Trucks, They Are A-Changin'
And by that we don't mean the usual round of product introductions that happens every few years. We mean significant changes in the very definition of what makes a truck a truck, as well as technological changes that are just around the corner.
Is It a Truck or Not? First, the definition part. As reported in Automotive News, Dr. Jeffrey Runge, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is looking to rewrite the agency's definition of what makes a truck a truck in an effort to revamp the government's fuel economy standards and improve vehicle safety.
As it stands now, most SUVs, crossover SUVs, and minivans are classified by the government as "trucks," even though their primary purpose is moving people. They earn this definition because they share traits with traditional trucks, like having a flat load floor (once all those pesky seats are removed) or being built off of a truck chassis. As "trucks," these vehicles don't have to meet the same strict fuel economy standards as cars.
This, of course, is why radical members of the anti-SUV crowd are accusing SUV owners of aiding Middle Eastern terrorists.
But it also correlates with some of the safety issues dogging SUVs right now. As fuel economy standards for cars have gotten stricter, cars have gotten smaller and lighter to reach the mileage goals. Trucks, on the other hand, haven't had to. They're as big as ever, and more popular than ever. So more of them are sharing the road with the smaller, lighter cars. The result: hand-wringing over what happens when a big SUV hits a tin-can of a passenger car.
By changing how trucks are defined, Runge hopes to cure both ills-increase fuel economy standards for those so-called "trucks" that are actually no more than big cars, while at the same time leveling the current mismatch between big and small vehicles when they collide.
While no clear way to change the definition has been chosen, it will probably have to do with vehicle weight, since shedding pounds from an SUV will both improve its fuel economy and put it on a more equal footing with a car it might hit. The easiest way to make a truck lighter is not to put it on a diet but to make it smaller. So fullsize SUVs as we know them today may be going the way of the land yachts of the '70s and early '80s.
The Hybrids are Coming Truck makers aren't waiting for the government to act; they're seeking their own solutions to truck fuel economy. For many, the answer lies in hybrid powertrains. Ford, GM, Dodge, and Lexus all have plans to build either gasoline/ electric or diesel/electric drive systems for trucks and/or SUVs. We've yet to drive one of these hybrid trucks, but we're eager to see how well they work in an off-road environment. Lord knows we'd like to spend less money at the gas pump.
This Just In
*Are ATVs dangerous? Yes, says a report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). As reported in the Los Angeles Times, the CPSC's report found that the number of ATV injuries requiring emergency room treatment rose 104 percent from 1997 to 2001. Yet the same report said ATV sales rose 124 percent during that period, so it sounds like the machines are actually getting safer, not riskier. One grim statistic from the report: Of the more than 4,500 Americans killed while riding ATVs between 1982 and 2001, nearly 40 percent were under age 16. Watch those kids, dammit!
*Does your new 6.0L Power Stroke engine stall out when the weather is cold? Apparently Ford has been having some trouble with an injection control pressure sensor, which results in problems like stalling, bucking, and making lots of black smoke. If that sounds like your truck, take it to your dealer. It's not your driving.