In a landscape where every vehicle manufacturer hypes up remarkable new product, it takes guts to showcase something unremarkable. Something that isn’t explicitly designed to look and drive like the future, something without more onboard gadgets than a Geeksquad van. The Ram ProMaster EV bucks the trend of radical in favor of a more considered approach: Normalcy makes a vehicle easy to get on with, especially when its primary use is as a tool.
Nobody wants a hammer that supports over-the-air updates, or a biometric screwdriver, or an OLED measuring tape. When it comes to tools, familiarity gets the job done while requiring minimal learning on the fly. You just get the sense that the average delivery driver used to a regular Ram ProMaster could hop in this new electric version and only notice that it’s smoother and quieter than they’re used to.
So, what are we looking at here? It’s a long-wheelbase Ram Promaster with 110 kWh worth of batteries slung underneath and a 200 kW electric motor in the nose. Figure 268 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. of torque, respectable numbers for a parcel-hauler. Speaking of respectable numbers, the cargo van version will be good for payloads of up to 3,020 pounds, while the delivery version, which comes with a roll-up rear door and is aimed more at couriers, can haul up to 2,030 pounds of mail. That’s not as good as the Ford E-Transit’s maximum of 3,880 pounds, but in cargo van form, the Ram ProMaster EV beats the Mercedes-Benz e-Sprinter’s 2,624-pound payload capacity.
Ram says the ProMaster EV should be capable of 162 miles of city driving, which seems adequate. Local delivery routes aren’t typically enormous, and with some level of thought given to infrastructure, electric delivery vans can charge overnight at the depot. This thing can Level 2 charge at 11 kW, that’s plenty for juicing up overnight. As for fast charging, Ram seems to be stretching out the press release body copy, with the line “Ram ProMaster EV features Level 3 DC fast charging options of 50kW, 85kW, 125 kW and 150 kW.” They could’ve just said that this thing charges at up to 150 kW, but hey – when you’re selling just a regular van with an electric drivetrain, you must do what you must do.
There are a few new creature comforts on the Ram ProMaster EV, but they’re nothing radical. In fact, one is incredibly clever. If you hop in the vehicle and it’s on but doesn’t have a transponder key in it, the van won’t shift out of park. This prevents the operator from driving off as normal, shutting down, and accidentally stranding themselves. Smart. Other neat tidbits include an optional bird’s-eye 360-degree camera system, LED headlights, and wireless Apple CarPlay. Those features aren’t anything we haven’t seen before, but still, they’re nice to have.
The whole regularity of the Ram ProMaster EV is its appeal. It’s just a van, made to do van things on electricity. Then again, so is the Mercedes-Benz e-Sprinter and so is the Ford E-Transit, both of which are already on sale in America. However, we won’t say no to more vans on the market, especially electric ones. This is more or less a hop-in-and-go vehicle for the parcel delivery driver, and since Amazon subcontracts a lot of local delivery work, these things could make your local neighborhood a bit quieter. Ain’t that lovely?
(Photo credits: Ram)
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They jumped over the PHEV version, which is what the RV community really needs. EV around town, hybrid on the road to camping, hybrid to provide house power at the site.
A first generation Chevy Trax comes across like a singer Porsche (build quality-wise) next to these Ram Promasters. They are atrocious.
As someone who drove Sprinter vans in a previous job until the company replaced them with new Fiat ProBastards:
If your Sprinter is getting long in the tooth, and you’d like to upgrade to a new electric van, spend the money on a frame off restoration and electric upgrade to your Sprinter instead. The ProBastard was the biggest piece of shit of any new vehicle I have ever driven in my life. Just for starters, the rear door latch got stuck after about 3 weeks. You know, functioning door latches on a delivery van are kind of a big deal. I could go on from there, but that should suffice. Just trust me on this.
Like most fiat based vehicles the Promasters are incredibly disposable.
“You just get the sense that the average delivery driver used to a regular Ram ProMaster could hop in this new electric version and only notice that it’s smoother and quieter than they’re used to.”
Free Candy van drivers will need to find another way to mask the noises.
161 miles of range from a 110 khw battery seemed low to me but apparently Rivian is getting 162 from a 135 kwh battery so this is actually good.
Larger battery than current and upcoming e-Transit – Check
Larger interior volume vs e-Transit – check
(Factory) Roll up door option that is unavailable vs. e-Transit – check
Front wheel drive, which is preferred by operators in snowy climates – check
Likelihood of this costing less than the upcoming eSprinter – high
As someone who has worked in the commercial EV space for about as long as it has existed… this thing is going to be everywhere and e-Transit is in trouble.
Delivery providers won’t car about payload in lbs., they care about cubic feet.
I missed the roll up door at first glance. I quite like it. That being said I’d want it with NACS at the minimum, preferably with the low roof and a 118″ WB.
I have an ICE Low Roof Promaster.
ICEs come in low roof and high roof (Unlike Transit that has (3) roof heights).
But look at that roll up version Promaster–it looks like an extra high roof by seams in the side panels….probably need extra high roof to maintain headroom with the roll up door.
Sadly that is likely so.
My thought: “OK good an eTransit but with adequate range like the one Ford proposed but never came up with, and without their suicidal requirement you buy *their* chargers. Good let me go fill my order book”
In addition to what you said, these things are also way more comfortable to drive than a Mercedes Sprinter (I’m talking about the gasoline versions, both of which I’ve driven 10s of thousands of km). The suspension in particular is incredibly good: while the Sprinter shakes and hops at the smallest of potholes or bumps, the ProMaster has a a better ride than many sedans I’ve driven. Not just that, but it’s just as good loaded or empty, which is really amazing. Hopefully they pulled off the same ‘trick’ with the electric version.
Personally I think they should have stuck with a small battery pack where the engine and transmission went, have it just bolt into existing ICE Promaster vans.
I would like to get one but only with the 118″ wheelbase and NACS.
What? They couldn’t have added a bright LED accent strip across the front, or at least slapped a coat of Venture Blue on the faux grille?