According to AutoWeek, Detroit’s automakers are working quickly to install fuel-saving diesel engines in their light trucks. And Nissan and Toyota may join them as well. Diesels have been common in the domestic automakers’ heavy-duty pickups, but as fuel economy concerns grow, as well as pressures form the competition, we may start seeing them in the light-duty trucks as well.
According to AutoWeek, Ford Motor Co. will likely be the first to market when it puts a diesel in the F-150 pickup in 2009. In May, General Motors announced its plans for a 4.5L Duramax diesel to be used in its light-duty pickups. Some news reports have indicated that Nissan is planning a diesel for the Titan, while Toyota has indicated it is looking into the possibility of a diesel for the Tundra.
Diesel engines typically boost fuel economy by 25%–30%. They are attractive for consumers who tow heavy loads, and they also have a higher resale value. A Dodge Ram 1500 pickup with a diesel should see improved fuel economy of 19.5 mpg city/25 mpg highway, compared to the gasoline-powered version with 15 mpg city/19 mpg highway. A Hummer H2 powered with a diesel engine could get 16 mpg or more on the highway, compared to the current model, which gets 13 to 14 mph on the highway.
