Gasoline Engine Can Yield Big Savings Over Diesel, GM Says
General Motors has begun promoting the standard gasoline engine in its Class 4 through 8 trucks, claiming the Vortec 8100 V-8 is considerably less costly to buy and operate than diesels - especially in light of substantial price increases for diesels that were effective in January. GM is the only builder to offer gasoline power in Classes 6, 7 and 8, and is capitalizing on the exclusivity.
GM's Fleet & Commercial marketing arm has set up a web site at www.whygas.com, where customers can calculate yearly savings using varying annual mileages and fuel prices. Built into the calculations are undisclosed differences in purchasing prices, which officials say are thousands of dollars per truck. The web site refers customers to dealers for pricing information. It also notes higher per-gallon prices for diesel fuel compared to 87-octane regular unleaded gasoline, though the customer can enter fuel prices reflecting those in his or her operating area.
A gasoline engine is more economical to buy and operate if annual mileage is under 25,000, GM executives have said, but the calculations suggest that higher-mileage operations can also save money. We ran one example, using a Class 6 Chevrolet Kodiak or GMC TopKick C6500 that runs 30,500 miles annually, with $2.30 per gallon for gasoline and $2.68 per gallon for diesel fuel. The site's calculator predicted that combined purchase and operating cost savings for one year would be $18,388.67 compared to a customer's buying the Isuzu-built 6H diesel, and $20,034.67 versus buying a C6500 with the optional Caterpillar C7 diesel.
This contradicts common belief among commercial truck operators, and long-standing claims by competitors, that diesels save big money over time because they are at least 30 percent more fuel efficient and last longer than gasoline engines. GM executives have been saying that their gas engines, including the 8.1-liter (496-cubic-inch) 8100, now last 200,000 miles or more and cost less to rebuild than diesels. The 8100 is based on the old 454-cubic-inch V-8 and includes electronic fuel injection and many other advances.
The web site does not factor in the historically higher resale values of diesel-powered trucks, but notes that gasoline engines are quieter, easier to drive and maintain, and faster to warm up than diesels.
The Vortec 8100 is available in conventional-cab straight trucks with gross vehicle weight ratings of 19,500 to 37,600 pounds and single-rear axles. The engine is rated at 325 horsepower and 450 pounds-feet in C4500 and 5500 models and 295 horsepower and 440 pounds-feet in C6500, 7500 and 8500 models.
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