What to Expect from the Ramcharger SUV

The Ramcharger name has been used in a few different ways over the past decade, but we know now that by 2030, the Ram Trucks brand will be offering a large SUV that will carry the name. That makes far more sense than the other modern uses of the name, since the original Ramcharger in the 1970s was a truck-based SUV.

The details on the upcoming Ram Ramcharger are limited, but based on what we know coupled with a bit of speculation, here is a look at what to expect when this new full-sized SUV hits showrooms in the next few years.

A Truck-Based SUV with V8 Power

The most recent use of the Ramcharger name was introduced during the Stellantis 2026 Investor Day presentation on upcoming vehicles. While speaking with The Drive shortly after the debut of the covered vehicle in the image above, Ram boss Tim Kuniskis confirmed that the new Ramcharger would share a chassis platform with the Ram 1500, similar to the Jeep Grand Wagoneer. However, Kuniskis explained that to help differentiate the two big SUVs, the Ram will have a Hemi-heavy lineup including an SRT model while the Jeep sticks with the Hurricane inline-six engines.

Again, there are no official details, but it seems likely that the upcoming Ramcharger will be offered with all three of the Hemi engines currently in use in the Ram 1500. This includes the 5.7-liter V8 that has been in the trucks for decades, the 392-cubic inch Hemi that was recently introduced for the Rumble Bee lineup and, of course, the supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi from the TRX and Rumble Bee SRT. The Hellcat Hemi will surely be an SRT model, but there might be a performance-oriented version of the Ramcharger with the 392, similar to the mid-level Rumble Bee.

Same Platform, but Not the Same SUV

Tim Kuniskis has made it clear that when the new Ramcharger goes on sale, it will not just be a Jeep Grand Wagoneer with Ram badging. Really, just a shift from the Jeep face to a front end that resembles the current Ram 1500 lineup would make a big difference, along with unique taillights and more aggressive wheel-and-tire packages.

The Jeep Grand Wagoneer is a luxury SUV. The Ramcharger will likely be more sporty and in some trim levels, feature design cues that make it far more rugged. We talked quite a bit about the Rumble Bee above, but there is just as likely to be a TRX-type version of the Ramcharger. In any case, whether the Ram SUV is designed to be sportier or more rugged, it will be unlike the design of the Grand Wagoneer.

Ram 1500 Interior Bits Swap Right Over

While we expect that the exterior of the Ramcharger will be similar to the Ram 1500, it seems like the best option for every aspect of the half-ton lineup’s interior to be present in the new SUV. The Ram 1500 interior is impressive across every trim level, with many premium features being standard or optional in non-premium models. It is very likely that the Ramcharger will have a similar trim level lineup to the Ram 1500 and if that is the case, we can expect the SUV interior to be almost identical to the truck – and that is a good thing.

The Ram 1500 interior options include a variety of infotainment screens, multiple gauge clusters with varying screen sizes, the passenger display screen, glass roof options and a handful of sound system options – all of which are likely to be available in the new Ramcharger.

The Original Ramcharger

The Ramcharger name first appeared in the Dodge lineup back in 1974, when it was introduced as a full-sized SUV built on a short bed, short can truck chassis. It was a fairly rugged vehicle, offered with a Slant Six (inline six by modern standards) engine and an array of V8s, just like the Dodge Ram D150s with which it shared a platform and general appearance. There was even a removable roof package, that made for one big convertible.

The Dodge Ramcharger was joined by the Plymouth Trail Duster, which was the exact same vehicle, just with different brand badging – which is exactly what Tim Kuniskis does not want with the new Ramcharger and Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Production of the original Dodge Ramcharger, based on what is considered the first generation of the Dodge Ram pickup, continued through 1996 while the Plymouth Trail Duster raced off into the sunset after 1993.

The Ramcharger Goes South of the Border

After the boxy Dodge Ramcharger of the 70s and 80s was discontinued, the name still has not been used as a new vehicle model in the United States. When the second generation Ram 1500 debuted in 1994, there was no SUV version in the U.S., but there was an SUV based on the curvier half-tons sold in Mexico. Commonly called the Mexican Ramcharger by American Mopar fans, these unique SUVs have started showing up as collector’s items in the U.S., but they are still incredibly rare.

Modern Use of the Ramcharger Name

The term Ramcharger in the modern era was first used to describe the wireless charging dock in the current Ram pickups, and those phone charging systems are still labeled as Ramchargers. Next, Ramcharger was the name that the Ram Trucks brand planned to use on their plug-in hybrid pickup while the all-electric half-ton was to be called the Ram REV. Then at some point, the company announced that the all-electric truck was dead for now and that the plug-in hybrid pickup will be called the Ram REV – freeing up the Ramcharger name for the new, full-sized SUV.

Now that the name is available, it will soon be applied to a new, large SUV that is based on the Ram 1500 platform, likely sharing interior features and engine options with the half-ton truck as well.