GM Next to Tee Up an Aluminum Pickup Truck?

General Motors Co. is scrambling to develop an aluminum-intensive fullsize pickup truck and introduce it by the end of 2018, according to The Wall Street Journal, which cites unidentified sources.

The move follows Ford Motor Co.'s mostly-aluminum F-150 pickup truck debut last month.

The switch to weight-saving aluminum is being driving by upcoming U.S. fuel economy standards. But it isn't the only route. The Journal notes that Chrysler Group LLC has opted so far to retain a traditional steel construction but gain fuel efficiency with engine and powertrain improvements.

The newspaper's sources say GM thinks it can come up with faster and less expensive process to make its aluminum-body truck. The company is expected to use its patented multi-ring spot-welding system, which it has said can eliminate the need to use about two pounds of rivets per vehicle.

GM's welding technology is being used now to make relatively low-volume components, such as the aluminum hood for the Cadillac CTS-V sport sedan and liftgates for hybrid versions of the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon large SUVs.

GM considered a switch to aluminum for its fullsize Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups in 2008, according to the Journal. But the newspaper's sources say the project was shelved because of the higher cost involved in making the switch. Instead, the company reportedly plans an array of component redesigns and powertrain upgrade in about 2016.