The 2017 Chevrolet Cruze diesel entered a very exclusive club when the EPA officially certified it with a 52 MPG highway fuel economy rating. We can imagine not only are Chevrolet engineers ecstatic, but the marketing department has fresh, potent ammunition to fire off at consumers looking for an efficient non-hybrid vehicle.
The tall figure was no easy task, though, according to Automotive News. Engineers carefully looked at multiple areas to fulfill pressure from upper management to enter the 50 MPG and over club.
“There is no one silver bullet,” says Craig Weddle, Cruze chief engineer. “There were a lot of little things we had to do to make it all add up.”
A whole team was assembled to create the Cruze diesel as a separate program, which included aerodynamicists, electricians, powertrain engineers, lightweighting specialists and others. The Cruze diesel even has a chief energy engineer in Eric VanDommelen, whose goal was to ensure every ounce of power was produced as efficiently as possible.
Three areas contributed to the magic 52 number: weight reduction, aerodynamics and powertrain. It helps that the second generation Chevrolet Cruze is already 250 pounds lighter than the first generation and it provided a healthy starting point. Mass was added where needed to retain a stiff structure but thinned out elsewhere.
33 pounds was shed from the engine alone with the introduction of the aluminum block 1.6-liter CDTi engine; the outgoing 2.0-liter turbo diesel arrived with a heavier cast-iron block.
Also providing help with the efficient powertrain is the six-speed manual gearbox, which uses less energy to power the wheels compared to the nine-speed automatic. It weighs less, too.
Technology was pulled straight from hybrid vehicles to help boost aerodynamics and keep the Cruze as chiseled and as slippery as possible, including a smooth underbody, low-drag brakes and active grille shutters. This all helps to lower the drag coefficient from 0.30, to 0.28, allowing for less energy to push the vehicle through the air.
Despite pressure from management, engineers weren’t entirely sure they would clip the 50 mark until very late in the development cycle of the Cruze diesel. Now, with a 52 MPG rating, GM is more confident than ever it can win over those consumers feeling beaten by Volkswagen’s Dieselgate.
Comments
Kudos for GM for offering a manual with the diesel. Maybe they’ll even scavenge some former VW TDI drivers, many of whom still know the pedal on the left.
It appears that the engineers at Chevrolet is putting the company’s slogan of ‘nobody sweats out the details like GM’ from yesteryear into application in their development of the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze diesel which mileage of 52 mpg matches the Toyota Prius hybrid.
great job!!!!!
This is great work by the Cruze team. My only hope is that they market the car and diesel option appropriately. My buddy has a TDI going back to VW next month. He had no idea there was a Cruze diesel the last few years. The bigger issue was when I performed a 750 mile search for new and used Cruze diesels I got one result and that includes two major metro areas. They made so few of them they’re impossible to find. Would also benefit to offer the engine in th regular LT models.
I own a 2014 cruze with the diesel…… I avg 48 to 60 with a record 75 mpg ….. I can wait for the manual version…
I just bought a 2018 TD Cruze. I’m loving it it’s a fantastic car and I got a good price on it. Routinely seeing mileage in the upper forties with a mix of city and highway driving. I too didn’t know this car exist until I started looking specifically for small diesel cars.