The latest news from Ram is huge. For the 2020 model year, the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel will become the premier torque leader in the diesel-powered half-ton class. This is thanks to a claim of 480 lb-ft of torque, superseding the 3.0-liter Power Stroke’s 440 lb-ft of torque on the 2019 Ford F-150. It also beats out Chevrolet’s 3.0-liter Duramax, generating 460 lb-ft of torque on the 2019 Silverado 1500.

Taking these numbers and applying them to towing capacity, Ram’s 1500s will be capable of towing up to 12,560 pounds. Compared to Ford’s 11,400 pounds and Chevrolet’s 9,700 pounds, it’s a big improvement and handily puts Ram in the lead.

Truck engine evolution turned a corner in the beginning of the 2010s. Naturally aspirated inline fours, V6s, and V8s were the norm for a long time, with curious experiments into supercharged V8s (like the F-150 Lightning) and naturally aspirated V10s (like the 2004-06 Ram 1500) here and there. But that all changed when Ford’s EcoBoost arrived on the scene in 2011, bringing turbocharging to the party. After that, the next big leap was incorporating diesel, and that was all thanks to Ram.

Diesel has been a fixture in the class ever since Ram first debuted the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel in 2014. People quickly found they liked having diesel in their half-tons, and the engine choice has carried over successfully year after year.

New for 2020, the Ram Rebel will have the 3.0-liter as an option.

Folks will enjoy their EcoDiesel even more in 2020, as it’s spreading out to other models of the 1500. The big reveal is that it’s heading to the Ram 1500 Rebel, the off-road-centered trim package. We liked what we saw in the 2019 Ram 1500 Rebel with the Hemi V8, so the EcoDiesel will likely be another home run.

What do you think of this latest news from Ram? Let us know in the comments below.