Ram Trucks Pull the Plug on Hybrids

[Right Lane Cruiser]

Chrysler started announcing plans for a Ram Hybrid soon after hybrids were introduced nearly a decade ago.

Michael Coates - PLUGINCARS - February 10, 2011

Is this really surprising? Will we ever see that grant money come to fruition? --Ed.

Fred Diaz, president and CEO of Ram, Chrysler’s stand-alone truck brand, told PluginCars.com that the company had no plans to produce any hybrid trucks beyond its current government-funded program. “Truckers don’t want to buy hybrids,” he said pointedly.

Diaz added that Ram did expect to take away some “learning about technology” from the program, but said that hybrids would not be brought to market. The company displayed a prototype of its plug-in hybrid Ram pickup at the Washington DC Auto Show in January and said the first fleet deliveries of the 140 units would take place this summer.

Canadian battery manufacturer Electrovaya has been working with Chrysler on a prototype plug-in hybrid Ram pickup truck using Electrovaya's 12 kWh lithium-ion "SuperPolymer" battery system that the company says will give 20 miles of EV-only mileage. The petrol part of the drivetrain is a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8. Development of the PHEV Ram is part to a $48 million grant from the... [Read More]

[Butterfly Mage]

So Chrysler only built a "green" vehicle long enough to suck up $48 million in taxpayer grant money? That's a shock. All Chrysler knows how to do is beg from the government and build POS guzzlers that fall apart a week after the warranty expires.

[herm]

Can these large trucks survive $4 and $5 a gallon gasoline?.. maybe so.

[Blackbelt]

Originally Posted by herm

Can these large trucks survive $4 and $5 a gallon gasoline?.. maybe so.

Never underestimate the stupidity of the American driving public.

[moneysaver]

Originally Posted by herm

Can these large trucks survive $4 and $5 a gallon gasoline?.. maybe so.

Yes they can and will, but they will only be used for the intended purpose, which are hauling and towing.

Sure the Keeping up with Joneses customers will no longer buy it, but infrastructure and construction industry, and agriculture will always have a need for such vehicles. Also hybrid truck don't really make sense if they are being used for those industries as the amount of stress and load the engine would be under while towing a large trailer, electric motor and batteries are just more dead weight to lug around.

What does make sense, both financially and fuel economy wise, is smaller diesel engines with start/stop technology.

As good as Prius is, it can't do everything.

[chibougamoo]

"Can these large trucks survive $4 and $5 a gallon gasoline?.. maybe so."

They dilute the stuff with cheap Chateau-Neuf-de-Tankcar (aka "Moonshine", hence the need for some sort of "hybrid" engine ...)

[roadrunner]

The photo is too funny, much like the comments. That truck is for the insecure man, who needs to drive a monster vehicle to feel good.

[Butterfly Mage]

Originally Posted by roadrunner

The photo is too funny, much like the comments. That truck is for the insecure man, who needs to drive a monster vehicle to feel good.

And that's exactly who will keep buying them, no matter how much gas prices rise. Fools were still buying Hummers in 2008 too, even with gas at $4.25/gallon.

[MaxxMPG]

Originally Posted by Fred Diaz, CEO of RAM

Fred Diaz, president and CEO of Ram, Chrysler’s stand-alone truck brand, told PluginCars.com that the company had no plans to produce any hybrid trucks beyond its current government-funded program. “Truckers don’t want to buy hybrids,” he said pointedly.

Truckers don't want to buy hybrids? How do you explain Keith and Jesse, two CleanMPG members - one owns two hybrids, and the other who said he'd be interested in one when the time comes for a new vehicle. I think "trucker", in the mind of the RAM marketers, is a misnomer.

Real truckers - who drive for a living - are very interested in optimal fuel economy because driving like the stereotypical RAM driver wastes fuel and that's money out of their pocket.

I believe it's the "trucker-wannabe", the stereotype that Fred has in mind, that isn't interested in hybrid trucks. They want a 392 HEMI and large non-functional smokestacks, a gun rack, naked lady mudflaps, and a pair of chrome "oblate spheroids" on the hitch receiver that remind him of something he himself is sadly lacking. Add in a train horn and air compressor, and a push bar festooned with $1000 worth of off-road-only lighting, and you have a 165 pound spoiled child crying out for attention and self-validation from within a 6000 pound truck.

When you are driving the highway at the speed limit and a severed sheep's head is visible in the rear view mirror, placed atop a large chrome grille that is but one carlength behind, I can most assuredly state that the driver is not a "trucker". A trucker would never drive in that manner and risk his/her CDL due to a moving violation or at-fault collision. Sure there are bad truckers out there, but the vast majority of them log millions of miles safely and without assaulting other vehicles. Can't say the same for Fred's "truckers".

[worthywads]

Around here I see more women driving Hummers than men, what is the conventional wisdom or which body part is too small/big/loose on women?

I had to laugh at the redundancy a few days ago when I saw a Hummer that already had the huge bold HUMMER back bumper yet they added an even larger HUMMER stick across the read window too! No SH!t Einstein!