Tesla EV pickup truck!

[twinair]

Thanks, that's interesting. I didn't even know about the Promaster.
2014 Ram ProMaster? - Work & Cargo Van for Multiple Needs
I wonder how it'll sell.

[Fat Charlie]

The Promaster is a pretty impressive package. Kinda pricey for a work van, but that might just be me acting old.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

The ProMaster might face some resistence from the average Joe due to the FWD layout still not usual for commercial vehicles in America, but has some good features. The FWD layout allows for a lower deck height, which eases loading and unloading. Maybe Elon should take a look at the stripped chassis (Scudato) variant of the Fiat Ducato, Euro-spec equivalent to the ProMaster, to get some ideas for the upcoming Tesla truck frame layout...

[elhigh]

FWD trucks are gaining traction (hahaha) in the US. The VW Caddy pickup had a small but enthusiastic following, partly for its ridiculous (for a truck) fuel economy, and of course at about the same time Chrysler Corporation was producing the Dodge Rampage/Plymouth Scamp car-trucks.

We also get the Ford Transit Connect, FWD, and it's been getting a lot of uptake where I live, so I don't think too many people are going to balk at the wrong wheels doing the work. There may be some resistance from individual buyers but commercial buyers are only interested in how much work can it get done for the money. And the smart shoppers know the first cost is generally the least important cost to consider, it's what a vehicle costs after the purchase that makes it a good investment or not.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by elhigh

That's a valid point. You can hitch up your F-350 and drag away a 9-ton load on a bumper hitch, or 12 tons on a fifth wheel. No special license required if I recall rightly.

I'm not up on the latest rules regarding new drivers, but being older, or an experienced driver does not guarantee that someone knows how to safely trailer heavy loads.

My dad had at least 20,000 lbs on a rear 2" ball hitch on my 2500 diesel, and it started swaying badly while on the highway doing 55 mph. When he started to brake, the fishtailing became much worse, and he was talking up all 3 lanes of the highway.

Probably nobody has any business pulling that kind of weight on a 2" ball hitch, and my dad, despite his incredible driving ability, had the wrong instincts when it came to pulling a trailer.

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Altough the Iveco Daily is not available in the U.S., the Fiat Ducato is gonna be available there soon as the Ram ProMaster. That would probably be my choice for an efficient truck back there...

Very interesting. A 3L I4 diesel engine sounds appealing, but only if they offer a turbo charged version. I don't know why anyone would offer a non-turbo diesel these days.

...and FWD seems a bad idea for pulling a trailer. You want the traction on the axle with all the weight. Putting a load on the rear of a vehicle while simultaneously asking it to power and steer from the front seems a bad idea.

[Frank Lee]

FWD trucks are getting popular? The Caddy and the Rampage sold... some... 30 years ago and besides a trickle of Subarus there hasn't been anything like them since. The Transit seems to be popular but it isn't much more or less than a minivan; they aren't being loaded down with serious weight.

Still not seeing the advantage of flat nosed trucks. The frontal area isn't less and the drag isn't better. So then what.

[War_Wagon]

Vehicles that need to carry heavy loads on a regular basis need to be rear wheel drive and have a (mostly) full frame. FWD trucks/vans have their place, it's being a light duty vehicle that can occasionally serve a hauling purpose. There is a reason that a '98 Astro cargo van brings more money than a 2005 Caravan cargo (here anyway), because they are better at the task that they are made for. It's also the reason that you never ever buy a FWD mini van that has a class 3 trailer hitch hanging off the back of it - if you do then you better be saving up your spare change for a new transmission!

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

The newer Euro vans, such as the ProMaster and even the Sprinter in spite of its RWD layout, are actually more focused on hauling than towing, altough I've already seen a handful of them being used in touristic routes towing 2-ton trailers to carry the luggage of 15 passengers.

Originally Posted by redpoint5

A 3L I4 diesel engine sounds appealing, but only if they offer a turbo charged version. I don't know why anyone would offer a non-turbo diesel these days.

Nowadays you may still find a non-turbocharged 3.0L 4-pot Diesel only in Caribe, Africa and Middle-East. I actually doubt that it could be even possible to meet current EPA standards with one. The only non-turbocharged engine to be used in the ProMaster is gonna be the V6 gasser...

[elhigh]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

FWD trucks are getting popular? The Caddy and the Rampage sold... some... 30 years ago and besides a trickle of Subarus there hasn't been anything like them since. The Transit seems to be popular but it isn't much more or less than a minivan; they aren't being loaded down with serious weight.

Still not seeing the advantage of flat nosed trucks. The frontal area isn't less and the drag isn't better. So then what.

I'm not saying they're getting popular, only that they're gaining acceptance, particularly among commercial operators.

A few years ago my wife was in DC to care for a sick friend and noticed that every vehicle that had a flower company's name on the side was a Scion xB, the first-gen, non-thyroidal model. Evidently with the seats out the xB is just right for nippy little deliverys on DC's busy, crowded streets. Out on the edge of the prairie with you, Frank, it doesn't matter so much how unwieldy the truck is.

The advantage of flat nosed trucks is in the city where tight maneuvering is an issue, having the engine underneath and a nearly straight-down view is pretty important when trying to slide into a crowded loading zone. I used to deliver print shop materials in DC and can tell you even the stubby nose of an Econoline was sometimes more than I wanted to contend with.

Even now, in relatively wide-open E. TN I still appreciate the cliff-like panorama that spreads before my flat-faced Isuzu NPR. Not only that but flip the cab to work on the engine and there's the whole engine with precious little to block access. At the relatively low speeds I travel on city streets, aero drag isn't a big factor so frontal area and cD aren't a huge concern. I don't see a downside here.

[elhigh]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

I'm not up on the latest rules regarding new drivers, but being older, or an experienced driver does not guarantee that someone knows how to safely trailer heavy loads.

That's for sure. But with age comes experience and hopefully the learning of a few lessons that make disaster somewhat less likely.

I saw a seasoned driver totally jackknife his truck when his trailer full of telephone poles - only six of them - completely overpowered his truck on a relatively gentle curve. He insisted his load was well within his vehicle's towing capacity and couldn't understand what I was talking about when I explained the polar moment of inertia. Long story short, the tail wagged the dog really hard.