New GM diesel to get almost 30 mpg in full size trucks
Even though the Senate has now passed a new energy bill that includes requirements for fleet fuel economy average of 35mpg by 2020 we still have a ways to go before the House passes it, the bill gets reconciled and ultimately signed into law. Nonetheless, the car makers have to get down to work and start cranking up the fuel economy of their vehicles, especially the larger trucks. All three of the domestic automakers have announced plans to add new diesel engines for their light duty trucks by the end of the decade with GM announcing a 4.5L V-8 and Chrysler last week mentioning plans to add a new smaller Cummins diesel to their Ram 1500 models.
The problem with the diesels, especially the newer clean diesels, is that they are more expensive to produce than gas engines. During our recent dinner with Gary Smyth of GM he indicated that the total coast of a clean diesel powertrain is about twice that of gas. The diesel engines do work though with the new GM diesel estimated to get close to 30mpg on the highway when mated to a conventional six speed automatic. If the new engine were to be matched up to the Two-Mode hybrid system, mileage in the mid-thirties would not be out of the question for the big trucks but at an added cost of several thousand dollars.
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. req'd, thanks to Mike for the tip]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Russ Jones 3:03PM (2/16/2008)
Not everyone wants a truck with electric windows, dvd player, and all the other foo foo that Detroit thinks we want. A mid sized truck with a 2 to 3 liter diesel, manual transmission, and lighter weight is just what most farmers and ranchers would kill for...
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Bob 10:52AM (8/03/2008)
I live in thailand. ALL pickup trucks here have been 3 litre or less turbo diesels for many years. My Ford Ranger 2.5 diesel doesn't have much power but it's enough.
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Maurizio 3:04PM (9/08/2008)
My daily commuter is a great little 1985 Mercedes Benz 190 Diesel, which gets just under 40 mpg (average), already more than the future requirement specifies for new vehicles, and this from a 23 year-old vehicle!!
I wish I could swap the engine on my other vehicle, a 2006 Chevy 1500 pickup (4.3l V6), to run that on diesel too ...
I guess I'l dream on for a few more years.
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mark anderson 11:51PM (5/28/2009)
hi i think its about time GM brings back the diesel in the half tons i had a 1989 half ton 4x4 with a 6.2 in it an it would get 24 miles to a gallon all the time and in 1995 i traded it off for a new half ton with a 6.5 big mistake ya it had more power but the milage want in the take from 24 to 17 mpg not to mention all the trouble with it just shuten off when driveing but if it is true about this new diesel i will be the first one at my local chevy dealer to order a fully loaded half ton suburban . mark
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Mike Miller 1:31PM (6/25/2007)
Everyone always talks about the added cost without showing the actual savings of improved fuel economy. When I bought my diesel golf 4.5 yrs ago everone was saying I would never pay off the extra amount for the motor. I think diesel was ~$1.50 a gallon. Who has paid off their motor and then some now. Not to mention diesel engines last longer than gasoline engines.
So how much more expensive is it really?
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MikeW 1:41PM (6/25/2007)
30mpg@60mph?
Seems plausible for a 4x2
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Owen 3:17PM (6/25/2007)
Imagine what a smaller version could do in a Colorado or H3... The manufacturers probably believe that people won't spend the extra $$$ for an upgraded engine in an low end truck (the Colorado not the H3, people put some seriously stupid money into their H3's)
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Bill 3:43PM (6/25/2007)
Now they need a decent 3L turbodiesel for their smaller truck/car models.
VW is back with diesels by next May, the Asians ayear after that.
Better get going, domestic automakers.
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mikeinBuilding7 4:46PM (6/25/2007)
Sam, So what you're saying is GM can meet the 35mpg standard for 2020 in the year 2002?
And if they put in a 3.0L diesel V6-Hybrid( with the Torque of a V8 ) they could meet a 40mpg standard? So, there's no tech. reason they can't meet or exceed the proposed standards?
