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Ford Patents Electric, Sliding Bed Platform For Silverado Rival – The Inbound F-150 Hybrid

The Chevrolet and Ford rivalry dates back as far as one can remember, and it hasn’t slowed to this day. In typical one-upmanship, it seems Ford may be looking to reinvent the truck bed with its latest patent.

Ford Authority reports the blue oval has secured a patent for an electric, sliding bed platform for its upcoming F-150 Hybrid. The sliding bed could be useful for retrieving cargo and even be utilized as a work table.

The patent itself shows the electric bed platform operated by an electric motor, with power coming from the F-150 Hybrid’s powertrain. The bed would slide out at the push of a button, ceasing operation if any obstacles were to be detected in the process.

The possibility of an electric, sliding bed certainly falls in line with Ford’s previous comments surrounding the F-150 Hybrid. The automaker has stated the Hybrid will provide greater utility and performance, even allowing drivers to use the electric motors onboard as a generator to power tools and more.

On the GM front, its next-generation of pickups have recently been spied testing in California and Michigan. Not much is known surrounding the pickups, but extensive use of aluminum is all but a given. The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra may make their debut next year for the 2019 model year.

Former GM Authority staff writer.

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Comments

  1. GM has a gret RWD hybrid system in the Cadillac CT6 that can handle the Silverado and Sierra powertrain. And the Volt’s FWD powertrain can fir in the Colorado. It is time for the GM Hybrid Truck to appear!!

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    1. GM only survived with a handout from the Govt.

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      1. Because that is relevant.

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      2. Ford Credit recived funds and
        Ford had their respective handout from Reagan in the early 80s,with 23 million “put it in Park and set the the parking brake ” stickers, rather than recalling them for Transmissions jumping out of park. Also Chrysler was bailed out twice

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        1. All countries around the world protect and subsidize their auto industry. Most, far more than the US and Canada.

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          1. Bob, they definitely do.

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      3. Joe,
        Research the tax laws in Japan and Korea that help out their mighty car companies.
        The Japanese Automakers have so much protection on their home soil.
        Also research how engine displacement is taxed on an individuals tax return in Japan.
        Basically High taxes that target The US Automakers and European automakers. Example when GM used the 2.2 ltr in their compacts Japan taxed you if your car was over 2.0.
        weird cause GM used 2.2 ltr that were still efficient.

        The Mighty Toyota is a fearless company that stands alone and never takes any help from their government. lol
        Wake up Joe (btw what did your comment have to do with the article?????)
        Joe go drive a KIA

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        1. China forces all manufacturers to get a Chinese partner in order to disseminate technology through the Chinese auto industry. Any imported vehicles are subject to massive import tariffs. Why does that only work on way with the US having next to no tariffs?

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          1. Bob, I hear ya.
            We see that, but many do not.

            In other news…..Look at Australia now. They won’t even have an automobile manufactured there.

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            1. The apathy out there is incredible. There is a free trade agreement with Korea but they are very nationalistic ( some would say smart) and are not buying US cars and products.

              You are right about Australia. Unfortunately, Canada can also be heading slowly that way.

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  2. GM has been working for years with Toyota to develop a hybrid truck. I mean thats all that needs to be said, Ford has the worst wiring in the industry and Toyota and Chevrolet are purchased for the reliability by consumers. Whatever horrible design Ford came up with is gonna be so inferior to what GM and Toyota develop, they have had sliding platforms in station wagons for years, you can’t patent a moving piece of metal lol, only how its accomplished, and honestly who wants to take design ideas from Ford electrical engineers haha, no one is asking the bottom of the barrel.

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  3. Cassidy are you sure it is Toyota ? I have read that GM is working with Honda on new Hybrid system .

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  4. Just do not drop a tool box on it.

    This is a neat idea but really think about the cost and the cost of repair and I suspect the response to this may be limited.

    If it should make it GM already has show a small truck that had an expanding bed a couple years ago on a GMC show truck. They all have trick laying around like this but cost , repair and also the added weight often becomes a problem.

    Note the 4 wheel steering GM offered. It really worked great. I have driven one and it was cool. But it also was heavy and very expensive to add to a truck and it reduced the capacity of the load.

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  5. Incredible hypocrisy! GM slams Ford for the use of aluminium and as expected will mimic the move years later in an attempt to catch-up. You either lead or follow and in this case Ford is the moving target.

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  6. Or how about putting carbon fiber frame on new trucks as that’s what ford and magma are doing now?

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  7. There is a aftermarket company that already make and sell these just not electric that I know of. Had a 07 Avalanche that had a aluminum slide out bed. I’ll post the name of the company later.

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  8. GM should work on a 1500 Diesel before they go into hybrid tech.

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  9. Next it’ll be titanium….super lite….,super expensive

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  10. No cf subframs were protoypes show not put on any car yet, gm show Cf subframs last year to be put on there future cars, with carbonfiber plactic company they were working with.

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  11. All u Ford asshole go to there website

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    1. Some GM fanatics obviously skipped grammar school… Lol

      Reply

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