Ram ProMaster Electric Van selected for Battery Workforce Challenge competition
08 March 2024
The Battery Workforce Challenge, a public-private partnership and North American collegiate engineering competition between the US Department of Energy (DOE), Stellantis and Argonne National Laboratory, announced that the recently introduced Ram ProMaster electric van (earlier post) is the vehicle that students will receive to design, build, test and integrate an advanced electric-vehicle (EV) battery pack.
The 2024 Ram ProMaster EV is designed specifically for electrification, featuring a unibody design that efficiently incorporates the production battery pack. Perfect as a work van to perform commercial activities, this application serves as an opportunity for students to design batteries for bigger vehicles.
The Battery Workforce Challenge began in 2023 and features 12 North American university teams, each partnering with a local community college. The teams were selected through a competitive process to secure a spot in the elite competition. Participating students will receive firsthand, experiential learning and will work in close partnership with industry experts to tackle one of the most relevant real-world engineering challenges facing the automotive industry today.
The competition culminates in 2026, with the winning teams receiving dozens of annual engineering and sponsor-related category awards, $100,000 in industry-provided prize money and invaluable real-world experience working with industry leaders.
Additional organizations sponsoring the Battery Workforce Challenge include Our Next Energy, AVL, Dana Corporation, MathWorks, Analog Devices, Inc., and Gamma Technologies.
Ram ProMaster EV. With a targeted range of up to 162 miles in-city driving, the new Ram ProMaster EV is the brand’s first available fully electrified vehicle.
Two mission-specific configurations will be available, including the delivery model and two cargo models. The Ram ProMaster EV cargo model will be available in two configurations, including a 12-foot cargo length and an extended 13-foot cargo length (both with 159-inch wheelbases).
ProMaster EV’s battery is positioned under the floor in the center of the vehicle, which maintains a flat floor while cargo volume is unchanged from internal combustion engine vehicles.
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