2020 1500 eTorque with terrible MPG

[TestPilot57]

Not getting checks from anyone and I know how to use a calculator. My dash is usually about 1 mpg optimistic. Thanks for assuming I have no idea what I'm talking about though. I honestly don't care if you believe me or not. Was just adding my experience since it was significantly different than the OP.

I think it goes without saying that I don't drive like I'm 20 minutes late everywhere I go. I don't take off from stoplights like a bat out of hell or do 75-80 mph on the highway, but I don't drive like a grandpa either. That's why I prefaced my highway mpg with the fact that I'm going around 65. If I bump it to 70 it drops to 21-22 mpg and is exponentially worse the faster I go.

Just because your mileage is crap doesn't mean everyone else's is.

My mileage is realistic for a 400 HP V8 powering a 5500# brick. Note: I didn't say what my mileage was...

Maybe you got one of the "experimental carburetors" that the oil companies missed removing after their agreement with the Big Three to go back to the status quo.

 

[Dennis2]

I have read the tire size on trucks makes a big difference in ride and mileage. When looking for a Ram I found most had 20/22 inch tires. These certainly would effect fuel mileage I assume. I chose a 2019 Ram, Bighorn, 5.7 etorque, Crew Cab, 4x4, 18 inch tires, 3.92 rear axle. The 3.92 was chosen for towing. I have jusT over 2000 miles on the truck now. Purchased first week of June so a bit of driving.

I’m averaging 15.5 mpg city and 17.7 mpg on highway. Not sure how the mpg resets or what information is used to figure out the mpg. In this is mpg is towing of about 600 miles, 300 miles back and forth to campground. Pretty flat on the South Carolina coast so going to the site tow mode was on and I got about 9.9 mpg. On the way back tow mode off 10.4 mpg. So pretty much a wash.

None of the driving was over 70 mph. Most was 45/55 mph. Not great mpg but not bad. I was hoping for better with the towing though. These trucks should come standard with the 33 gallon tank mine came with a 26 gallon tank.

I love this truck most comfortable quiet one I’ve ever ridden in so far.

 

[JF19Longhorn]

Just drove from South Jersey to Greensboro, NC, drove around down there, and then the trip back. 99.9% Hwy in the 55 - 70 mph speed limit range (62mph - 79mph cruise setting) I sat in the right lane with the auto cruise on for most of the trip. (89 Oct / filled up the night before we left)

- tank #1 - 17.13 mpg (hand calc) zero traffic, 3/4 of the drive from south Jersey to NC on this tank, 3 adults, 1 baby, and a bed full of mostly babystuff for a 4 day stay.

- tank #2 - 15.97 mpg (hand calc) zero traffic, last 1/4 of the drive to NC she was avg 18.9mpg on the dash.. but drove around the rest of the tank going to dinners, wedding, etc and idled ALOT keeping the baby / wife cool while we were waiting for people to arrive / get ready to leave / etc. Same 3 adults, one baby, but next to nothing in the bed.

- tank #3 - 17.45 mpg (hand calc & best tank I've had so far) this entire tank was driving through NC to about Richmond, VA when we stopped for lunch / diaper change . Speed limits was mostly 60 - 70mph (67mph - 77mph cruise setting), zero traffic.

- tank #4 - 18.7 mpg (lie-O-meter) *have not filled up yet, but this tank is surprising the **** out of me. We hit a **** ton of traffic, literally right after filling up and getting back on the road. It took us 6+ hours to get from just north of Richmond, VA to South Jersey.. should have taken us 3 1/2 - 4hrs.. traffic was BAD! I let the auto cruise do it's thing for most of the drive... and with the Etrq / MDS / A-S-S constantly engaging and disengaging with all the acceleration > slow down > acceleration > slow down > stop, etc the mileage actually went up.. it'll be interesting to see what the hand calc comes out to when I fill up later this week.

Tank #4 ended up being 18.1mpg (hand calc)

 

[TestPilot57]

I have read the tire size on trucks makes a big difference in ride and mileage.

Overall Diameter (OD) can make a difference in both actual as well as calculated mileage.

Actual mileage is most apt to go down, but calculated mileage is apt to go up if you don't re-calibrate the odometer (or otherwise account for it).

Ride is a combination of the amount of tire between the rim and the road (more is more comfort, so an 18" wheel with a tire of the same OD on a 22" wheel will provide more cushion), but tire style, design and construction will also have an effect. You can have two tires of the exact same size on the same wheel and one can be significantly more or less comfortable than the other.