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HoosierRon 5:04PM (6/25/2007)
How quickly we forget. Three months ago, GM revealed its 2.9L V-6 turbodiesel. 250 HP, 406 ft-lb. of torque. As for half ton trucks, that is more torque that GM currently offers in any of its gasoline V-8s.
You could use this V-6, add the 2-mode hybrid, and have a half ton truck that has more power and torque than anything GM currently offers, and get a combined 35 mpg. (Of course, it would cost $50,000.)
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/03/06/geneva-motor-show-cadillac-unveils-powerful-new-v6-clean-diesel/
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CB 8:25AM (6/26/2007)
I, for one, think that the domestics should get some credit for this (heaven knows they haven't deserved much recently). Considering how many trucks are on the road, this is going to save way more gas than all the hybrids have. An increase from 18 mpg to 30 mpg saves as much gas as an increase from 35 mpg to 58.7 mpg, which is more than Toyota has gotten in the Prius. Now if we can only get more biodiesel to the retail market...
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Beckfield 11:33AM (6/26/2007)
The automakers had the capability for 50 MPG in even larger trucks than this 50 years ago, and they did nothing with it. This show of difficulty in achieving 30 MPG is a farce.
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David Beach 11:33AM (6/26/2007)
Yea! It can be done a 2-mode hybrid diesel that meet or exceeds 2020 requirements.
With all the truck 1/2 Ton and less on the road today the energy saying would be great.
Now let us see if it comes to pass.
The fly in the ointment is that the gas companies have to produce diesel fule. They will say that to convert the refineries will cost to much and then the price of diesel will go up.
I would pay the extra cost for a hybrid diesel Toyota Tocoma that last for 200,000+ miles.
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TW 6:49PM (6/26/2007)
Out of one barrel of oil comes 20 gallons of gasoline and 7 gallons of diesel. The rest is made into things like jet fuel, LPG, etc. This breakdown does not change and cannot be refined differently. Therefore if diesel ever became very popular in the US gas prices would drop and diesel prices would increase. Unless of course there was goverment intervention as in Europe.
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mikeinBuilding7 7:46PM (6/26/2007)
I find it hard to believe that a diesel adds more cost to a vehicle then a Gas V8. What's the reasoning behind that?
A bit more steel?
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Juanee 1:39AM (6/27/2007)
Diesel Engines operate at much higher compressions ratios than a gasoline engine and are thus designed to withstand these higher compressions.
Yes, they are more expensive, BUT diesel engines do last a lot longer than a gasoline engine.
Look it up and you will see.
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Doug 8:44PM (8/09/2007)
In addition to what has already been stated I think a diesel with active fuel management (i.e. displacement on demand) would up the mpg even more so than on a gas engine because of the inherent torque of the engine. Gas engines don't do that much better because they are seldom operating in the "Active Fuel Management" mode.
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Carl Brandt 3:06PM (8/21/2007)
Ok so Chevy is coming out with a new smaller diesel engine. That is great however what are they doing about increasing the MPG of their 3/4 ton Diesel engines. While I am on the subject why are large diesel trucks not required to have an estimated MPG on the sales sticker.
I am very interested in purchasing a tow vehicle for a larger camper but am concerned that I will not get the mileage I should because of the changes in diesel fuel. Could you comment on how this ingredient change will affect the MPG?
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David M. 3:59PM (9/28/2007)
This is very exciting stuff. Imagine if the US population were to get serious about saving fuel and consider diesel engined cars. With the overall savings due to the 25 to 40 percent better mileage then gas engines, it would definately help us reduce our dependence from the middle eastern countries who wish us nothing but ill, but need oud money. Lets keep the pressure on the American auto companies and maybe we can even buy an American diesel car soon.....
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Dean 2:58PM (12/23/2007)
I'm driving an 03 Odyssey with 136,000 on it and running like a top. I'm waiting for the new diesels before I buy a new GM US built rig.
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