2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger unveiled: Electric pick-up with petrol generator

The Ram 1500 Ramcharger is an electric pick-up with a V6 petrol engine on board to charge the battery pack – and deliver 1100km of estimated total driving range.

The 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger ‘range-extender’ electric pick-up has been unveiled in the US – but plans for an Australian launch are yet to be disclosed.

Reviving the name of a ute-based SUV sold by Dodge in the 1970s, the new Ramcharger is designed to blend the flexibility and quick refills of a petrol pick-up – with the driving experience and performance of an electric car.

The wheels are powered by two electric motors – but the battery pack can be recharged with a plug, like a normal electric car, or using a V6 petrol engine under the bonnet which serves as a generator.

Plans for an Australian launch for the Ram 1500 Ramcharger are yet to be confirmed.

It is due in US showrooms in 2025 – after the electric Ram 1500 REV in late 2024, and the petrol version of the updated Ram 1500 line-up, unveiled this week ahead of a US launch early next year.

For more details on the updated Ram 1500 line-up – including its new look, updated interior and upgraded safety – click here to read our full story.

The new Ramcharger is powered by dual electric motors with 494kW and 834Nm, fed by a 92kWh battery pack – good for 0-60mph (97km/h) in a claimed 4.4 seconds, matching the electric Ram 1500 REV.

It is augmented by a 3.6-litre petrol V6 which acts solely as a generator to recharge the battery – as there is no mechanical connection between it and the wheels – to enable a 1110km total driving range.

The engine converts its mechanical power to electrical power for the battery through a 130kW generator unit.

This would not be enough to deliver full power to the electric motors (250kW front, 238kW rear) alone – suggesting there will need to be some charge left in the battery if drivers want to extract the vehicle’s full performance.

“The electrical power [generated by the V6] can be used to charge the battery when the battery is depleted or if the driver wants to preserve the battery power,” Ram says in its media release.

Ram says it is targeting a 6350kg braked towing capacity, and a 1191kg maximum payload. The Ramcharger can be recharged at up to 145kW DC, to add 80km worth of driving range to the battery in 10 minutes.

Other features on board include vehicle-to-vehicle charging, the ability to power your home in a black-out, and a power plug in the tray which can provide up to 7.2kW to external electrical devices.

The Ram 1500 Ramcharger is underpinned by the ‘STLA Frame’ architecture used by the electric model – rather than the older frame of the petrol version – so it can better accomodate the electric motors and batteries.

It uses multi-link independent rear suspension – with air suspension technology – as standard.

The Ramcharger shares design cues with the REV electric pick-up, including the full-width tail-light design – but the core bodywork, doors and other key panels appear to be carried over from the petrol Ram 1500 to tie the model range together.

Inside, changes compared to regular models include a modified gear selector with electric mode buttons, a one-pedal drive mode, power symbol on the ‘engine start’ button, and electric-car screens in the infotainment system.

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Lebanese court orders home eviction of former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn

A Lebanese court has ordered Carlos Ghosn – the former CEO of Nissan and Renault – to vacate the Beirut house he has lived in since fleeing Japan in a large box almost four years ago.

Carlos Ghosn in 2018. Photo by Vincent Isore/IP3/Getty Images

Carlos Ghosn – the former CEO of Nissan and Renault who fled Japan while under house arrest for allegedly misusing corporate funds – has appealed an eviction notice which could result in the Lebanese national having to vacate the Beirut property he has lived in since late 2019.

The Japan Times reports Phoinos Investment, the investment firm which owns the house in Beirut, Lebanon, has accused Mr Ghosn of trespassing on the property since he fled from Japan almost four years ago.

According to court documents seen by the publication, Mr Ghosn and his lawyers have argued he has a right to live in the house as it was purchased for him to use by Nissan, claiming there is a contractual relationship linking the Lebanese national and Japanese car-maker.  

However, Phoinos Investment has argued he is no longer entitled to use the house because he is no longer employed by Nissan, who fired the then-chairman in April 2019 – six months after being arrested by Japanese authorities.

Carlos Ghosn speaking at a press conference in Lebanon in 2020. Image credit: Bilal Jawich/Xinhua via Getty

Nissan alleged its former CEO had under-reported his income, diverted corporate investment funds for private use, and misused company money – claims which Mr Ghosn has denied since they were made public.

While the Lebanese court found in favour of Phoinos Investment, Mr Ghosn’s lawyers have filed an appeal against the decision, with a spokesperson for the former executive saying in a media statement: “He [Ghosn] will now be able to present all the documents held up in Japan that he was unable to secure on time”.

The story of Mr Ghosn’s rise and fall has since been chronicled in two documentaries on streaming services Netflix and Apple TV+.

Between 1999 and 2001, Mr Ghosn ascended from Nissan’s Chief Operating Officer to president and finally Chief Executive Officer, becoming instrumental in the formation of the Renault-Nissan Alliance (later the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance).