Manufacturers try to find tires that match their vehicle agains the expected buyer's expectation. So don't be surprised that most 1/2 ton pickups come with wimpy passenger car rated tires; it's because 90% of pickup trucks sold in the USA are used as passenger vehicles. Passenger vehicles today require A) comfort and B) Fuel Mileage.

 

[Ram 1970]

My mileage is realistic for a 400 HP V8 powering a 5500# brick. Note: I didn't say what my mileage was...

Maybe you got one of the "experimental carburetors" that the oil companies missed removing after their agreement with the Big Three to go back to the status quo.

I got one of those "experimental carburetors" also.

 

[NDanecker]

I got one of those "experimental carburetors" also.

View attachment 213812

That is NOT a true average. Its a snapshot in time where you set the cruise on 55 and reset the lie-o-meter.

Funny....I did the same thing with my 14 Ram 3500 DRW diesel with 4.10 and AISIN trans to prove a point with another forum member and I got 23.8 mpg. No one believed me, but was able to do it over a 100+ mile trip. Problem is....my TRUE average over multiple tanks was 13.X using Fuelly. Why the difference? There is a difference between AVERAGE and PEAK MILEAGE. Guessing your 27.1 is peak under very specific conditions, like setting the cruise on 55.

So if I were to take a trip and need to budget fuel costs or truck shopping I'd use the 13.7 instead of 23.8. Similarly, I wouldn't use your 27.1 as a good 'average' number.

 

[Ram 1970]

That is NOT a true average. Its a snapshot in time where you set the cruise on 55 and reset the lie-o-meter.

Funny....I did the same thing with my 14 Ram 3500 DRW diesel with 4.10 and AISIN trans to prove a point with another forum member and I got 23.8 mpg. No one believed me, but was able to do it over a 100+ mile trip. Problem is....my TRUE average over multiple tanks was 13.X using Fuelly. Why the difference? There is a difference between AVERAGE and PEAK MILEAGE. Guessing your 27.1 is peak under very specific conditions, like setting the cruise on 55.

So if I were to take a trip and need to budget fuel costs or truck shopping I'd use the 13.7 instead of 23.8. Similarly, I wouldn't use your 27.1 as a good 'average' number.

Of COURSE I reset the lie-o-meter. omg........that was a light-hearted joke.....

My true mileage averages right around 20 even.

If my previous 4-banger Santa Fe couldn't do 27.....I'm sure as hell certain that a v8 with twice the cubic inches isn't gonna do it. lol

 

[Ram 1970]

Nevertheless, I have completed a 2300-mile trip across the Southeastern US with my RAM. I used either 87 or 89 octane during that time. And the results are anti-climatic:

5 fill-ups, rock-solid 21.4 mpg throughout the entire run.

States include: Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas.

Cities include: Montgomery, Birmingham, Memphis and Wichita.

Terrain from Kansas flatlands to Arkansas hills.

The truck kept the fuel mileage very consistent.

 

[JF19Longhorn]

Nevertheless, I have completed a 2300-mile trip across the Southeastern US with my RAM. I used either 87 or 89 octane during that time. And the results are anti-climatic:

5 fill-ups, rock-solid 21.4 mpg throughout the entire run.

States include: Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas.

Cities include: Montgomery, Birmingham, Memphis and Wichita.

Terrain from Kansas flatlands to Arkansas hills.

The truck kept the fuel mileage very consistent.

Hope mine gets there one day.

How many miles do you have on your truck?

 

[Ram 1970]

How many miles do you have on your truck?

It now stands at 9300 miles.

The lie-o-meter would irritate me along the way: It would eventually creep up into the mid 23's during part of the trip.....but reality would sink in when I would re-fill the tank and take out the calculator. At least it's a decent fuel mileage.

 

[NDanecker]

It now stands at 9300 miles.

The lie-o-meter would irritate me along the way: It would eventually creep up into the mid 23's during part of the trip.....but reality would sink in when I would re-fill the tank and take out the calculator. At least it's a decent fuel mileage.

