From another blog:

Consider what the MPG could be for the 2015 F150:
Add 2 mpg for 700 lbs weight loss
Add 1 mpg for improved aerodynamics
Add 2 mpg for the brand new 2.7 V6 EcoBoost
You could improve from today's 23 mpg to 28 mpg
Add 2 mpg for 10-speed auto in another year
Then you get the magic 30 MPG

Plus all the added features and exclusives and it is going to be tough on competition... For years!!!


"With the launch of the 2015 F-150, Ford introduces the all-new 2.7L EcoBoost engine. Powertrain engineer Jim Stevens takes a look at what makes this engine one of the most efficient and smartest engines on the market."

 

We can only hope the changes make that much of a difference

 

I agree with the +2 for the weight loss. I think the +1 for the aero improvements is a little on the high side, +.5-.75 is more believable. The +2 for the 2.7EB sounds very doable. I don't see much of a gain at all from the 10 speed. The top gear didn't really change from the 4 speed to the 6 speed. At the end of the day it takes a certain amount of energy to push the truck down the highway. If the gearing drops down the engine power has to be upped to compensate, power means fuel burned. I don't see much to be gained in this area.

 

It takes very little HP to keep a vehicle moving at a constant speed (~10% of peak HP for an F150). If you can find a more efficient way to make those HP and get them to the ground, then you can improve MPG greatly.

It has been rumored that the 10 speed tranny is expected to increase MPG by about 10% over the 6 speed. That's ~2.8 MPG (going from 28 mpg). It doesn't just depend on the final gearing, but efficiency improvements all across the board. Add in a lower axle ratio since you can better cover the spread with more gears, and you gain more improvements.

So, if you can more efficiently utilize that 30-40HP needed to keep the truck going at 60 MPH, you can increase MPG greatly.

Now, granted, that is only at highway speeds. A tranny with more gears will enable the truck to stay in the power band more often when accelerating in the city, so you will gain improvements there as well.

I feel this truck will be a real game changer in '15, and even more so when the 10 speed tranny comes along.

 

New Dodge ecodiesel just announced 28 mpg EPA

 

Yep, on more expensive diesel fuel. If diesel were cheaper than gas, like it used to be years ago and still is in many countries, everyone would be offering diesel trucks and cars.

 

Precisely! Here, diesel is 30% more than gas, which means you have to get 30% better fuel economy just to break even on MPG. That doesn't count the upcharge of the diesel engine in the first place.

So, say the EB 3.5 gets 22 (which it is rated at). In order to just break even on fuel costs alone, the Ram diesel would have to get 28.6, which it doesn't. Now, factor in some towing, and the Ram will probably do a smidge better in towing, but I bet it's not more than 30% better than the EB.

So, in essence, you don't save money buying the EcoDiesel over the EB, but you actually lose money when you figure in the up-front cost of the diesel and the ongoing additional maintenance costs.

 

It will be very weight and throttle sensitive:

subtract 2 mpg for 4wd
subtract 1 mpg for quad cab, premium package, etc.
subtract 2 mpg for those that don't drive like a grandma

 

Right now, gas is $2.91 and diesel is $3.69 here.

 

Around here diesel runs $.75-.95 per gallon more than 87 octane. Factor in the hippie juice (urea), higher maintenance costs and several thousand more up front costs the Ram will take forever to so much as break even. On top of that you get some VM Moturi engine that isn't all that great to begin with. It was originally rated at 320 Ft-lb but they turned the wick up for the trucks. Count me out.

 

The truck trend texting was on a fully loaded crew cab fyi

 

And hot rodding the trucks it was around 12mpg. The other trucks were single digits

 

I'm gonna be minus 5 mpg in that category

 

My guess is 29mpg, just to one up dodge. Even if we can never achieve that.

 

Those are unrealistic numbers. 25 tops is all this thing will do real world.