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.
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Future generations of GM pickups could use carbon fiber for their beds. (PHOTO: GENERAL MOTORS)