Jim Farley’s been very vocal – if not gloomily downtrodden – about China’s formidable wins in the EV space. Ford’s CEO visited China last year, and his public-facing takeaways started out near hopeless. Quoted saying that Americans just need to fall back in love with small cars, the tone eventually shifted to how Ford can actually give the people what they want: Large trucks and SUVs that deliver on green tech, capability, and affordability. Ram Trucks CEO Tim Kuniskis is on the same track. Ram, owned by Stellantis, announced the Ramcharger EREV back in 2023, with an estimated delivery by the end of 2025. Here’s why the brands are so stinking excited about them.

What is an EREV? A hybrid on petroleum steroids

An Extended Range Electric Vehicle is a hybrid-powered car supported by a gas engine. The gas motor only kicks in to help the hybrid system keep going. It’s basically an internally-positioned generator. Drivers can plug in the vehicle to initially charge the battery, then use the gas-powered motor to keep the battery system going on extended trips.

This is different from a plug-in hybrid in that the gas engine in an EREV would never directly power the wheels. It would only support the hybrid motor’s ability to propel the car.

Have y’all heard of a gas-powered generator keeping a Tesla Supercharger in operation during an outage? Similar concept.

The resulting single-trip range is certainly impressive

Ram says that if a Ramcharger EREV driver charges up the truck and tops off the gas, they’ll get a total of 690 miles of range…without having to stop for a recharge or refill.

The Ramcharger’s gas generator isn’t tiny, though. It’s a V6 motor with a 27-gallon fuel capacity.

Still, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis calls the EREV 1500 the “Goldilocks” of pickup trucks. The executive cites rapidly changing definitions of what regulators and customers consider the “perfect” truck. In turn, the Ramcharger fits multiple profiles: those who want their large workhorse, and those who want the benefit of long-range clean tech.

Kuniskis is so tickled over the Ramcharger’s market prospects that Ram paused the release of its full-electric Ram 1500 to allow the EREV version to enter with targeted impact.

Ford’s also pivoting since the F-150 Lightning is falling short of goals

In terms of stateside competition, Ford says it plans to offer hybrid versions of its entire lineup by 2030, with several models introduced in 2025 and 2026, including EREV trucks and SUVs. While Ford isn’t altogether negative in reflecting on its 2024 EV sales, things aren’t going as well as initially planned. The automaker announced it would briefly pause F-150 Lightning production late last year due to “low demand.”

The Ford F-150 Lightning has a stated range of 230 miles, but similar to Tesla drivers, range anxiety is a real barrier to market retention. Bloomberg shared that one owner experienced a sudden dip in displayed charge during a picturesque excursion. The event turned the driver from excited about the purchase the year prior to anxious regret.

As infrastructural gaps and negative driver use cases snowball into a lack of cultural commitment to EVs, Ford’s taking the same path as Stellantis. The automaker canceled its more recently proposed full-electric models, including at least a three-row SUV and an F-150 Lightning successor. 

Instead, it will launch EREV versions of certain models, including the Super Duty, by sometime in 2027. Farley says that since EREVs contain half the batteries of a full-electric option, profitability is better in reach. What’s more, drivers will feel like they’re operating a full EV with incredible range, not a bygone gas-powered rattle wagon.

EREVs probably aren’t the end-all solution to the automotive market. Insiders and automakers cite the design as a bridge between gas-guzzling trucks, SUVs, and the not-yet-perfect fully electric options.