PHEVs to Rule Trucks?

Nope. Abandon their 12 mpg trucks (especially diesels)? Never!

It's only people like you who understand these things who will be willing to spend a few extra bucks for something like a Ramcharger that can reduce fuel expenses and cause less harm to the environment. In fact, after seeing the coal-rollers billowing clouds of black smoke, it's clear that harming the environment is actually the point those truck drivers want to make.

 

Thanks for sharing your opinion.

Do you have any fact based answers to the other questions?

FWIW: Our electricity rates in Michigan, Consumers Energy, work out to about $.18/kWh after all fees, surcharges and taxes. At 1.5 miles per kWh that works out to $.12/mile. At $3.20/gal for gas and 20mpg the cost per mile is $.16. That would amount to a difference of $400 every 10,000 miles. In winter, reduced EV range could make the cost difference insignificant.
In Oregon, with $4.00 gas and $.12 electricity, before our solar offset, the electric option is more advantageous.

 

Since the Ramcharger was announced last November, I've been spending a lot of time on truck forums (mostly Ford and Ram) and reading posted comments in every Ramcharger video I've watched. I've been very surprised by the number of current truck owners (self-identified, including both gas and diesel owners across all manufacturers) who are very interested in the Ramcharger. Stated reasons for their interest, in order of importance, are: 1) cost/convenience of ev mode, 2) impressive payload/towing/range capabilities in a 1/2 ton form factor (vs. a larger 3/4 ton truck), and 3) reduced carbon footprint. Biggest concerns dissuading potential buyers are: 1) purchase price (by far the biggest issue), 2) reliability concerns, and 3) actual range/mpg with heavy cargo or a trailer. This obviously is all anecdotal. Similar to @insightman, I didn't expect so many die-hard, long-time truck owners to be so interested in the Ramcharger.

 

A couple more questions for the Behind the Badge series:
How many people have joined Insider +?
What are the anticipated MSRP’s for each trim level?
What are the anticipated sales numbers for the Ramcharger?

Certainly, most, if not all, who have expressed an interest are currently owners of gas or diesel trucks. They’ll be moving from a planet destroying vehicle to one that has the potential to destroy the planet to a lesser degree.

Now if we can just find a way to keep our hunger for electricity, and the grid that is required to meet that demand, from setting the country on fire and reducing the carbon sequestration system by millions of acres every year, we’ll be good to go. Of course, we’ll need to keep electricity rates from skyrocketing while we sue the power companies and devise this plan so as not to make the cost of operating an electrified vehicle more than the cost to operate a gas or diesel vehicle.

 

I guess that depends on the required power demands. A 4-cylinder would be able to meet the required power demands for some users, the Ramcharger V6 would be able to meet the required power demands of more users.

Engine power for Tesla cars manufactured in the U.S.: 3D1 202 kW; 3D3 137 kW; 3D5 180 kW
Yes, the article said that the big boss and his customers don't care how efficient their cars are even though the cars do not appear to be wildly inefficient. It will be interesting to see how they compare to Tesla cars in quickness and efficiency.

An EV that can get to 60 in 5 seconds would be heavier than the same EV with a motor that can't get the EV to 60 in less than 10 seconds (assuming equal range), so it would use more energy.

I thought not, but I learned from @NorCalPete there is anecdotal evidence that many big pickup drivers are willing to switch from big gas and diesels to electrified pickups.

 

The weight difference between the 2 motors could easily be less than the weight difference between 2 drivers, or 2 cars with different trim levels.

Not everyone wants a turd on 4 wheels that can’t get out of its own way.

 

Copy that.

 

Way to read whatever you wish into an article.
Nowhere, I mean nowhere, does the article imply that a smaller engine would not do the job
It is about NVH

marketing, just like I said originally
having an engine half the size would not, ever, in any way cause the vehicle to become 'unable to get out of its own way'

 

Buyers should have sluggish, low performance vehicles made available to them for purchase. It isn’t a bad choice especially if the cars look sporty.

For those who want something a tad more zippy, it’s comforting to know that the grundel tingling acceleration comes with little to no overall loss of efficiency.