, and such). … Read more
Some 2019-20 Ram trucks, including chassis cabs, may have been made with bad wiper arm head joints, because of a new wiper nut brought into production on April 27, 2019, and withdrawn on March 9, 2020. 107,864 trucks made during that period are subject to the recall (along with 29,830 trucks sold outside the United … Read more
While most automakers are using existing brands for electric vehicles, GM has taken created not one but two new brands—Hummer, which was brought back from the dead, and BrightDrop. Chevrolet is still making battery-electrics, too, including a forthcoming pickup with impressive specs and a dull name. BrightDrop is GM’s new brand for electric light commercial … Read more