That is the issue with those lie-o-meter in-dash MPG gauges. They work when comparing driving style but will never work for a true trip average (come close but nothing like a hand-calc between 1 or more fill-ups). Lots of people use the gauge number and brag I get 23 mpg, but when you start averaging your mileage its more like mid teens. Everyone's definition of mileage is different which makes it even worse. Is it a true multiple tank average, 1 tank average, or peak during a 50 mile stretch of road? All variables which start these mileage flame wars, but are fun to read. LOL

 

[ramffml]

That is the issue with those lie-o-meter in-dash MPG gauges. They work when comparing driving style but will never work for a true trip average (come close but nothing like a hand-calc between 1 or more fill-ups). Lots of people use the gauge number and brag I get 23 mpg, but when you start averaging your mileage its more like mid teens. Everyone's definition of mileage is different which makes it even worse. Is it a true multiple tank average, 1 tank average, or peak during a 50 mile stretch of road? All variables which start these mileage flame wars, but are fun to read. LOL

The problem is you're misunderstanding of what statistic is being referenced.

When people say they get 24+ mpg on the highway, it's not (necessarily) a lie. I've done it, sustained, over several hours myself. All highway, no resetting down hills or cherry picking when to reset the meter. This is precisely what highway MPG is defined as. Your MPG on all highway. So saying "I get 23 mpg on the highway" is definitely possible, I've done it myself, and no I don't claim that's what I get on a daily/yearly basis. It's strictly highway.

You're ******** about average MPG. Nobody is claiming they get 24 MPG, on average, or "combined". At least I've never seen that claim. Fuelly stats cannot be used to disprove highway MPG claims, because Fuelly measures avg/combined rating of the owner, never does it ever say anything about highway mpg because how many people purely, 100%, only drive on the highway?

Your other missunderstanding is that the meter is measuring what you've done in the past, not what you're getting now. You could be getting 14 city for days on end, do a 1 hour highway trip and get 21 mpg, but the meter will still say 16, or 17, not 21. But you're actually getting 21 for the entire length of time you're on the highway. Meter will never show that. You need to drive for hundreds of miles before the meter finally catches up, and who actually does that that often?

So that's why people reset the meter before doing a highway run, to get rid of the rolling average history that is being weighed down by lots of city driving. The meter is "last couple hundred miles" mpg, not "highway mpg" unless you've been on the highway for the last couple hundred miles.

 

[ramffml]

How much do you get paid from FCA?

Maybe on some forums you can get away with it, but on here - there is no one that is eating that "stuff".

Then again, what are you driving - a Prius?

Seriously. According to your profile you have a 5.7 ET. THERE IS NO WAY you are getting the mileage you are claiming. I call a greatly mis-calibrated computer, lack of understanding of how to hand-calculate or a hoax.

It's the funniest thing. All these guys running 3.92's claiming that guys running 3.21 can't get 25 mpg on the highway. As I just posted above, it's not only possible, it's easy enough to do if you drive carefully. I've also done it multiple times.

Sad that people like you feel the need to dump on people for posting a fact just because you are not able to do it yourself with your specific truck.

 

[NorthStar1]

Another potential drag on mileage is tire air pressure. The OP indicated it was a brand new 2020...we have dealers here in Houston who are notorious for reducing the pressure on their new tires to 35 in order to ensure the absolute best ride for the test drive. I was actually told this by four different salesmen at three different dealers. Lower air pressure will increase rolling resistance and kill mileage. Have you checked your pressures on the EVIC or used a tire gauge since purchasing the truck?

 

[NDanecker]

The problem is you're misunderstanding of what statistic is being referenced.

When people say they get 24+ mpg on the highway, it's not (necessarily) a lie. I've done it, sustained, over several hours myself. All highway, no resetting down hills or cherry picking when to reset the meter. This is precisely what highway MPG is defined as. Your MPG on all highway. So saying "I get 23 mpg on the highway" is definitely possible, I've done it myself, and no I don't claim that's what I get on a daily/yearly basis. It's strictly highway.

You're ******** about average MPG. Nobody is claiming they get 24 MPG, on average, or "combined". At least I've never seen that claim. Fuelly stats cannot be used to disprove highway MPG claims, because Fuelly measures avg/combined rating of the owner, never does it ever say anything about highway mpg because how many people purely, 100%, only drive on the highway?

Your other missunderstanding is that the meter is measuring what you've done in the past, not what you're getting now. You could be getting 14 city for days on end, do a 1 hour highway trip and get 21 mpg, but the meter will still say 16, or 17, not 21. But you're actually getting 21 for the entire length of time you're on the highway. Meter will never show that. You need to drive for hundreds of miles before the meter finally catches up, and who actually does that that often?

