Ram 2500 Gas vs Diesel Mpg: Is Ram 2500 Gas or Diesel Better?
Diesel has more power. There should be no debate about which is better to tow a trailer. While some gas engines do a good job, a diesel just does it better. It may get better gas mileage than the gas engine when towing a heavy weight.
The RAM 2500 diesel should be getting better gas mileage than the RAM 2500 Gas engine. You should also be getting better towing power, more torque, and have it last longer than the gas option. But the gas option is better around town and can run a little faster when empty.
To learn more about these two engines, just continue to read our article. It has the information you want to know about so you can pick the right engine for your driving and towing needs. Both have great positive factors so it may be a hard choice.
Ram 2500 Gas vs Diesel
Is Ram 2500 Gas or Diesel Better?
The consensus is that the diesel option is the better one. That is if you are going to be doing a lot of towing and hauling with the truck. The gas engine is probably faster, lighter, and may be better at handling payloads, but if you are towing, it won’t beat the diesel.
Part of the reason for saying that last bit is because the diesel option can put out up to 870 lb-ft of torque. That is over 400 lb-ft of torque better than the gas engine.
Plus, the diesel’s longevity makes it more practical and sensible to buy it over the gas. The diesel will keep running long after the gas engine has given up. The two drawbacks that keep people shying away from the diesel engine are its price and all the emission control devices on it.
Those play a large role and make owning a diesel slightly more costly than owning a gas engine. Those extra parts add some weight to the engine and make it a little slower than the gas model.
Ram 2500 Diesel vs Gas Differences (Pros And Cons)
| Category | Gas | Diesel |
| Fuel | -faster ignition - easier to get fuel - puts out more carbon monoxide - lower level sof soot and nitrogen | - higher energy per gallon - produces lower carbon monoxide - produces more soot and nitrogen |
| Ignition | -needs spark plugs to ignite the fuel | - doesn’t need spark plugs |
| Power | -more HP and torque produced at higher RPM which results in better fuel efficiency | - More HP & torque produced at lower RPM which results in better pulling power from a stand still |
The fuel efficiency rating in that table does not indicate that the gas engine is better. The US Dept. Of Energy says that the diesel engine is about 30 to 35% more fuel efficient than the gas engine.
Other pros and cons for these two motors are that the gas engine costs less and gas prices are lower than diesel fuel prices. Also, it is cheaper to maintain a gas engine than a diesel motor.
Where diesel wins out is in fuel efficiency, power, lifespan, and resale value. You just get more with a diesel motor.
Do Diesel Trucks Get Better Gas Mileage Than Gas Trucks?
Under ideal and general driving conditions, the answer would be yes it does. As you just read, the diesel engine is 30 to 35% better than the gas engine when it comes to fuel efficiency.
Where diesel loses out is in the cost of the fuel. Ever since car makers started producing diesel engines for regular cars and trucks, the cost of diesel has reason greatly, passing unleaded gas in expense over 35 years ago.
The fuel efficiency of the diesel engine, though, should make up some of that difference. You may be paying more money at the pump, but that gas tank full of diesel should last longer than the gas tank filled with unleaded gas.
This should reflect in your towing mileage as well. It is a known fact that Ram trucks get lower mpg whether you are using a gas or a diesel engine. Diesel should still top gas here depending on the weight of the trailer.
2020-2021 Ram 2500 Gas vs Diesel Mpg
These figures will reflect the performance when the trucks are empty and not towing anything behind them. The 2020 2500 RAM gas engine averaged roughly 14.3 mpg in one test.
The 2020 2500 RAM diesel engine got over 17 mpg and registered 17.6 in a different test. This is where we come in with our speech about driving conditions, habits, and so on.
But it is true that how you drive, where you drive, and what type of load you have in the bed, etc., will affect your results. Those figures we gave there are just the averages and some people got better gas mileage and some got worse.
If you are driving the city more than the highway, then you will see lower gas mileage per gallon. If you are a lead-footed driver, do not expect to see 20 mpg at any time including when you are coasting downhill.
Your results will differ from those averages especially if you are a good driver.
Ram Diesel vs Gas Resale Value
It goes without saying that the diesel resale value is greater than the gas one. There are a lot of good reasons for this fact. One is that the diesel will last longer than the gas engine.
The latter may be cheaper to repair, but it can also wear out faster due to any number of factors. Then while the gas engine is cheaper to maintain, at least cost per part wise, the diesel comes with few maintenance issues.
It may be a long time before you have to make any repairs on your diesel engine and that is good for its resale value. Then the diesel engine has a lower depreciation rate than the gas engine.
