A New Nissan Patent Reveals an Interesting Split Roll-Up Tailgate for Trucks
Nissan’s idea not only splits the tailgate in two but also rolls it up into the cargo box.
Automakers offering a complicated tailgate for pickup trucks isn’t a new idea. Today. various tailgates on the market split into two or three sections (Ford, Ram), have built-in steps (Chevy, GMC, Ford), or hinge from both the side and bottom (Honda). Now, Nissan is taking a turn at making this simple staple of the pickup truck into something more with a new patent published this month. How would you like your tailgate to not only split in half but also roll up into the cargo box?
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Spotted first by Autoblog, this new patent by Nissan indicates the panel will still open like a standard tailgate by operating the top of its two handles. (Having two handles is a huge clue this isn’t a normal tailgate.) But operate the second handle while the gate is closed to access its party trick: rolling up and along the bed rails. To facilitate this feature, the tailgate is split in two to allow the articulation it needs. Thus, owners could load long items more easily and/or access the bed without leaning over a lowered tailgate.
Nissan has designed the system to slot the tailgate below the utility track in the bed’s sides, so you wouldn’t need to mess with your tie-down cleats or other accessories. This positioning also allows owners to install tonneau covers without interference from the tailgate or its tracks. The patent also shows the tailgate could be slid completely forward and roll down just behind the front bed wall; an accompanying illustration indicates there’s just enough room between the tailgate and wall to access the handle. Doing so will protect the painted side of the tailgate, as well.
And if a split roll-up tailgate weren’t complicated enough, Nissan has indicated some versions would be powered so you won’t have to walk along the length of the cargo box or hop into the bed to return the tailgate to the standard closed position.
Will this funky roll-up tailgate appear anytime soon? That’s unclear at the moment, but we’d put our money on the next-gen Nissan Frontier if this tailgate does make it to production. That new midsize pickup is due just after the 2028 return of the Xterra SUV and will share the same body-on-frame platform.
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Having experience in many forms of the automotive industry, Justin Banner has done more than just write about cars. For more than 15 years, he's had experience working as an automotive service technician—including a stint as a Virginia State Inspector—service advisor, parts sales, and aftermarket parts technical advisor (a fancy way of saying he helped you on the phone when you had trouble fitting your brakes over your aftermarket wheels and the like). Prior to his tenure as a full-time editor, Justin worked as a freelance writer and photographer for various publications and as an automotive content creator on YouTube. He’s also covered multiple forms of motorsports ranging from Formula Drift, drag racing, and time attack, to NASCAR, short course off-roading, and open desert racing. He's best known for breaking down complex technical concepts so a layperson can more easily understand why technologies, repairs, and parts should matter to them. At MotorTrend, Justin is part of the news team covering breaking news and topics while also working as a judge for MotorTrend Of the Year events and other major comparison tests.
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