Ram spent plenty of time teasing the Ram REV 1500 pickup and we even had a chance to see the production version of the truck last year at the New York Auto Show. However, contrary to what we have seen from other automakers, the pickup will not be Ram’s spearhead entry into the BEV market. Instead, the honor will be given to the newly unveiled 2024 Ram ProMaster EV.
Zero Emissions Hauling For The Commerical Market
While the ProMaster’s new gig may seem a bit baffling at first glance, when you look at the bigger picture, it all starts to come together. The ProMaster is aimed firmly at the commercial sector (though we have actually seen one being used in our area by an ambitious Instacart shopper) and as such, that slice of the market is a perfect testing ground for Ram’s EV technology. In this case, the ProMaster EV will come in two flavors, a delivery version that comes with an anodized roll-up rear door and a cargo variant that swaps it out for a set of hinged doors. The configuration you pick will also play a role in how much stuff you can carry with the Delivery being rated for 2,030 lbs while the Cargo model gets a max capacity rating of 3,020 lbs.
The ProMaster lineup received a light exterior update a short while back and as a result, the EV carries over unchanged for better or for worse. The interior is also mostly unchanged too, but a major update is the addition of a 10.1-inch infotainment system that comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard. The system also houses a 360-degree backup camera system and owners can even get a rear camera mirror to help improve rearward visibility.
ProMaster EV Brings Plenty Of Range For Any Occasion
Both versions of the ProMaster EV are powered by a front-mounted electric motor that produces 268 hp and 302 lb-ft of torque with the motor being paired up to a 110 kWh battery pack. Ram says that the combination is enough to allow the van to go 162 miles on a single charge. The horsepower figure is more than the Ford E-Transit as well as the Mercedes eSprinter but the Ram does lose ground in range and battery capacity to the eSprinter. Despite that though, the ProMaster EV appears to be a formidable contender to the two (at least on paper) so ultimately customer preference will play a role in deciding which of these big hauling machines is best.
In the meantime, Ram will also be bringing several useful features to the ProMaster including front and rear parking sensors, crosswind assist, forward collision warning, drowsiness alert, and a new Active Driving Assist feature that brings Level 2 automated driving to the ProMaster for the first time.
When Can I Buy One?
The 2024 Ram ProMaster EV will go on sale in the middle of 2024 and a base model will start at $77,995 (the van is eligible for a $7,500 tax credit) with formal deliveries beginning shortly afterward. The pricing here is in the upper reaches of the cargo van market with the Ram being more expensive than the $51,895 base E-Transit and the $74,181 eSprinter and it will be interesting to see if that has an effect on the ProMaster EV’s sales figures long-term especially from fleet buyers that might be cutting costs and could find the Ram too pricey for their vehicle fleets.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.