Green Car Journal has revealed the finalists for its Green Truck of the Year™ and Commercial Green Car of the Year™ awards, part of the Green Car Awards™ program hosted annually by the San Antonio Auto & Truck Show.
Finalists for 2019 Green Truck of the Year™ include the Chevrolet Colorado, Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-150, Ford Ranger, and RAM 1500. Making the cut as finalists for 2019 Commercial Green Car of the Year™ are the Ford Special Service Plug-In Hybrid Sedan, Ford Transit Connect, Mercedes-Benz Metris, RAM ProMaster City, and RAM 1500.
Green Car Awards™ winners will be announced on Thursday, November 15 at the San Antonio Auto & Truck Show, which takes place November 15-18 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.
2019 GREEN TRUCK OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Chevrolet’s Colorado pickup offers a handsome design, an array of advanced on-board electronics, and desired creature comforts. Choices include two-door extended cab and four-door crew cab variants in Work Truck (WT), LT, Z71, and ZR2 models. This mid-sized pickup offers notable fuel economy and enhanced maneuverability including a short turning radius of 41.3 feet. Three engines are available – a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, 3.6-liter V-6, and a high efficiency turbodiesel. The Colorado’s 2.8-liter Duramax Turbodiesel four-cylinder engine connects to a 6-speed automatic transmission and delivers impressive fuel efficiency of 30 highway mpg.
The all-new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado pickup is lighter, more tech-laden, and more aggressively styled. It comes in eight trim levels with regular, double, and crew cabs plus short and long beds. An all-new Durabed cargo box is seven inches wider with greater hauling capacity. Plenty of powertrain choices are available including a new 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, a new 2.7-liter turbo, and a 4.3-liter V-6. A 3.0-liter Duramax diesel paired with a 10-speed automatic and a stop-start system is coming in early 2019. The model’s 5.3-liter V-8 and 6.2-liter V-8 feature Dynamic Fuel Management that enables only those cylinders needed to deliver required power to come into play.
The 2019 Ford F-150 continues to use the automaker’s revolutionary aluminum body that contributes to higher fuel efficiency without sacrificing all-around functionality. Military-grade aluminum alloy and a high-strength steel frame allowed Ford to decrease the body weight by up to 770 pounds compared to the previous generation. The 2019 F-150 comes in eight trim levels and Regular, SuperCab, and SuperCrew choices. They are available with 5.5, 6.5, and 8-foot bed lengths, depending on cab style and trim level. Rear- and four-wheel drive are available. Powering the F-150 are five gasoline engines and a new 3.0-liter Power Stroke turbodiesel V-6. All now come with auto start/stop technology.
Ford’s Ranger is back after a seven-year absence from the North American market, available as a SuperCab or SuperCrew built on a common 126.8-inch wheelbase. The SuperCab comes with a 6-foot bed while the SuperCrew gets a 5-foot bed. A turbocharged 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder coupled to a 10-speed automatic transmission is the sole powertrain choice. Rear- and part-time four-wheel-drive are available. The new Ranger offers FordPass Connect Wi-Fi with 4G LTE connectivity plus an array of driver assist systems, including standard forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, and an available blind spot warning system.
The all-new, completely restyled RAM 1500 is lighter, more fuel efficient, and higher tech than ever. This versatile pickup is offered in four-door quad cab and crew-cab body styles, with 67.4- and 76.3-inch beds featuring more hauling and towing capacity than the generation before it. Capabilities include the ability to tow up to 12,750 pounds and carry a payload of up to 2,320 pounds. Efficiency is enhanced by shedding up to 225 pounds through the use of high-strength steel, aluminum, and composites. Importantly, the new RAM pickup features 3.6-liter V-6 eTorque and 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 eTorque mild hybrid powertrains. It is equipped with the latest driver assist and connectivity technology.
