"Deactivated Ram"

[giant_mtb]

A revised Dodge Ram pickup truck is set to debut in 2006.  It will sport a restyled front fascia and fenders.  Inside, the Ram gets an instrument panel reminiscent of the Grand Cherokee's.  Mechanically, the Ram will differ only in that the optional Hemi 5.7-liter V-8 will feature the cylinder deactivation that debuted on the 300C sedan and Magnum R/T.  Dodge claims the more efficient Hemi will improve your gas bill by 20 percent.  As with other cylinder-deactivation models, the Ram will shut down half of them and run as a four-cylinder in situations where full engine power isn't needed, at low speeds or on flat high-ways.  

[footoflead]

Sounds good....why use all of the cylinders when you dont need them....Any idea about what the milage should be...

[280Z Turbo]

Good idea. They should do this with all their truck motors.

It seems that Dodge motors generally like to drink a lot of gas. The 3.9L in my dad's Dakota is rated at 16 mpg city! I'll bet his mileage is better than that, but still isn't as good as the Ranger.

[giant_mtb]

Sounds good....why use all of the cylinders when you dont need them....Any idea about what the milage should be...

No it didn't say...but a 20 percent increase sounds pretty significant to me.  B)  

[ifcar]

Sounds good....why use all of the cylinders when you dont need them....Any idea about what the milage should be...

No it didn't say...but a 20 percent increase sounds pretty significant to me.  B)

A Hemi Ram currently averages about 15 mpg, so a 20% bump would give an additional 3 mpg. Not great, but nothing to sneeze at, and more than the Silverado could accomplish as a Hybrid.

[bobwill]

Sounds good....why use all of the cylinders when you dont need them....Any idea about what the milage should be...

No it didn't say...but a 20 percent increase sounds pretty significant to me.  B)

A Hemi Ram currently averages about 15 mpg, so a 20% bump would give an additional 3 mpg. Not great, but nothing to sneeze at, and more than the Silverado could accomplish as a Hybrid.

You want something wierd?
Motortrend's longterm test of the Silverado Hybrid has yielded an average of 14.8 mpg.  
Edmund's longterm test of a 1999 GMC Sierra 2500 yielded 15.9mpg.

On fueleconomy.gov they list the EPA estimates for a 4wd Chevy Silverado with 5.3L V8 and 4-speed auto as 15/19.  For the hybrid it's 17/19.
Here's the real kick in the pants though; keep in mind there's only 1 person reporting in on each vehicle; but, the user average for the base version is 18.5 mpg and the hybrid is only 12.7. :D

As much as some like to say that the Prius is pointless, atleast I've never heard of somebody in a Prius get less gas mileage than somebody in a Camry.  Of course, with trucks chances are the only people interested in the Silverado Hybrid are probably people interested in a real work truck that's hauling something around atleast half the time, and the other truck might only go out on highway driving.

[280Z Turbo]

I'm sure the hybrid gets better mileage.

The folks at Motortrend are probably lead foots while Edmunds went easier on the gas. You don't know where they drove it or how they drove it so what you posted doesn't really mean anything.

[footoflead]

I'm sure the hybrid gets better mileage.

The folks at Motortrend are probably lead foots while Edmunds went easier on the gas. You don't know where they drove it or how they drove it so what you posted doesn't really mean anything.

True....Remeber to take into account terrrain....my uncles Ram 1500(or whatever) gets about 12 drivin around in tenn(in the area of the point of tenn)

I think elevation has an effect too




Even if both moto and edmunds light footed it if one of them was in a "flat state" like the southner part of tx they would obviously get better MPG...then the other if they were in the "hill country"

[TBR]

Keep in mind that the 20% improvement will be for highway fuel economy only.

[ifcar]

That's still not bad at all.  

[giant_mtb]

Keep in mind that the 20% improvement will be for highway fuel economy only.

So?  20% is 20%...and on a truck, that can be important.

[TBR]

yes, I agree. 20% is definitely impressive, I just wanted to make sure everyone realized that.

[giant_mtb]

yes, I agree. 20% is definitely impressive, I just wanted to make sure everyone realized that.

lol Thanks Tim.  :P  

[bobwill]

Does GM's hybrid truck use cylinder deactivation?  If not, why??? :D
I mean, they have their multiple displacement V8s and V6s on the road.

[TBR]

The new GM trucks will use cylinder deactivation but I don't believe the Hybrid has it. Also, GM's deactivation system is supposed to very much inferior to Chrysler's.

[bobwill]

The inferior cylinder deactivation system would just kind of round out a thoroughly inferior product.
http://motortrend.com/roadtests/oneyear/11...5_lt_silverado/

Many of the logbook notes make reference to the Silverado Hybrid's frustrating hypersensitive start/stop feature. Sometimes, it'll immediately shut down at a stop; another time, it may just sit there, running. We've waited at a stoplight with the engine idling, then, as Murphy's Law would have it, the engine shuts down just as the light turns green. This encourages rolling through stop signs to avoid the stall-bump-start-wheelspin routine.

One editor loaded his Honda CR250 onto the bed, tied it down, and went for a drive. By the time he reached his destination, the bike's front tire had bent the bed's front rail and even bumped up the sheetmetal on the back of the cab. The dealer service technician was unable to duplicate our low-oil-pressure-light issue, although he checked the sensor and for any electronic warning codes; it hasn't been a problem since.

He also secured a loose brake-pedal pad and replaced both rear-door window seals that had minor leaks. The rest of this service call consisted of standard oil/filter/tire rotation/check fluid levels service for $41.76.