2015 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Production To Double: 1 In 5 Trucks To Get Diesel

Increased fuel efficiency has apparently struck a chord with full-size pickup-truck buyers: Chrysler said yesterday it would double production of its 2015 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel in response to soaring demand.

Ram announced that it will now build the diesel powertrain mix into 20 percent of total Ram 1500 volume--fully twice the number the company originally expected to produce.

ALSO SEE: 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel: Quick First Drive Report

Demand for the diesel half-ton truck has been robust from the start.

When it first started taking orders earlier this year, Ram received 8,000 requests in just three days, completely selling out the initial allocation for the 1500 EcoDiesel.

The only diesel half-ton pickup currently available, the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel boasts an EPA fuel-economy rating of 23 mpg combined (20 mpg city, 28 mpg highway) for rear-wheel drive models.

Four-wheel drive models are rated at 22 mpg combined (19 mpg city, 27 mpg highway).

Some drivers are reportedly exceeding those mileage ratings in the real world, with anecdotal mileage estimates in the low-30 mpg range.