Pros and Cons of e-tourque?

[BowDown]

5 months in and 9700 miles, no etorque issues and city mileage is still good


Heres 6700 miles, haven't taken a pic of 9700 but its 18 still. I'd too buy etorque again, i especially like the not idling at lights wasting fuel

 

[Sweetmeat45]

I think I posted this question on the wrong thread yesterday, so hopefully this is the right spot for it. Does anyone have any insight on when the E-torque motors will be back in stock? I have a 2020 Ram, back in September (3,000 miles) I took it in to have an oil leak fixed and the dealership said that the E-torque motor was grinding and it needed a new one. Between then and December (7,000 miles) the E-torque motor noise got continually worse and eventually it froze up and burned the serpentine belt off. Up until it went completely out, I was instructed to keep driving it because the part was not available. The last month of driving it, it sounded like a power steering whine on steroids. Now, its been out of commission since December 13, and the part availability date has been changed 3 times since then. The part has already been on backorder since September. Just wondering if anyone knew what was going on with why they cant fix the truck. The dealership and Ram rep haven't been much help so far.

 

[RamCares]

I think I posted this question on the wrong thread yesterday, so hopefully this is the right spot for it. Does anyone have any insight on when the E-torque motors will be back in stock? I have a 2020 Ram, back in September (3,000 miles) I took it in to have an oil leak fixed and the dealership said that the E-torque motor was grinding and it needed a new one. Between then and December (7,000 miles) the E-torque motor noise got continually worse and eventually it froze up and burned the serpentine belt off. Up until it went completely out, I was instructed to keep driving it because the part was not available. The last month of driving it, it sounded like a power steering whine on steroids. Now, its been out of commission since December 13, and the part availability date has been changed 3 times since then. The part has already been on backorder since September. Just wondering if anyone knew what was going on with why they cant fix the truck. The dealership and Ram rep haven't been much help so far.

Hi! I apologize for the part delay you've been experiencing recently. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has placed an immense amount of pressure on our supplier operations. However, I'd like to look into this further for you. Would you mind sending our RamCares team a private message with your current mileage & VIN?

Courtney
Ram Cares

 

[MontFla]

I keep going back and forth about to order with or without e-torque. So what do we feel are the pros and cons and ultimately what would you choose even if your choice would have changed after you received your truck?

I have the 5.7 with 3:92 gears and love it. 7400 miles 22 mpg on a road trip from Florida to Pennsylvania

 

[MontFla]

I also love the etorque! Not at first but soon after driving it awhile you realize it is a good thing! Gas mileage went up over 2019 5.7 both with same gearing

 

[asgadf/lkjnadsfg]

How many minutes per day do you sit at stop lights? That's the big question you need to ask. If you do a lot of driving where you are stuck at stop lights, then the e-torque will definitely save you some gas. I probably sit at stop lights for an average of 10 -15 minutes per day. If I use the low end of that estimate, then it's 50 minutes per week, and 3.3 hours per month, and almost 40 hours per year.

Once you know how long you sit at lights, you can start to do the math to determine how much fuel it will save you. It's definitely saving fuel by having the big 5.7 shut off instead of idling, but "is it a material amount of savings?" is the question you need answered. Figure out how long you typically sit at stop lights per day, gross it up to get a monthly figure, then calculate your gas savings from that. How much money does it have to save you, personally, for it to be worth it? Compare the figures and you'll be closer to having an answer.

The video below is cool because they quantify the impact of start/stop technology on a real vehicle. You can use that to get a framework for thinking about your decision. They use a small engine, but the analysis is insightful and should be informative to your decision

In this second video a Ram engineer goes over the e-torque system. As part of his discussion he states that in 90 seconds of idling, the truck will use 1.7 oz of fuel. For me, with fuel at $3.55 per gallon, that equates to about $72 per year (based on the low end of my idling time in traffic). At the high end it could be 1.5 times that, or $108 per year at current fuel costs. Is that significant? I don't think $100 per year is significant to anyone who can afford to own a $65,000 vehicle.

If you do a lot of idling, and/or live in an area with higher fuel costs, it could creep up to a meaningful number.


The counter argument is that the e-torque system will eventually need repairs. If it does, then it could certainly eat up any fuel savings you may have accumulated along the way . Some others have pointed out that the system has an 8 year warranty, and if that's true, you have to factor that in too. If you never keep a truck that long, then it won't be an issue for you.

I have the e-torque because it's all that was available when I was in the market. I didn't want it, and a loathed the idea of a vehicle with the stop/start feature. However, I have to give them credit because they have made a very nice system. After a few weeks, the shut-off became a background thing, and I rarely even notice it. The restart is phenomenal, it's extremely fast and very smooth.

