Gm to Build Diesel for Light-duty Pickup Trucks
The General Motors Corp. said that it will spend $100 million at its Tonawanda, N.Y., plant to build a new diesel engine for its light-duty pickup trucks. The move is anchored on the burgeoning need for diesel-powered pickup trucks in the auto industry.
Generally, diesel engines are more fuel efficient than its gasoline counterparts. They also generate more torque. This is why diesel engines are widely used in the heavy-duty pickups. While diesel engines usually cost more than gasoline engines and need treatment for emissions and particulates, they perform better with heavy tasks like towing and hauling. Adding diesel as an option in more pickup models could augment automakers lineup to meet more stringent fuel-efficiency mandates at the same time satisfying the increasing demands of true truckers.
GM said that it will offer a new 4.5-liter V8 diesel engine in its North American light-duty pickup trucks, such as the Chevrolet Silverado and the GMC Sierra.
The Silverado was the second-best selling vehicle in the United States. When combined with platform-mate GMC Sierra, they outsell Ford’s bread-and-butter vehicles – the F-Series. The Hummer H2 SUVs, on the other hand, is the second product line sold under the Hummer division of GM. Other automakers are also following the trails of the largest American auto manufacturer. The Ford Motor Co. and the Nissan are also working on diesel engines for light-duty pickups.
Dodge does not seem to be a solid hit like Ford and GM, but the growth in the company’s truck sales is also at the high end. “Four-door models are the fastest-growing and highest-volume part of the light-duty pickup segment and account for about 45 percent of all light-duty pickup purchases.
Ford, Chevrolet, GMC and Dodge all offer larger heavy-duty trucks that, while they sell in smaller volumes, do more and cost more. And these pickups have established a cult following.
