This year Ford joins the ranks of automakers that are offering a diesel engine option in half-ton pickups. The 2018 F-150 will be available with a total of six different engine choices, and for the first time a 3.0 litre V-6, turbocharged diesel capable of 30 m.p.g. (7.84 l/100 km) is one of them.

The 250 horsepower diesel puts out its maximum 440 pound-feet of torque at just 1,750 r.p.m., and, it gets mated with its own 10-speed transmission programmed to make optimum gear selections based on that torque specification.

The engine uses a compacted graphite iron block paired with a forged steel crankshaft to reduce weight. There’s also a cast aluminum oil pan that houses a two-stage oil pump that the brand claims helps reduce parasitic power loss inside the engine.

Ford explains that the same engineering team responsible for the development of the well-regarded 6.7 litre Power Stroke also built the 3.0 litre, saying in a press announcement “The Ford truck team paid particular attention to extreme driving conditions when engineering the all-new 3.0-litre Power Stroke diesel, which features a premium mechanical engine-driven fan and dual radiator shutters for improved high temperature, high-altitude performance.”

So the new diesel-powered F-150 is aimed at those who want a truck that can haul and pull, giving it a 2,020 pound (918 kilogram) payload capacity and 11,400 pound (5,181 kilogram) tow rating.

The 3.0 diesel is available across the full F-150 trim level spectrum. Diesel trucks will start arriving at dealers’ lots this spring.