They say it smooths out shifts, and it certainly does that when I stomp on it. The truck delivers what feels like a seamless powercurve, the RPM keep rising as you pick up speed and it feels like it stayed in one gear the whole way, it's incredibly smooth. That's more of a "neat" thing though, because I certainly never minded feeling the gear shifts in prior vehicles.

There are a few quirks that come with it. The first thing I noticed was that you can feel the regenerative braking. It's kind of like a very low groan or grumbling noise with some grinding feeling...not a harsh grinding like something is wrong...but you can feel it. Also the truck doesn't coast like my earlier trucks. I used to let off the gas and coast to lights if they were red, but the e-torque can't coast as far because of what I guess I'd call parasitic drag from all the e-torque stuff that's going on. Again, not a big deal, it's just a different deal.

I sometimes get some very light moaning or howling noises that I have to assume are from the e-torque system. I've never heard those in a conventional motor and it's coming from the engine bay.

If you're really unsure, go with the non-etorque.

If we were in a normal economy where i had many choices available to me, I'd have gone with the non-etorque. We're not in a normal economy anymore though, so I had to go with what was available. It's a nice truck, I'm used to the e-torque now, and I don't mind it. I have no regrets about buying it, the truck is a lot of fun. However, if I could snap my fingers and do it all over again, I'd go with the non-etorque because the potential fuel savings it's going to deliver me are meaningless.

 

[asgadf/lkjnadsfg]

I have the 5.7 with 3:92 gears and love it. 7400 miles 22 mpg on a road trip from Florida to Pennsylvania

Which truck do you drive? 4WD or 2WD? Crew cab?

What speed were you driving to get 22 MPG? I've got 8,000 miles on my 21 Rebel, 5.7 etorque, crew cab 4WD and I can't even get 22 MPG at 45 MPH. My highway speeds are generally 65 to 75 and I get between 15.5 and 16 MPG. It's always shocking to see someone getting amlmost 40% better fuel economy from a similar truck.

 

[SkeeterRAM]

How many minutes per day do you sit at stop lights? That's the big question you need to ask. If you do a lot of driving where you are stuck at stop lights, then the e-torque will definitely save you some gas. I probably sit at stop lights for an average of 10 -15 minutes per day. If I use the low end of that estimate, then it's 50 minutes per week, and 3.3 hours per month, and almost 40 hours per year.

Once you know how long you sit at lights, you can start to do the math to determine how much fuel it will save you. It's definitely saving fuel by having the big 5.7 shut off instead of idling, but "is it a material amount of savings?" is the question you need answered. Figure out how long you typically sit at stop lights per day, gross it up to get a monthly figure, then calculate your gas savings from that. How much money does it have to save you, personally, for it to be worth it? Compare the figures and you'll be closer to having an answer.

The video below is cool because they quantify the impact of start/stop technology on a real vehicle. You can use that to get a framework for thinking about your decision. They use a small engine, but the analysis is insightful and should be informative to your decision

In this second video a Ram engineer goes over the e-torque system. As part of his discussion he states that in 90 seconds of idling, the truck will use 1.7 oz of fuel. For me, with fuel at $3.55 per gallon, that equates to about $72 per year (based on the low end of my idling time in traffic). At the high end it could be 1.5 times that, or $108 per year at current fuel costs. Is that significant? I don't think $100 per year is significant to anyone who can afford to own a $65,000 vehicle.

If you do a lot of idling, and/or live in an area with higher fuel costs, it could creep up to a meaningful number.


The counter argument is that the e-torque system will eventually need repairs. If it does, then it could certainly eat up any fuel savings you may have accumulated along the way . Some others have pointed out that the system has an 8 year warranty, and if that's true, you have to factor that in too. If you never keep a truck that long, then it won't be an issue for you.

I have the e-torque because it's all that was available when I was in the market. I didn't want it, and a loathed the idea of a vehicle with the stop/start feature. However, I have to give them credit because they have made a very nice system. After a few weeks, the shut-off became a background thing, and I rarely even notice it. The restart is phenomenal, it's extremely fast and very smooth.

They say it smooths out shifts, and it certainly does that when I stomp on it. The truck delivers what feels like a seamless powercurve, the RPM keep rising as you pick up speed and it feels like it stayed in one gear the whole way, it's incredibly smooth. That's more of a "neat" thing though, because I certainly never minded feeling the gear shifts in prior vehicles.

There are a few quirks that come with it. The first thing I noticed was that you can feel the regenerative braking. It's kind of like a very low groan or grumbling noise with some grinding feeling...not a harsh grinding like something is wrong...but you can feel it. Also the truck doesn't coast like my earlier trucks. I used to let off the gas and coast to lights if they were red, but the e-torque can't coast as far because of what I guess I'd call parasitic drag from all the e-torque stuff that's going on. Again, not a big deal, it's just a different deal.

I sometimes get some very light moaning or howling noises that I have to assume are from the e-torque system. I've never heard those in a conventional motor and it's coming from the engine bay.

