The 2019 Ram 1500 is experiencing a rather bumpy
launch as EPA delays its approval for key versions of the redesigned pickup
truck. It’s been nearly five months since the 2019 Ram 1500 -codenamed DT-
entered production but so far only two of its variants have received
certification by the EPA: the rear- and four-wheel-drive versions fitted with
the standard 5.7-liter V8, Automotive News reports.
The first examples of the DT Ram 1500 began arriving
at dealerships in the second half of March but dealers still wait for the
3.6-liter V6 model and the mild-hybrid 5.7-liter V8 equipped with the optional
48-volt belt-start generator. V6 models are fitted with the belt-start
generator as standard.
There’s no official reason why the mild hybrid versions
of the 2019 Ram 1500 are still not available. FCA has declined to comment on
the matter, but company engineers could reportedly be working to fine-tune the
powertrain before releasing the models.
The slow rollout of the 2019 Ram 1500 appears to be
suppressing the pickup’s sales, with analysts saying that the lack of a V6
model this long after the launch is a problem. Ram pickup sales were up 4.3
percent in May compared to 2017 but it was the first month of the year with a
positive outcome. Year to date sales are down 8.4 percent, with FCA US saying
that retail sales of the Ram 1500 pickup were up 18 percent in May.
Ram said last year that it plans to knock the
Chevrolet Silverado out of its No.2 spot in the full-size pickup segment in
2018 by continuing building the previous-gen Ram 1500, backed by big discounts,
while ramping up the production of the new generation.
