Ram has spent more than a decade building one of the strongest truck brands in North America, but one major gap has remained in its lineup. While Ford offers the Expedition, Chevrolet has the Tahoe and Suburban, GMC sells the Yukon, and Toyota fields the Sequoia, Ram has never had a full size SUV wearing its own badge.
As part of Stellantis’ FastLane 2030 strategy, the company has officially confirmed Ram will launch its first SUV as a 2028 model. The announcement came from Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa during the company’s investor presentation, where he outlined an aggressive expansion of the Ram lineup.
2025 Ram 1500 RHO
The new SUV will be built at the Warren Truck Assembly Plant in Warren, Michigan, the same facility that currently produces the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. That alone offers a strong clue about what buyers can expect. Rather than creating an entirely new architecture, the Ram SUV is expected to share Stellantis’ STLA body on frame platform with the Wagoneer family while adopting styling and engineering from the Ram 1500.
Exactly what the SUV will be called remains unconfirmed, although Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis has offered perhaps the strongest hint yet. When asked whether the historic Ramcharger name would return, Kuniskis smiled and replied, “You would think that would be a pretty obvious guess, wouldn’t you.” He continued by saying, “I thought the Ramcharger was a great name for the range extended version of the pickup truck. Ram, Ramcharger, obvious. And now that we switched the range extended version to REV, you’d think, okay, they’re saving Ramcharger name for something else.”
A question of power
Powertrain options are expected to reflect Stellantis’ new multi energy approach. Gasoline powered models will almost certainly feature the twin turbo Hurricane inline six in both Standard Output and High Output form. A range extended plug in hybrid is also planned, giving buyers long driving range while offering electric operation for shorter trips.
A traditional V8 appears less likely, although Stellantis has recently shown renewed interest in HEMI powered performance models thanks to relaxing emissions requirements. It seems never say never applies to V8 power. Pricing has not been announced, but given its size and positioning, expect the new SUV to start around $65,000 and climb well beyond $90,000 in premium trims. That would place it directly against the Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, Ford Expedition, Toyota Sequoia, and Nissan Armada.
One obvious question is whether a Ram SUV creates internal competition with Jeep.
On paper there appears to be overlap with both the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, but Stellantis seems confident each brand serves a different customer. Jeep focuses on heritage, luxury, and off road capability, while Ram has built its identity around trucks, towing, work, and rugged practicality. The same relationship already exists between the Jeep Gladiator and Ram 1500. Both are pickups sold by the same parent company, yet each attracts a very different buyer.
A Ram SUV would likely follow that same formula. Expect more pickup inspired styling, greater emphasis on towing, and a personality that feels closer to a Ram 1500 than a luxury Jeep.
AI renderings by Dan Grec via ChatGPT
For overlanders, a body on frame SUV with the proven Hurricane engine, generous cargo space, and serious towing capability could become an excellent platform for expedition builds, particularly if Ram offers trims similar to the Rebel or Warlock with upgraded suspension, skid plates, locking differentials, and all terrain tires.
It’s clear manufacturers are continuing to invest heavily in vehicles designed to haul families, tow trailers, and explore remote destinations. For buyers, another serious contender from one of North America’s best known truck brands can only make the segment more competitive. And if Tim Kuniskis is hinting correctly, the return of the Ramcharger name could make the launch even more memorable.
No images or sketches have been released to date, so I let ChatGPT run wild with four possibilities purely for entertainment purposes.
Images: Ram, ChatGPT, Detroit Free Press
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