Ram Turned The Humble Bumper Step Into A Tool For Supercar-Like Performance

The Ram TRX is not the same as the RHO, and that’s a good thing because the brand has much more ambitious goals for the accidentally invented TRX nameplate. CarBuzz recently learned that the next Ram TRX may be electrified to spearhead an all-new lineup of hi-po trucks, with both hybrid and all-electric options on the table, and if another CarBuzz discovery is anything to go by – namely a new innovation filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office – one or more of these new go-faster trucks may get active aerodynamics with a functional, deployable diffuser.

Watch Your Step

If you read our article about an aerodynamically optimized hydrogen fuel cell by Ferrari, you may have an idea of where Ram is going with this. The design shows a pickup truck’s bumper “with a flat underside that can act as a diffuser,” and this bumper step can be electronically deployed using a simple actuator-and-damper combination. This would extend from under the rear fascia (potentially connected to the truck’s frame) and would provide two stepping heights thanks to a recess in the middle. This recess could also provide a space for the vehicle’s license plate to be visible.

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The bumper would retract when not in use, enabling a cleaner flow of air behind the car at low speeds, thereby creating a sleek look and maintaining the truck’s maximum ground clearance and departure angle figures. At higher speeds, the bumper-step-diffuser deploys, increasing stability. But how does Ram calculate the best angle to which to shape this flat-bottomed bumper?

Variable Aero Loads? Ram Is A Step Ahead

There’s no need to try find a single ‘Goldilocks’ angle of attack for the underside of this diffuser element because there are already actuators at work here – why not use these to rotate the bumper? That’s exactly what this design proposes, with up to 16 degrees of rotation suggested. This would supposedly allow the truck to control wake separation and closure, ensuring optimal aerodynamic flow regardless of whether the bed has a cap or is loaded with fitted toolboxes. The patent specifically notes that high levels of downforce can be achieved “on a track,” but the everyday user will be more attracted to the promise of improved driving range and stability on the highway.

Related

Ferrari Develops New Exhaust System With Active Aerodynamic Functionality

Ferrari has patented a way around noise laws without compromising emissions, specifically for its V8. Better still, it has an aerodynamic benefit.

Again, Ferrari has proposed something similar with a variably angled exhaust system, and the 911 GT3 RS is a masterclass in the manipulation of air, but Ram (or the Stellantis group as a whole) has been rather focused on aero of late, too; we recently discovered plans to make the R-Wing from the Charger Daytona an adjustable element. We look forward to seeing what else Stellantis is cooking up, but don’t expect an all-electric supertruck with active aero to hit your local Ram Trucks dealer for several years yet.