2019 COMMERCIAL GREEN CAR OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
The restyled, new-generation Ford Transit Connect van and wagon are available in short- and long-wheelbase versions. The cargo variant offers a volume of up to 146 cubic feet and payload capability up to 1570 pounds, with the ability to tow 2000 pounds. Twin sliding side doors are convenient for making sidewalk deliveries. The rear can be equipped with a traditional liftgate or split cargo doors. Available powerplants include a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder flex-fuel engine offering 24 city/27 highway mpg and a new 1.5-liter EcoBlue turbodiesel expected to net up to 30 highway mpg. Auto stop/start is standard on both new engines. A 2.5-liter Duratec engine is carried over from last year.
Ford’s Special Service Plug-In Hybrid Sedan is ideal for detectives, police chiefs, and other government personnel. Based on the Ford Fusion plug-in hybrid, it uses a 7.6-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery that delivers up to 21 miles on a charge, plus the ability to drive up to 85 mph exclusively on electric power. Given the typical use of a detective or police chief vehicle, this plug-in sedan offers the potential for working a full shift without using any gasoline. Overall range on battery and internal combustion power is over 500 miles. While parked, the battery pack allows the engine to shut off and keep the car’s electronics running for an extended period to save fuel and decrease emissions.
Mercedes-Benz Metris is this automaker’s offering for commercial vehicle buyers who like the Sprinter van, but desire something a bit smaller. They get it in this mid-size van and wagon that fits in a standard garage. Cargo and wagon versions are offered in regular and entry-level Worker versions. Power comes from a turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline engine rated at 21 city and 24 highway mpg, connected to a seven-speed automatic transmission. Metris features sliding doors on both sides, wide-opening rear doors, a cargo capacity of 2,500 pounds, and a 5,000-pound tow rating. New for 2019 is an optional rear liftgate and standard stop/start operation to enhance efficiency.
The RAM ProMaster City compact commercial van and wagon feature an updated front facia that mirrors the front-end design of the new 2019 RAM 1500. Ideally-sized for city use where maneuverability and versatility are key, the van features a payload capacity of 1,883 pounds and is capable of towing 2,000 pounds, while offering 21 city and 28 highway mpg. New telematics allow fleet managers to monitor van usage and driver behavior. Power is delivered by a 2.4-liter Tigershark four-cylinder engine and a nine-speed automatic transmission. Two sliding side doors and rear 60/40 split doors that swing open to 180 degrees facilitate access to its 131.7 cubic foot cargo area.
RAM 1500 emerges as an all-new, fifth-generation pickup in 2019. It’s offered in four-door quad cab and crew-cab body styles, with 67.4- and 76.3-inch beds. This versatile pickup features more hauling and towing capacity than the generation that came before it, with the ability to tow up to 12,750 pounds and carry a payload of up to 2,320 pounds. RAM 1500 is also lighter, with efficiency enhanced by shedding up to 225 pounds through the use of high-strength steel, aluminum, and composites. It features eTorque mild hybrid technology in both the 3.6-liter and 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 powertrains. As would be expected, RAM also offers the latest driver assist and connectivity technology to enhance commercial operation.
The all-new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup is lighter, more tech-laden, and a bit more aggressively styled but doesn’t look radically different than the previous versions. There are four new grille designs depending on the model. It comes in eight trim levels that include the high value Work Truck, Custom, and Custom Trailboss; the high-volume LT, RST, and LT Trailboss; and high feature LTZ and High Country. There are Regular, Double, and Crew Cabs; short and long beds, and rear-, four- and all-wheel drive models, depending on trim levels. Interesting aerodynamic touches are included like air curtains that improve efficiency.
Silverado offers plenty of powertrain choices. There’s an all-new 2.7-liter, four-cylinder turbo that features cylinder deactivation and stop/start for efficiency, plus a twin-scroll turbocharger for improved low-end response. It connects to an eight-speed automatic transmission and delivers an estimated 20 city/23 highway mpg. Rated at 310 horsepower and 348 lb-ft torque, this engine brings the Silverado a 2,280-pound payload rating and maximum tow rating of 7,200 pounds. A new 2.7-liter turbo engine replaces the naturally aspirated 4.3-liter V-6 in the Silverado LT and RST sport-truck. The 4.3-liter V-6 connected to a six-speed automatic transmission remains the base engine in other trim levels. A new 3.0-liter Duramax diesel paired with a 10-speed automatic and a stop-start system is coming in early 2019.
