More Aluminum in the trucks

Aluminum will corrode just as fast as steel when exposed to salt water. It might have a minor leg up on steel as far as corrosion resistance goes but it's not a magic bullet by any means.

 

My frs has an aluminum hood and that fucker is stupid light for a hood and damn near seems to flimsy

 

Wouldn't a lighter vehicle be less stable than a heavier one with the same load? I would think that would factor into the ratings.

 

I'd take an aluminum framed/bodied diesel/electric Pickup, even if the initial cost was pretty steep I just don't like when they shrink the gas tank every time. Leave me with 20+ gallons and a small light Pickup that gets 25+ avg MPG and I could actually make it home to see the folks in one tank haha

 

How do you figure unless you live out in the sticks? There's easily 4 gas stations every couple of blocks in urban america, and several in each moderate town?

 

Diesel/Electric for 2015!

 

It is happening. You can't stop progress!

 

Not as bad as when they take a fuel efficient small truck and make it less efficient (say, by making it 4x4 and adding a V6). I had a '94 Hardbody 4x4 V6 with 32" swampers that had the same tank as the 2wd 4-banger version. I could only go about 180 miles before I had to stop and tank up.

 

I DO live out in the sticks. And there's a lot of people who don't live next door to the gas station.
Currently if I want to fuel up on my way to or from work, I have to travel roughly 2 miles extra out of my way to do it.
Even when I didn't live out in the sticks, however, there wasn't a gas station that was directly on my line-of-travel to work; it was still a different (longer) route home than when I didn't need to get gas.

 

How would a hybrid drive system make the truck less offroad capable ?

 

Unless the Lithium Ion battery caught fire I really don't see how it'd affect the truck's offroad ability...
I'm sure they'd mount the battery pack low to maintain or improve the center of gravity.
Electric motors are torque monsters compared to gas engines.
Regenerative braking rather than plain-jane engine braking.
Time spent sitting while offroading would be using zero energy, rather than idling.

 

You're in the minority. Most people live enroute to a gas station in their day to day activities...a smaller gas tank isn't going to change your dilemma, youre still going out of your way to buy gas one way or another.

 

It's always hilarious to read the same people argue the same point over and over. Diesel is better, no it's not! Electric is better, no it's not! Do any of you ever think that maybe some things are better for some, but not for all? Ever think that might be why they offer so many options?

 

No one offers options for the benefit of the customer. The gas, diesel and electric tycoons are out for profit, not higher customer service ratings.

 

You're missing the point that a smaller tank means that you're making the trip more frequently, thereby wasting more gas, and offsetting or negating any MPG gains from downsizing the tank.

 

Only when MPG remains the same. If overall Range goes down you fill up more often. If I can get 300 miles out of 15 gallons and you get get 300 miles out of 20 we are both still getting the same range per tank. The point of the initial weight reduction concept in the OP was to lower gas consumption and thereby offer better MPG, and as part of that weight reduction they can now make the tank smaller and keep the same range. Better mpg minus a few available gallons will add up to the same range.

 

Thanks for saving me the time for having to explain this. There is no benefit to reduce the size of a gas tank unless range goes up. Does it make sense now Noelie?

 

I thought excessive vibration was a bad thing for hybrids; specifically the battery packs? Thats why hybrid drivetrains haven't made their way full scale to off road vehicles.

 

They're not going to see enough of an MPG increase to keep the range the same just from the weight reduction from downsizing the tank. Even if they see a full MPG out of it, that's only a gallon of available decrease to keep roughly the same range. And if they can only decrease tank size by a gallon, there's no way they're going to see any kind of increase in MPG's.
Don't believe me? Only fill your tank halfway and tell me how many more MPG's you get.

 

They said they're working on a new transmission, possibly using a lot more aluminum to shed weight, AND on top of those shedding the size of the has tank among other things in order to achieve higher MPG. They're doing 99 things and shrinking the tank is possibly one. And there is a way they will see an increase in MPG. They have to across the board. Every company does. It's mandated junk that they have to do.