GM: Aluminum truck beds are stupid. Ours will be carbon fiber!

[Xist]

Courtesy of https://jalopnik.com/gm-to-start-bui...ort-1821163846

The article does not really say much, except that that carbon fiber is even more expensive (and difficult to repair) than aluminum, but Ford, on average, charges more for their trucks, and sells more of them.

Readers commented that making the back end lighter does not make sense for a RWD vehicle.

[redpoint5]

I don't see the cost/benefit advantage of an aluminum bed. How much weight does it save? As pointed out, the rear end is already too light for the way 90% of trucks are driven (single occupant commuter vehicle).

Carbon fiber is a superior material and I'm sure it will hold up better than other metals. I'm surprised the auto industry hasn't made more extensive use of the material already. The cost is due to the manual labor involved, but there has to be a way to automate the process.

One challenge of using CF in the structure of a vehicle is that it is very rigid, which makes it a poor material for creating crumple zones. Steel and aluminum are good materials to collapse in a controlled way, dissipating energy. CF remains rigid until failure, and then collapses with very little resistance.

[samwichse]

Originally Posted by Xist

Readers commented that making the back end lighter does not make sense for a RWD vehicle.

Readers are kind of idiots. Less weight in the back means you can add more weight to the back.

And as redpoint said, the back is already too light to be used like it is (around here, 75% of the trucks I see are spotless with all the paint still inside the receiver). The 2WD versions of these trucks should be FWD, honestly. And the 4WD version should have a toggle to switch on RWD/4WD.

[freebeard]

General Motors need to join the 21st Century.

Current headlines at https://www.basalt.guru/

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7tvhl9rBNE

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

As pointed out, the rear end is already too light for the way 90% of trucks are driven (single occupant commuter vehicle).

Makes them real interesting to watch in the winter, though. Especially the ones sitting in snowbanks along the side of the road :-)

But just as a practical* matter, I wonder how well the carbon fiber will resist abrasion from carrying loads of rock & gravel.

*OK, impractical seeing how few truck owners actually carry significant loads.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

But just as a practical* matter, I wonder how well the carbon fiber will resist abrasion from carrying loads of rock & gravel.

The burden of resisting abrasion will be placed on the plastic resin with which the carbon fiber will be soaked.

[Frank Lee]

I heard a GM ad blasting Ford's aluminum box; "yah the steel is sooo much better, it doesn't dent up when you empty that loader of gravel onto it."

1. Almost nobody dumps **** into the box like that.
2. It's advertising fluff. GM had to figure out how to bad-mouth aluminum pickups... UNTIL they get THEIRS on the market.

[freebeard]

Too bad you can't buy stock in Rhino-liner. They're privately held.

[oil pan 4]

Carbon fiber is even stupider.
Remember I have worked with carbon fiber. This is just a bad application for carbon fiber.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

Carbon fiber is even stupider.
Remember I have worked with carbon fiber. This is just a bad application for carbon fiber.

What are the concerns with using CF to form the bed? I understand abrasion, but using an abrasion resistant epoxy, or a durable coating should protect against this. CF is extremely resilient against impacts and load bearing.