If you're really unsure, go with the non-etorque.

If we were in a normal economy where i had many choices available to me, I'd have gone with the non-etorque. We're not in a normal economy anymore though, so I had to go with what was available. It's a nice truck, I'm used to the e-torque now, and I don't mind it. I have no regrets about buying it, the truck is a lot of fun. However, if I could snap my fingers and do it all over again, I'd go with the non-etorque because the potential fuel savings it's going to deliver me are meaningless.

Thank you for a very informative input. I was on the fence about my choice. Figured what the heck. I hope not to be here or another string in the future wishing I'd not. Only time will tell.

I knew not what I did not know and still don't know a lot.

Current plan is to keep this 4ish years and 70K miles - don't worry - picked up the extra MOPAR coverage. If crazy used prices stay where they are after a year might do it all over again and I will definitely recall your post. Thank you.

 

[BowDown]

How many minutes per day do you sit at stop lights? That's the big question you need to ask. If you do a lot of driving where you are stuck at stop lights, then the e-torque will definitely save you some gas. I probably sit at stop lights for an average of 10 -15 minutes per day. If I use the low end of that estimate, then it's 50 minutes per week, and 3.3 hours per month, and almost 40 hours per year.

Once you know how long you sit at lights, you can start to do the math to determine how much fuel it will save you. It's definitely saving fuel by having the big 5.7 shut off instead of idling, but "is it a material amount of savings?" is the question you need answered. Figure out how long you typically sit at stop lights per day, gross it up to get a monthly figure, then calculate your gas savings from that. How much money does it have to save you, personally, for it to be worth it? Compare the figures and you'll be closer to having an answer.

The video below is cool because they quantify the impact of start/stop technology on a real vehicle. You can use that to get a framework for thinking about your decision. They use a small engine, but the analysis is insightful and should be informative to your decision

In this second video a Ram engineer goes over the e-torque system. As part of his discussion he states that in 90 seconds of idling, the truck will use 1.7 oz of fuel. For me, with fuel at $3.55 per gallon, that equates to about $72 per year (based on the low end of my idling time in traffic). At the high end it could be 1.5 times that, or $108 per year at current fuel costs. Is that significant? I don't think $100 per year is significant to anyone who can afford to own a $65,000 vehicle.

If you do a lot of idling, and/or live in an area with higher fuel costs, it could creep up to a meaningful number.


The counter argument is that the e-torque system will eventually need repairs. If it does, then it could certainly eat up any fuel savings you may have accumulated along the way . Some others have pointed out that the system has an 8 year warranty, and if that's true, you have to factor that in too. If you never keep a truck that long, then it won't be an issue for you.

I have the e-torque because it's all that was available when I was in the market. I didn't want it, and a loathed the idea of a vehicle with the stop/start feature. However, I have to give them credit because they have made a very nice system. After a few weeks, the shut-off became a background thing, and I rarely even notice it. The restart is phenomenal, it's extremely fast and very smooth.

They say it smooths out shifts, and it certainly does that when I stomp on it. The truck delivers what feels like a seamless powercurve, the RPM keep rising as you pick up speed and it feels like it stayed in one gear the whole way, it's incredibly smooth. That's more of a "neat" thing though, because I certainly never minded feeling the gear shifts in prior vehicles.

There are a few quirks that come with it. The first thing I noticed was that you can feel the regenerative braking. It's kind of like a very low groan or grumbling noise with some grinding feeling...not a harsh grinding like something is wrong...but you can feel it. Also the truck doesn't coast like my earlier trucks. I used to let off the gas and coast to lights if they were red, but the e-torque can't coast as far because of what I guess I'd call parasitic drag from all the e-torque stuff that's going on. Again, not a big deal, it's just a different deal.

I sometimes get some very light moaning or howling noises that I have to assume are from the e-torque system. I've never heard those in a conventional motor and it's coming from the engine bay.

If you're really unsure, go with the non-etorque.

If we were in a normal economy where i had many choices available to me, I'd have gone with the non-etorque. We're not in a normal economy anymore though, so I had to go with what was available. It's a nice truck, I'm used to the e-torque now, and I don't mind it. I have no regrets about buying it, the truck is a lot of fun. However, if I could snap my fingers and do it all over again, I'd go with the non-etorque because the potential fuel savings it's going to deliver me are meaningless.

eTorque is warrantied for 8/80000 so repair cost isn't really an issue. Now, that said, my real world experience in North Dallas with auto start/stop enabled and disabled was ~15mpg vs 17.8 mpg in the city. Thats 345 miles per tank vs 420 miles per tank (26 gal tank refilling at 23 gallons), thats a 80 mile per tank difference per week. 80x52=4160 miles more per year with auto start stop enabled. That means the none etorqe truck will need and additional 277 gallons for the same mileage amd @ $3.00 a gallon, thats $832.

