2003 Chevy Cheyenne Concept
What’s a plausible solution for the The General’s next generation half-ton pickups to meet the upcoming CAFE light truck standard of 30 MPG, but — at the same time — sacrifice neither power nor capabilities? How about putting the trucks on a diet? This is the road GM engineers seem to be taking.
According to vehicle line executive (VLE) Rick Spina, he and the rest of his team in charge of the development of full-sized trucks are looking to shed around 10 percent (500 lbs.) of weight from the current-generation Silverado and Sierra to the next generation, which supposedly is to debut around 2014-2015. Spina revealed that his team plans on using lightweight blown-in foam to reduce noise in certain areas of the vehicle over heavier — yet cheaper — padding. Additionally, he also hinted at the idea of using magnesium or aluminum for the framework. Another goal is to reduce weight by as much as 1,000 lbs. by 2020 onward.
Though this seems to be an excellent solution, there are a few issues. One is that weight loss goes completely against the latest trend of vehicles getting larger and heaver over the past 30 years, most likely due to automakers constantly trying to cram in more technology and safety features into each vehicle. For GM — or any automaker — to keep those necessities while maintaining today’s levels of quality when aiming to produce a lighter vehicle gets very expensive, especially when utilizing metals like magnesium to replace much heavier steel. Hopefully, the GM engineers will find a way to meet their goals while still managing to keep the price of the final product grounded by 2016. Whether or not The General’s next line of full-sized SUVs will receive the same touches remains to be seen.
Source: Reuters
Comments
A heavy guage alluminium chassis frame with alluminium framed glassfiber cab and bed could be a gamechager, Corvette technology in the workplace, but cowboys stay home, these would be expensive pieces of equipment for buissiness only, with a projected life of 15 to 30 years and able to be refitted to the latest tubo-diesel ,or hybred technologys as they arrive; such vehicals would save buisnesses thousands of dollars, maybee even tens of thousands over their lifetimes. Such a reputation for Profetional Grade Engineering, will send the cowboys running to trade their Ford F series’es in 25 to 30 years from today when this technology is mature and less costly.
A forword thinking GM should jump at the chance to be the leading edge even though it will cost plenty in the short term. Just like when Ford downsised it’s trucks in 1980, but with a more NEXT CENTURY approach, these new trucks would be both HEAVY DUTY and HIGH TECH, they should make the F series look weak and the Ridgeline look antique.
I like to see how that would turn out and how much more it would cost in order to achieve 30 MPG, then again how much less would it cost if the pickups do not meet the 30 MPG standard?
Cool looking truck in the photo.
shedding 500 lbs sounds like a good idea.