Pontiac — The Ram 1500 pickup truck will be getting a refresh to launch in the first quarter of next year, said Tim Kuniskis, the Dodge CEO who stepped in a month ago to lead Stellantis NV’s truck brand, as well.
The Sterling Heights-built truck has lost market share, now four model years out from the introduction of its latest generation, at 3.45% in the second quarter compared to 4.41% in 2019, according to Cox Automotive Inc. Competitors Ford Motor Co. launched the new F-150 last year, and General Motors Co.’s Chevrolet Silverado has gotten more recent refresh, as well. U.S. sales of the Ram pickups are down 9% in the first six months of the year, and inventory was rising.
Kuniskis said during MotorTrends’ Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge that overall, though, sales in North America are up, and he expects the refresh to make moves: “We’re at 70, 80 (days’ supply) right now. After the refresh, we should see improvement in the days’ supply.”
The refreshed truck could be shown at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November alongside the all-electric Ram ProMaster commercial van, which will be Stellantis’ first EV built in North America.
Kuniskis was intrigued to step into the Ram role after having spent time with Stellantis’ other brands in North America from Alfa Romeo to Jeep. He says there’s a lot of cross over between buyers of Dodges and Rams.
“You go to a Nascar event,” he said, “and the parking lot is full of trucks.”
In 2021 when Stellantis was created, CEO Carlos Tavares said each brand and division would have its own CEO. Kuniskis admits he couldn’t abandon the brotherhood of muscle: “I probably should have, but I didn’t want to let it go.”
In addition to a similar audience, the brands also face a common challenge: the move to electrification. Not only are there obstacles like the cost of batteries and the availability of charging infrastructure, Kuniskis said the focus is on showing customers the advantages of electric powertrains.
The Ram 1500 REV revealed earlier this year that launches in the fourth quarter of 2024 will offer 500 miles of range, a 110-mile charge in 10 minutes, up to 14,000 pounds of towing and up to 2,700 pounds of payload, according to the automaker.
All of the details on the all-electric muscle car hasn’t been shared, but it won’t be too far from the Dodge Charger Daytona Banshee concept introduced last year. The first two base models will have a 400-volt system. The base 340-kilowatt trim offers 455 horsepower. Available aftersales Direction Connection kits then would boost that to 370 kilowatts with 495 horsepower and 400 kilowatts with 535 horsepower.
The next trim up starts at 440 kilowatts with 590 horsepower. That increases to 470 kilowatts with 630 horsepower at the first stage and 500 kilowatts with 670 horsepower at the second. The top trim will be an 800-volt Banshee system, and the company is waiting to share details on its output.
The brand hasn’t shared where either vehicle will be built. The details could be shared in L.A., Kuniskis said, though it will depend on negotiations with the United Auto Workers and its Canadian counterpart, Unifor.
Also dependent on those talks could be whether customers get the “last call” Dodge muscle cars they ordered. Production of the gas-powered Charger and Challenger end in Ontario’s Brampton Assembly Plant at the end of the year when the plant is set to be retooled for a flexible vehicle platform that could support EVs. In the event of a strike by Unifor members there, some vehicles may not get built.
At the back of the line are customers who paid over the $96,666 manufacturer’s suggest retail price for the Dodge Challenger Demon 170. That’s about 40% of customers, Kuniskis said: “The market sets the price.”
bnoble@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @BreanaCNoble