The Best Upcoming EV Uses Gas
As we look forward to 2024, one exciting new vehicle has me rethinking EVs and travel in general.
Over the years, I’ve been passionate about EVs but have lamented about battery size, price, and the charging infrastructure.
I’ve also waited for EVs to get bigger and add more functionality in terms of carrying more passengers, hauling things, and having more cargo space. We now have big EV SUVs, EV trucks, and EV vans on the horizon.
I’ve been looking for that unicorn vehicle. More and more, I’m realizing it’s probably not going to come from a full EV replacing a traditional ICE vehicle.
Until the charging infrastructure improves and is on par with gas stations, not to mention improved charging times (which could take another decade), we’ll still have range anxiety. Traveling longer distances will be challenging or limited.
Enter the PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle).
I love that the RAV 4 Prime PHEV can get about 40 miles of pure EV, work as a hybrid, or purely on gas. This seems like an ideal car for those that have short work commutes and can run daily errands purely in EV mode. Then you have the gas engine for those longer trips and the benefit of a hybrid system that can increase mileage efficiency.
But there’s a 3rd option that doesn’t get a lot of press: An electric engine powered by a gas engine.
RIP Chevy Volt and BMW i3.
For fellow car enthusiasts, you know these two cars were special because they were EVs with an onboard gas engine generator that charged the batteries that the electric engine used.
Sadly, both models were discontinued and the companies switched focus to produce pure EV models.
Enter the new 2025 Dodge Ram 1500 Ramcharger.
Why I’m excited about this upcoming EV/Gas taking truck:
- Estimated 150 miles of pure EV driving (92kWh battery). That should be more than enough to cover most daily driving. You can recharge at home and never use the gas engine.
- An onboard V-6 gas engine generator. Supposed to work seamlessly and also on-demand to keep the EV batteries charged.
- Estimated 690 miles of range on a full tank (27 gallons). My brother lives 950 miles away in Southern California. Theoretically I would only need to fill up once between our homes if I drove to him. That’s bonkers!
- It’s still a truck! Dodge says this thing is built to haul. ~2000lbs payload and 14,000lbs of towing. More than enough to pull a decent RV and work loads.
- Unlimited range?! You’ll see Dodge use this marketing word loosely but they mean you can carry gas cans and increase your range as needed. Think out in the wild.
What I’m concerned about:
- A do-it-all unicorn truck means it’s going to be expensive. I have not seen one estimated cost for this awesome sounding truck. I’m betting 6 figures sadly.
- It still uses gas. You’ll still be putting emissions out into the world but theoretically a lot less with mostly pure EV driving.
- V-6 engine noise. One thing I like about EVs is how quiet the ride is. I’m curious to see how this big engine will work and more importantly how loud it will be.
- Overhype. There’s not an actual model out there. I’ll believe the hype when this thing is actually in the hands of a paying customer.
I haven’t been a big Dodge fan in general, but this new truck has really piqued my interest. I appreciate that if I owned this truck, I could use the EV system 80-90% of the year and rarely fill up on gas.
If we took a long trip, the combined efficiency would allow me to stop and fill up at either an EV charging station OR a gas station. You have MUCH more flexibility.
So as of today, here are my top 3 dream EVs for travel (and daily life):
- 2025 Dodge Ram 1500 Ramcharger: the best feature set so far
- 2024 Toyota RAV 4 Prime PHEV: if the EV range was 80+ this would be my top choice
- Used Tesla Model Y: that charging infrastructure is the best.
What’s your current dream list?
