It’s no secret that full-size pickup trucks are the most popular vehicles in America. In 2019, the Ford F-150 was the best-selling vehicle by a wide margin, while its two main rivals, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Ram 1500, were the second- and third-best-selling vehicles, respectively.
But who is buying all these pickup trucks and what is driving them to do so? Those questions and more were answered in the 2020 Great American Truck Survey, which was commissioned by Ford Motor Company and carried out by research company Penn Schoen Berland. The survey included roughly 2,000 owners of various truck models – not just the Ford F-150.
The survey indicated that 54% of American pickup owners are male, while 46% are female. Additionally, it found that most pickup owners (27%) fall in the 18-34 age range, while the 55-64 range was second at 20%. Somewhat surprisingly, consumers aged 35-44-and 65+ are buying the least amount of pickup trucks, both representing just 17% of current truck owners.
So how much do these owners love their trucks? Quite a lot, it would seem. Ford’s survey found that 25% of owners have given their truck an affectionate nickname like ‘Big Bertha’ or ‘Brutus’, while 15% have gotten a tattoo of their truck or a tattoo related to truck culture. The survey also asked participants to explain how their truck makes them feel, with the most common descriptors being: self-reliant, dependable, capable, accomplished, and proud.
Trucks aren’t an entirely self-indulgent purchase, either. The vast majority of survey participants (94%) said they have used their truck to help others, while a whopping 34% say they use it to help others on a weekly basis.
Ford’s survey provided some valuable insight into the demand and excitement over battery-electric trucks, as well. Nationwide, 40% of pickup owners are excited about the prospect of an electric truck, but that figure jumps to 62% in eco-conscious California. Many also said they would only buy an electric truck if it did not force them to compromise on capability and functionality. They also want to ensure there are enough places to charge the vehicle and would be more attracted to it if it offered lower maintenance costs. This will be valuable information to General Motors, which is planning on launching its GMC Hummer EV truck for the 2022 model year.
The full results from the 2020 Great American Truck Survey can be viewed at this link.
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Comments
Having a truck is the epitome of MURICA freedom. Big V8, torque, 4×4, on and off road. Pack up the truck and go camping,. Tow a boat. Go exploring on an unbeaten path. Get a trailer and move across the country. Lay in the bed an watch the stars. Tackle mud, snow, sand and gravel. Put a 70 inch TV and a lawnmower in the back. Customizable to be a low rider and fast, mall crawler with deep dish pizzas, or pay 10k in FOX or King shocks to launch off your cul-de-sac. Intense LEDs to blind smaller vehicles and 6000lbs of American steel to watch YouTube clips of borla exhausts and survive the accident. I put premium gas in my truck because I can. I have KO2s with the M&S stamp and live in the desert. I have bilstein shocks so I don’t have to slow down at the railroad tracks. I use my 4×4 feature to get on my ramps to change my own oil. America.
Like I have been saying for a while, Electric Trucks will become a must have in the next couple of years. Once the average customer learns and figures out how much money they will save, the flip to EV Trucks will happen much more quickly than even cars.
You get to keep the Utility, Off road ability, and most importantly all the power and then some.
Now as far as Fleets are concerned, I would be floored if they don’t all for the most part switch over as quickly as possible.
This is why I advocate any new domestic sedans to be basically 4-door pony cars because families and profits migrated to SUV/CUV/pickups.
Trucks are what killed full size sedans. Why buy a nice car these days when a luxury truck is roughly the same price with more usability.
My first new vehicle was a 1978 Dodge Ramcharger. I bought a 1986-1/2 Toyota Supra, but missed the Ram and I bought a 1989 K1500. I bought a 2002 Envoy followed by a 2016 Canyon. I actually use the 4wd for trail driving and surveys, so I can understand the love for trucks. Also, I can drive 600 miles straight with my Canyon diesel which makes for a great road trip vehicle. When I drive from Bay Area CA to WA, I can do my 10 hours to Eugene, OR on a tank, setting up a short second day since I need to deal with the WA State ferries.
I’ve owned a few vehicles in my day
My favorite is my 14 Silverado LTZ.
Really they needed to commission a no doubt very expensive survey to discover what everyone already knows?
I LOVE going down the highway in my 1998 one ton dually GMC pulling my 33 ft. 5th Wheel behind. It is a feeling of freedom and being able to stop at so many beautiful towns along the way and talk with the great people who live there make life worth while. Leaving the “RAT RACE” behind is healthy and rewarding. My 2021 GMC will be my LAST vehicle and I’m looking forward to continuing the freedom and climbing hills just a little bit faster. God Bless Pick Up Trucks.
One of the best lines from the movie “The Hunt for Red October”; Sam Neill as Captain Borodin, Executive Officer of Red October asked Sean Connery as Marko Ramius, Commanding Officer of Red October as it was obvious they were defecting to the USA, “Will they let me buy a pick up truck?”
Marko Ramius replied:
Good movie.