General Motors is putting its pickup trucks on a weight-loss program, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
In an effort to reduce weight as it seeks to improve fuel economy, the automaker is reportedly turning to lighter materials such as carbon fibre and aluminum.
The changes would come into effect on the 2019 Silverado and GMC Sierra. The carbon fibre would only be offered on higher-end trims in 2019, the report said.
That would make sense since manufacturing the carbon fibre elements will be an expensive proposition.
It’s unclear if the carbon fibre would be used for the truck bed, or the entire box as the WSJ report makes reference to both.
Either way, the lightweight carbon fibre is a strong material that should be able to withstand the abuses trucks endure – even if some of the pricier trucks the material would be used on never see a worksite.
The aluminum would be used on the pickup truck’s doors, the report indicated. GM has repeatedly poked fun at Ford’s use of aluminum for the body and bed of its pickup trucks.
While the use of carbon fibre will be limited to high-end pickups for the time being, the report indicates that GM would like to use the material in other applications as it continually looks to reduce vehicle weight.
Back in 2011, General Motors announced a partnership with Japan’s Teijin Limited, a company that specializes in carbon fibre materials, to develop technologies and materials for use in GM products.
You may also like
