2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel nets 28 MPG Rating

For years, Americans have longed for a powerful-but-fuel-efficient pickup truck using a small turbodiesel engine, and the Ram brand delivered. The 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel will get a 28 MPG highway rating, making it the highest rating ever for any pickup truck in the U.S. right now. While we’re sure competitors will have something to say, for now, Ram is riding high.

The 3.0 liter EcoDiesel engine gots an official rating of 28 highway and 20 city, for a combined rating of 23 MPG, while still delivering 220 horsepower and over 400 ft-lbs of torque. This one-two punch of fuel economy and torque is sure to make the Ecodiesel engine popular with pickup buyers, especially since the price difference between the HEMI V8 and EcoDiesel engine is less than $2,000.

It’s just the latest salvo in a bid to win the fuel efficiency war, as Ford, Chrysler, and GM all pursue different means of achieving better MPG ratings. While Ford has dabbled with hybrids, the Blue Oval is betting big on a 2015 F-150 made mostly of aluminum. Meanwhile, GM is going down-market with smaller, diesel-powered versions of the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon.

But for my money, Chrysler is on the right path with the 2014 Ram 1500 diesel.. Modern diesel motors are efficient, powerful, and fun in the right hands. Chrysler now has the two most fuel efficient pickups in America right now, just in time for the summer gas price surge. No wonder there’s talk of adding a third Chrysler truck factory.

Source: Gas2.0

2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Unveiled: 240 HP, Higher Fuel Economy

Chrysler-Fiat took the wraps off its long-anticipated 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel, the first light-duty pickup truck to be offered with a diesel engine in many years.

The new diesel pickup uses the same 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6 already fitted to the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel utility vehicle.

In the pickup truck, it's rated at 240 horsepower and a substantial 420 pound-feet of torque.

The turbodiesel V-6 powers the truck through a new eight-speed automatic transmission, also fitted to most other Ram 1500 models (including the base 305-hp 3.6-liter V-6 and optional 395-hp 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 gasoline engines).

Other fuel-saving elements of the Ram 1500 line include active grille shutters, engine stop-start technology, and aerodynamic panels underneath the truck that give it what Chrysler says is the lowest coefficient of drag among all full-size pickup trucks.

The new diesel Ram pickup will have what Chrysler terms "best-in-class fuel economy," but final EPA ratings have not yet been released.

The price of the 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel is $2,850 higher than a comparably equipped Ram 1500 fitted with the Hemi V-8 gasoline engine.

Chrysler says that the truck will pay back the increased cost in three years or less.

The Ram 1500 EcoDiesel will arrive at Ram truck dealers this fall.

Source: Green Car Reports

Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Option To Cost $2,850 Over HEMI V8

The Chrysler 3.0 liter EcoDiesel engine, which debuted in the Jeep Grand Cherokee Diesel, has made its way into the Ram 1500 pickup. While official MPG figures have not been released, Ram does say that it will only cost $2,850 more than a similarly-equipped HEMI V8 model.

America seems to have finally gotten over its adversity to diesel engines, and Chrysler is taking full advantage. The EcoDiesel engine offers 240 horsepower and 420 ft-lbs of torque, which is less power but more torque than the 5.7 liter HEMI V8 engine, which offers 395 horsepower and 410 ft-lbs of torque. What that means is that while the EcoDiesel Ram won’t be as fast, it will be able to pull just as much, if not more.

Fuel economy should also be substantially better than the HEMI too, which manages just 14 mpg in the city and 20 on the highway. The 3.6 liter Pentastar offers better fuel economy at 17 city and 25 highway, thanks in part to a class-exclusive 8-speed automatic transmission, making it the most fuel-efficient pickup you can buy. But the EcoDiesel V6 should top even that, as in the Jeep Grand Cherokee the EcoDiesel engine manages 21 city and 30 highway mpg. A 30 mpg, full-size pickup? Yes please, and while you’re add it throw one into the Jeep Wrangler too.

The $2,850 price premium is substantial, but with perhaps as much as 10 mpg better on the highway, it could be a very cost-efficient option for anyone who needs V8 power, but wants V6 fuel economy. If you can afford the extra cost, the EcoDiesel option seems like a no brainer…though I’ll wait for the official mpg ratings before declaring it MPG King.

Source: Chrysler

Ram 1500 Definitely Getting EcoDiesel V6 Engine

Chrysler is going full-steam ahead with its plans to bring its European diesel engines to the U.S. market. The Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel was just the opening salvo, but this next move shows how serious Chrysler is about clean diesel engines. Starting later this year, customers can now buy a Ram 1500 pickup with an EcoDiesel V6 engine, and it could to the first full-size pickup to break the 30 mpg barrier.

In the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, the EcoDiesel V6 is rated at 240 horsepower, 420 ft-lbs of torque, and a 30 mpg highway rating. While pricing hasn’t been released, the diesel engine option is expected to carry a premium. Chrysler isn’t releasing power or mpg specs just yet, but when coupled with two-wheel drive and the 8-speed automatic transmission, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a 30 mpg highway rating.

That would be a 20% improvement over the current pickup mpg champ…also the Ram 1500, with a 25 mpg rating from the 3.6 liter Pentastar V6. Chrysler is no doubt looking to capitalize on America’s ever-rising gas prices, and their emphasis on efficiency could see them stealing sales from Ford and GM. The Ram 1500 will be the first half-ton pickup available with a small diesel engine, and other companies are almost sure to follow their example. There is even rumor that a hybrid-diesel Ram pickup could be in the works…but lets not get ahead of ourselves.

