Auto Industry News: HD Trucks, EV Mandates, September Sales & A Possible RAM Dakota?

The truck wars are heating up again – in more ways than one. Last week, Ford and Chevy announced upcoming redesigns for their heavy-duty models, while RAM pulled the covers off a new HD Rebel. The traditional gas-burning pickups are set to receive noticeable bumps to power and capability just as their respective brands roll out ambitious timelines for all-electric lineups, proving that what consumers want and where the market seems determined to go are not quite in lockstep.

Despite the friction, EVs are building impressive political muscle. New York plans to join California in banning new gas-powered vehicle sales by 2035, while the Golden State ups the ante with a proposal to ban all diesel big rig sales by 2040. The Engine Block unpacks what these changes could mean for transport in two of the country’s biggest economies. Plus, a peek at the September new vehicle sales forecast and rumors of a new mid-size RAM hauler.

HD Truck Wars Reignite

With all the talk of electric infrastructure and net-zero carbon goals, it would be easy to forget about Detroit’s infamous ICE-powered Truck Wars. But despite automakers’ public declarations of love for EVs, they haven’t given up their old habit for V-8 power and throaty exhausts. In fact, they’re continuing to innovate in the segment – and using the high-margin profits to fund those electric dreams.

RAM

All RAM HD models will receive fresh tech options for 2023, including a new 12-inch frameless digital gauge cluster and new digital rearview mirror with side camera integration, as well as Trailer Reverse Steering control.

More exciting, however, is the addition of a new off-road Rebel trim.

Unveiled at the 2022 State Fair of Texas late last week, the new 2500 Heavy Duty Rebel slots in between the Laramie and Power Wagon and is available with either the 410-hp 6.4-liter HEMI V-8 gas engine or 370-hp 6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel. Four-wheel drive is standard.

The new model features a unique exterior design, aggressive off-road tires, an electronic rear locker and rear limited-slip differential, skid plates and an optional 12,000-lb. WARN winch.

Chevy

Scheduled to hit dealers in the first half of next year, the redesigned 2024 Chevy Silverado HD offers an overhauled interior with upgraded convenience and safety tech, and – of course – more power. Like RAM, the automaker adds an off-road trim to the lineup, shining up some ZR2 badging and affixing it to an HD model for the first time.

Also for the first time, the proven Allison 10-speed automatic transmission becomes standard equipment on both Silverado HD powertrains: the standard 6.6L V-8 gas engine and the available Duramax turbo-diesel. It replaces the gas engine’s previous six-speed auto, offering smaller “steps” between the gears, which Chevy says enables the 6.6L gas engine to hold closer to its peak power for longer periods.

The turbo-diesel makes more power for 2024, now emitting an impressive 470 hp and 975 lb-ft of torque. Engineers enhanced low-end torque production by up to 25% for improved performance at low speeds or climbing grades, and particularly when trailering.

Ford

Ford bumps up the power of its Super Duty HD model by introducing two new engines to the lineup: a standard 6.8-liter V-8 that replaces the current 6.2-liter V-8, and a high-output 6.7-liter PowerStroke V-8 diesel. They join the carryover 7.3-liter V-8 and existing 6.7-liter PowerStroke V-8 diesel to what Ford calls the “broadest range of engines in the class.”

The automaker targeted specific performance metrics in each engine for the new model year:

• New standard 6.8-liter V-8 gas engine eyes up more low-end torque to make starting on steep grades and merging onto highways easier
• 3-liter V-8 aims for the best gas horsepower and torque in the class thanks to improved air intake and tuning
• 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 diesel can go longer intervals between oil changes to stay on the job longer
• New high-output 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 diesel uses a unique turbo, upgraded exhaust manifolds and unique tuning to take aim at the best horsepower and torque in the class

Ford also made very conscious tech improvements, mostly designed to cater to commercial owners. For example, Pro Power Onboard joins the lineup which essentially turns the heavy-duty trucks into mobile generators.

The new Super Duty will also be the first pickup in the U.S. with embedded 5G capability. Ford says this will enable faster mapping, Wi-Fi and Ford Power-Up software updates while driving, plus all-new available Trailer Navigation which identifies the best real-time drive route to take based on trailer size.

Did you know…?

Ford recently filed paperwork with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the name “Megazilla.” We can only assume such a ridiculous moniker will grace an immensely powerful engine… perhaps a beefed-up version of Ford’s 430-hp stock 7.3-liter “Godzilla” V-8??

RAM Looks At Little Haulers Again

It seems that after years of dancing around the subject, RAM is finally devoting some serious thought to the possibility of a mid-size truck. CEO Mike Koval Jr. said the brand is “looking at it” and considering giving dealers a “sneak peek” of a concept in March to gauge interest. (No word on whether this glimpse will be of a fully-formed concept or just a computer rendering.)

Now, maybe we’re spending too much time bouncing off the walls of our own echo chambers here at The Engine Block, but we don’t know too many folks not interested in seeing more viable mid-size (and compact) options. Especially from RAM, who has the ability to dust off the much-beloved Dakota nameplate. And especially as full-size models reach average transaction prices in the $60k range.

