Ram CEO Says 29-MPG EcoDiesel Pickups Will Be Plentiful - Ward's Auto (subscription)
DETROIT – Ram CEO Bob Hegbloom scoffs at the notion the 29-mpg (8. 1 L/100 km) version of the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel will be difficult to find on dealer lots as some have suggested, comparing the pickup to some low-volume high-mileage models offered... Announced during the recent 2015 North American International Auto Show, the ’15 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel HFE will deliver the 29-mpg highway rating, a 1-mpg (0. 4 km/L) improvement over the standard model 1500 with an EcoDiesel mill. To achieve the high fuel-economy rating, the HFE features a unique trim package on the Ram Express and high-volume Ram 1500 Tradesman Quad Cab 4-door body with a 6-ft. , 4-in. (23. 1-m) bed and 20-in. wheels. “We’ve never offered a diesel in that configuration because we wanted to maintain a low-price point,” Hegbloom tells WardsAuto. Demand for the Ram 1500’s equipped with the 3. 0L diesel V-6, a 2015 Ward’s 10 Best Engines recipient, has been strong. Hegbloom says the current take rate is about 10%, but demand for the diesel has been so great Ram has increased capacity and the 20% take rate is expected when the additional volume is available later this quarter. In full-year 2014, Ram U. S. sales were up 23. 6% vs. 2013 to 439,789, according to WardsAuto data. Hegbloom doesn’t guarantee the impressive sales streak will continue, but says he and his team are doing their best to keep continue the momentum. Source: wardsauto.com
