With gas prices being so unstable recently, many drivers have been thinking about their car’s gas mileage. Truck owners usually don’t care about how much gas or diesel their truck needs, but there are still economical options that truck lovers can consider if they start to feel the pinch. Here’s a look at the two full-size trucks that tie for having the best fuel economy right now, and neither are electric.

Electric trucks are the best bet in terms of saving on fuel

If fuel economy is your biggest concern, there are only a few options for the most efficient full-size trucks. EVs, since they don’t rely on gas whatsoever, will mean that electric trucks will have the best fuel economy overall. However, there are very few electric trucks on the market right now. 

The Ford F-150 Lightning is Ford’s first electric truck and is already quite popular. A 2023 Lightning will start at over $50,000, and with the big battery option, it can go over 320 miles on a single charge. The Rivian R1T is another capable electric truck, but it’ll cost more than the Ford. The R1T currently starts at about $68,000. 

More electric trucks are coming soon, including the Tesla Cybertruck and the Chevy Silverado EV. Many people are still skeptical about owning an EV right now, so these options may be a no-go for them. 

The Chevy Silverado 1500 is a regular full-size truck that has a good fuel economy

According to KRQE, car shoppers who don’t want an electric truck but still want a fuel-efficient full-size pickup will have a few options. The most fuel-efficient full-size pickup that isn’t an EV is currently the Chevy Silverado 1500. That said, owners will need to upgrade the Silverado’s engine to get the most fuel economy out of it.

The standard Silverado starts at about $35,000 and comes with a 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, but it only gets about 21 mpg combined. When the Silverado is equipped with the 3.0-liter six-cylinder turbodiesel, however, it gets 23 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on highways, for 27 mpg combined.

That said, the diesel engine is expensive, bumping the Silverado’s price tag to about $50,000. However, it does deliver the most towing power, as the diesel engine allows the Silverado to tow upwards of 13,000 pounds.

The GMC Sierra 1500 is very similar to the Silverado in terms of fuel economy

Unsurprisingly, the runner-up for the most fuel-efficient full-size truck is the GMC Sierra 1500. This isn’t surprising because General Motors owns Chevy and GMC. As such, some models in their lineups are effectively clones of each other. However, there are some differences between the two vehicles, as GMC is envisioned as a more luxurious brand than Chevy.

In terms of full-size trucks, the Sierra is almost identical to the Silverado, and it’s similar in terms of engine options. Just like the Silverado, the standard Sierra’s engine isn’t that fuel efficient, but GMC offers the same turbodiesel option that Chevy does. When car shoppers equip their Sierra with that turbodiesel, it’ll also get about 27 mpg combined. 

One of the main differences between the Sierra and the Silverado is their pricing. When the Sierra is equipped with that diesel engine, its price tag is roughly $56,000. That’s about $6,000 more expensive than the Silverado when it’s equipped with its diesel engine.