Short answer is no. It‘s just regular 1500 payload and towing, actually the max tow rating is less than a hemi v8 truck.I have a '14 Ram 1500 and love it! My next truck will likely be a 2500. Not sure if I would go Power Wagon though.
My question is. Does your buddies 1500 with the eco diesel have the capability of carrying more or towing more than the regular 1500? I ask because my truck on a 4300 mile trip to Colorado and back from NJ got 21.5 mpg and I have often had trips between 200-500 miles getting 24mpg.
If not I really don't see an advantage unless my truck is the exception to the rule with gas mileage when you figure in the additional cost of the diesel engine, higher costs of repairs and higher cost of diesel fuel.
As to mileage and cost of the engine, that is a more complicated answer.
My fuel economy is going be on the low end of the ecodiesel range due to gearing (lowest factory gearing option), tires (falken wildpeak), and camper shell (more weight), and the fact we were loaded down and driving 80mph most of the time. Supposedly guys are getting high 20’s with these trucks, I don’t see that because of what I’ve already said and also I live in the hills and nowhere I ever drive is flat or straight.
I also did not pay a premium for the engine, they were blowing out the ‘19 Classic (old body style) trucks last year and the only engine option on the Laramie was the ecodiesel, and they had crazy incentives so the cost was way lower than any other half ton on the market except for a bare bones trim, which I wasnt interested in.