2015 Ford F150 goes on a diet, loses 700 lbs. (Aluminum)

[NeilBlanchard]

I wonder if/when they will address aerodynamic drag?

[Thenorm]

the manly men who buy these trucks would not stand for an aerodynamic shape.
they want it to look boxy.

when Ford went to a rounded aero front around 1997, sales dropped off, but the next gen with a squarer front and sales rebounded.

same thing with big rigs. truckers resisted aero fronts, even though it was lots of $$ out of there pockets paying for feul

[Xist]

I get over 40 MPG in my Civic, but the guy that sold it said that he got twelve in his truck. It is almost like their ego depends on converting money into pollution.

[Frank Lee]

A friend said, "Guys just looove putting gas in those things". They do!

[PaleMelanesian]

The lightest current F150 is 4680 lb. 4x2, single cab, short bed, V6. 700 less than that puts it below 4000 lb. A Camaro SS weighs 3900 lb. For a truck with nearly a one-ton payload capacity (1700 lb in that config), that's mighty impressive.

http://www.ford.com/trucks/f150/spec...ions/view-all/

[Frank Lee]

http://www.oldride.com/library/1963_chevrolet_c10.html

1970 CHEVROLET C10 Information Specifications Resources Pictures

Not impressed. At. All.

[Giovanni LiCalsi]

It still looks less aerodynamic than my 2003 Ford 150. They have regressed.
The new Ford van looks like an aerodynamical failure.
They should have considered using an Alulight all metal aluminum foam frame. It is half the weight of a steel frame and much stronger.

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by Giovanni LiCalsi

It still looks less aerodynamic than my 2003 Ford 150. They have regressed.
The new Ford van looks like an aerodynamical failure.
They should have considered using an Alulight all metal aluminum foam frame. It is half the weight of a steel frame and much stronger.

Money though, aluminum frame cost is a lot higher. Even Porsche doesn't have any plans for aluminum frame yet, they're talking about carbon fiber bodies before aluminum frame even though they already have full aluminum bodies.

[darcane]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

Money though, aluminum frame cost is a lot higher. Even Porsche doesn't have any plans for aluminum frame yet, they're talking about carbon fiber bodies before aluminum frame even though they already have full aluminum bodies.

"Even Porsche..." But Chevrolet's new C7 Corvette DOES have an aluminum frame, even on the base model:
Chevrolet News - United States - Corvette/Convertible

The old ZR1 C6 Corvette also used an aluminum frame, but it commanded a much higher price.

That said, I'd still be surprised to see aluminum on a truck frame.

I am curious is the extensive use of aluminum in new cars is going to lead to aluminum shortages or anything like that. F150 has very high sales numbers, that's going to use a lot of aluminum...

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by darcane

"Even Porsche..." But Chevrolet's new C7 Corvette DOES have an aluminum frame, even on the base model:
Chevrolet News - United States - Corvette/Convertible

That's true, but the price also went up considerably from the C6, whereas Porsche did not increase the MSRP by as much going from 987 to 981. Okay, the C6 also got a real interior, but 6000 bucks is a lot.

I believe aluminum still hasn't really fallen in price, either the aluminum industry needs some efficiency improvements (maybe via thermoelectric tech?) or the price of electricity needs to go down for cars to really start using a lot more aluminum, especially where it counts most, in the frame.

I noticed that a Nissan Sentra Zipcar I drove had incredibly thin steel panels that I could dent with my bare hands, those can't weigh much. I know that switching hood and trunk to carbon fiber saves something like 30 pounds for my car, which isn't a whole lot. Switching the doors to carbon fiber saves like 30 but if you add back in the crash reinforcement bars that drops. All in all the bodywork probably only weighs 100-200 pounds on most cars, while the steel frame is easily several times that. The Mclaren MP4-12C carbon fiber tub (without the front and rear aluminum subframes) is already 176 pounds. The Evora has a 440lb aluminum chassis.