Thread where I did this test

Im still technically on vacation this week so 100% city driving with auto stop/start re-engaged {was testing it a week ago and posted the results in another thread that was locked).
That one day of driving with auto stop/start disabled netted me a loss of 1/2 mile a gallon in the day I had it disabled which when doing the math had me at ~15.8 ish a gallon.

This week with no highway driving at all, I'm at 18.1 (was 18.9 yesterday) with a current mileage of 274 and a time of 8 hours. That averages to 34 mph or city holiday traffic speeds ( and the stupid people are out).

Poor gas mileage

I don't know about that.......all that gas is made in the same refineries........in our small town.......the same truck delivers gas to the 76 station.....the Shell station and the little gorcery store on the hill.....the same truck also delivers to Fred Myers about 50 miles away. We fill up...

5thgenrams.com

 

[theblet]

Etorque helps MPG for stop and go traffic, not highway mileage.

On the other hand, some people have problems where the engine will shut off all of a sudden when making slow speed turns.

 

[BowDown]

Etorque helps MPG for stop and go traffic, not highway mileage.

On the other hand, some people have problems where the engine will shut off all of a sudden when making slow speed turns.

Correct, on the highway, it does nothing other than may help stay in mds longer

 

[Jasontindal]

Which truck do you drive? 4WD or 2WD? Crew cab?

What speed were you driving to get 22 MPG? I've got 8,000 miles on my 21 Rebel, 5.7 etorque, crew cab 4WD and I can't even get 22 MPG at 45 MPH. My highway speeds are generally 65 to 75 and I get between 15.5 and 16 MPG. It's always shocking to see someone getting amlmost 40% better fuel economy from a similar truck.

I have etorque 2019 5.7 4wd crew cab. I bought it 2 weeks ago and I am ready to sell. Fuel mpg is not as advertised. I get 11 / 16. Not the 17/22 as advertised. Has anyone found a solution.

 

[MontFla]

Which truck do you drive? 4WD or 2WD? Crew cab?

What speed were you driving to get 22 MPG? I've got 8,000 miles on my 21 Rebel, 5.7 etorque, crew cab 4WD and I can't even get 22 MPG at 45 MPH. My highway speeds are generally 65 to 75 and I get between 15.5 and 16 MPG. It's always shocking to see someone getting amlmost 40% better fuel economy from a similar truck.

I was driving 70 to 75. And was really happy with the results. I broke in my truck gingerly for 1000 miles changed oil at 1000 miles and keep a light foot when possible. Currently up and down us1 in Florida stop and start I get 17 to 19.

 

[MontFla]

I was driving 70 to 75. And was really happy with the results. I broke in my truck gingerly for 1000 miles changed oil at 1000 miles and keep a light foot when possible. Currently up and down us1 in Florida stop and start I get 17 to 19.

4wd crew cab

 

[MontFla]

4wd crew cab

Which truck do you drive? 4WD or 2WD? Crew cab?

What speed were you driving to get 22 MPG? I've got 8,000 miles on my 21 Rebel, 5.7 etorque, crew cab 4WD and I can't even get 22 MPG at 45 MPH. My highway speeds are generally 65 to 75 and I get between 15.5 and 16 MPG. It's always shocking to see someone getting amlmost 40% better fuel economy from a similar truck.

4wd I gingerly broke in my truck for 1000 miles then changed oil! I was driving 70 to 75. Your rebel also has aggressive tires vs the dueler tires on mine. This is not a off road truck so I will stay with Highway tires. I have no reason to BS you.

 

[MontFla]

Etorque helps MPG for stop and go traffic, not highway mileage.

On the other hand, some people have problems where the engine will shut off all of a sudden when making slow speed turns.

That is a pretty truck!

 

[asgadf/lkjnadsfg]

4wd I gingerly broke in my truck for 1000 miles then changed oil! I was driving 70 to 75. Your rebel also has aggressive tires vs the dueler tires on mine. This is not a off road truck so I will stay with Highway tires. I have no reason to BS you.

Yeah, tires make a big difference for sure.

 

[MontFla]

Yeah, tires make a big difference for sure.

I get it the off road tires look cool!!! But do you really need them? If you need them then by all means that is the best choice but if you don’t need them???? Well maybe think about replacing them with a good rain tire. Ie.. Highway tire. Off road tires are not good in rain . Whatever your needs are just be realistic. I have off road play jeep rubicon and I do not worry about gas mileage in it!!!!! My ram is my daily commuter. The wife has a cr-v that gets 34 mpg.

 

[theblet]

That is a pretty truck!

Thank you. We love it!

 

[theblet]

Correct, on the highway, it does nothing other than may help stay in mds longer

Not sure if it does that. Where did you read this? Just curious