While parent company Stellantis still has its hands in the segment thanks to the Gladiator, the model is a bit of an outlier. Its singular styling can be polarizing and its off-road-dedicated performance pushes it to the higher end of the pricing scale. That leaves a gap in the automaker’s lineup that RAM– which left the segment in 2011 – certainly has the brand cachet to fill.

Randy Dye, chairman of the Stellantis National Dealer Council, speculated on what a new RAM mid-sizer could look like. He told Automotive News the model would need to be more than a scaled-down 1500, offering the same level of quality but in a package and with features that appealed to modern audience expectations.

A new midsize Ram “would be a little more youthful version of our truck,” Dye said. “Obviously, there’s going to be some luxury associated with it. I think it’s going to be more about being sporty and being youthful.”

EV Mandates Picking Up Steam

Despite heavy-duty truck updates clearly designed to meet consumer demand, transportation rulemakers are making it harder for these vehicles to find a home on America’s roadways.

New York Adopts Gas Ban

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced last week that the state would join Washington and California in phasing out the sale of gas- and diesel-powered cars and light trucks by 2035.

The ambitious plan adopts interim targets set by CARB that would require 35% of the new cars registered in the state to be EV-only by 2026. By 2030, that number would increase to 68% and eventually hit 100% by 2035. (It’s worth noting that plug-in hybrids and hydrogen fuel-cell cars would count alongside battery electric vehicles toward those goals.)

New York State plans to invest heavily in purchase and point-of-sale rebate programs to incentivize consumer adoption.

However, as Car & Driver points out, hitting a 35% zero-emissions target in just 4 years is more optimistic than even automakers’ current goals. “It would require nearly double-digit EV sales growth, on average, every year between now and the end of 2026,” according to the publication.

While the auto industry can likely meet that demand, it’s questionable whether the government will be able to offer a comparable charging infrastructure with reliable supply of electricity.

California Targets Diesel Big Rigs

California, which recently grabbed headlines for asking residents to suspend charging EVs during the last heatwave for fear the grid would collapse, has decided to push its electric agenda even further. The state’s clean air agency submitted a new proposal that bans all diesel big rig sales by 2040.

Citing a moral obligation, regulators said heavy-duty trucks produce “far more pollution than anything else on the road,” with the toxic smog disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities and causing elevated rates of asthma, cancer, chronic heart disease, heart attacks and other respiratory issues. CARB staff believe the proposed regulations would save over 5,000 Californian lives between 2024 and 2050 and could reduce associated health costs by more than $57 billion dollars.

Trucking association representatives, however, disagree. They argue the effect on already-strained supply chains would be costly – both literally and figuratively – as fleet operators battle charging downtime, limited range, and new expenses. “There is no infrastructure to support this,” said Chris Shimoda, VP of the California Trucking Assn.

CARB must vote on the truck proposal, and is expected to consider it Oct. 27.

Electric big rigs are still in their infancy, making California’s proposal particularly ambitious.

Production of the Tesla Semi (pictured far left) has been delayed until 2023, though several models were spotted being shipped across the U.S. Just last week, the first Volta Zero (center) rolled off the production line. Created specifically for urban distribution, this “pilot fleet” will be loaned to customers for extended periods in late 2022 and early 2023 until customer-specific production begins in 2023.

Daimler (far right) also hit a milestone last week, launching its first Mercedes-branded electric long-hauler. Scheduled for series production in 2024, the truck can travel more than 300 miles on a charge. For now, it is aimed mostly at the European market.

In Case You Missed It…

The Transportation Department has officially approved EV charger plans for all 50 states. The move unlocks federal infrastructure dollars earmarked for the first nationwide charging network, which will place one EV charger roughly every 50 miles along interstate highways.

September Retail Sales Forecast

Automakers’ third-quarter U.S. sales results are still filtering in, but industry economists have already cast their predictions.

While total new-vehicle sales for September 2022 show an 11.8% improvement over 2021, according to J.D. Power estimates, quarterly estimates are projected to be down 0.2% from Q3 2021. The seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) for total new-vehicle sales is now expected to be 13.6 million units.

Slight upticks in vehicle production, along with pent-up demand, helped move the needle slightly forward but inflation is beginning to take its toll.

“Rising interest rates are putting pressure on affordability,” said Thomas King, president of the data and analytics division at J.D. Power. Additionally, “consumers spent more money on new vehicles this month than any previous September on record.”

Estimates place the average new-vehicle transaction price at $45,622, a 6.3% increase from a year ago and the fourth highest of any month on record. Rising costs and product constraints are expected to continue in October, which “may result in a somewhat lumpy fourth quarter,” King said.

The Engine Block is your one-stop source for any and all auto industry news. Keep an eye on our weekly round-up of enthusiast coverage, product reviews, vehicle spotlights, auto show/expo features, and more. Be sure to check back Friday for a spotlight on TrailFX’s new XV95 winch.