Bet you didn’t see that coming.
General Motors, the American automotive conglomerate that used to own almost-everything, is apparently looking into really interesting ways to reduce weight on its huge F-category trucks, which include the use of carbon fiber in the construction of their truck beds. That’s right, carbon fiber, the stuff revered by firms like Koenigsegg and Ferrari and McLaren, on a truck.
It’s not the first time a manufacturer has looked at lightening their truck beds, though carbon fiber is an interesting direction to take. Ford toyed with the idea and settled on using aluminium for their cargo beds, but carbon fiber could be the better bet.
“Carbon fiber, according to one source, is expected to be used as part of a mix of materials for the box of the pickups, [also] including aluminium. The truck beds could mark GM’s first use of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic, a product the automaker announced it was co-developing with Japan-based Teijin Limited in 2011.” — Automotive News
Due to the complexity and the cost of the carbon fiber beds, it’s expected that they will primarily feature in GM’s plushest trucks at first, before eventually trickling down to more affordable models.
Stay tuned to CarShowroom for more information as it comes.
