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2015 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel HFE Pickup Truck Makes Surprise Debut at Detroit Auto Show

When Ram Trucks introduced the EcoDiesel, the FCA US LLC-owned manufacturer also made it clear that turbo diesels have two big advantages over gasoline-fed mills: fuel economy and torque. Currently the only light-duty diesel truck (until the 2016 Nissan Titan XE Cummins comes around), the 2015 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel is very impressive economy-wise.
2015 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel HFE 5 photos
Photo: Ram
2015 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel HFE2015 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel HFE2015 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel HFE2015 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel HFE
In the proper powertrain and towing configuration, this baby is able to handle 9,200 lbs (4,173 kg), as well as return 28 mpg (8.4 liters per 100 km) when driven as economical as possible on the highway. At this year’s Detroit Auto Show, Ram Trucks has perfected the EcoDiesel recipe with the all-new 1500 HFE, which stands for High Fuel Efficiency.

The HFE in its name isn’t just for show and no, this is not a concept vehicle. It will arrive in showrooms in the first quarter of 2015, with the starting price expected to be not that different from the $31,140 sticker of the normal Ram 1500 EcoDiesel. Using the same 3-liter V6 turbo diesel of the standard EcoDiesel, with the same 240 horsepower and 420 lb-ft (569 Nm) of torque, the 2015 model year Ram 1500 EcoDiesel HFE light-duty diesel truck was bettered to 29 mpg (8.1 liters per 100 km) highway.

Don’t laugh at the 1 mpg increase because, for daily drivers, this detail really matters.

Ram Trucks chief exec officer Bob Hegbloom added: “Fuel efficiency is at the top of truck buyers’ priorities and Ram is the recognized benchmark for the industry. Twenty-nine miles per gallon cuts through the clutter. Ram invested in powertrain technologies and those are paying real dividends in the wallets of our customers.”

On the styling front, there’s not much to talk about but the same Ram light-duty design we know for a while now. The body-colored crosshair front grille is a neat aesthetic detail, while the tri-fold tonneau cover should prove handy. Last but not least, Ram engineering director Mike Cairns said that the Quad Cab is the most “widely purchased configuration which delivers the best aero benefit of any half-ton truck.”
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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