In 2005, Mr Ghosn was appointed as Renault’s president before taking the CEO role in 2009 – becoming the first person to run two Fortune 500 companies (Nissan and Renault) at the same time.

Mr Ghosn stepped down as Nissan CEO in 2017, though he remained chairman until he was fired from the board in April 2019 – six months after being arrested by Japanese authorities.

Mr Ghosn completed two stints in jail across a combined total of 130 days, paying a bail of 1 billion yen (more than $AU10.5 million) before being placed under house arrest in April 2019.

On December 29, 2019, Mr Ghosn escaped from home detention and fled the country, aided by a US father and son team – Michael and Peter Taylor – who hid the former executive in a large musical instrument box on wheels which was loaded onto a private jet.

Despite also holding French and Brazilian citizenship, Mr Ghosn fled to his homeland of Lebanon which does not have an extradition treaty with Japan.

In July 2021, Michael and Peter Taylor were sentenced to jail time in Japan for assisting Mr Ghosn’s escape, receiving two-year and 20-month sentences respectively.

Five international arrest warrants were reportedly issued by a French magistrate in April 2022, though Ghosn continues to live a relatively normal life as a free man in Lebanon.

In June 2023, Mr Ghosn filed a lawsuit in a Lebanese court against Nissan – accusing the Japanese car-maker of defamation, slander, and libel against the former automotive executive.

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2024 Suzuki Swift unveiled, due in Australia next year

The first new Suzuki Swift in six years has been revealed – and it looks just like the “concept” shown two weeks ago. It is due in Australia next year.

The 2024 Suzuki Swift city hatch has been unveiled – with available hybrid power and new technology – ahead of its Australian arrival in the first half of next year.

Photos published by Suzuki Japan confirm – as expected – the showroom version of the new Swift is identical to the Swift “Concept” unveiled at the Tokyo motor show last month.

It is believed to be a ‘reskin’ of the previous model, with revised underpinnings, and a similar footprint – but a new body, more advanced interior, and a new three-cylinder engine available with mild-hybrid technology.

The new Swift is due in Australian showrooms in the first half of next year, pending any delays.

In Japan there will initially be one engine, a new 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol matched as standard with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).

It replaces the outgoing model’s 1.2-litre petrol four-cylinder – mated to a five-speed manual or CVT auto – and promises improved fuel efficiency and around-town performance. Power and torque outputs have not been published.

It is available with mild-hybrid technology – which provides a small boost to the engine under acceleration, but cannot drive the wheels on electric power alone, as per a Toyota hybrid – to trim fuel consumption, as before.

There is no mention of the 1.0-litre turbo three-cylinder from the outgoing model in Australia – though this engine has not been offered in the current model in Japan for some time. The future of the 1.4-litre turbo Swift Sport hot hatch is also unclear.

Japanese models are available with front- or all-wheel drive. It is expected Australian models will be front-wheel drive only, as before.

Specifications displayed at the Tokyo motor show list the new Swift as measuring 3860mm long overall, 1695mm wide, 1500mm tall and 2450mm long in wheelbase – 20mm longer overall, 40mm narrower, 5mm taller and unchanged in wheelbase compared to today’s model.

The exterior design is an evolution of the past three generations of Swifts since 2005 that came before, with sharper lines and conventional rear door handles, instead of high-mounted ‘hidden’ handles similar to the current Swift.

Top-of-the-range models are fitted with 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, LED tail-lights, and chrome exterior highlights.

Rear disc brakes appear to be fitted to more model grades – to accomodate an electric parking brake across the range – rather than being exclusive to the GLX Turbo and Sport variants today.

Inside, there is a 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen from the S-Cross SUV with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and satellite navigation – up from 7.0 inches today – as well as a small digital display between the two analogue instrument dials.

Available features include heated front seats, automatic climate-control air conditioning, two USB ports, front and rear parking sensors, paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, and in what may be a first for the city-car class, a 360-degree camera.

Suzuki Swift “Concept” at Tokyo motor show.

New cameras and sensors enable a longer list of safety technology, including a more advanced autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system which can detect cyclists, pedestrians and motorcycles, and brake to prevent turning across the path of another car in an intersection.

These functions are included in the latest ANCAP crash-test criteria, as well as driver monitoring technology also fitted to the new Swift, which watches the driver’s eyes and sounds a warning if they are looking away from the road for too long.

There is no mention of a centre airbag between the front seats, which has been used by other similarly-sized cars to achieve five-star safety ratings under the latest criteria.

However it may simply be absent from Japanese models – and planned to come to versions sold in Australia and Europe.

Other advanced safety features include blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, lane centring assist, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, low-speed rear AEB, automatic high beams, and speed sign recognition (which sounds a beep when entering a new speed-limit zone).

The 2024 Suzuki Swift is due to go on sale in Japan soon, with “preliminary business negotiations underway” to finalise prices.

Australian showroom arrivals are expected to commence in the first half of next year, pending any delays.