So that's why people reset the meter before doing a highway run, to get rid of the rolling average history that is being weighed down by lots of city driving. The meter is "last couple hundred miles" mpg, not "highway mpg" unless you've been on the highway for the last couple hundred miles.

I agree with what you stated above. However, I do not misunderstand.

I believe many other people misunderstand how the meter works though. Resetting the meter will reset the mileage covered in the calculations, and yes you can get some peak mileage on the highway which is not average (or combined) but can be stated as 'highway average', or whatever you'd like to call it. Issue is people take this value and compare it to their meter average which may not be just highway, and may include local travel which significantly decreases the average, or combined, or whatever they call it.

Think the disconnect here is everyone's definition or understanding of tank average (meter or hand calc), highway average, peak, combined, etc.

 

[ramffml]

Think the disconnect here is everyone's definition or understanding of tank average (meter or hand calc), highway average, peak, combined, etc.

Yes that is exactly the problem. People are using city/average stats and saying it's not possible for a given highway stat to be achieved. I've just seen several guys dump on a poster for claiming he got 25 mpg (or whatever it was) on the highway. This is my issue, because it's definitely possible. The problem is the guys dumping on him are using their own "average/combined" ratings and fuelly stats, and saying "well there is no way you can get from 15 to 25". But that's because the 15 is "combined/average" and the 25 is "100% highway only". Let's make sure we all use the same definitions.

Think we all agree that the second you start driving in the city again, the 25 is going to drop like a rock. But, he still got 25 on the highway. It's not even hard to do with the right truck (lightweight, 3.21, 63 - 65 mph, keep your foot steady and off the brakes). In my case, the highway isn't even all that particularly flat either, many times it's downshifting to 7th and once or twice to 6th to climb smaller hills.

 

[Elkman]

I drive about 50 miles a day split almost evenly between city (some stop & go, mostly 35-50) & highway (some 65, mostly 75 to 82 mph w/ adaptive cruise). Through my first three tanks, I’m averaging 15.5-16.5...very close to my 2015 Suburban and had hoped to improve that 1-2 mpg based on the sticker, so I’m slightly disappointed.

The reason for my buying a Ram 1500 is to get the 33 gallon fuel tank. With Chevy it would be a 24 gallon fuel tank and with Ford there is the option of getting a 36 gallon gas tank. I only wish that the 33 gallon tank option did not add $2240 to the MSRP for the Ram trucks.

 

[jasonw]

I only wish that the 33 gallon tank option did not add $2240 to the MSRP for the Ram trucks.

Sorry if this is a dumb question or I missed it earlier in the thread... how does it cost you $2240?
If I add it on the RAM website to various trims, it adds $445, and doesn't seem to trigger any "you must also add this and that and the kitchen sink" pop-ups. What am I missing?

 

[David Roark]

I have 2020 e torque and traded in Silverado because of the direct injection . Milage on it went down from average of 22 to around 14 at a little less than 60,000 miles due to direct injection. I traded for the e torque because of the EPA estimates. I am now 70. Not heavy on the pedal any more. I have almost 3500 miles on it, 3.21 ratio, and 33 gas tank. I am averaging only about 11.7 And my driving is about 85 city /15 highway. I brought a $70,000 dollar truck for this crap. It is ridiculous to be getting this little MPG. No where near 17/22 EPA estimate. And dealership manager is a laugh.

 

[Tach_tech]

I have 2020 e torque and traded in Silverado because of the direct injection . Milage on it went down from average of 22 to around 14 at a little less than 60,000 miles due to direct injection. I traded for the e torque because of the EPA estimates. I am now 70. Not heavy on the pedal any more. I have almost 3500 miles on it, 3.21 ratio, and 33 gas tank. I am averaging only about 11.7 And my driving is about 85 city /15 highway. I brought a $70,000 dollar truck for this crap. It is ridiculous to be getting this little MPG. No where near 17/22 EPA estimate. And dealership manager is a laugh.

EPA estimate is your answer right there. Very rarely are people actually able to achieve what it says on the sticker. There’s a lot of factors that go into fuel mileage and the biggest hits are driving style.

There’s also the criteria they use for developing their estimates, it’s perfect conditions pretty much. If you want real world estimates look at things like fuelly to see what people are actually getting.