New Diesel Silverado to Get 33 mpg on Highway
The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with the new 3.0-liter Duramax turbo-diesel engine is set to deliver an EPA-estimated 33 mpg highway and 23 mpg city in rear-wheel-drive models. EPA-estimated fuel economy for four-wheel drive models is 29 mpg highway/23 city.
The Duramax diesel will feature an SAE-certified 277 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque; with the four-wheel drive also capable of towing up to 9,300 pounds and a max payload of 1,870 pounds.
“We designed the all-new Silverado and the all-new 3.0L Duramax turbo-diesel to deliver both performance and efficiency,” said Tim Herrick, Silverado executive chief engineer. “The engine utilizes state-of-the-art technologies to optimize every drop of fuel, and takes advantage of architectural changes to make Silverado larger, lighter and more aerodynamic than before. The resulting combination offers all of the performance, refinement and capability customers want in a full-size truck, with highway fuel efficiency you would expect from a family sedan.”
This is the first diesel offered in Chevrolet’s light-duty trucks since 1997, and the brand’s first-ever inline-six configuration for full-size, light duty trucks.
Highly durable materials make up key components, including iron cylinder liners within the aluminum engine block, a forged steel crankshaft and connecting rods as well as blended silicon/aluminum pistons for greater heat resistance and reduced expansion, according to Chevy.
The inline-six engine provides an inherently balanced configuration for low noise and vibration characteristics. It features an aluminum block for weight reduction, an 84mm-by-90mm bore and stroke, dual-overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder.
A new active thermal management system warms up propulsion components more quickly for more efficient operation.
The exhaust brake, which is available in tow-haul mode, can provide additional driver confidence when towing, especially when going downhill, according to Chevy.
The driver-selectable stop/start technology enhances fuel economy by shutting off the engine at stoplights and certain other stop-and-go situations, helping save fuel. The engine automatically restarts when the driver takes his or her foot off the brake.
The 3.0-liter Duramax is exclusively paired with a Hydra-Matic 10L80 10-speed automatic transmission, featuring smaller gear steps and an overall larger ratio spread to enable peak efficiency. Intelligent controls adjust to the driver’s needs for smooth operation and aggressive response.
The Duramax 3.0-liter turbo-diesel- available on the LT, RST, LTZ and High Country trims-marks Chevy’s fourth diesel truck in the available lineup, joining the Colorado, Silverado HD and Silverado Medium Duty.
The first customer deliveries of the 2020 Silverado 1500 with the available 3.0L Duramax turbo-diesel are expected to begin in the fall.
