RAM was the one that forced other full-size truck manufacturers to look at trucks 1500 at diesel engine. Indeed, it was the first to offer a 6-cylinder turbodiesel engine in a full-size pickup, and it is about to turn the page on this period. Next January, the V6 EcoDiesel 3.0-liter will be phased out of the lineup as the automaker says it’s turning to electric vehicles.
This V6 turbodiesel 3.0-liter will have been offered for 10 years and seen two generations of 1500 trucks. First offered with 240 horsepower in 2013, it bumped its numbers to 260 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque in the new generation of pickup truck. First struggling with temperamental reliability, the engine was reworked to improve its reliability.
A last chance
Ram therefore gives enthusiasts of this engine the opportunity to order a 2023 edition of the van equipped with this engine, before production ceases next January. In Canada, according to information confirmed by Stellantis Canada, it is still offered in Rebel, Laramie, Laramie Longhorn and Limited versions in “crew cab” configuration and four-wheel drive. It is still the original ZF eight-speed automatic transmission that accompanies it.
This announcement therefore leaves the floor open for GM, which will remain the only one to offer a 6-cylinder turbodiesel engine in the 1500 pickups with the 3.0-litre. This Duramax also has undeniable popularity at GM given its frugality and overall performance. Ford also left the boat in 2021 with its V6 PowerStroke which was available in the F-150 and which did not have an enviable popularity anyway.
Electric future
Although few details have been released about the future electric Ram, the company has been clear that it is currently working on this project. According to Stellantis, the truck will arrive in 2024 and will then be able to compete with the Ford F-150 Lightning, already on the market, and the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV duo which should arrive at the same time.
It’s a change in strategy that has been taking place since FCA was swallowed up in a group better known now as Stellantis. Since then, announcements have multiplied regarding the imminent arrival of electrified models, such as various plug-in hybrid models from Jeep or Dodge, or even fully electric models.
The entry-level price of Ram 1500 EcoDiesel 2023 has not yet been revealed.
