By The current generation of Ram’s light-duty has been around for a while and it is impressive in many ways. Critics usually praise its amazing combination of comfort and capability and we couldn’t agree more. However, time is passing and rivals are getting updated and improved. Therefore, it’s no wonder that we are getting reports about the mid-cycle update for the next year. According to them, a part of this update should also be the introduction of an electrified version, which would come as the 2023 Ram 1500 Hybrid.
At this point, the company offers electrified versions of V6 and V8, but that’s rather a mild-hybrid setup, which doesn’t have a significant impact on the overall performance. This time, we would see a much more serious setup, most likely a plug-in hybrid version. Other than the new powertrain, we expect that the upcoming refresh could bring styling upgrades and more features.
The officials are still quiet about this version, so take the following paragraphs with a reserve.
2023 Ram 1500 Hybrid Powertrain
If the company is about to introduce this version, we have no doubt that this would be the biggest novelty of the expected mid-cycle update. At this point, we don’t know the details. Still, we presume we would see the same or very similar setup to the system that powers the Wrangler plug-in hybrid.
Therefore, the whole system would be based on a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine. The engine gets help from a pretty capable electric motor that puts out around 134 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. Another interesting thing about the setup is the transmission, where you can find slight modification on the 8-speed unit, as the torque converter left the space for a pair of clutches.
The whole system in Wrangler puts out 375 horsepower. On the other hand, we wouldn’t be surprised if we see the 2023 Ram 1500 Hybrid equipped with a more powerful electric motor and higher total output.
Another thing that could be bigger is the battery pack. The legendary SUV features a 17-kWh unit, but we don’t believe that such a capacity would provide a respectable all-electric range on a large and heavy vehicle like Ram 1500 is.
2023 Ram 1500 Hybrid Design
Design-wise, the 2023 Ram 1500 Hybrid wouldn’t be much different than the rest of the lineup. The overall layout would be the same, though some sources suggest that the PHEV model would be available only in a crew cab configuration. We presume that the rest of the mechanics would be the same. This would include the excellent suspension setup, which ensures the level of smoothness we’ve never seen before in a pickup.
On the other hand, we have no doubt that all the updates expected from the upcoming facelift would be adopted. This primarily refers to modifications on the front end of the vehicle, where we could see modifications on parts like grille, bumper, headlights etc. Still, the overall exterior would remain largely the same.
Interior
Of course, some modifications could happen on the inside. Still, we don’t expect too much, as the current model already looks pretty impressive in this aspect. We are talking about the nicest cabin in the class, with high-end materials and great build quality. Furthermore, there is a long list of tech features, which makes everything look even more upscale.
Speaking of the features, we presume that the hybrid powertrain wouldn’t be offered in base versions. Instead, it would probably start with the trim levels like Laramie, and carry on with Longhorn and Limited. Like it was already mentioned, crew cab would be the only body style on the offer.
2023 Ram 1500 Hybrid Release Date and Price
We expect that the 2023 Ram 1500 Hybrid could arrive sometime in the second half of the year. When it comes to the price, we presume it would start somewhere between 50.000 and 55.000 dollars. Key competitors would be hybrid versions of the Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra.
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