It will hold its value as the engine is built better. If you can live with the noise, then it pays to have a diesel under the hood. It will spare you a lot of expense until it finally does break down or has a part fail on you.
Ram Diesel vs Gas Engine Power
The compression ratio tells much of the story when it comes to power. Normal diesel engines use a 17:1 compression level over the gas’ 9:1 compression rating. This allows the diesel to produce more power at a standstill.
That ability helps the diesel tow a trailer a lot better. The gas engine produces more power at a higher rate of speed so if you are not towing, this may be the better option.
What it comes down to is that the diesel is made for towing and heavy hauling while the gas is made for speed. The higher rate of speed is going to cause more wear and tear on the gas engine helping it to wear out faster than the diesel motor.
Is Hemi Gas or Diesel
Traditionally, the HEMI engine has always been a gas engine. It is called a HEMI because of the hemispherical combustion chambers which are called the heart of the engine.
First introduced in 1951 under the name Chrysler Firepower the first generation was made until 1958. Then it stopped production for a while before being reintroduced during the muscle car era of 1964 and 1971.
After that era ended the HEMI disappeared for a bit before being re-introduced in 2003. In all of these renditions, it has remained a gas engine. The pros that came with this motor were that it was powerful, enjoyable to drive, and reliable.
However, many people did not like the cons that were part of this motor. Those were that it was heavy, expensive to buy, and not fuel efficient. This made the engine perfect for the drag strip but not for the budget-minded family man.
Most car owners like to buy a vehicle with a HEMI engine inside as they like to drive powerful motors regardless of the fuel mileage they get. They do sound good under the hood when idling or accelerating.
The key question is if it is better than a diesel motor. No, but it is still a good engine to have when you are driving in tough situations.
Is The 5.7 Hemi Gas Or Desel?
This engine carries on the fine tradition that earlier HEMI motors started and built up. It is a gas engine and it is the only gas engine placed in Chrysler RAM heavy-duty truck series. It started out in the 2500 and 3500 in 2002 and moved to the 1500 in 2003.
In 2004, this motor could be found in the following car and truck models- Dodge Durango, Dodge Ram, 2005 Chrysler 300C, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Magnum R/T, and many more.
In 2009, Chrysler made and released the 5.7 L HEMI Eagle which was supposed to improve the engine’s efficiency, reliability, and overall stability. If you have the right tools and parts, you can still improve on its power.
To start, you need to unlock the PCM. This allows the tuners to let you tune the engine in any way you want. The most famous problem that came with this engine was its engine tick.
Many owners called it normal but other owners did not think so. They found that the source was faulty lifters and lifter rollers as well as insufficient oil lubrication.
All in all, this motor has been around for 20 years so this one problem has not made it unreliable or even a bad motor.
6.4 Hemi vs 6.7 Cummins Fuel Mileage
Even with the ability to shut down cylinders when idling or the power Is not needed, the 6.4 HEMI does not get as good of mpg as the 6.7 diesel. The HEMI still gets 15 mpg which is really good for a truck.
However, the 6.7 diesel can get 17 mpg making it the more fuel-efficient motor of the two. Those extra two miles can justify your paying more for the truck and the fuel. You save a little when driving.
But the lack of mpg does not make the 6.4 HEMI a slouch of a motor. It is designed to handle up to 16,000 towing pounds. That is an impressive feat for a gas motor.
But it is not good enough to beat the 6.7 Cummins. That engine can still tow up to 19,000 pounds. But then the 6.7 has an advantage with its bigger size and more torque.
Where the 6.4 HEMI beats the 6.7 Cummins is in payload capacity. Because the diesel engine is heavier, it cannot haul s much weight as the 6.4 HEMI can. The figures are 3100 pounds for the 6.7 and 4000 pounds for the 6.4.
The 6.7 Cummins takes the lead again when it comes to durability. It has been stated that it can last for 350,000 miles approx, while the 6.4 is designed to go only 250,000 miles. Both will reach their milestones with proper maintenance and little repair work needing to be done.
When it comes to reliability, the 6.4 HEMI will outshine the 6.7 Cummins in this category. The latter just has more common problems that can be expensive to fix than the former engine.
Some Final Words
Gas mileage is not going to be the only factor that helps you make your choice between these two engines. While the gas mileage is good for both, the diesel is just going to be slightly better.
But before you buy, check out all the other factors that need to be compared. The diesel engine may last longer, but it is more costly to fix and part of that problem will be the mechanics. They just charge more to work on a diesel than a gas motor.
Check everything out before you make your decision so you get the best engine under your RAM 2500’s hood.
