Canadians in a garage may finish a range-extended Ram before Ram itself does.

      Edison Motors and Deboss Garage via YouTube

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      A Canadian startup alongside some garage YouTubers is on the brink of outpacing one of the largest automakers in the world. Stellantis' extended-range Ram pickup was initially set to debut as a 2025 model, but the revised timeline for beginning customer orders in the first half of this year seems unlikely to materialize. In the meantime, Edison Motors is steadily progressing with the introduction of diesel-electric conversion kits for older pickups, including Rams. A prototype is now operating under its own electric power.

      Edison began by creating diesel-electric, series-hybrid semi trucks, a clever concept that aims to reconcile the necessity for reduced emissions with the existing constraints of batteries. For those interested in more details, there's a video on The Drive's YouTube channel. To advance the pickup conversion kit initiative, Edison collaborated with Rich Bosch from Deboss Garage, appointing him as Vice President of Work Truck Fabrication and effectively making him the chief designer for the project.

      Late last year, Edison presented two prototypes for the kit project—a 1995 Dodge Ram and a 79-Series Toyota Land Cruiser. Deboss Garage has carefully documented the Ram's build on its YouTube channel, dedicating 15 videos to the process. In the most recent video, Bosch and his team finally assembled the pickup and managed to get it running. The truck was only driven enough to ensure everything was functioning correctly, but it marks a positive beginning.

      The second-generation Ram features a Cummins 2.8-liter diesel crate engine under the hood. This inline-four powers a generator located behind the engine, supplying electricity to a battery pack situated between the frame rails. The wheels are driven by a pair of e-axles with integrated electric motors, removing the need for driveshafts and transfer cases and providing the immediate torque delivery characteristic of a fully electric powertrain, all while alleviating the range anxiety associated with plugging in to recharge.

      FINALLY! First Drive Under Electric Power #RamRecharger [EP15]

      From an exterior perspective, the primary indication of the modifications is the absence of noise when the small-displacement diesel is not in operation. A glance beneath the trucks reveals the e-axles, but everything is arranged to be as tidy as possible, keeping powertrain components out of the pickup bed. To achieve this, the battery management system and cooling apparatus are hidden within a repurposed housing from Edison’s semi trucks, which was found to fit snugly between the frame rails and rear cross member without extending below the hitch.

      Edison has ambitious plans for these conversion kits. The company aims to market them to military and governmental organizations, highlighting the capability of series hybrids to provide emergency backup power during grid failures. Chance Barber, president and co-founder of Edison, previously informed The Drive that the company is considering offering its own rolling chassis with hybrid powertrains already incorporated as well. The completion of this prototype represents a significant advancement toward achieving these objectives.

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