Aluminum Makes Next Gen. Pickups Lighter

The new design for the Silverado and Sierra pickup trucks will certainly be lighter with the incorporation of aluminum than previous truck designs have been that incorporated steel. What remains to be seen is whether or not these new design changes will meet the exacting Federal fuel standards that go into effect later this year.

As part of the move to incorporating aluminum body parts into its trucks, GM has signed significant contracts with Alcoa and Novalis to supply General Motors with the sheet metal it will need for the new parts. This move indicates that General Motors is definitely committed to working with some of the best aluminum providers in the business to ensure that it gets top quality metal for crafting its parts.

Overall, the new design for General Motors marks a departure from its previous plans that had always emphasized steel construction in its pickup truck bodies. This is in spite of the fact that the Silverado has utilized quite a few aluminum parts in the truck’s engine and hood. What is obvious though is that the move to aluminum body parts should allow General Motors to be able to build some of the best trucks it has ever built.