Future Chevrolet Trucks Could Feature Carbonfibre Load Beds
General Motors is to start using carbonfibre load beds on its pickups. The exotic material would be used alongside aluminium and other lightweight metals to form a much lighter chassis that could even exceed the strength of past steel versions.
It’s partly necessary to keep pace with Ford’s F-150 truck, which moved to aluminium-alloy bodies several years ago. A carbonfibre bed would be a massive step in the modern history of pickups, though.
It would likely be a carbonfibre-reinforced thermoplastic in a dense configuration that’s cheaper to produce than the low-density formats favoured by the likes of BMW for things like roof panels and trim accessories.
About a year ago one of GM’s production chain partners, Teijin, confirmed a carbonfibre production facility in Greenwood, South Carolina, and that it would be producing materials for automotive use. A spokesman reportedly declined to say whether it had anything to do with truck load beds.
GM has reportedly questioned the strength of the aluminium in the latest F-150’s bed, and will be steering clear of using the same metal. Carbonfibre is said to be the strongest, lightest material that could serve long-term as a load floor in a pickup.
While it’s unlikely to be standard on all of its Chevrolet Silverado or Sierra trucks, it will be an option within a couple of years for an unknown price. The lighter material would improve fuel efficiency and help keep the pickup relevant in the face of tightening emissions regulations, according to Automotive News.
Source: Automotive News
Comments
Yesss🔥🔥💪🏽
Wonder what sort of fake useless ad are they gonna make now.
Their ads make me want a Chevy less.
“NOT ACTORS. REAL PEOPLE.”
Animator: “So I’ve invited you here to play a little game.”
Real person # 1: “IT’S GOING TO BE SO MUCH FUN”
Animator: “I’m going to tell you the characteristics of a car and you have to tell me what it makes you think to.”
Not an actor #2: “k”
Animator: “If I tell you: a chassis with carbon fibre and aluminium, what are you thinking to?”
Real guy #1: “Some high-end exotic sports car, maybe the Mustang or the Corvette”
Not a fake person #3: “Yeah, a Lamborghini too”
Animator: “If I tell you: a lot of high tech features, like Bluetooth, keyless entry, a touchscreen, or even a rear camera, what are you thinking to?”
Totally not an actor #2: “Oh, probably a Lexus or a BMW, something which does lean towards the $60k bracket”
Real man #3: “Or Infiniti, don’t forget Infiniti”
Animator: “Good, what if I tell you: a lot of JD Power Initial Reliability awards?”
Did I tell you it was not an actor #4: “Yeah, Toyota or something like that, I really like their CR-V”
That’s a real guy I swear #3: “Or also Nissan”
Animator: “What if I tell you you can find all these things in ONE vehicle?”
Some guy who is real #2: “Amazing, it’s probably a Mercedes-Benz or a Tesla”
Real AF guy #3: “Or a Mini”
Animator: “What if I tell you…
BIG AF DOORS OPENING IN THE BACKGROUND
…it’s the 2018 Chevy Silverado?”
some generic top line fully equiped Silverado costing $30k more than the base version showing behind the doors
Not an actor #1: “WoW nO wAy iT cAn’T bE rEaL”
You got that it was someone real #2: “Oh boy, that’s a Chevy? I guess I’m going to need to sell my F-150 forced laughter
Same one #3: “I want one”
Chevy logo and the starting price of the Silverado, which is totally not the one showed in the ad, appears on screen
Actors. Not real people
Behold the new Chevrolet Silverado Superleggeraaaa
Chevy Silverado Sport V8 (Carbon Fiber Edition)
Introducing our new lightweight pick up truck…now only 14 tons!
MY question is this. By lightening the load bay isn’t that a recipe for code BROWN? After all trucks are already nose heavy so lightening the back end seems counter intuitive
Exactly
If you have a load in the back I think the weight distribution would be more equal again
i feel like they are missing the point of a truck, the bed can’t be made out of weak materials or the bed will break or dent when you put anything in the bed
That’s the point in CF, it’s lighter than steel whilst as strong, if not stronger! Look at McLaren cars that have been rolled etc, the only thing left is the carbon tub and cars have been rebuilt from the same tub cause it was in damages
I love the new Chevy’s, but a carbonfibre bed, no just no. Id prefer to see them get rid of the dimwitted idiot in the advertising department making all the pathetic “real people. Not Actors” commercials…
Cough cough bed liner, or you could just coat it in flex seal and it could survive a direct hit from a cruise missile.