Pickup Truck Gas Mileage
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A massive improvement in pickup truck gas mileage is in the cards for the next twelve years. With the auto manufacturers starting to line up to improve average fuel economy to 35 miles per gallon (MPG) by 2020, one can’t help but wonder. Could they make that change in half the time?
A big change in pickup truck gas mileage will work to reduce our dependence on oil. The gas mileage ratings of the Ford F-150, Dodge Ram, and Chevy Silverado are remarkably important, as these full size trucks are three of the best selling vehicles here in the States.
The four-cylinder versions of the two-wheel-drive Ford Ranger and Mazda B2300 currently get the best pickup truck gas mileage in America. The Ranger and B-Series are corporate cousins. But rumor has it that Ford may discontinue the Ranger in the very near future. What will replace it?
Looking at the pickup truck gas mileage chart can be discouraging. There isn’t a single pickup that gets anywhere near 30 miles per gallon on the highway. But if you drill down into the chart, you’ll see that older versions of some of the smaller pickup trucks achieved excellent mileage ratings.
There are pickup trucks in many parts of the world that get really good mileage … just not in America. I’ll go out on a optimistic limb and predict that there will be a massive change in domestic pickup truck gas mileage, sooner than most folks think. It won’t take until 2020 for those willing to make (and keep) the change.
7 Comments
james caudle
January 10th, 2008
at 4:41am
can you get better gas mileage without the tailgate?
Jet Fusion
February 22nd, 2008
at 3:55pm
no, it has been proven over and over that the tailgate being down hurts mileage. having the tailgate up helps create an area of pressure in the bed that allows air to flow more efficiently over the back of the vehicle. tailgate down breaks that pressure bubble and creates more drag as the air flows past the roof of the cab.
now the real question is: what’s the solution? add true PHEV capability to the pickups? go to higher efficiency diesel engines? gas/steam 6-stroke engine?
mike peterson
May 21st, 2008
at 12:46am
The right diesel motor in a truck can great great gas mileage. I installed a 4 cyl Perkins 236 from a late 60s or early 70s era combine in a 1979 ford F150 and it gave me 35 mpg for years! In fact the truck wore out and the motor still had more to give. This was a low RPM high torq motor, and with a 5 speed manual transmission and a 16/44 rear end it no problem with highway speeds, even with a heavy load. The truck would rev out before it powered out.
With todays advances in transmissions and technology they could easily get even more mileage out of a truck. High torq low RPM diesel is the way to get better mileage if you want it.
Brett Herndon
May 28th, 2008
at 6:48pm
By putting this new camper shell on your truck, you will increse your freeway fuel efficiency by over 20%! Check out “Commercially Produced Aerodynamic Truck Cap” at http://www.ecomodder.com.
Herb
July 5th, 2008
at 9:25am
No matter how much better gas mileage becomes for trucks and cars ,we will never be less dependant on arab oil,until an effective alternative to the ancient eternal combustion engine is invented and successfully marketed across the hight and width of america.Until then you will feel oily hands around your throat
duh
October 9th, 2008
at 1:42pm
Yes, Herb– and don’t forget those horrible Canadians either. We import MORE oil from Canada than we do from Saudi Arabia (also a key US allie).
http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/company_level_imports/current/import.html
Anthony
October 24th, 2008
at 5:22pm
i have a 1986 nissan pickup it has a 5speed in it , my gasmileage is about18-19 MPG how do i get better mileage out of it???