HELLO RAM/CUMMINS ENTHUSIAST, HERE IS THE HEADLINE YOU’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR

[TDRComm]

HELLO RAM/CUMMINS ENTHUSIAST, HERE IS THE HEADLINE YOU’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR
(AND THE CALIFORNIA REGULATORY FOLKS SHOW A BIT OF COMMON SENSE)

The headline we have been looking for is on the front page of Automotive News, October 3, 2022: “EV Holdouts.”

In previous “BITW” columns we’ve traced the progression of electric vehicles and hybrid powertrains. Recently we’ve seen the major car magazines test the electric vehicle powertrain combinations in 1500-series pickups. In the last issue, I noted and discussed the driving range (OR LACK THEREOF) of a 1500 pickup when towing or loaded. In the “BITW” column I reintroduced Mad Magazine’s character, Alfred E Neuman and I tied his “What, Me Worry?” persona to the idea that electric vehicles would see limited use in the larger 2500-5500 pickup applications.

I am always one that will find a report to support my side of a discussion, here are some quotes from AN’s article by Michael Martinez: “The Detroit 3 are pushing rapidly toward an electric future for their light-duty pickups, but it’s a different story for the biggest trucks in their lineups. Heavy-duty pickups are among the few vehicles still seeing big investments toward development of more powerful gasoline and diesel engines.”

Martinez further notes that while the market segment for HD trucks isn’t huge, the profits generated from these vehicles are the key to the funding of the future electric vehicle. Here is a quote from AN as they discussed HD trucks with Ford CEO Jim Farley. “If you’re pulling 10,000 pounds, an electric truck is not the right solution. And 95% of our customers tow more than 10,000 pounds.”

Farley made the statement at Ford’s reveal of the 2023 Super Duty lineup of trucks. Here is further commentary from Martinez: “In 2023, Ford is rolling out new gasoline and diesel engines on the 2023 Super Duty, General Motors is giving the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD a stronger diesel engine and the 2023 Ram HD lineup is gaining a Rebel performance variant.

“Even as California plans to ban gasoline-powered vehicle sales after 2035, it’s making exceptions for heavy-duty pickups, Farley noted, giving the company confidence that sales of the trucks won’t be limited in the future.”

California Air Resources Board (CARB) and Common Sense

Did you note the sentence “California… is making exceptions for heavy-duty pickups”? Wow, common sense in government regulations. Who would have thought as much?

Back to the Story

As evidence of Ford’s belief in heavy-duty trucks using internal combustion engines, AN noted the new Ford engine displacements: A standard 6.8-liter V-8 engine replaces the current 6.2-liter V-8, and a new high-output 6.7-liter PowerStroke V-8 diesel will be offered. Those will join the carryover 7.3-liter V-8 and 6.7-liter PowerStroke V-8 diesel to give the trucks what Ford says will be best-in-class towing, payload, torque and horsepower figures. Ford will also invest $700 million and add 500 jobs at its Kentucky Truck Plant to support Super Duty production.”

So, Ram/Cummins enthusiast, it looks like the future for the Cummins diesel is somewhat secure.

Thank you for your support of the Turbo Diesel Register!

 

[xcc_rider]

I would love to find in writing where Kalyforrnya is making exceptions for heavy duty pickups.

As of now they're hitting all the real heavy-duty trucks hard with age limits, emissions rules and yearly testing. Even out of state haulers will have to pass emissions testing at the border or they won't be permitted to enter the state.
Granted these rules won't go into affect for a couple of years, but they're coming none the less.
It's so bad that the ports dept is predicting shortages of trucks to haul cargo out of the ports which means back ups of cargo ships and shortages for the consumers.

Owners who paid big $$$ to update their older trucks to the newer emissions standards (the last rule change) are now being told that very soon they can't be used in Kalyforrnya anymore just due to their age.

Maybe those of you who live out of state can say it's a bit of common sense to make exceptions for heavy-duty pickups but that's today rules, just wait until tomorrow...

Common sense and logic do not apply to this state.
Not when they change the rules at any political whim.

 

[TDRGuy]

xcc: I get it, I live a sheltered life in Georgia.

In fairness, all I had to go by is the comment from Ford's Farley that was in the AN article. Hey, I was trying to be positive...

You are having to "live the nonsense." I have no problem retracting my observation about California and common sense.

RP

 

[xcc_rider]

No problem leaving it the way it is. From 49 other states point of view it does look like we had a momentary lapse of stupidity and made sense again.

I honestly hope the do exclude the heavy-duty pickups and I hope common sense will prevail concerning the heavy haulers. (And EV's and solar power and taxes and........)

Either way, I'm keeping my 2007.5 until the wheels fall off and my bags packed just in case I get lucky enough to bail from this state.

 

[TDRGuy]

xcc: 10-4 on the no problem. Keep on truckin' as best as you can.

When is the "lucky enough" date for you?

RP

 

[xcc_rider]

Great question. The wife and I have wanted to leave for well over 10 years but she is the last sibling here to help care for her father so at 89 years old there's no way we can go and leave him on his own.

After that, well I think we'll be moving to a much more conservative state.

(This state is NUTS!)

 

[Tuesdak]

When the fuel prices hit $5.00 a gal in CA ... It was soon The Great Depression V2.0.

Fuel prices are even higher now.

The higher cost of Diesel, higher DEF cost, DEF availability ( ! ), and Diesel emissions equipment cost including EPA fines... The Big Gasoline Engine may make a comeback just to do what Diesel does now, but, cheaper.

Out west we get the shadow of fuel meeting the CA standards and limited refining capacity. Other than the east coast refinery that shut down and was not replaced ... one may also be missing other's pain over the higher fuel costs in CA.

You don't need a crystal ball to see this coming, well maybe Ford does. The current VP of the USA was the attorney general of CA when OOIDA sued CARB and personally sued the iD10t's at CARB over "DPF Retro-laws" via the interstate commerce clause. The lawsuits went nowhere and how it went is being scrubbed off the internet.

"due to immunity CARB employees have in their roles"

https://www.ccjdigital.com/business...lawsuit-challenging-its-emissions-regulations

https://www.fleetowner.com/news/regulations/article/21686859/carb-sued-over-older-trucks

The bright side is if fuel so expensive and simply 'unable' to use the CA ports: we will have to: Make. It. Here.

 

[Tuesdak]

@xcc_rider Little more on what we are talking about.

https://www.ocregister.com/2021/10/27/california-is-ruled-by-regulators-answering-to-no-one-at-all/

 

[Darkbloodmon]

Money talks, California is 3.4 Trillion in on GDP for Q2 in 2022, still the 5th largest economy in the world, and the largest sub national economy in the world.

They've got money to hold out apparently in this slow siege with transportation and logistics...

Maybe they'll try a border transfer operation. Non-compliant vehicles drop it off at the border and compliant or EV trucks can relay race it in as many charge cycles as it takes...