For the first time, Ford will release its best-selling F-150 truck with an optional 3.0-liter diesel Power Stroke engine that will come with an EPA-estimated 30 mpg later this year.

The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker will start taking dealer orders on the new 2018 Ford F-150 diesel in mid-January, with deliveries expected to start this spring. With the addition of the diesel engine, Ford now offers its F-150 with six different engine options.

The first-ever diesel engine offered for the F-150 comes as a 3.0-liter powerstroke with an 10-speed automatic transmission. Ford reports that it is capable of 11,400 pounds of towing, a 2,020 payload, and making 250 horsepower and 440-pounds of torque.

Per the estimated EPA fuel economy rating, Ford says the final figures will be released this spring.

"For every truck owner who wants strong fuel economy while they tow and haul, we offer a new 3.0-liter Power Stroke V6 engine that dreams are made of," Dave Filipe, Ford's vice president global powertrain engineering, said.

"The more you tow and the longer you haul, the more you'll appreciate its class-leading towing and payload capacity and how efficient it is at the pump."

Ford's F-Series has been America's top-selling vehicle for 40 straight years.

The 2018 F-150's frame will come made of high-strength, military-grade, aluminum-alloy which helped decrease its weight by 700 pounds. Ford says this weight-reduction allowed its engineers to invest in new areas aimed at generating better towing capacity paired with the improved fuel economy rating.

This new diesel option is available in 4x2 and 4x4 trucks, and in the Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum editions. For fleet customers, Ford will offer the diesel option on all trims with SuperCrew 5.5-foot or 6.5-foot beds, and SuperCabs with a 6.5-foot bed.

The 2018 Ford F-150 Diesel was unveiled at a tight-lipped media event the same day the automaker announced it was moving 220-plus employees back into Detroit proper.

The automaker will move its autonomous and electric vehicle business and strategy teams back into Detroit in early 2018. More than 220 employees will work out of the Detroit location, which will reportedly focus on "mobility challenges and solutions in an urban setting."

Another aspect of the Power Stroke diesel option is the segment-exclusive 10-speed "SelectShift" automatic transmission that Ford expects to maximize "shift points and gear ratios to optimize power." What this all means is that the transmission can select the right gear for the right time regardless of sequential order.

For those curious about its weather testing and capabilities, the Dearborn-based automaker says it tested the F-150 diesel in Davis Dam, Arizona. The Power Stroke-equipped F-150 climbed 13 miles at a 6 percent grade in temperatures at levels hotter than 100 degrees. The F-150's 3.0-liter Power Stroke comes with an engine-driven fan and dual radiator shutters to help in those high-temperature conditions.

"We know that competing diesels with electric cooling fans have to dial back on power under extreme heat and altitude, so we decided on a viscous-controlled mechanical fan that has the capacity to move much more air across the radiator and intercooler in extreme conditions," David Ives, Ford diesel engine technical specialist, said.

"This gives F-150 Power Stroke owners more power and more passing capability in harsh conditions."

As for the upcoming North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Ford was tight-lipped about anything coming with them other than its new F-150 models. The automaker's press conference is currently scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14 at an offsite location.

Before the 2018 NAIAS opens to the public from Jan. 20 to Jan. 28 at the Cobo Center in Downtown Detroit automakers show off new models and make world debuts in scheduled press conferences. Press preview days are scheduled for Jan. 14 to Jan. 16, which is when to check in with MLive for any breaking news or coverage of fresh reveals.