In spite of the showdown between electric and gas vehicles, there is still one burning question that has yet to be resolved. Which is faster? Gas or diesel? Chevy may have just given us the answer to this. 

The 2020 Chevy Silverado will come with both a gas and a diesel engine, meaning that we can finally put this question to the test. Since most of us can’t afford to buy both versions of the new Silverado 2500 HD, the Fast Lane Truck has hit the track to answer it for us. 

Drag race

The easiest way to see which truck is faster is to simply jump behind the wheel and gas it, which is exactly what Andre did. 

The first truck he tested was the 2WD diesel. It took exactly eight seconds to reach 60 mph.

Next, Andre tested the 2WD gas engine. He started by turning off the traction control. He also turned off the stability control because viewers had asked him to in previous videos. Andre felt as if the gas engine had a good launch, but it took 9.05 seconds to reach 60 mph. That’s a second longer than it took the diesel. Still, that doesn’t make up for the extra $10,000 price tag that comes along with the diesel. 

Since the Silverado has a 2WD and a 4WD option, Andre tested the trucks in 4WD next. The diesel 4WD was able to hit 60 mph in 7.90 seconds. That’s not bad for a 4WD drive truck. Next, he tested the 4WD gas engine. He once again left the traction control and stability control off. The engine had a very nice rev to it as he accelerated, but it took the truck 9.22 seconds to reach 60 mph. Andre explained that the 4WD drag was slowing him down while driving the gas engine.  

What’s very surprising about the speed times is the fact that the diesel truck weighs about 1,300 lbs more than the gas truck. 

Engine specs

The 6.6-liter gasoline V8 is closely related to the engine found in the Corvette and has 401 hp and 464 lb-ft of torque. It also comes equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission that has been updated for the 2020 model. According to Andre, Chevy reports that this is a very reliable engine that should last for a long time. How long exactly is a long time? Andre didn’t specify.

The diesel engine is a 6.6-liter V8 turbo-diesel Duramax engine. It gets 445 hp and 910 lb-ft of torque. It also has a new 10-speed Allison branded transmission. Andre reports that the diesel truck he tested was the custom trim level. It has a more custom look with a monochromatic grill, 20″ wheels, and blacked out grill insert in the bumper. Thanks to the 20″ wheels, getting in and out of this mammoth will prove difficult for many consumers, so Chevy added optional side steps. The tailgate is electrically assisted. 

According to Andre, the standard starting price is $40,000. The custom truck that he reviews in his video is $48,000. 

After finishing his review, Andre recommended the gas engine due to price and capability even though the diesel is faster.