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Corvette driver taken into custody, questioned by Victoria Police after hooning incident

The Corvette hoon will have his vehicle seized by police for at least 30 days – and face big fines – after being caught on video.

A 27-year-old driver of a Corvette who is suspected of dangerous driving has been taken into custody and questioned by Victoria Police.

Detectives from the Dandenong Achilles Taskforce were informed of multiple reports relating to hoon driving along Indian Drive, Keysborough – a suburb 27km southeast of Melbourne.

The incident was reported to have occurred at approximately 11am on 4 November 2023.

Police were given videos of the offender allegedly doing burnouts before losing control of his vehicle and nearly hitting three parked cars.

The vehicle in question was a 2021 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray valued at more than $200,000 – and was registered to a home address in the southeast Melbourne suburb of Toorak where police identified the car involved in the incident.

According to Victoria Police, the driver is expected to face charges relating to driving a vehicle causing loss of traction, and had their car impounded for 30 days, as well as receiving a fine of $896.

Sergeant Paul Holtzinger of the Greater Dandenong, Casey, and Cardinia Achilles Taskforce warned motorists of police presence in their homes following any reported dangerous driving behaviour.

“Our commitment to the community and promise to offenders is clear – if you participate in hoon driving, you can expect a knock on the door from a police officer,” he said in a media statement.

Last year, Victoria police issued more than 100 infringement notices in hoon concentrated areas as part of ‘Operation Achilles’, a method used by police aimed to reduce the number of dangerous and reckless drivers on the road – previously reported by Drive.

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What has 160 million horsepower? (Hint, it’s not the Melbourne Cup field)

A short history of horsepower: from its origins in steam, to the original Benz Patentwagen and on to an astonishing feat of engineering.

When the horses set off in today’s Melbourne Cup on their 3200m run to glory, you’d be forgiven for thinking the power output of the entire field of 24 participating horses is 24 horsepower. But you’d be wrong.

Each horse is capable of, according to science, pumping out a maximum of 14.9 horsepower over a short period of time.

So, when Scottish engineer and inventor James Watt first coined the term ‘horsepower’ in order to compare the power of his newfangled steam engines to that of a horse, he calculated that one horsepower should be equal to the output a horse can sustain over a long period of time, such as a working day.

Incidentally, James Watt is also responsible for that other measurement of power, commonplace today in Australia, the Kilowatt (kW). By the way, one horsepower is equivalent to 0.7355kW.

James Watt plays around with steam and invents horsepower and kilowatts at the same time!

Still, there’s a romance associated with the term ‘horsepower’, a romance that takes us back to simpler times when horses ruled personal mobility and cars were but an idea.

Perhaps that’s why when those carmakers were looking for ways to market and sell their noisy and new contraptions, they hit upon the idea of comparing the engine’s output to that of something understood by pretty much everyone. Horses.

Early cars, such as the progenitor Benz Patentwagen (0.66hp), actually enjoyed less than one horsepower when first revealed to the public. But it didn’t take engineers long to start extracting more from their internal combustion engines. In quick order, automobiles hit landmark horsepower outputs but it would take 112 years of development to progress from just a single horsepower to 1000hp.

1894 Benz Velo (1.5hp)

1910 Isotta Fraschini Tipo KM (112hp)

1912 Benz 82/200hp (200hp)

1932 Duesenberg Model SJ (320hp)

1935 Duesenberg Model SSJ (400hp)

1986 Ford RS200 Group B Evo (580hp)

1992 Bugatti EB110 SuperSport (603hp)

1993 Dauer 962 Le Mans (720hp)

2004 Koenigsegg CCR (806hp)

2005 Bugatti Veyron (987hp)

2006 Bugatti Veyron EB-16.4 (1001hp)

Just 17 years after the Veyron, power has jumped to a staggering 2000hp, which brings us neatly to this, the most powerful production car in the world.

And it’s electric.

The most powerful production car in the world

Meet the Lotus Evija, the first pure electric vehicle from the British carmaker. With a monstrous power claimed output of 1500kW or 2012hp, the Evija promises a 0 to 100kmh time of less than three seconds, 0 to 200kmh in less than six seconds and 0 to 300kmh in about 9 seconds on the way to a top speed in excess of 320kmh.

At that speed, the Evija could cover the 3200m Melbourne Cup course at Flemington in about 36 seconds. The winning horse typically takes around three-and-a-half-minutes.

The Lotus Evija derives its power from four independent hub-mounted electric motors. These draw voltage from a 70kWh lithium-ion battery pack which, according to Lotus, provides the car will have a driving range of approximately 400km.

Just 130 examples will be built, with a price tag in excess of $AU3million. All are sold, reportedly, and none are coming to Australia.

Shoot for the moon

If you think the Lotus Evija’s 2000hp is nuts, then consider this.

The Saturn V rocket, used to propel humanity to the moon in the 1960s and ’70s, lifted off from Earth with the help of five F-1 rocket engines combining for a total 3.4 million kg of thrust, the equivalent of about 160 million horsepower!

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