GM Trucks Get Better Fuel Economy

[nsap]

MOAB, Utah -- General Motors' 2005 full-sized pickups and SUVs will gain nearly 1 mpg in fuel economy because of minor aerodynamic and powertrain improvements.

The incremental changes include things such as replacing the seal around the front headlights and reducing alternator use.

"Three-tenths (of a mile per gallon) here, two-tenths there, three-tenths here, and pretty soon it is a combined 0.75, 0.80 (improvement) per gallon for our pickups and our utilities," said Gary White, GM vice president of full-sized trucks. White was interviewed at a GM event here.

An EPA spokesman says an automaker can round off such an improvement to a 1-mpg increase for the highway/city estimate of fuel economy posted on a vehicle's window sticker.

The federal corporate average fuel economy standard for light trucks will increase from 20.7 mpg to 21.0 mpg for the 2005 model year. It rises to 21.6 mpg in 2006 and 22.7 mpg in 2007.

"You will see, pretty much across the board, a mile per gallon improvement on our labels this year," White said. "But we have an option. Say the number comes out 16.6 mpg. We might opt to put 16 (rather than 17) on the label so we don't get the customer's expectations up."

GM could have posted a 2 mpg increase on the sticker for a handful of 2005 trucks, he said. Instead it will post a one-mile improvement.

"Fuel economy is not a reason for the purchase" of an SUV or pickup, White said. But "usually it is at the top of the complaint list" after the truck is bought.

"We have to take it seriously because full-sized trucks as a percentage of GM's fleet is huge," White said.

Through May, full-sized trucks accounted for 35.4 percent, or 671,010, of GM's U.S. vehicle sales.





Full Article Here

[MelvinJ]

Excellent. I love it when they can do small things like this that will be pretty much unnoticable on the sticker price but get you better mileage. And this is even before DOD comes on board.

[nsap]

Yeah, I am glad to see that they will do anything they can to raise the fuel economy on the trucks, even if it is 1 MPG. The Silverado does not get as good of gas milage as one may think.

[MelvinJ]

Originally posted by nsap@Jun 28 2004, 12:50 PM
Yeah, I am glad to see that they will do anything they can to raise the fuel economy on the trucks, even if it is 1 MPG. The Silverado does not get as good of gas milage as one may think.

In many tests I've seen, it beats all other full-size pickups though, including the smaller engined Tundra.

[nsap]

Originally posted by MelvinJ+Jun 28 2004, 06:56 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (MelvinJ @ Jun 28 2004, 06:56 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-nsap@Jun 28 2004, 12:50 PM
Yeah, I am glad to see that they will do anything they can to raise the fuel economy on the trucks, even if it is 1 MPG.&nbsp; The Silverado does not get as good of gas milage as one may think.

In many tests I've seen, it beats all other full-size pickups though, including the smaller engined Tundra. [/b][/quote]
A relative has a 2004 Silverado with the 5300 and it doesn't get very good gas milage. The sticker says that is gets 15 in the city, and 18 on highway.. He said he gets about 15 with them combined.

[MelvinJ]

Originally posted by nsap+Jun 28 2004, 01:00 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (nsap @ Jun 28 2004, 01:00 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

In many tests I've seen, it beats all other full-size pickups though, including the smaller engined Tundra.

A relative has a 2004 Silverado with the 5300 and it doesn't get very good gas milage. The sticker says that is gets 15 in the city, and 18 on highway.. He said he gets about 15 with them combined. [/b][/quote]
I think my Suburban (2000) was stickered at 13/16, and I get 13/14 city and 16/17 on the highway. I think that's pretty acceptable for such a large, capable vehicle.

A friend of mine had a 2000 Sierra with the 5.3 and a 4.10 axle. He got 15 around town and on the highway, which makes sense I guess. Around town, the lighter weight of his pickup would get better mileage than me, but the extra RPMs on the highway (I have 3.73s) took it away.

My brother-in-law just got a 2004 Sierra 2WD with an extended cab and the 4.8 V8. With less than 1000 miles on the odometer, he's gotten close to 20 mpg.

My very first vehicle when I was 16, a 1973 Blazer, got around 8 mpg when I first got it! After a tuneup, and moderating my driving habits a bit, mileage soared to 10-11 mpg.

[ponchoman49]

This 1 mpg increase may not be much but is surely enough to put Chevy at the head of the pack. 16/19 for a Silverado 4wheel drive sounds better than 15/18! This is one area where GM is ahead of some it's competitors. My buds 02 Impala 3400 gets way better mileage that I got with a rental Taurus or Intrepid. In a years' time that could translate to $500.00 or more in gas savings. Hope GM continues this on there other vehicles too as it has a bearing on purchase.

[thehemi]

They are allowed to round 0.80 to 1 for the sticker.
So the EPA numbers on stickers are rounded up?
(Because I really doubt anyone would round down.)

[therock]

What about the L33 Aluminum 5.3 310 HP motor. Any details out on that yet?

[mbaluch8]

I have a 2000 silverado extended cab 2 wheel drive 4.8 v8 and I get 20 - 21 mpg in mixed driving - and I like jumping on the gas every now and then. The only thing I did to my truck was put a K&N air cleaner and dual exhaust. Not bad compared to what everyone else seems to be getting.

[sam4irene]

Originally posted by mbaluch8@Jun 28 2004, 08:34 PM
I have a 2000 silverado extended cab 2 wheel drive 4.8 v8 and I get 20 - 21 mpg in mixed driving - and I like jumping on the gas every now and then. The only thing I did to my truck was put a K&N air cleaner and dual exhaust. Not bad compared to what everyone else seems to be getting.

I have an 03 Silverado 2 wheel drive too and I get better gas milage than any other pick up out there. I know cause my father and father-in-law both have dodges and fords, newer models, a friend has the nissan titan, and brother-in-law has the tundra. All I hear them do is complain about how bad their gas milage is. No doubt, GM is doing great in this catagory. :P

[bruins21]

I have a 2002 Silverado 4X4 with the 4.8 and 3.73 gears in it. I usually get 15 in town and 18 or 19 on the Highway. I have not helped my MPG in anyway when I installed a set of 285/75 R 16 All-Terrain tires on it. And to make it that nuch better my foot is really really heavy!! I get way better MPG than ford or dodge. :pain:

[2002camaroz28]

I think fuel mileadge is a big part of buying a truck to. Trucks do tend to be gas guzzlers, but when buying a truck, you want to save as much money as you can in the long run, especially since gas prices are so high right now.

[Chevyfreek]

So many factors affect gas mileage in real world driving conditions and it is good to see that GM is making an effort to improve the fuel economy of their truck and suv's. Displacement on demand is supposed to help out as well. The simple fact still remains that these trucks and suv's will be gas hogs compared to driving 4 cylinder economy cars any day. I get decent gas mileage out of my 6.0L 2500HD 4x4 all things considered. I average 13.5 mpg or so. It see over 16mpg on long road trips even doing 70mph. Not to bad for a gas V8 in a truck the weighs almost 3 tons unloaded...

[montecarlolsus]

Gm seems to most of the time be able to squeeze just a bit more milaege out of their vehicles than the competition. The Japanese may be able to make fuel efficient cars but they arent any better than we are at fuel efficient trucks and SUV's.