Buy a trailer (instead of a pickup truck)

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Besides fuel costs, another aspect to consider is how the American market had been quite protectionist for the trucks made by domestic manufacturers.

I'm not a fan of that fact. We could have amazing trucks if competition would have been allowed.

We're starting to get 300hp, 40 MPG, AWD CUVs (RAV4 Prime) due to competition, but trucks still lag behind. They should have been the first to get hybrid powertrains, but instead were dead last.

[Isaac Zachary]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

I'm not a fan of that fact. We could have amazing trucks if competition would have been allowed.

We're starting to get 300hp, 40 MPG, AWD CUVs (RAV4 Prime) due to competition, but trucks still lag behind. They should have been the first to get hybrid powertrains, but instead were dead last.

Although I can't say I'd buy one of each, it's a shame only certain vehicles get certain treatments. Hybrid trucks and vans would have been awesome, for that need them at least. What about hybrid station wagons and minivans?

It also kind of makes sense to focus fuel savings on the vehicles that are the most thirsty. If you take all 30mpg compact and make them twice as fuel efficient you're not saving as much fuel than if you made all 15mpg trucks twice as fuel efficient.

[hayden55]

Originally Posted by Isaac Zachary

Although I can't say I'd buy one of each, it's a shame only certain vehicles get certain treatments. Hybrid trucks and vans would have been awesome, for that need them at least. What about hybrid station wagons and minivans?

It also kind of makes sense to focus fuel savings on the vehicles that are the most thirsty. If you take all 30mpg compact and make them twice as fuel efficient you're not saving as much fuel than if you made all 15mpg trucks twice as fuel efficient.

I noticed this as well. Nobody cared about making a hybrid truck until they started forcing EV mandates on everybody then the manufacturers were like whoa now... hybrids are just fine. lol
Secondary news I hear toyota is working on a diesel hybrid. Even though technically they are the worst offenders in this category called mpgs.
(although i think they realize their customers would rather have reliability than mpgs)

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

We're starting to get 300hp, 40 MPG, AWD CUVs (RAV4 Prime) due to competition, but trucks still lag behind.

Even for the CUVs it took quite long. Do you remember the early Suzuki Vitara and its GM rebadges? US-spec models were made in Canada to circumvent the Chicken Tax, while Japanese-made models were offered in the Canadian market with all Canadian production being exported to the United States.

[ByDesign]

Start with the biggest pigs? What made you decide thinking was a good idea? Actually, I agree with the premise, but the premise is missing the practical.

The hiccup is developing a new technology that will achieve the expectations of current products. The IC (Internal Combustion) engine has been in development for 140 years, and motorized vehicles for 120-ish. Early cars were electric, but we wouldn't have much for cars now if we had to stay with that way back then.

Introducing a new tech like Hybred that meets the expectations of current automotive offerings is a vvvvveeeeerrrrrryyyyyy tall ask.

So much easier to pick a small, maybe niche vehicle to do your learning with. First hybreds were in the 1990's, and the industry has learned a TON since then. If they had done trucks first (actually Ford did "bread trucks" (light delivery) early) things would have flopped. They need bigger electric motors, more battery, more charging and there was nothing to support all that. Having EV and Hybrids trickle out until they fully developed all the surrounding tech to support them in volume was actually really smart.

As a little history, GM made a vehicle that turned off certain cylinders to save fuel when power was not needed. They made several blunders in the process, then because of the big advertising and then the product failure, no other manufacture could touch that for a very long time. Now we see it in many vehicles, but it's mostly done quietly. Technology, especially sensing and control systems, have come of age, and deactivating cylinders now works well. So, with this in mind, if someone had done trucks first as Hybrid or EV, we wouldn't have the wide spread acceptance of them now. I for one, am thankful.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by ByDesign

Start with the biggest pigs?

Proportionately to their size, even a relatively small mileage improvement could be seen as greater than for a compact car for instance, plus the regenerative braking feature often seen on hybrids would also reflect on a longer life of brake pads or shoes like the engine-brake devices which many commercial operators are already familiar with.

[freebeard]

Originally Posted by ByDesign

What made you decide thinking was a good idea?

René Descartes

Cogito, ergo sum
Cogito, ergo sum is a philosophical statement that was made in Latin by René Descartes, usually translated into English as "I think, therefore I am". The phrase originally appeared in French as je pense, donc je suis in his Discourse on the Method, so as to reach a wider audience than Latin would have allowed.

[ByDesign]

Originally Posted by freebeard

René Descartes

I hope no one takes offence to the tongue in cheek comment about thinking. Of course starting with the biggest pigs would make the biggest impact, but as mentioned, there is a whole lot more to the story. I do appreciate all the good banter here. Have a wonderful day.

[freebeard]

All lies grammar-nazi-ing in jest.

JACG is on point today:



someone made a trailer for a Model T


there are still some real chuck wagons around

And finally --

you gotta use what you got, I guess, if you don't ask a friend to borrow their truck

That flag should be red.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

That trailer for a Model T looks interesting. I remember seeing period pictures of some trailers made with the rear axle of one, but never a front axle (and what seems to be an entire front section of a Model T chassis).