Fuel Economy Update for November - 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.com

Fuel Economy Update for November - 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Long-Term Road Test

Our 2014 Ram 1500 Ecodiesel is still running ahead of its EPA Combined rating despite numerous towing miles, including 1,040 miles this month.

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fordson1

I agree with your point on the many towing miles, but let's address the other side of the coin, too - the most recent post on this truck is that you covered 20k miles in 7.5 months...you didn't pile those miles on rolling from stoplight to stoplight in downtown Santa Monica, nor stuck in bumper-to-bumper rolling jams on SoCal drive-time freeways. Those miles were added many at a time at very steady speeds for hours and hours without stopping or even slowing down.

So lots of miles were added under the worst possible conditions for mpg - towing. But lots of miles were added under the best possible conditions for mpg, too - highway trips. And when you think about it, even your towing miles were on the highway...you were not constantly accelerating that load up to speed over and over.

I think this engine and truck combo is pretty interesting, although I really don't know what to compare it to - all of the gas turbo V6s and NA V8s in other trucks get much worse mpg...but they're so much more powerful and faster.

quadricycle

Dan, your daughter was doing rally in college? I commend you, she was certainly raised well!

fordson1 said:

I think this engine and truck combo is pretty interesting, although I really don't know what to compare it to - all of the gas turbo V6s and NA V8s in other trucks get much worse mpg...but they're so much more powerful and faster.

There more I think about this truck, the more I come to realize that you should just get diesel if you prefer its characteristics over gasoline. I've tried making an argument for either case, and it mostly comes down to personal preference. Despite this, it really is selling well. Turns out that if you attach "Eco" to "diesel" and throw out a high fuel economy number on a commercial, you'll get customers running, despite the actual economies.

bankerdanny

I believe (without being able to back up with actual numbers) that the 2015 EcoBoost F-150 would not have come anywhere close to this mileage on the same run. I would absolutely love to see Edmunds get a tester F with the EB and take it and the Dodge out for a comparison run.

While I have no doubt you would come back impressed with the EB's ability to haul weight I just think that you would be seeing 12-13mpg with any significant load.

cracknut

Weight certainly ruins mileage but aero drag is even worse. A 2300lb 20ft enclosed car hauler will drop the mileage even lower. But still much better than a gasser.

columnshift

around me diesel is 80-90 cents more a gallon also you have to put this additive into the tank for emissions. maybe instead of mpg what about cost per mile, compare f150 EB 2.7 and the ram and see how it pans out

my friend has to had this additive every 7-8k miles its $11 gallon

gas 2.69 diesel 3.56 so hope a direct cost comparison can be made.

i wonder if EB 2.7 will win out
and also include a towing stretch as well

also my friend says thee water filter is under the vehicle i thought it best in engine bay so you can easily check and change water kills diesel injectors and not covered under warranty

actualsize

@columnshift: We're adding DEF (the additive your friend is referring to) but it costs half what your friend is paying. Less than a penny a mile. Stuff is cheaper at an auto parts store and even cheaper than that on line shipped free to your door. Don't pay anyone to pour in your DEF.

actualsize

Agree with the aero load comments. And I plan on repeating this with a Ford EB soon enough. I suspect that turbo gas engines will suck much more fuel when towing than turbo-diesel, too. I've experienced it myself towing my own racercar cross-country from San Diego to Atlanta. Diesel dually was in the high teens. Gas dually dipped into single digits. Same trailer, same load. Different years, but same time of year and same route. But this was 20 years ago.