During the presentation of the 2018 Ford F-150 at the Detroit Auto Show last year, the automaker announced the upcoming availability of a diesel engine. Exactly one year later, Ford is finally revealing some information regarding this new powertrain, which should hit the market this spring.
It’s a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6, member of the Power Stroke family, that develops 250 horsepower as well as 440 pound-feet of torque from 1 750 rpm. It will be managed by the 10-speed automatic transmission that’s already offered with other F-150 powertrains, and will include automatic start/stop.
According to the brand, a mechanical cooling fan and two radiator shutters will help make sure the engine performs well as both high temperatures and high altitude. With the turbo-diesel V6, the 2018 Ford F-150 should be able to pull up to 11,400 pounds (5171 kilograms) and boast a maximum payload capacity of 2020 lbs. (916 kg). Fuel economy figures haven’t yet been officialised, but in the United States, the company is expecting to net 30 US MPG on the highway according to the EPA’s test procedures, or roughly 7.8 L/100 km.
In comparison, le 2018 Ram 1500 equipped with the 3.0-litre EcoDiesel engine allows for a towing capacity of up to 9210 lbs. (4178 kg) and a max payload capacity of 1600 lbs. (726 kg). As for its city/highway fuel economy, it’s rated at 11.8/8.6 L/100 km (4x2 versions).
Buyers of the 2018 Ford F-150 will be able to order the turbo-diesel engine starting in mid-January, although pricing has not been announced yet. It will be available in Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum versions, SuperCab or SuperCrew, 4x2 or 4x4 for retail customers, and in all trim levels for fleet customers.
