Skip to content 
At the 2024 North American International Auto Show, Munro & Associates caught up with Mark Trostle, Vice President of Design at Ram Trucks, to explore the design decisions behind the all-electric 2025 Ram REV. As Ram’s first fully electrified pickup, the REV represents a pivotal moment not just for Stellantis but for truck design in the EV era. Trostle and his team had to strike a balance—honoring the rugged DNA of the Ram brand while introducing clean-sheet innovations suited to electric powertrains.
In this article, we break down the key takeaways from that conversation. These insights offer value to engineers, EV enthusiasts, and investors alike. Together, they help illuminate the fast-changing world of electric truck design.
A Manifesto in Motion: The Transition to Electric
The 2025 Ram REV is not just a truck with a battery. It’s the embodiment of a design manifesto that began with the Ram Revolution concept, first unveiled at CES. Trostle described this concept as a directional beacon, helping the team merge Ram’s traditional truck virtues with forward-leaning electrification goals. According to Trostle, the REV maintains core utility and familiarity for truck buyers—who still prioritize function—but adds new freedoms in design thanks to the electric drivetrain layout.
This freedom starts with the architecture. Without a large internal combustion engine, designers had more space to play with, leading to the inclusion of a powered front trunk (frunk), expanded interior room, and refined proportions. These aren’t just cosmetic improvements; they’re functional enhancements shaped by lean design thinking and modern EV expectations.
Balancing Cost, Engineering, and Aesthetic Goals
Trostle spoke openly about the tension between budget limits and design goals. This challenge is especially sharp in the EV segment, where electric drivetrains eat up a large share of the total cost. Even so, he stressed that Ram’s design, engineering, and marketing teams work as one. They share a common goal: to deliver strong customer value while staying true to Ram’s signature look.
He acknowledged that while cost awareness influences every decision, it hasn’t derailed their ability to include premium features. In fact, the challenge sharpened their focus. “We try to make sure those boxes are checked,” Trostle said, referencing the competitive checklist marketing uses to benchmark against rivals.
In lean manufacturing, that harmony across disciplines—engineering, design, and production—is essential. It ensures that emotional intent (what Trostle calls “the art”) doesn’t get lost in translation once a product enters mass production.
Frunk Functionality: More Than Just Storage
One of the standout functional features on the REV is its power-operated frunk. Trostle called it a “designer’s opportunity”—a blank canvas made possible by removing the ICE drivetrain. The frunk is more than just a box; it’s a thoughtfully designed space with molded liners, integrated lighting, power outlets, and cargo nets. Even the tie-downs were custom-styled, emphasizing the belief that utilitarian components deserve aesthetic care too.
From a cost-analysis perspective, Trostle made a compelling point: styling basic hardware doesn’t cost more in manufacturing, assuming you stay within the same material and tooling constraints. “Design is somewhat free,” he noted. That ethos aligns closely with Munro’s teardown-driven approach—where every design decision is evaluated not just for form, but also for manufacturability and value.
Crafting a Premium Interior: Indigo, Sea Salt, and Sound
Inside the cabin, the REV Tungsten trim level takes Ram’s interior game to new heights. Featuring an Indigo and Sea Salt leather color scheme, cut-and-sew leather wrapping, and quilted inserts, the cabin prioritizes tactile luxury. These premium elements speak to a specific type of buyer—someone who values comfort and sensory quality, potentially even more than range or performance.
Trostle highlighted the inclusion of a new 14.5-inch center screen and a separate passenger display that features a privacy film, ensuring the driver isn’t distracted. With these digital additions, Ram leverages technology not just for function but for personalized experience. Pair that with Klipsch’s high-end audio system, and you have a user environment that feels more luxury lounge than work truck.
The investment in layered surfaces, stitched bezels, and dual-texture armrests reflects a strategic choice: allocate budget to where the user touches, sees, and feels. In teardown analysis, these are areas that frequently expose cost-cutting—but here, they signal thoughtful prioritization.
Signature Styling Without Flash
While the REV includes standout elements—like its tuning-fork LED lighting and new RVM badge signifying electrification—Trostle noted that great design should blend together, not shout over itself. That principle applies to everything from cab angles and door transitions to mirror mounting and window tracks.
In Trostle’s words, “If I’ve done my job well, none of that will ever show up.” This philosophy echoes core values in industrial design: when everything works in harmony, no single element dominates. It also mirrors Munro & Associates’ teardown approach, where the absence of excess is often a marker of excellence.
Engineering Harmony: The Miracle of Execution
One of the more revealing moments came with a reflection on the collaborative chaos that often defines automotive development—dozens of stakeholders debating over millimeters of clearance. Trostle agreed. Every vehicle that reaches production is, in a way, a miracle. Design intent, cost targets, and physical constraints rarely align without compromise. Yet in the 2025 Ram REV, the cohesion between concept and execution suggests a rare alignment.
This points to strong project governance and early-phase systems engineering—disciplines often undervalued but critical in modern automotive design. That the REV looks as unified as it does indicates a backend process where disciplines communicated effectively.
2025 Ram REV Design Takeaways
From an engineering and cost-analysis standpoint, the 2025 Ram REV offers key lessons:
-
Use architecture advantages: The electric platform gives new freedom to interior and storage space designers. Prioritize these opportunities early in the concept phase.
-
Design is value-neutral: As Trostle noted, it costs the same to make a stylized tie-down as a boring one. Invest design effort where it boosts user perception.
-
Premium interiors are a competitive differentiator: Despite rising drivetrain costs, Stellantis invested in cabin quality—suggesting a customer willingness to pay for interior comfort and aesthetics.
-
Cross-functional collaboration matters: Achieving seamless, manufacturable design requires early and continuous alignment across marketing, design, and engineering.
Explore More With Munro
For more expert insights on EV design, lean manufacturing, and teardown-driven analysis, follow us Munro & Associates or subscribe to Munro Live. Whether you’re developing next-gen components or investing in electric mobility, Munro helps you decode what works, what doesn’t, and why it matters.
Discover the future of automotive design—one teardown at a time.