A diesel-powered Dodge Ram 1500 has been delayed, according to spy photo queenpin Brenda Priddy, but the hybrid Hemi version is definitely happening for 2010. Her network of photographers caught this one running undisguised in public during final testing.
The two-mode hybrid powertrain was co-developed with GM, Mercedes and BMW and is the same setup found in the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra gas-electric hybrid pickups. The electrically variable two-mode transmission, supplied by GM, houses two 60kW electric motors that can power the truck on their own up to about 25 mph, depending on driving conditions.
As the multi-displacement 5.7L Hemi V8 gas engine kicks in, the electric motors will reportedly support it, individually or in tandem, at low and high speeds, helping the engine enter the four-cylinder, fuel-saving mode sooner and stay in it longer for maximum gas mileage.
Regenerative braking is also used to capture energy normally lost during braking or deceleration. The energy is stored in the batteries for later use. The GM fullsize hybrids can tow up to 6,100 lbs., and the Ram is expected to tow about the same spec.
Photos copyright Brenda Priddy & Company. Reuse or reproduction without copyright holder's consent is prohibited.