Truck Diet: No Aluminum Needed?

Pickup trucks can meet 2025 fuel economy targets in the U.S. by using advanced high-strength steels instead of switching to costlier aluminum, says Luxembourg-based steelmaker ArcelorMittal SA.

A new analysis from the company claims currently available high-strength steels could trim the weight of a large pickup truck by as much as 384 lbs, or 23% of the combined weight of the vehicle's frame, cab, doors and box.

The weight saving, coupled with powertrain improvements, would be enough to enable truckmakers to meet U.S. fuel economy goals for 2025, according to ArcelorMittal.

The analysis says the advanced steels would meet all manufacturer standards for stiffness and crash performance. The analysis does not discuss the cost implications. But sticking with steel presumably would enable a simpler and more familiar manufacturing process than switching to aluminum as Ford Motor Co. is doing with its next-generation F-150 pickup truck.

ArcelorMittal estimates that a 384-lb weight saving would reduce a pickup's carbon dioxide emissions more than 24 grams per kilometer (39 g/mile). The company suggests without offering details that using even more advanced steels which are not yet in production could deliver greater gains.