GM Begins Shipping Diesel Pickups

General Motors Co. has finally begun to ship diesel-powered variants of the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 fullsize pickup trucks to U.S. dealers.

Certification dragged on for more than a year because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requested more information than expected, according to GM. The new 3.0-liter Duramax inline-six diesel engine was to have been added as an option on the 2019 pickups earlier this year.

Dealer shipments of the diesel models began about two weeks ago, according to Automotive News. Filling the pipeline could take another six weeks, company officials tell the newspaper.

The new Duramax engine is GM’s first diesel for large pickups since 1997. The powerplant, which is mated with a 10-speed automatic transmission, is rated at 277 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque.

The diesel-powered Silverado and Sierra are priced the same as those with a 6.2-liter gasoline V-8. The diesel models cost $2,500 more than their counterparts with a 5.3-liter V-8 and are a $3,900 premium over a turbocharged 2.7-liter four-banger.

The new Duramax diesel pickups boast a class-leading EPA fuel efficiency rating of 27 mpg. This compares with 25 mpg for the Ford F-150 and 23 mpg for the 2019 Ram 1500. Specs for the 2020 Ram pickup and its third-generation EcoDiesel haven’t been announced.