Ram’s EV will offer gas range extender, Mercedes bets big on chargers, heated seat belts: so hot right now

Ram’s Revolution electric truck will offer a gas-powered range extender

Intake: At a round table event during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares confirmed that the forthcoming Ram Revolution electric pickup will offer a gas-powered range extender, according to Car and Driver. Rumors of the range extender surfaced as early as last February, when EVPulse sat down with Ram CEO Mike Koval Jr. and first heard about such a plan. Not every Ram Revolution will come with the extender, but it looks like it will be an option for those who may be concerned about their truck’s overall range or what will happen to that range if they try to tow anything of substance, which substantially reduces an electric truck’s range. Information on the range extender itself was scant, but don’t expect some big Hemi V-8 to be pressed into service here; we might be talking about an engine smaller than that used in any other Stellantis product so as not to impede the available space of the Revolution EV, like the trick pass-through that extends from the frunk all the way through the cabin out the back of the bed.

Exhaust: Ram hasn’t made available any details on torque, power, or range for its new EV, but the mere fact that it’s choosing to ponder a range extender lends credence to Ram’s claim that the Revolution will be “the leader in a combination of areas customers care about the most: range, towing, payload and charge time.” The Chevy Silverado EV, the GMC Hummer, Ford’s F-150 Lightning, and Rivian’s R1T all go without a range extender, so perhaps this is Ram’s idea of a unique selling proposition. — Nathan Petroelje

Mercedes to bankroll 10,000 chargers

Intake: Mercedes-Benz announced Thursday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that it plans to roll out a global network of 10,000 high-speed battery chargers powered by green energy. The rollout will begin this year in the U.S. and Canada and expand to Europe, China, and other major markets by the decade’s end, says Automotive News. Unlike Tesla’s network of more than 40,000 Superchargers, the Mercedes chargers will be open to other automakers’ vehicles “from the outset.” Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius said, “This is about adoption. “We want to give Mercedes customers around the world yet another reason to join us on the journey towards electrification.”

Exhaust: Mercedes plans to go all-electric by 2030 and investing in chargers seems like a smart way to spend money. Mercedes and MN8 Energy will invest about $1 billion in the North American network over the next six to seven years. “We believe this is a bankable asset,” Källenius said. “This is something that you will be able to monetize when you come out of the investment phase.” — Steven Cole Smith

Dodge “Last Call” performance festival will celebrate the end of the Hemi era

Intake: A “Last Call” event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 20, 2023, will usher in the seventh and final of the brand’s “Last Call” commemorative models that signal an end of Hemi-powered muscle cars from Dodge. The Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept will be on hand to symbolize the passing of the torch from Hemi to EV power. “The Dodge ‘Last Call’ event will be a celebration of Dodge performance,” said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand’s chief executive officer. “While the ‘Last Call’ special-edition model we will reveal at Las Vegas and the electrified Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept represent different performance eras for our brand, both are linked by a commitment to delivering the Brotherhood of Muscle a vehicle that drives like a Dodge, looks like a Dodge and sounds like a Dodge. No matter the era, Dodge will always be about muscle, attitude, and performance, and that’s what this event will celebrate.”

Exhaust: The previous six “Last Call” models—the Dodge Challenger Shakedown, Dodge Charger Super Bee, Dodge Challenger and Charger Scat Pack Swinger, Dodge Charger King Daytona, and Dodge Challenger Black Ghost—have all been noteworthy and instant collectibles. The final car is bound to be something truly special, as Mopar has not let its muscle car fans down lately. We can’t even venture a guess as to what might be in store, as Mopar has resurrected most of the greatest muscle car trims and options this side of mod tops. — Brandan Gillogly

Heat belts could be the hottest in-car tech of 2023

Intake: Auto parts supplier ZF, which makes everything from transmissions to autonomous valet parking systems, has a new way to warm drivers and passengers of electric vehicles without sapping precious range. The Heat Belt, as the name suggests, is a heated seat belt with built-in conductive wires that can warm up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s been designed to be compatible with existing restraint systems, and, when used in combination with a heated seat and steering wheel, ZF claims it could improve EV winter range by up to 15 percent. Directly warming the body instead of the cabin air is more energy efficient and it would also encourage drivers to shed bulky winter coats, making for a better and safer seatbelt fit.

Exhaust: It’s not the first time the idea has been floated, with Mercedes-Benz showing a version in 2019, but the exponential rise in EVs now makes it all the more appealing. ZF doesn’t have any confirmed customers for the Heat Belt yet but says it would cost the same as adding heat to a steering wheel. For EV drivers in cold climes, it could be a game changer. — Nik Berg

More than 2000 motorcycles up for auction at Mecum’s upcoming Las Vegas sale

Intake: Even as Mecum Auctions’ Kissimmee event is underway in Florida with over 4000 vehicles, the Wisconsin-based company announced that it’s also hard at work readying a Las Vegas auction January 24–28 with more than 2000 motorcycles consigned. The auction will take place at South Point Hotel and Casino, and will feature a number of collections, perhaps most notably one from Mike Wolfe’s “As Found” inventory. Wolfe, of the TV show American Pickers, will be selling 70 barn-find cycles at Mecum’s 32nd annual Vintage & Antique Motorcycle Auction.

Exhaust: Also up for grabs: The BMW Centennial Selection from the Black Forest Collection, and Jim’s Forever Collection from Ohio-based Harley-Davidson dealer Jim Godwin. More information is available at Mecum.com. — SCS