What's Going on With Ram? CEO Promises Turnaround

Motor Trend

2 days ago

You will be forgiven for thinking Ram is down and out these days. The brand killed the Hemi V-8 that was a highlight of its 1500 full-size pickups, stopped building the affordable (but old) Ram Classic, and had a difficult launch of the Hemi-less 2025 Ram 1500 that included problems getting trims with all the bells and whistles out the door while also trying to start producing new Heavy Duties at the same plant. EV plans were pushed back, both for the range-extending Ramcharger and the entirely battery electric Ram 1500 REV. It adds up to a bad stretch for a brand critical to parent company Stellantis' U.S. fortunes.
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Don't count the brand out yet, says Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis, the man who retired from Stellantis a year ago and returned in December to try to turn things around.
The longtime executive returned after former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares resigned and was exasperated at the botched Ram 1500 launch and high prices that were dragging down sales of a brand that had been flying high for years.
The Fix Is In?
Sales are better, he insists. With production volumes limited, the focus pivoted to fulfilling U.S. retail customers while foregoing fleet sales, especially to rental companies. The result: Retail sales were up 16 percent in the first quarter, will be closer to 40 percent higher in the second quarter, and likely will end the half about 25 percent up. At the same time, rental fleet sales will be down 90 percent.
Losing the more affordable Ram Classic truck has hurt sales somewhat but there are plans to claw back some of those sales. But if anyone is expecting the return of a $40,000 stripped-down truck, those days are gone, Kuniskis says. With mandates and the tech needed, you can't strip a full-size truck down far enough and make money, he says. 'That's a midsize pickup,' he quips, and then says yes, a midsize to replace the Dakota is still in the plan but won't offer more detail right now.
The 2026 Ram 1500 comes close to the old Classic's bogey, starting at $44,495. And there are 25 product and product-related announcements coming, the CEO says.
EVs Will Come in Time
And yes, EVs have been delayed. The Ramcharger goes into production later this year; the all-electric REV could arrive as late as summer 2027. The long-term commitment to these electrified trucks remains intact and Ram is enjoying the luxury of timing working in its favor. Being a bit of a laggard in the full-size electric pickup space allowed Ram to see how the forerunners were received. Executives watched the marketplace and saw prices increase and demand wane. Stellantis took advantage of Ram's tardiness to push back deadlines until a later date in the hopes profit margins on these products will improve.
Bottom line: 'We have to get there,' Kuniskis says of EVs. Regulations and the need for compliance still exist despite some changes, so some form of electrification is needed. But the late launch will help the business case. 'We are able to delay until we can get a better margin.'
Ram will still be first among a new crop to offer an extended-range EV (EREV) with the Ramcharger, which uses its gas engine only as a generator for its smaller-than-REV battery. (Vehicles that use the engine to power the wheels at all are considered to be plug-in hybrids, but the Ramcharger does not.) Everyone else will follow the Ramcharger's lead, Kuniskis says.