Why bother trying to cut back on emmissions? The US Pickup truck market aint

[Zak33]

America is fuly embracing hardcore Pickups, at the expense of regular cars in some cases/

And I do mean large pickups .. no... vast beasts

GM is cutting back on production at 5 plants in North America, at the cost of 1000's of jobs.. and thats due to market conditions....

& they also are expanding the pick up factory in Flint which, while awesome for jobs there,... does make... LARGER vehicles.

So.. how big is a large pickup in the USofA? Lets look at the GMC Denali first.



It's got a fair height front for starters (note.. I LOVE a pickup)

Here's a Ford SuperDuty


and the 2020 F Series


MONSTA'S!!!!

[Zak33]

So while Landrover and Rangerover expand across the globe with their reknowned lightweight, low frag, small chassis cars.... ... the US are also embracing small light compact cars.

Win

[Ttaskmaster]

Looks like a load of bricks on wheels...

[badass]

The reason is simple. These trucks are excluded from any emissions legislation around average fuel economy.

[TeePee]

On the plus side, engine technology is reducing emissions. Ten years ago, an F-150 with 300bhp gave you about 14mpg (US). Today the same power is available from a small turbocharged V6, giving a combined 24mpg (US).

I need to get a truck...

[Zak33]

On the plus side, engine technology is reducing emissions. Ten years ago, an F-150 with 300bhp gave you about 14mpg (US). Today the same power is available from a small turbocharged V6, giving a combined 24mpg (US).

I need to get a truck...

I'd love a truck but MAN....not one of those. And it's not supposed to be a status symbol... it's a tool.

they're IMMENSE!!!! What wrong with a Hilux or an Isuzu?

And 24mpg is bloody dire! How can that be progress? That's horrific

[TeePee]

I'd love a truck but MAN....not one of those. And it's not supposed to be a status symbol... it's a tool.

they're IMMENSE!!!! What wrong with a Hilux or an Isuzu?

And 24mpg is bloody dire! How can that be progress? That's horrific

24mpg US is about 29mpg UK. Not good. The Hilux and Isuzu aren't available here. I drove both in (insert third world country here) and found them both to be great, although I was stuck in a miserable Tata Xenon most of the time. There are 'Mid Size' pick ups in the US, like the Toyota Tacoma, and that size may be what I look at next year.

[DanceswithUnix]

GM is cutting back on production at 5 plants in North America, at the cost of 1000's of jobs.. and thats due to market conditions....

Isn't that just due to market conditions for their range of cars? I took it as an admission that they couldn't make "compact" cars and were leaving the market to the likes of Toyota and VAG.

It certainly doesn't square with the rush to put down a deposit on the Tesla Model 3 when that was announced. I'm sure GM would make any car that had people queuing to place a deposit.

[TeePee]

Isn't that just due to market conditions for their range of cars? I took it as an admission that they couldn't make "compact" cars and were leaving the market to the likes of Toyota and VAG.

It certainly doesn't square with the rush to put down a deposit on the Tesla Model 3 when that was announced. I'm sure GM would make any car that had people queuing to place a deposit.

The rush to the Tesla was based on hype, not actual desire for cars. Many people were hoping to sell their reservation position, etc. I had my reservation refunded. They had over 420,000 reservations, and, despite only making 180,000 cars, there's now no wait to order a model 3 and delivery times are comparable to other vehicles. They are sitting on over 3000 vehicles in inventory right now.

[DanceswithUnix]

They are sitting on over 3000 vehicles in inventory right now.

I thought that was because they weren't really making cheap ones yet (if ever).

Still, it never felt to me like the American auto makers really had their heart in what the rest of the world considers a normal size car.

But then I also don't get the whole SUV thing. People stopped buying estate cars because of image, those estate buyers now buy SUV cars so the image of SUVs is already tanking. Just dumb.

[MrJim]

I do wonder how many Americans actually need a pickup truck like these. I mean, do a lot of them just get used around town or for the school run, like 'Chelsea Tractors' over here?

[TeePee]

I do wonder how many Americans actually need a pickup truck like these. I mean, do a lot of them just get used around town or for the school run, like 'Chelsea Tractors' over here?

Yep, exactly that. Often they will add lifted suspension and oversize off road tyres to make it easier to reach the drive 'thru' window.

[wazzickle]

What's the alternative, give up caring about the environment?

[philehidiot]

Just a thought, the Aussie trucks are probably a lot worse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOVkD1SLjPc

[TeePee]

What's the alternative, give up caring about the environment?

From a vehicle perspective, London has far less smog now, thanks to more efficient vehicles. The US is much the same way. Certainly it could be better, and the trend toward pick up trucks in the US isn't great. But that 2019 F-150 getting 24mpg(US) is better than a 2009 Saloon car getting 18mpg(US).

[Butcher]

Yep, exactly that. Often they will add lifted suspension and oversize off road tyres to make it easier to reach the drive 'thru' window.

Pfft, they have nothing to complain about, the bottom of the drive through window is roughly level with the roof of my car.