can I bug you eTorque owners again?

[Gman]

Found this article in case you're curious.

Jalopnik: Everything You Need To Know About The Upcoming 48-Volt Electrical Revolution In Cars

 

[19llhpb]

I’ll keep it going. I agree with previous comments. It really is a simple system and I don’t worry about it. Start, stop is seamless. As far as safety goes, I would much rather have my family in a pickup with a small ‘mild hybrid’ battery than a tiny car with multiple hybrid batteries!

 

[Edwards]

it only aids FCA's CAFE ratings

Aside from all the other minor ways in boosting MPG, the low-hanging fruit is eTorque's stop/start. Reset your non-eTorque MPG guage right before some city driving and you will have no more doubts about the MPG boost while sitting at a light.
Idling sucks down your real world MPG and eTorque eliminates that. The more stops you make the higher the savings.

 

[harleyrae]

I can not comment on the tech stuff but I can on my Rebel with etorque. I will also say that I will drive a truck and I will look for gas savings the best I can.

I absolutely love, love, love my truck. For my driving style and where I drive the etorque has made no difference. Always responsive. Smooth. Quiet. Additionally we love this truck so much we have seriously looked for a rebel 12 with etorque (hubby wants the 12" and leather) and have not found what we are looking for and sadly we're told we can no longer order the rebel 12 for 2019 due to the leather limited run.

The added cost for etorque was $2645 as per my window sticker so I will use that figure. My driving habits are the same and the area I drive is the same. GAS MILEAGE SUCKS BIG TIME! 15.4 to 16.2 is NOT better gas mileage.... My '07 Silverado 6.0 got 15 - 16. My '15 Silverado 5.3 gets 18+ on a BAD day.

Etorque and gas savings WAS a deciding factor in my purchase over the regular Hemi 5.7. I never dreamed that the etorque would be so much worst than my '07 silverado 6.0. 17 city and 22 hwy and 19 combined is a pipe dream. (I did notice that they have reconfigured that on some of the new window stickers coming out).

So the question became - is the performance the same. We test drove a few rebels with no etorque and we found no performance difference. so is $2645 or any money worth the Etorque system. Gas is $1.89 gal here so that 1 mile equals 13 cents. Even at $5.00 gal that 1 mile equals 33 cents. As hubby said "We can buy a lot of gas for $2645 getting maybe 1 mpg difference"

Sadly at this time I say NO to etorque. I will continue to look for what catches hubby's eye but we have taken etorque off the table as a deciding factor. AND if we find the truck that catches hubby's eye you can best beleive if etorque is involved we will not pay that extra price for it.

 

[SpeedyV]

I can not comment on the tech stuff but I can on my Rebel with etorque. I will also say that I will drive a truck and I will look for gas savings the best I can.

I absolutely love, love, love my truck. For my driving style and where I drive the etorque has made no difference. Always responsive. Smooth. Quiet. Additionally we love this truck so much we have seriously looked for a rebel 12 with etorque (hubby wants the 12" and leather) and have not found what we are looking for and sadly we're told we can no longer order the rebel 12 for 2019 due to the leather limited run.

The added cost for etorque was $2645 as per my window sticker so I will use that figure. My driving habits are the same and the area I drive is the same. GAS MILEAGE SUCKS BIG TIME! 15.4 to 16.2 is NOT better gas mileage.... My '07 Silverado 6.0 got 15 - 16. My '15 Silverado 5.3 gets 18+ on a BAD day.

Etorque and gas savings WAS a deciding factor in my purchase over the regular Hemi 5.7. I never dreamed that the etorque would be so much worst than my '07 silverado 6.0. 17 city and 22 hwy and 19 combined is a pipe dream. (I did notice that they have reconfigured that on some of the new window stickers coming out).

So the question became - is the performance the same. We test drove a few rebels with no etorque and we found no performance difference. so is $2645 or any money worth the Etorque system. Gas is $1.89 gal here so that 1 mile equals 13 cents. Even at $5.00 gal that 1 mile equals 33 cents. As hubby said "We can buy a lot of gas for $2645 getting maybe 1 mpg difference"

Sadly at this time I say NO to etorque. I will continue to look for what catches hubby's eye but we have taken etorque off the table as a deciding factor. AND if we find the truck that catches hubby's eye you can best beleive if etorque is involved we will not pay that extra price for it.

Your points are all valid, and it seems like the Rebel is particularly bad on gas mileage, according to the complaints on this forum. Yours is actually better than the 12-13 mpg I've seen on other threads. But regarding eTorque...the math is different, obviously, for those of us that were able to add the system for $800 and actually see benefits from it in town (e.g. @Edwards' comments above).

