Once so exotic and expensive it could be found only in Formula One racecars and high-end performance vehicles, carbon fiber is going into pickups. Aiming to outdo Ford’s aluminum F150, a carbon-fiber bed is expected to be among the changes in materials content for the next-generation full-size Chevrolet Silverado, according to sources close to the project. Still more expensive than steel and aluminum, carbon fiber is expected to be used “as part of a mix of materials for the box of the pickups,” including aluminum, reports industry newspaper Automotive News. It could mark GM’s first use of carbon-fiber-reinforced thermoplastics, being both light and strong. GM will begin to offer the new beds within two years.
Future generations of GM pickups could use carbon fiber for their beds. (PHOTO: GENERAL MOTORS)
