2019 Ram 1500 eTorque First Drive: More than Just Miles Per Gallon

More Driving Luxury

My Ram 1500 hybrid test truck for much of the day was the Longhorn model, so I spent the day driving a heavily-loaded pickup. The entire 2019 Ram 1500 lineup has been engineered to be more comfortable and quieter, but the premium packages are nothing short of a proper luxury machine in the body of a full-size truck. The eTorque system actually makes the truck even more luxurious, by further enhancing the smooth ride that comes with Ram’s air suspension system. So in addition to having all of the luxury interior goodies, the truck is smoother on the road than any truck or large SUV I have driven.

Rather than just applying extra torque to help improve fuel economy, the Ram eTorque system kicks in at a few points when we typically wouldn’t think about a hybrid system making a difference. This includes cruising speeds and during the shifts when both accelerating and decelerating.

While cruising along at 45 miles per hour with the engine operating at low RPM, torque levels are at their lowest. So when you ask for more power from a non-hybrid truck, there is a sudden demand for more fuel, even if the stronger throttle input is very brief. The eTorque system supplements that cruising power, removing the need for extra fuel when making on-the-fly speed adjustments. This improves fuel economy, but it also leads to smoother acceleration at cruising speeds, so while flooring the throttle will still give you the Hemi-powered snap that you expect, smaller increases in speed are smooth, quiet, and effortless.

Also, the eTorque system applies power during upshifts and downshifts. When driving any non-hybrid vehicle, including the 2019 Ram Rebel that I drove to Kentucky, shift points always come with a bit of a “bump.” As the automatic transmission shifts during acceleration, engine power is reduced for a moment as RPM drops below the peak powerband. But with the eTorque system, that bump isn’t there.

When the engine power is reduced for those few milliseconds, the hybrid system applies torque to keep the transmission input more consistent. As a result, upshifts are considerably smoother during normal driving situations. When you floor the truck from a stop and accelerate hard, the eight-speed transmission still offers the strong, spirited shifts that truck owners are going to want. But when driving around town, the upshifts are smooth and come without any hesitation from the truck.

In the same way, the eTorque system applies torque to smooth the downshifts, using the electric power to provide consistent power levels whether you are slowing down to a stop, or stepping down a gear for stronger acceleration. Also, during deceleration and in any coasting situation, the fuel system shuts down to prevent any waste. However, thanks to the mild hybrid system, there is no feeling of lag when you go from coasting to accelerating suddenly, as the eTorque system provides the power needed for that brief instant that the fuel flow isn’t available.

Now, I am not saying that the Ram Rebel that I had on my road trip is in any way unpleasant to drive, and it is just as quiet on the inside. But the eTorque system made my Longhorn test truck a whole lot smoother on the open road than the Rebel without the hybrid system.

Towing the Horse Trailer

Since we were driving the new hybrid Ram 1500 around the center for America’s thoroughbred horse racing, the folks from FCA provided us with a chance to test the Hemi eTorque system with a two-horse trailer. The trailer weighed around 3,500 pounds as shown, so it was a little lighter than my normal horse trailer testing (I typically use a 5,000-pound trailer), but this exercise wasn’t about how much weight it was pulling. This was another chance to experience how the eTorque system makes for a smoother truck, even when working.

‘I would really recommend the Hemi-powered truck to anyone who plans to work their trucks hard. But for those who don’t need the V8 power, the eTorque V6 is a great package that should offer the best fuel economy in the segment once those numbers have been announced.’

Like most hybrids, the Ram 1500 with eTorque makes use of the electric assist when pulling out from a stop. When driving these trucks normally, they have an automatic start/stop system that uses eTorque to make it the smoothest system of its type that I have experienced in anything, other than a more intensive (non-mild) hybrid vehicle. However, I was pulling in Tow/Haul mode, which cuts out automatic start/stop. But the eTorque still played an interesting role in making acceleration from a stop smoother.

I have pulled a horse trailer with dozens of different vehicles, and when trailering anything with a heartbeat, you want all of your vehicle motions to be as smooth as possible. The eTorque system makes for smoother acceleration and deceleration during normal driving situations, but it plays a key role in accelerating away from a stop that goes a long way in preserving the comfort of the horses.

With my own Hemi-powered Ram, starting off on an uphill climb from a stop always comes with a jerk of the trailer as the engine power catches the weight of the vehicle. That slight hesitation between the point at which I let off of the brake and press the throttle leads to a motion by the vehicle that can often jar the horses a bit. Thanks to the eTorque system, that jerk at the initial point of movement doesn’t exist with the hybrid half-ton.

As you begin to lift your foot off of the brake pedal, the eTorque system predicts that you are going to ask for throttle, so it begins to load the electric drive system. As soon as your foot hits the throttle, the hybrid system provides torque to the engine and the truck begins to move more quickly and more smoothly than does any non-hybrid truck with which I have towed a horse trailer. I stopped several times along the drive route with the horse trailer on steep inclines and each time, the hybrid system allowed the truck to accelerate up the hill without the jarring motion that often comes with a non-hybrid tow vehicle.

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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