But is America’s tradesmen corp ready to embrace diesel en masse? While larger pickups like the Ram 3500 are already available with large-displacement V8 diesel engines and even CNG motors, these vehicles don’t need to be rated by the EPA. Even if they were, the fuel economy isn’t impressive.

But a smaller diesel engine in a smaller pickup could deliver big fuel economy gains, and Chrysler is positioning Ram as the brand to beat when it comes to fuel economy. Rumors swirl that the Wrangler may get the EcoDiesel engine as well, but going with a more broad-appealing vehicle like a pickup could lead to many more sales.

Source: Chrysler

2013 Ram 1500 Sets New Standard With 25 MPG Rating

As America’s vehicle of choice, the pickup truck has become incredibly ingrained in our national identity. But can pickup trucks survive in a world of $4.00 a gallon gasoline and an increasingly urban population? Automakers like Chrysler certainly hope so, as pickup trucks are their bread-and-butter money makers.

So Chrysler’s announcement that the new Ram 1500 can achieve up to 25 MPG on the highway is big news for pickup enthusiasts nationwide.

New Standard, No Sacrifice

First, a few caveats. The truck in question is Chrysler’s Ram 1500 with the base 305 horsepower Pentastar V6 engine mated to a 8-speed automatic transmission. This results in a city rating of 18 MPG, and a 25 highway MPG rating, putting it leagues ahead the current competition.

The next-best rated pickup is the Chevy Silverado Hybrid, which can deliver an EPA-rated 23 MPG on the highway and 20 MPG in the city, though it also has substantially more horsepower and torque. But many times, that extra power is merely going to waste. For the average person who needs a pickup for for its ability to haul volume, as opposed to weight, the new Ram 1500 is a godsend.

Just to give you an idea of what an improvement this is, the outgoing 2012 Ram with the 3.7 liter Magnum V6 was rated at 20 mpg highway. That is a full 25% improvement over the old model, and with no loss in capability; the next Ram 1500 will still be able to tow over 5,600 pounds, and with a starting price of $23,595 including an almost $1,000 destination fee, the next Ram pickup is a formidable contender.

A 5.7 liter HEMI engine will also be available with 395 horsepower and 407 ft-lbs of torque, and all models come with the 8-speed automatic. Additionally, start/stop will be standard on all the trucks, as well as improved aerodynamics are contributing massively to the improved fuel economy.

Stacking Up, Looking Good

The new Ram 1500 has the same MPG rating as the mid-size segment of pickups like the 4-cylinder powered Toyota Tacoma. The aforementioned Silverado Hybrid also demands a huge price premium of over $15,000 more than the 2013 Ram 1500. So basically, it is a full-size truck with the fuel economy of a mid-size. That isn’t just raising the standard for full-size trucks; now mid-size trucks will have to improve their fuel economy in order to justify their own existence. That said, I am pretty confident these numbers reflect a regular cab, 2WD setup. Other setups will no doubt lead to a lower MPG rating.

Initial test drives have also been overwhelmingly positive, with high marks for interior quality and on-the-road feel. Chrysler’s new Ram 1500 pickup is a shot across the bow to its Detroit rivals, both of whom are ramping up their own next-generation pickup trucks. But Chrysler has also been openly experimenting with natural gas pickup trucks, recently announcing a CNG option for their top-end models. If costs come down, CNG technology may eventually make sense for lower end models like the Ram 1500.

25 MPG highway is the new standard for base-model pickups; can Ford and GM match the capability of the new Ram without running up costs? Or does America have a new contender for the pickup truck crown?

Source: Gas2.0

2013 Ram 1500 Gets 8-Speed Auto, Start/Stop Tech

American automakers are facing a do-or-die moment in regards to fuel economy. Heavily reliant on gas-guzzling trucks and SUV’s, Ford, Chrysler, and GM have got to figure out a way to make their number-one sellers suck down less gas. While Ford bets on EcoBoost and GM focuses on weight savings, Chrysler has announced that for 2013, the Dodge Ram will get start-stop engine technology and an 8-speed automatic transmission that could help raise highway fuel economy to 24 mpg.

Chrysler is implementing an 8-speed automatic across much of its lineup, with impressive results in terms of fuel economy. When combined with the new Pentastar V6 in the Chrysler 300/Dodge Charger, the 8-speed auto can deliver up to 31 mpg on the highway in a full-size sedan. Not too shabby.

Now Chrysler plans on implementing that same engine/transmission combo (though tuned for truck duty, rather than cruising) in the Ram 1500. The 3.6 liter V6 will deliver 305 horsepower and 269 ft-lbs of torque, matching other V6 competitors in the full-size truck market. But the Pentastar V6 will be the only one available with start-stop technology, and it will also include active grille shutters and an air-ride suspension that lowers the pickup at highway speeds, reducing drag. There are other aero enhancements done as well which, when combined with the 8-speed auto, Chrysler promises will deliver fuel economy gains of at least 20%. That would put the V6 engine at around 17 mpg city and 24 mpg on the highway. A 24 mpg, gasoline-powered full-size truck? Who would have thought.

Granted, the Ram 1500’s Pentastar V6 lacks the 420 ft-lbs of torque found in Ford’s EcoBoost V6 F-150…but it will also probably cost a lot less too. Detroit has mostly given up on the mid-size truck market, what with vehicles like the Ford Ranger and Dodge Dakota recently ceasing production (though the Chevy Colorado soldiers on, and will in fact get a sexy replacement next year). But if they can bring the fuel economy of full-size trucks on par with those of full-size sedans, there will be a lot of happy small-business owners. So what is it going to take to combine the V6 with some natural gas technology?

Source: Gas2.0