One of the biggest upgrades to the 2022 ProMaster is in the powertrain, switching from a six-speed transmission to Stellantis’ nine-speed automatic for front-wheel drive. This has resulted in a 10% improvement in fuel economy.
Photo: Ram
On the street, it might be hard to tell the difference between the new 2022-MY Ram ProMaster and the 2021 model. But under the skin there is a world of difference, Dave Sowers, head of Ram Commercial, said in an interview. recent press conference about the large truck for the Bobit fleet.
Safety, efficiency and productivity improvements for 2022 involve bringing existing technologies from Stellantis passenger vehicle models into the commercial vehicle market. “We’ve made it a high priority for commercial customers to help them work more efficiently with their vehicle and make them safer,” Sowers said.
One of the biggest upgrades to the 2022 ProMaster is in the powertrain, switching from a six-speed transmission to Stellantis’ nine-speed automatic for front-wheel drive. “This is truly a quantum leap in the transition to a most advanced electronic transmission system to be teleported,” he said.
With increased transmission efficiency along with lighter weight, new electric parking brake and electric power steering, the ProMaster’s fuel economy has improved by nearly 10 percent, Sowers said.
Entering the cabin, Sowers explains that the instrument cluster, steering wheel controls, HVAC interface and infotainment system have all been updated. ProMaster has moved from a 5-inch touchscreen to a 7-inch version for 2022, with a 10-inch screen option. “The interior and dashboard are an important step forward in our position with ProMaster,” he said.
A phone shelf with wireless charging is also new for 2022.
ProMaster’s instrument cluster, steering wheel controls, HVAC interface and infotainment system have undergone “a significant evolution” to deliver a more car-like experience for 2022, including touchscreen displays. new seven-inch touchscreen with a 10-inch display option.
Photo: Ram
Approaching ProMaster compared to other models is Uconnect 5, the latest version of Stellantis’ connected media platform, with 5x faster processing speed than before. Wireless Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard.
The new Uconnect system can also pair two phones with Bluetooth at the same time. Users can now set up driver profiles – up to five per vehicle – remembering preferences for HVAC, phone and other controls, and allowing instrument clusters to be customized. correction.
“In a commercial environment with lots of people driving daily or even within a day, you now have the ability to save those records in the system and they can be changed when you start the car,” Sowers speak.
Other driver productivity features include replacing slotted keys with keys and push-button start. Fob works with ProMaster’s new 22-way neighborhood entry system, divided into zones. The two front passenger doors form one area and the cargo area doors another. This allows the driver to get in and out of the door in either zone without having to unlock the door in the other zone.
“That’s very beneficial when you’re working in an urban environment or a construction site and you have a lot of valuable packages or equipment in your vehicle,” Sowers says.
The powerhouses have divided the new safety improvements into road improvements and those related to low speed.
In the low-speed category, an electric parking brake is now standard. The previous park brake used a manually activated cable that required the rider to pull the brake line to attach it. Because the electronic parking brake is activated electronically, “That allows us to deploy the brake when the situation makes sense to do so,” he said.
The electric park brake will work if the vehicle’s speed is below five miles per hour, the driver’s door is open and the seat belt is on. Sowers gave an example of a delivery driver who stopped, distracted, and got out of a truck without parking. In this case, the electric brake will come into play and hold the vehicle.
Ram also adds front parking sensors along with the already existing rear parking sensors.
Backup camera systems now have larger, higher-resolution screens with dynamic gridlines that cover the view.
Buyers can opt for a new digital rearview mirror as well as a 360-degree camera. “It’s a huge improvement in itself, just you can see behind the car like you’re in a sedan or a small SUV,” Sowers said.
Safety on the road includes the latest in ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) technology.
2022 ProMaster features Traffic Sign Recognition, which uses the camera from the forward collision warning system to pick up visible traffic signs and display them in the dashboard. “It’s good to know the last speed limit sign you’ve passed to avoid getting out of lane,” he says.
Blind-spot monitoring and cross-traffic detection continue as options from the previous year’s model.
New for 2022, the electric power steering system allows active lane centering for safety. Combined with automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control – due out in March – the van will be able to slow down, accelerate and maintain lane when marked on the road. That is to achieve Level 2 autonomy, with the driver keeping his or her hands on the wheel.
Sowers concludes: “We put a lot of effort into ProMaster. “But the way it is implemented in ProMaster, we think they make a lot of sense for commercial customers.”
