As Ram continues to grow its business, it is looking to emergency response market for new opportunities. Lots of police, fire and sheriffs’ departments have trucks to tow heavy equipment. Now, Ram is upping the game with the first ever pursuit-rated heavy-duty truck. The 2027 Ram 2500 Emergency Response Vehicle is the first and only 3/4-ton truck with pursuit‑capable performance. The Emergency Response Package adds more performance hardware, underbody protection and wiring for communications equipment.
“When your job means running toward danger, not away from it, you don't have time to second‑guess your equipment. It has to be up to the task. That's why we're giving government agencies the first and only 3/4-ton pursuit-capable truck with the Ram 2500 Emergency Response Vehicle,” said Tim Kuniskis, Head of American Brands, SRT Performance, NA Marketing and Retail Strategy. “The men and women who answer the call deserve a vehicle that can go anywhere, handle anything and deliver when every second matters. That’s exactly what this truck is built to do.”
2027 Ram 2500 Emergency Response Vehicle
Responding to agency requests for a pursuit-capable emergency‑response package suited to rural, mountainous and mixed‑terrain regions, Ram Engineering defined the parameters for an Emergency Response Vehicle based on the Ram 2500. The goal was to combine law‑enforcement capability with the flexibility required by fire, rescue and emergency response agencies. Towing and hauling are always important in a truck, but so is maneuverability, especially if they are responding to a situation that may include a chase that ends in a remote or off-road area.
The specially designed Ram 2500 is equipped with a 6.4‑liter HEMI V‑8 paired with a heavy‑duty TorqueFlite eight‑speed automatic transmission. It has a 4.10 axle ratio and anti-spin differential that enables the truck to deliver strong traction and acceleration. The 2500 Emergency Response Vehicle has a transfer‑case skid plate and 18‑inch steel wheels to withstand intensive field use.
The Ram 2500 Emergency Response truck is pre-wired to make adding communications systems easier. It has a vehicle systems interface module, dual alternators rated at 400 amps, auxiliary switches and dedicated wiring circuits to simplify adding specialized communications and emergency‑response equipment.
State Police Tested the Emergency Response Vehicle in the Field
Michigan State Police evaluated the Emergency Response Vehicle for ergonomics, acceleration benchmarks and repeated ABS braking situations. The State Police also drove the vehicles at high speeds on a racetrack to make sure it meets handling criteria and durability standards. The 2027 Ram 2500 Emergency Response Vehicle is the only 3/4‑ton truck to complete the Michigan State Police vehicle trials and become pursuit-rated.
Specific tests performed at the State Police trials include:
- 0-60 mph acceleration, 0-80 mph acceleration and 0-100 mph acceleration
- Distance covered to reach top speed
- Average deceleration rate while performing 20 full anti-lock brake stops from 60-0 mph
- Successful completion of all 32 laps of the raceway dynamics testing without major component failure
The special police test track features 10 challenging turns that push the limits of vehicle dynamics. These include a 160‑degree hairpin, a downhill reverse‑camber section, and a 3,200‑foot straight designed to test both acceleration and braking performance. Conditions like these are rarely encountered by civilian trucks, but for law enforcement vehicles, they serve as critical indicators of real‑world pursuit capability and test the balance between handling, acceleration and braking.
To meet the acceleration requirements, the Ram 2500 Emergency Response Vehicle uses Ram’s 6.4‑liter HEMI V‑8, capable of 405 horsepower and 429 lb.‑ft. of torque. A TorqueFlite HD eight‑speed automatic transmission and a selectable two‑speed transfer case route power to the axles, while an anti‑spin differential paired with an uprated 4.10 axle ratio enhances acceleration and power delivery (standard Ram 2500 axle ratio is 3.73).
In 0-100 mph acceleration testing, the Ram recorded times within two seconds of several lighter and smaller ½‑ton truck and SUV competitors, posting an 8.41-second sprint to 60 mph, 13.22 seconds to 80 mph and 20.5 seconds to 100 mph. The Ram truck reached a tire-limited speed of 103 mph in just 0.45 miles, staying on pace with lighter competitors.
Why Emergency Responders Need the More Capable Vehicles
The simplest answer to why emergency responders need more capable vehicles is that Americans are exploring the great outdoors more often and emergencies are happening in more remote areas. With the increased interest in overlanding and off-roading, police, fire and EMTs are responding to accidents in more remote areas and need appropriate, capable vehicles to get there. Colorado, where I live, is a perfect example of emergency responders having to get to rugged, mountainous terrain to help people who may be injured. Just last week, there was a 75-vehicle accident on I-70 near the Eisenhower tunnel in the high country. Some response vehicles had trouble maneuvering around the vehicles blocking the icy roads.
My police friends will tell you that the vehicles are needed because the bad guys are driving faster, more capable vehicles and law enforcement officers need to be able to catch them. More and more crimes involve vehicles that are stolen. Criminals target vehicles like the Ram TRX, Dodge Chargers and Ford Raptors and use them to try to outrun police after committing crimes. Police need to be able to capture them. Police, fire and other emergency responders have to be equipped to respond to any situation. Now that Ram has passed the pursuit-capable testing, you can expect other truck manufacturers to increase their capability as well.
When the 2027 Ram 2500 Emergency Response Vehicle Will be Available
The 2027 Ram 2500 Emergency Response Vehicle will be available to fleets in the second half of 2026, expanding Stellantis’ law‑enforcement portfolio alongside models such as the Dodge Durango Pursuit, Jeep Grand Wagoneer Command Operations Vehicle and Ram Special Service vehicles.
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About the Author
Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin. Follow Mary at @MaryConwayMedia on X and on Facebook, and send her car news tips for future stories. Mary Conway is an esteemed automotive and business reporter who was inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame in 2019. Mary is a member of the Automotive Press Association, Rocky Mountain Automotive Press, Society of Professional Journalists, and NATAS.
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