 

[RAM999]

I have the etorque. I would like to see what others have to say about this:

I wanted a specific truck/package and didn't want to wait to order one (Black appearance package, Pano roof, etc.). So, I locally test drove a similar truck. I was the exact same as mine except it didn't have Pano roof or torque. What I notice, is the truck I test drove shifted a lot smoother when coming to a stop. The truck I bought, with etorque, I had delivered and I didn't drive it before I bought it. I feel like the downshifts in the etorque are more noticeable. I have taken it to the dealer and they updated the transmission software to the latest update, but I still feel it and dont recall feeling it in the non-etorque truck.

One other thing I have noticed: I live in the south, where it gets very very hot during the summer. When the etorque stops at a redlight or in traffic and shuts off, the AC doesn't blow as cold. So while I am using the stop/start feature now during the winter, I will have to use the disable button in the summer so the AC will remain cool. What it feels like is, if you are in a traditional car with the ignition in the accessory position and the AC on, it just doesn't blow as cold because the compressor isn't on. Im not sure if the compressor stays on in the etorque or not, but that's what it feels like.

Just my thoughts....

Edit: An FYI for everyone, I am getting better gas mileage since that transmission update.

 

[Yedi]

I love the ETorque. this is coming from a guy that drove a 1999 Chevy Tahoe for the last 15 years, and would never get a Hybrid/First model year truck......well I did all those things. That's how much I fell in Love with the new Ram the first time I drove one. Inititially it was the Looks of the Rebel, the interior is over the top (I work at a GMC dealership, Im around lots of new cars and trucks every day)

the Etorque works flawlessly. I agree about the fuel economy....it sucks, But I, swining 33" tires, with a truck that sits higher than others.

I got an extended 150,000 mile warranty so everything on the Etorque system and air suspension is covered.

The start/stop feature on vehicles without the generator is ridiculous. Ive driven new GM trucks with it, and ridden in friends Jeeps with it, and I couldn't believe how much better the RAM with etorque works.

 

[Gman]

The added cost for etorque was $2645 as per my window sticker so I will use that figure.

Canadian $? There's no way you paid that in US dollars for eTorque unless you're combining the V6 to Hemi upgrade plus eTorque. Cost me $1500 for eTorque but was incentivized down to $800 for others.

You may not feel that the value is there for the money, but there's no reason for any drama by making the expense seem worse than it actually was.

 

[Nails]

It’s main goal isn’t fuel economy. I concur with jake it is def for cafe & longevity of the existing powertrain.

 

[Gman]

I think the purpose would be more for emissions than cafe. Having to repeatedly accelerate a big truck in stop-n-go traffic is a MPG killer with the lack of idling being only a small gain.

 

[Rammit]

I see myself placing an order soon and am 99% sure to go with eTorque. Overall I think the system is safe and beneficial for certain uses, including my own, but few niggles remain. Forgive me if all of this has already been discussed somewhere.

I tend to believe the motor/generator unit (MGU) can last a long time, I mean I have electric drills that are more than a decade old and they still spin strong. The weak point maybe being the bearings on the pulley. In the past, this seemed to be a main reason for water pump failures and belt tensioner failures. However, speaking with other people on other topics, I'm told metallurgy is better today and so that doesn't present a huge concern.

My next thought is about cooling the MGU. The Continental unit on the V6 is water cooled whereas on the V8, which I'll get, it is simply air cooled. Driving the vehicle in the high-humidity, high-temperature, stop-n-go traffic in my area makes me wonder if my driving style won't provide as much air cooling as the engineers anticipated. If true, what will be the effect? Maybe something; maybe nothing. I've decided to roll the dice and not let that concern me either.

Following the 48V cable back to the battery puts another cooling question in my mind, as-in what would happen if the battery fans failed. Would the battery overheat and become a fire hazard? Idk this either, but I do know that FMEA is a huge deal in anything related to public safety and so I'm going to imagine some sort of fail-safe mechanism, whatever that might be, maybe nothing more than an over-temperature signal that shuts down eTorque.


All of that was the long way of saying I think I'm ok with the system and wouldn't hesitate to put my family in the truck... unless I missed something. Does anybody have any safety concerns?


Can I ask you something else, too. A lot has been said about driveability and the consensus seems to be positive; I guess eTorque is as non-intrusive as the marketing hoo-haw says. Is this true in ALL circumstances? I mean, does the system ever catch your attention in a negative way? I tend to "California roll" through stop signs and I feel like I might confuse the truck at some point where it thinks I'm stopping and will shut off the engine, when in fact I don't want that.