Furthering efficiency by an estimated 5 percent is the Silverado’s dynamic fuel management (DFM) technology that enables only those cylinders needed to deliver required power to come into play. DFM features 17 cylinder patterns that constantly determine how many cylinders are used to meet the torque demanded, making this determination 80 times per second to optimize efficiency and power delivery at all speeds. DFM is available on the optional 355-horsepower, 5.3-liter V-8 with an eight-speed automatic and 420-horsepower, 6.2-liter V-8 teamed with a 10-speed automatic. These V-8 engines also feature stop/start.
The Silverado's weight has been reduced by as much as 450 pounds, depending on the model, through the use of varying thicknesses of high-strength steel throughout and aluminum on some body panels. The Silverado offers the all-new Durabed cargo box that’s seven inches wider with greater volume for more hauling capacity. The crew cab’s wheelbase is four inches longer, overall length has increased by about 1.6 inches, and the truck is 1.2 inches wider. There’s also 2.5 inches greater rear-seat legroom. A two-inch suspension lift is a factory option. Pickups are often used for towing and Chevy makes this easier with the Silverado’s Advanced Trailering Package and Trailering Camera Package. A trailering app with theft alert and more is included.
In the 1990s amid all the activities surrounding electric vehicles, there were natural gas vehicles (NGVs) being sold by automakers, primarily pickups and vans aimed at fleets. It was a good start for natural gas.
Unfortunately, the changing whims of federal regulations and alternative fuel implementation saw these well-executed light-duty trucks fall by the wayside, leaving only Honda in the factory-produced NGV market with its natural gas Honda Civic sedan.
Now that’s changing. Ford, GM, and Ram Truck have new natural gas vehicle offerings that are better than ever. Plus, major independent companies are retrofitting new fully-certified pickup and van models to natural gas in increasing numbers. Clean Energy Fuels subsidiary BAF, for example, recently completed its 20,000th NGV conversion.
Ford has developed F-250 and F-350 trucks equipped with the Westport WiNG Power System. These Super Duty pickup trucks feature this advanced, integrated, bi-fuel system on Ford’s 6.2 liter V-8 gasoline engine so it can operate on either CNG or gasoline.
What’s really surprising is the natural gas range of these pickups. Behind-the-wheel experience with a bi-fuel Super Duty pickup has achieved a natural gas driving range greater than 300 miles with an expected total driving range of 650 miles on both CNG and gasoline.
General Motors has been offering Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana CNG cargo vans with its Vortec 6.0-liter V-8 engines modified to operate on CNG only. It has now added dual-fuel CNG Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra 2500 HD commercial pickup trucks to its natural gas choices for fleets and consumers.
Priced $11,000 above the base vehicle, the GM pickups’ CNG and gasoline tanks have a combined range of 650 miles. The bi-fuel pickups use a CNG dual-fuel delivery and storage system developed and installed by supplier IMPCO.
Dodge Truck builds its new Ram 2500 Heavy Duty CNG pickup on the assembly line rather than having the final stages of conversion completed off-site by a contracted converter. The pickup is powered by a specially modified 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 that runs on natural gas by default and then automatically switches over to gasoline when the on-board CNG supply is exhausted.
The bi-fuel Ram pickup incorporates two compressed natural gas storage tanks and an eight gallon fuel tank for gasoline, providing a combined 367 mile driving range. This formerly fleet-only vehicle is now being sold to retail customers.
This is all good news. Natural gas vehicles offer reduced CO2 and tailpipe emissions, achieve fuel efficiency nearly identical to gasoline counterparts, and use a domestic fuel that can cost a third less per gallon-of-gasoline equivalent.