RAM 1500, the mild hybrid pick-up lands in Europe

Thanks to the official importer KWA (Klintberg & Way Automotive), the all-new RAM 1500 electric pick-up crosses the borders of the US and arrives in Europe. For us, the most interesting part of the vehicle is certainly its eTorque engine system, the unique mild hybrid system with regenerative braking also calling BSG.

The eTorque system is combined to standard 5.7L Hemi V8 engine and replaces the traditional alternator on the engine with a belt-driven motor generator unit that performs several functions. The motor generator unit works with a 48 V battery pack to enable quick and seamless start/stop function, short-duration torque addition to the engine crankshaft in certain driving situations and brake energy regeneration, which improves responsiveness and efficiency.

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The eTorque’s motor generator unit

With the engine running, eTorque’s motor generator unit feeds 48 V current to a 430 watt-hour lithium-ion nickel manganese cobalt (NMC)-graphite battery. The small-suitcase-sized, air-cooled battery pack mounts to the rear wall inside the Ram 1500’s cabin. In addition to spinning the engine for restarts, the eTorque unit also recaptures energy during deceleration and braking to feed charge to the battery pack.

RAM 1500: reduced emissions by 10 percent

We might say that the effect of the eTorque system is ‘touchable’ when the gas engines are at low speed, between idle and 1,500 rpm delivering additional torque of 176 Nm. The hybrid system broadens the torque band as opposed to adding to peak torque available. Adding torque down low helps get heavy loads moving from a standstill, immediate power reaction and takes stress off the powertrain. Such a performance is combined with a reduction of fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions by circa 10 percent.