Ram trucks has grown past being a subdivision of Dodge, and the two are now sister brands in the same company. Ram offers multiple diesel engine options. The heavy-duty Ram 2500 and 3500 are the only pickup trucks available with the latest generation of the legendary turbocharged, straight-six Cummins diesel engine: the 6.7-liter.

Is Cummins still with Dodge Ram trucks?

You can buy a 2022 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, or 5500 with a turbocharged 6.7-liter Cummins diesel I6. From the mid-1990s through 2015 you could also option a Ford Super Duty F-650 or F-750 with the same Cummins I6. But since 2016, the Ram has been the only pickup truck with this engine option.

The Dodge Cummins lives on in the 2021 Ram pickup truck

Dodge began offering Cummins engines in its heavy-duty Ram trucks in 1989 and never stopped. For the 2010 model year, Dodge Ram trucks spun off into its own brand called Ram. Ram has always offered a heavy-duty pickup or chassis-cab with a Cummins I6.

By the late 1980s, Dodge Ram trucks were falling behind the competition. Both General Motors and Ford offered diesel pickup trucks throughout the 1980s. Diesels were more powerful and fuel efficient than V8s of the era and quickly won over many pickup truck buyers.

So Dodge approached the Cummins company. Cummins was beginning production of its 6BT turbodiesel I6. The company had engineered the 5.9-liter powerplant for industrial and agricultural applications and may have been surprised by Dodge’s plan to offer it in a pickup truck. But after several years of development, Dodge perfected a Ram truck sturdy enough to handle the heavy, powerful engine.

Dodge sold its first Cummins-powered Ram truck in 1989. The pickup truck was an instant success. It took Dodge years to catch up with customer demand. In 1996, Cummins reengineered its 6BT for 200 horsepower. Then in the 2001 redesign, the engine exceeded 500 lb-ft of torque.

In 2007, Cummins replaced the old 5.9-liter I6 with a new 6.7-liter engine. This generation of Cummins I6 turbodiesel made 350 horsepower. The 2019 and later high-output version of this engine also made 1,000+ lb-ft of torque.

Does the Ram 1500 have a Cummins?

If you buy a light-duty Ram 1500 truck, you still have a diesel engine option–but not a Cummins. Ram offers its 1500 with a 3.0-liter “EcoDiesel” V6. This turbocharged powerplant can get up to 33 mpg on the highway. You can find the same engine in other Dodge products, such as the Jeep Gladiator.

Dodge Cummins specs

The Dodge Ram offers its trucks with a 6.7L Cummins turbodiesel I6 rated for 370 horsepower and 850 lb-ft. The high-output (HO) tune of the same engine makes 420 horsepower and 1,075 lb-ft of torque. Rams equipped with the Cummins high-output boast a maximum tow rating of 37,090 pounds.

The 2022 Ram 2500 starts at $39,160, the 3500 at $40,940. The 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel is a $9,400 option. The high-output variant will set you back $12,195.

When you upgrade your Ram with a Cummins engine, you also get a 28-gallon fuel tank, dual 730-amp batteries, heavy-duty engine cooling, a diesel exhaust brake, and a GVW rating of 11,500 pounds.