2019 Silverado 1500: Why The Fuel Economy Is Bound To Improve
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We’ve previously expressed in detail why the 2019 Silverado 1500 has so far refrained from moving the needle in the fuel economy department, even though there’s been no shortage of effort to make the new Chevy truck more fuel efficient. Despite losing 400 lbs, gaining the latest engine technology such as dynamic fuel management, improving aerodynamics, and adding a couple gears inside the transmission housing – EPA fuel economy moved by 1 mpg. While it’s true that fuel economy means little to the legions of light duty truck buyers, it does – or rather, it did – matter a lot to GM’s CAFE regulations formula.
However, we don’t see a long-term plan set in place just because the short-term outlook may be affected. GM has gone on record that it will hold fast on delivering 20 new electric vehicles by 2023, but whether the public bites or not will be a different story. This also means that trucks like the 2019 Silverado 1500 will continue to see fuel economy gains, also beyond whether consumers care or not.
For instance, the two most fuel efficient engines have yet to launch in the 2019 Silverado 1500. These are the 2.7L turbo four-cylinder engine, and the 3.0L LM2 inline-six diesel engine. While the diesel horsepower and torque specs have yet to be announced, the 2.7L L3B turbo gas engine will offer a potent 310 horsepower and 348 lb-ft of torque, while achieving a 0-60 sprint in under seven seconds. The L3B will mix into 2019 Silverado 1500 production starting November. Fuel economy hasn’t been announced yet, but we expect it to surpass what’s been observed so far.
The LM2 diesel engine is expected to launch early 2019, and it would need to come with at least 250 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque to match Ford’s new 3.0L PowerStroke in the 2019 F-150. The 3.0L LM2 diesel is also expected to be the most fuel efficient and capable engine offered in the entire 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 lineup.
Pricing has yet to be announced for either powertrain upgrade.
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Everyone else (ie Ford and Dodge) has a fuel efficient diesel and fuel efficient entry engine. What GM doesn’t have is a mid trim V8 to keep up (5.3 vs 5.0 & 5.7) and a top trim V8 (6.2 vs 3.5/3.5HO & 5.7eTorque)
There is still no excuse for the DFM V8s to not do better. Better power and torque, and better MPG.
At least we have a $5000 tailgate to replace if damaged
The EPA needs to update it’s methods. Motortrend just tested the 4×4 high country and averaged 24.3 mpg highway, and they tend to drive everything like it’s a porsche! The truck was epa rated for 20mpg highway. The 5.3 is likely to get 26mpg highway in 2×4, which matches the 2.7 ecoboost and the ecoboost never actually achieve their epa figures!
I guess that there is a possibility that many GM fanatics are correct that their real world mpg results outperform the estimates as compared to domestic competition even though Fuelly data do not bear this theory out. What is more likely is that the new body style is severely dragging down mpg for what could have been significant gains with all their new power train work employed in the new design; either just the estimate or both real world and the estimate.
The first bit of evidence hinting towards a theory that the new truck pushes air far worse than the previous design is the estimates in the lower trim levels where the carryover 5.3L and 4.3Ls are planted. Those carryover power trains achieve 3 and 2 worse mpg in the new truck as compared to the old truck, 4.3, 5.3, respectively for the combined estimate.
But starting with the LT trim and up, GM uses a next generation 5.3L that uses DFM technology, an all new 2.7L turbo, an upcoming 3.0L I6 diesel, and in the top trims, a 6.2L with DFM. Comparing the more advanced 5.3L to the older tech engine, it beats the previous tech engine by 3 in the new design and by 1 compared to the old tech in the previous truck. These facts strongly suggest that the reworked, more advanced power train is far more efficient then before but is severely limited by the new body. With respect to the all new 2.7L I4 turbo, since it was not placed in the previous truck body or any other vehicle, we can’t know how efficient that it could be, but we do know that it’s combined rating is 4 better than the 4.3L in the lower trims even though the lower trims start at a lower curb weight not counting engine weight savings of the new turbo. We can also see that even though the new turbo gets a highway rating 3 lower than F150 2.7L turbo V6 and 2 lower than Ram and F150 base engines, the city estimate for the brand new engine is tied for the top score with three competitors.
As for the real world superiority claim for GM half tons, the best real world, controlled test out there for empty bed highway estimates is TFL’s loop test using the same nozzle, 2 click method, and 70 mph test. They have completed two tests with new body styled GM trucks. A Trailboss and a 4WD Double Cab with the 2.7L. The Trailboss with a 5.3L mated to an 8 speed and including DFM tech basically matched it’s estimate, but the new turbo-powered Silverado beat it’s sticker score by a full 2 points. So even though this assertion about GM half tons always outperforming their estimate did not bear out in the old design, it may wind up being true in the new design; at least with respect to some power trains in some configurations.