Reports: GM To Use Carbon Fiber In Truck Beds

[Gorehamj]

 John Goreham

Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com

12-7-2017

The pay-wall protected Wall Street Journal has reported that according to "people familiar with the strategy", General Motors is moving towards carbon fiber in truck beds. This after a pricey marketing push to convince buyers that high strength steel was the best material available for this application.

 

Carbon fiber has evolved considerably since it was first introduced as a material used in automobiles. The material was originally hand-created, hand laid, and required significant post-processing work to be used for consistent parts like those that would be needed for automobiles. However, the Oak Ridge Laboratory (ORNL) in TN and other commercial groups have cut the energy consumed and processing time significantly in the past few years. Truck beds are not complex shapes. They are mostly 2-dimensional and GM may not actually be planning to make the entire bed from carbon fiber.

 

We’d call these reports plausible. Other successful truck manufacturers presently use composite materials for truck beds and carbon fiber is similar in many ways to GFRP and other rigid plastic/fiber composites.  The biggest differences in terms of cost were related to the energy required to produce the fibers and to oxidize the composite. New methods are bringing those costs down. The precursor material is still expensive, but alternatives are in development.  Read more at the ORNL link below. GM-Trucks.com will follow up this report if more reliable sources become available. 

 

Image courtesy of ORNL

[mookdoc6]

Suck it FERD....GM makes better engines, transmissions and truck beds!

[newdude]

IF...and I mean IF...GM was able to pull this off...that would be mighty impressive if costs are right.  I can see them rolling this out for Denali/High Country to start, or if there is a specialty box like the High Desert again. 

 

GM did dabble on the GMT-800 with the Protec boxes (Saturn style composites construction) and those were cool, save for the fact it wasn't a cheap option. 

[mookdoc6]

11 minutes ago, newdude said:

IF...and I mean IF...GM was able to pull this off...that would be mighty impressive if costs are right.  I can see them rolling this out for Denali/High Country to start, or if there is a specialty box like the High Desert again. 

 

GM did dabble on the GMT-800 with the Protec boxes (Saturn style composites construction) and those were cool, save for the fact it wasn't a cheap option. 

 

Yup, everybody is so quick to point out that GM is always behind....Yet, if they were informed or not just plain ignorant they would know that GM usually had it's fingers in it first?  Good point! 

[Grumpy Bear]

I heard this story on WMMB Chicago yesterday during then noon business hour. I also heard it comes with the hopes of a 'significant' price hike for GM's margin improvement. There was also a story about Ford selling cars in China in vending machines. 

[j-ten-ner]

Although I didn't expect GM to go carbon fibre, I was still close enough.

 

Quoting myself from another thread:

...

I bet that it'll come back. Different kind of plastic though. "

...

 

so long

j-ten-ner

[1SLOW1500]

Yes there was tests years ago of a composite bed. Much like the rear bed fenders  but much thicker. Works well but the issue is repair/replacement cost. Whole fiberglass/composite/carbon beds are about 13 year old news. Oh and also in the news who wants to see a rear engine corvette? Was designed in the early 90s for the c5. I have seen the original engine photo of the design. That is how long ideas take. 

[truckofwinandawesome]

Yes there was tests years ago of a composite bed. Much like the rear bed fenders  but much thicker. Works well but the issue is repair/replacement cost. Whole fiberglass/composite/carbon beds are about 13 year old news. Oh and also in the news who wants to see a rear engine corvette? Was designed in the early 90s for the c5. I have seen the original engine photo of the design. That is how long ideas take. 

Didn’t they use composite bedsides (with a HSS inner bed core) in the GMT800 stepside trucks?


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[Daly]

I'm fairly certain the Tacoma has a composite bed and has for a few years.

 

[06pirate]

12 hours ago, Daly said:

I'm fairly certain the Tacoma has a composite bed and has for a few years.

 

Yep, since 2004. The 2007 Taco I had was a POS except for the bed, which was about the only good part of the vehicle.

[L86 All Terrain]

I mean, good for you for using a new material but the location of said material makes no sense beyond payload. Trucks have a weight split of 60-40 typically, why would you want to lighten up the rear to make the split 65-35? The vehicle will handle worse, and have less RWD traction but you will be able to load an extra 50lbs in the bed. To me, the lightweight materials should go to the front to make the split a little closer for 55-45 and add an overload leaf or air-springs if you want more payload. Some of us still chuck bricks in the bed like your commercials and don't want to be replacing $2,500 bed floors. Put carbon front fenders/hood on it and bring back the plastic drop in liner.  

[Colossus]

maybe it will fix the shake issue.  (sarcasm meant here)

[CadillacLuke24]

So glad I got Clyde. He may the the last of his breed

[SnakeEyeSS]

Watch an F1 crash. I'd expect these trucks will total easily. If the whole bed is made from it.

[raid0072]

BAD CHOICE, CARBON FIBER SHATTERS, NOT RELIABLE ENOUGH FOR HEAVY DROP LOADS,

WEAR AND TEAR WILL DESTROY CARBON FIBER, I HAVE FERRARI'S THAT HAVE EXTENSIVE USE OF CARBON FIBER AND ALTHOUGH IT LOOKS GOOD, IT IS NOT RELIABLE FOR A TRUCK BED/OR LINING MATERIAL.