Ram Commercial introduced Wednesday its 2022 ProMaster commercial van and aimed it squarely at one of the largest commercial customer categories: vocational. The front-wheel-drive, Class 2 full-size van also got upgrades in safety, connectivity, interior comfort and efficiency for the coming model year.
A next-generation 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine is now paired to a segment-exclusive TorqueFlite nine-speed automatic transmission – a combination that generates 280 horsepower and 260 lb-ft. of torque while improving fuel economy up to 9% when compared to the previous powertrain.
Unique transmission calibration allows for improved vehicle launch characteristics with smooth transfer between gears and enhanced fuel efficiency. Shift logic is adjusted according to grade steepness.
ProMaster also includes best-in-class features like standard V-6 power, turning radius, standard interior cargo height, load-floor height, cargo width between wheel wells and maximum cargo width. Ram ProMaster features up to 6,910 pounds of towing capability and a best-in-class 4,680 pounds of payload. The nine-speed TorqueFlite's 4.08 final-drive ratio enables comfortable grade transit under full payload and small ratio steps for mid-range gears help with quicker, smoother transitions between gears.
A new electric rack-and-pinion power steering system has been calibrated to deliver a natural steering feel and allows for variable amounts of steering assistance to be applied. The electric power steering system features a turning diameter of 36.3 feet.
In Cargo Van configuration with cargo lengths of 8-ft, 10-ft, 12-ft and 13.5-ft, ProMaster features up to 12 tie-down rings with 1,000-lb. rating fold away to maintain a flat floor and five sidewall tie-down rings with 550-lb. rating, easing loading and unloading operations. Available partitions also offer passengers protection against the possibility of load shift in the cabin. The most vertically oriented sidewalls in the cargo van category (nearly 90 degrees in relation to the cargo compartment floor) combined with a best-in-class cargo width of 75.6 inches add up to 463 cubic-feet of cargo space.
The 2022 Ram ProMaster will be available on dealer lots in the fourth quarter this year. Ram Commercial will introduce a battery-electric ProMaster in 2023 in response to customer demand. More information will be available at a later date.
