Interesting Gas Mileage. 2023 Ram with 3.6 Pentastar

[liedoctor]

I have owned my 2023 Ram 1500 Crew Cab 4X4 since august 2023, and since that time have driven about 7000 miles. I have the 3.6 Pentastar with eTorque, and have made some interesting observations regarding gas mileage. For example, I am getting better mileage around town then on the highway, way better. Here are my numbers so far:

1. On the highway, averaging 78 MPH and driving somewhat "aggressively" (passing a lot of slower moving vehicles) I am getting about 18MPG.
2. Driving "conservatively" at 78 MPH (level road, not in any hurry, not doing a lot of passing), I can get 21MPG to 22MPG.
3. Here's the "kicker". If I'm in town all day, takin it easy, averaging around 45MPH, stopping at the usual traffic lights, etc., I average 24MPG and have gotten as much as 25.5MPG!

I see two possible reasons for this:

First, I'm using the MPG indicator in the instrument cluster and I'm aware these are considered not particularly accurate.
Secondly, I may be deriving some benefit from the eTorque system, which I understand applies some amount of torque via the electric motor, to the wheels during take-off (like from a traffic light).

I may be off on my opinions as to "why" I'm getting the numbers I'm reporting, but these are definately the numbers I'm seeing...

 

[DanAR]

I can vouch for the computer mileage calculator being off significantly - at least on my 2023. That’s a pretty impressive boost in mileage around town. It’s possible the e-torque is giving the 3.6 a significant break around town by booting the truck off of a stop and getting it rolling before it phases out and the 3.6 picks up the full load. Don’t know.

 

[kirk35]

I think the biggest difference here is that these trucks have the aerodynamics of a cinder block and mileage will suffer drastically at 78 mph.

 

[Atcer2018]

As kirk35 said, 78mph with the aerodynamics of a three ton brick will kill your mpg. Especially a 3.6 with 3:21 gearing. At 78mph your truck is never seeing 8th gear and most likely 7th too. Next time you’re on the highway tap the manual gear selector and see what gear it’s running in at 78mph, most likely 6th. The V6 3:21 trucks get the best mpg at 55mph on flat roads. I agree the etorque is helping you in town mileage and once up to 40-45mph it’s cruising in 7th gear getting the best mpg you’ll see.

 

[Wmjohn]

You are probably wasting your time watching the dashboard indicator. Can easily be off 20% or more

For an accurate mpg reading, why not just fill er up and drive a few hours. Fill er up again.

That way you wont be guessing.

 

[Skyjockey]

I got stuck in rush hour traffic once where I was only going 30-40mph most of the way and my mileage went way up vs no traffic and going 60-70mph, Speed makes a huge difference. And the dash computer is always 1mpg optimistic !

 

[jagman_xjs]

For the mileage you are claiming I am getting better on the highway at 77. Now in the city of course you are kicking my butt on mpg's BUT for the power I have and the enjoyment I get I am STAYING with my hemi.

 

[Nickv]

With my 5.7 Etorque I felt like I was getting better mileage around town if I got up to speed faster...more peddle...more coasting, which surprised me. Going light on peddle was actually worse. Helpful to hear the little display for mpg is not accurate.

 

[clay282]

Few things in play…
1 - Winter is cold, the air is dense. That dense air is harder to punch through even though it’s better for air intake. The extra power can’t overcome the added resistance.
2 - That cold air that’s harder to push through, is more of a strain on the V6 because we lack torque. It needs to spin to get into the horsepower band because the torque band lacks.
3 - I never checked the numbers on the dash to my ACTUAL economy until I went up a size in tires. AlfoOBD recalculated the tire size and when I checked, it was pretty accurate.
4 - Gearing plays a MAJOR role in our V6”s. My 4th Gen with 3.21 highway gears actually got consistently 3-4mpg LESS on the highway than my 3.55 geared 5th Gen. The lower gears seem to actually keep it closer to the power band and it holds that 8th gear more and struggles less.
5 - Tires Tires Tires! If you put on heavy all terrains or mud terrains, kiss fuel economy goodbye. Again, it drags to keep heavy weight and resistant rolling tires in motion at higher speed.
6 - And most importantly… right around 75mph is the tipping point. At that speed, air, pressure and aerodynamics hit a wall and exponentially increase at a rate the truck can’t overcome. Cruise a strip at 65mph and get 22mpg. Run the same strip at 75 and you’re at 19mpg.
7 - The V6 isn’t trying in town. Between the lack of resistance and engine stop start, it’s just more efficient than fighting physics at highway speed. I love both of my V6 engines, they fit my needs. But in highway situations, the HEMI just has torque in surplus and isn’t taxed at higher speeds.

 

[mhkunze]

I drive a 2023 Ram 1500 Classic with the 6 cylinder engine. I drove from Ontario Canada to Ormond Beach Florida and back with my cruise set at 70 mph almost exclusively. My average mpg's for the entire trip was 24.3 mpg. The next trip was to Virginia, again from Ontario. I set my cruise at 75 mph almost exclusively and my round trip average mpg dropped to 21.4 mpg. The sweet spot for my truck is 70 mph. Boosting it up just an additiinal 5 mph hurt my mpg's significantly