Ford looking to aluminum for pickups?

[ALS]

The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Ford is embracing aluminum to cut 700 pounds out of an F-150 pickup.

Chris Woodyard, And James R. Healey - USATODAY - July 27, 2012

Ford Motor, which has seen hidebound pickup buyers embrace gas-saving technology, appears to be headed a step further: an F-150 that makes extensive use of aluminum panels instead of steel.

Ford Motor will embrace aluminum when the next-generation F-150 appears in July 2014 as a way of saving gas, although it'll raise costs, says Richard Schultz, managing director of consultant Ducker Worldwide, who was briefed on the change by a Ford executive with knowledge of the plans. The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Ford is embracing aluminum to cut 700 pounds out of an F-150 pickup.

The stakes are huge. The F-Series pickup is Ford's top moneymaker and has been the top-selling vehicle of any kind in the U.S. for 30 years. Ford and other automakers face increasingly tough fuel-economy standards that will force innovation. Ford's Mike Levine says "it's premature" to talk of the next F-Series. "We're constantly looking at multiple ways to improve our cars and our trucks." He noted the F-150 has had an aluminum hood since 2004.... [Read More]

[rfruth]

I don't see this any time soon, aluminum is very hard to repair - pickup trucks are work vehicles, which means dings, dents, and body damage.

[waltermlee]

Pickup trucks are still a aerodynamic mess

[herm]

Lots of door panels and hoods made of aluminum these days..

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Originally Posted by rfruth

I don't see this any time soon, aluminum is very hard to repair - pickup trucks are work vehicles, which means dings, dents, and body damage.

I see work vehicles with dings, dents and body damage.

They'll look to use aluminum everywhere, including in the engines. Aluminum is more likely to fail, but so are turbos. Modern engineering and high gas prices combine to make durability less of a concern.

They'll do this. Pick-ups are high margin vehicles and the pressures of gas prices and CAFE mean they have a lot to lose if they don't improve fuel economy.

[phoebeisis]

Yeah
I think ItsNotAbout is right.
Pickups make plenty of money for all the Big 3-and Toyota-and a little for Nissan.
They are HIGH profit margin vehicles-so they want to keep selling them.
If/when we have a gas price spike-inevitable-unless the economy world wide tanks-
they won't be able to see as many if they get horrendous MPG.
So $1500 for 8%-improvement
16 mpg vs 17.3mpg
100,000 miles 6250 gallons at 16mpg
100,000 miles 5780 gallons at 17.3mpg
470 gallons saved per 100,000 miles- $4/gal=$1880 $5=2350 saved
AND NEW CAFE GOV REGS just as important as actual fuel savings.

Didn't the early landrover all terrain jeep like vehicle Brits sold in various African countries-Wasn't it lots of ALUMINUM?? Body-and maybe maybe frame??

Charlie

[worthywads]

Originally Posted by phoebeisis

Didn't the early landrover all terrain jeep like vehicle Brits sold in various African countries-Wasn't it lots of ALUMINUM?? Body-and maybe maybe frame??

Charlie

They did use alumium GM V8s.

http://www.aluminumv8.com/tech/tech.htm

[PaleMelanesian]

Nothing wrong with an aluminum engine, if it's done right. 196,000 miles on mine and still chugging away.

[CRT1]

Originally Posted by ItsNotAboutTheMoney

Aluminum is more likely to fail.

This is not true if the engineers do their homework. Aircraft have been primarily aluminum for the last 60 or 70 years with great reliability. There is a lot of all-aluminum ship building going on now with fantastic results.

The N.E. Aquarium has an aluminum-hulled catamaran you can ride out to the Gulf of Maine to see the humpback whales feeding.
http://www.neaq.org/visit_planning/w...atch/index.php

With a top speed 35 miles/hr, it covers the 30 mile trip from Boston in less than an hour (used to be 2+ hrs in the old boat). I think its Fuel Economy is measured in gallons per mile.