The truck doesn’t shut off with the start stop until you are at rest for at least 2 seconds. Rolling through a stop sign will not be a problem (unless a cop is sitting there and tickets you!)

 

[Smoot178]

Found this article in case you're curious.

Jalopnik: Everything You Need To Know About The Upcoming 48-Volt Electrical Revolution In Cars

Wow that "P2" system looks super nice. Maybe the next generation will have that...

My $.02 on etorque: eh. I'm not worried about reliability or anything like that. In fact, I believe the system will probably improve longevity of the main power plant since it is restarting with a belt driven motor and not a gear driven starter. Easier to replace a belt than a whole starter because the teeth wore down.

My gripe is that if you try fast enough, you just don't get instant power off the line. I do have to change the way I drive to accommodate the system, but I do think it is worth the "better gas mileage". It's also a pretty cool conversation piece for your friends.

Think about when you're late for work and you're just itching to hit the gas when the light turns green on a red light that lasted 5 minutes. You're going to hit that startup barrier as the motor kicks in and you're already half way to the floor with your lead foot.

 

[SpeedyV]

Think about when you're late for work and you're just itching to hit the gas when the light turns green on a red light that lasted 5 minutes. You're going to hit that startup barrier as the motor kicks in and you're already half way to the floor with your lead foot.

That's not been my experience. In fact, I've spun the tires while starting the engine (in the very first published eTorque test drive, no less, as well as in my own truck)!

 

[harleyrae]

Canadian $? There's no way you paid that in US dollars for eTorque unless you're combining the V6 to Hemi upgrade plus eTorque. Cost me $1500 for eTorque but was incentivized down to $800 for others.

You may not feel that the value is there for the money, but there's no reason for any drama by making the expense seem worse than it actually was.

Like I said I used the window sticker price as shown here in US Funds... I did not pay this amount with dealer off and rebates. BUT it certainly was not free....

I replied with my thoughts and opinions... no drama except the one you are trying to cause...

 

[Gman]

That's the Hemi upgrade plus eTorque.


You paid $1450 for eTorque. That's a little trick I call "math".

 

[Electrical]

Thanks all. I appreciate your thoughts.

Too bad there can't be consensus on whether eTorque helps fuel economy or not. Seems for every person that says yes, there's another that says no. For those who don't believe eTorque contributes to better economy, I'd ask you to tell me why some owners indeed experience "above average" economy. It must be due to something.

We also know about FCA's recent problems with the EPA and diesel violations. FCA is just now beginning to exit that mess and some estimate settlement costs to be as high as $1 billion. So, submitting inflated eTorque fuel economy data to the EPA... at this point in time... would be the most bone-headed move I ever heard of. I wouldn't think they're that stupid.

 

[Electrical]

Like I said I used the window sticker price as shown here in US Funds... I did not pay this amount with dealer off and rebates. BUT it certainly was not free....

I replied with my thoughts and opinions... no drama except the one you are trying to cause...

I get ya, HR. What you posted was perfectly clear to me. Thank you.

 

[Nails]

I think the purpose would be more for emissions than cafe. Having to repeatedly accelerate a big truck in stop-n-go traffic is a MPG killer with the lack of idling being only a small gain.

Totally agree with this. When I said cafe was bunching that, epa, reduces emissions(higher efficiency) all in one. I was being lazy.
As many know Toyota can get away with its tundra do to the egg car and others they manufacture for cafe/epa/emissions points. Manufacturers Corp has to make it up somewhere. So a truck that actually is a truck and can still haul truck lvl stuff with mild hybrid/hybrid capabilities = big points .

 

[Gman]

So a truck that actually is a truck and can still haul truck lvl stuff with mild hybrid/hybrid capabilities = big points .

Green Truck of the Year, baby.

Yeah, it's a Hemi.

 

[Nails]

Flat out electric, it’s to improve powertrain drivability, be more efficient for start stop and help push off stop. Get engine up to its efficiency rpm range quicker , used to haul more weight more efficient and effective. Just add on to over all longevity of power train at hand to last even longer. Fuel economy is there if used right.
I’ve noticed cruising in eco mode on a upgrade with low rpm it has to kick in. No way I could gain speed uphill in eco on higher gear as I do at times. That’s impressive I’ve seen personally last few weeks. 35-40mph range low rpms. Not sure what gear I’ll watch it tomorrow and get back