Mild hybrid offers many advantages
New system not only saves fuel but smooths out this big pickup’s performance
Justify, the most recent winner of the fabled Triple Crown of Thoroughbred racing, now lives at WinStar Farm, where I got to visit him. He’s all muscle and polished chestnut coat, and when he raced, what got him to the finish line first was a long, smooth stride.
Smooth is also the idea behind the all-new 2019 Ram 1500 pickup and its equally new eTorque system, which adds a motor-generator to the engine and slides a small 48-volt battery behind the rear seats. Rather than a conventional hybrid, it’s there to even out the performance of engine and transmission.
When equipped with eTorque, the new Ram includes a start-stop system, which is becoming increasingly common on vehicles. At a stop, the engine shuts off to reduce emissions and conserve fuel. The eTorque system works with that to improve the way it all feels.
The major difference between the old and new Ram is in its construction, starting with a weight reduction of 102 kilograms, thanks to more high-strength steel in its frame and body, and new aluminum tailgate along with the carried-over aluminum hood. The wheelbase on Crew Cab models stretches an extra 102 millimetres, with virtually all of that added as extra legroom for rear-seat passengers, and in place of the chintzy foldout cargo surface on the previous model, Ram now follows Ford in providing a flat rear floor.
The truck is now more aerodynamic, and includes an active air dam that lowers at specific speeds for better airflow. The weight loss improves capability, with maximum towing rising to 12,750 pounds, while the top payload is now 2,300 lbs. The rear suspension is still coil springs, and the optional four-corner air suspension returns. Only Quad and Crew Cab styles are currently available, and there’s no date yet on when the Regular Cab will be added.
The two gasoline engines are carried over, which is a good thing because both the 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 and the 5.7-L Hemi V8 have always been great performers. The 3.0-L EcoDiesel is expected to return next year.
The eTorque system is standard on all V6 models, giving the Ram lineup a base starting price of $42,595. It’s a $500 option on the V8 and only at the highest trim levels of Laramie Longhorn (which starts at $66,295) and Limited ($70,695).
The previous-generation Ram half-ton will carry through unchanged into 2019 as the Ram 1500 Classic, with V6 or V8, and neither uses the eTorque system.
The system makes 90 pound-feet of torque on the V6 engine, and 130 lb-ft on the V8 engine, but it’s not used to boost the engine’s power as on a conventional hybrid.
There’s always a momentary lag when you press the accelerator from a stop as the gasoline engine revs up, and that’s where eTorque comes in.
As you take your foot off the brake, the motor-generator provides supplementary torque to get the truck moving more smoothly from a stop.
It also evens out the transition as the transmission shifts from one gear to the next.
The battery recharges through regenerative braking and provides the power when the engine shuts off at idle; under the right conditions, it can run the climate system, stereo, lights and other functions for up to ten minutes. When the engine starts up again, it’s done with the electric motor-generator, rather than a conventional starter. The truck still has a conventional 12-volt lead-acid battery for the first time you start the engine, and if you apply enough braking pressure — in an emergency stop, or when towing something heavy — the regenerative system defers to conventional braking.
The 5.7-L V8 continues with its Multi-Displacement System (MDS), which shuts off half the cylinders under light load, such as when highway cruising, to save fuel.
Ram is still waiting for the official figures but estimates that the eTorque system could make a 10 per cent improvement in fuel economy, which would be an amazing improvement.
Of course, the proof is in the driving.
On the road the Ram passes a critical test. New technologies are most likely to be accepted by consumers if the vehicle performs as they’re used to, and if I hadn’t been told my tester had eTorque, I wouldn’t have known, and just thought the engineers made everything a little smoother.
The start-stop system isn’t jarring, as some can be, and the eight-speed transmission shifts seamlessly, especially on downshifts.
The Ram doesn’t feel as big as it is, which could be a result of its weight loss.
On the curving roads through Kentucky’s horse country, it hugged the corners better than you’d expect from a full-size truck, and on the highway it felt more like a luxury sedan.
All pickup trucks drive well these days, but the Ram’s new eTorque system adds an extra level of well-done driveability. The engineers call it the “next generation of start-stop.” I think it’s the thoroughbred of this fuel-saving technology and wouldn’t be surprised if this type of mild hybrid eventually ends up becoming an industry standard.