Steel stands TALL

Mobility's longtime incumbent material maintains its star status for vehicle structures through constant innovation-and a collaborative development model.

In 2014, just before Ford shook the industry with the introduction of its aluminum-intensive F-150, Ducker Worldwide released a study for the aluminum industry. The report predicted that the light metal would dominate the North American light-truck segment in the next new-model development cycle. Some seven out of ten pickups in the next round were going to be AL-intensive, the study opined. A tidal wave appeared to be building.

Five years later, not a single pickup has entered production with an AL-intensive cab and bed. While Ford changed over the body structures of its all-new 2018 large SUVs to aluminum, steel rules the midsized 2019 Ranger. In the enemy camps, the 2019 Chevrolet and GMC Silverado and Sierra 1500 and their brawnier HD cousins continue GM's mixed-materials strategy for pickups and SUVs. FCA's Ram and Jeep brands have stuck mainly with steel structures; the new JL-series Jeep Wrangler changed to aluminum doors (and hinges), hood, fenders and windshield frame, utilizing Alcoa's new C6A1 high-form alloy and its 6022 and A951 alloys.