After much hoopla, the Ford Motor Company has finally unveiled the 2015 version of the world’s best-selling pick-up truck of all time: the F-150.
Though the release of the newest F-150 always comes with a certain amount of fanfare, many believe that this year’s launch may have changed the auto world forever.
You see, Ford’s new truck comes with a body that is a remarkable 97% aluminum. The engine compartment and nearly every outer metallic part (e.g. panels, doors, bed, hood, tail gate) are all made up of a new aluminum-rich alloy. This body’s percentage of aluminum is higher than any other vehicle body offered on the market today. And this means that, according to some estimates, the overall weight of these better bodies is as much as 700 pounds lighter than previous.
Ford Motors Co. claims that lighter bodies will go a long way in “helping the F-150 tow more, haul more, accelerate quicker and stop shorter, and contributing to efficiency.” They also say that weight reduction isn’t the only major benefit of these new bodies, adding that because of the new body’s “military-grade, aluminum alloys,” which are also used in Hummers, the vehicle will allegedly be more resilient to everyday dings and dents.
This is an important launch for Ford considering that trucks account for a huge portion of their annual profits. Per Brian Johnson, an analyst with investment banking giant Barclays Capital, Ford earns an estimated $11,000 for each truck sold, which is significantly greater than the estimated $5,000 they earn for each car sold.
Bearing in mind that no other car company has taken on the risk of offering a truck made with lightweight materials, Johnson goes on record to say that the new F-150 “is the single most important product from Ford.”
Sprawling assertions of success are one thing when they’re put forth by the company who stands to profit most from such said success; it’s another thing altogether when industry experts start chiming in.
Luckily for the automotive giant, though, it seems that thus far industry experts pretty much see eye-to-eye when it comes to the belief that this lighter F-150 is a revolutionary addition to the automotive world.
The use of aluminum in the engine block and other parts of the frame have allowed Ford to save weight while maintaining the existing ruggedness, towing capacity, and performance stats of the existing truck,” said Alec Gutierrez, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book, the nation’s leading automotive vehicle valuation company.
According to yet another Kelley Blue Book staffer, this time Editor Director Jack Nerad, the F-150’s new body is “a landmark moment for the full-size pickup truck.”
Despite these ringing endorsements, there are still questions that need to be answered before we give the resounding head nod to Ford’s new body.
“There has been a lot of testing by Ford, but let’s say that we find that these aluminum vehicles are more difficult to repair, or that the joints aren’t as durable,” said Golam Newaz, an automotive engineering professor at Wayne State University. Adding, “What if consumers just don’t like it for some reason? We really won’t know until the vehicle has been in the market for some years.”
And Forbe’s magazine recently published an article detailing the potential increase in owner costs relating to Ford’s new aluminum bodies. The article cites that aluminum may be more expensive and more difficult to work with and repair. That is, if in fact you can actually find a shop to take on the job.
In order to properly repair aluminum parts, an auto body shop must first have a separate and protected room for this kind of work (which can cost upwards of $60,000 to construct). The hassle and price of building a special workroom is one thing, but the potential danger the comes with working on these alloys may be higher than a shop would want to take on according to Forbe’s: “If someone in the next bay is grinding steel, iron oxide particles contaminate the aluminum and cause paint adhesion problems. The two metals (in combination with magnesium, common in luxury vehicles) can also give rise to potentially explosive thermite reactions.”
And because aluminum is worth more than steel per pound, the fact remains that aluminum parts are probably always going to be more expensive for the truck owner. When parts are more expensive, owners pay more out of their pockets for even basic repairs and insurance costs are higher. These lighter vehicles will undoubtedly save money due to their better gas mileage (and perhaps because of their alleged ability to withstand dents and dings), but there are questions about this savings being able to outweigh the actual repair costs and potential increase in insurance.
So, are these new aluminum bodies worth it? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.