Ford's Transforming Truck Tonneau Patent Has Tesla Cybertruck Flavor
It won't turn your F-150 into a stainless steel marvel, but it could help with fuel-burning drag.
Let's face it, pickup trucks like the Ford F-150 are not the most aerodynamic vehicles on the road—and that is part of what makes them, whether all-electric or internal combustion, very inefficient. To combat its brick-like shape, Ford has patented a convertible, foldable tonneau cover that not only covers your stuff but could also direct air away from the least aerodynamic part of the truck beside its nose. And, for better or worse, it looks a little like the buttresses on the Tesla Cybertruck.
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The aerodynamic tonneau cover is not new, and the overall shape presented in the patent is probably something familiar with anyone who's looking into "hypermiling" with their own pickup. The idea is to try and reduce some of the drag induced by the pickup bed. Keeping the tailgate up and even using a conventional tonneau cover do a good job at reducing this issue, there are still some aerodynamic drag penalties with essentially having a sudden drop behind the cab.
Why the Back of the Cab Causes Issues
Aerodynamics can be a difficult subject to understand in the best of times, but the simplest explanation is that sudden change in shape causes air separation and that induces drag, which reduces efficiency—i.e., it'll take more gas or electricity to move the same distance as a slipperier vehicle, all other things being equal. You might see foldable panels on the back of semi trailers, and they do something similar to reduce drag and increase efficiency. The idea is to allow the air to flow off of the vehicle as smoothly as possible.
That Angled Shape
While it looks like Ford is trying to emmulate the look of a Tesla Cybertruck, it's more likely a simple case of parallel evolution—an aerodynamically friendly shape that can fold easily into the top of the bed. What we also see is that the central portion of this aero tonneau can remain in the bed while the sides can be put up to help reduce some drag. This would allow the central portion to cover what's in the cargo box while helping make your truck just a little more aerodynamic.
Another option is helping make the tailgate area more aero friendly, too. Same idea in that these extra panels would help reduce flow separation by reducing the "curve" of end of the bed into something less "sharp." This one looks to have the central portion raised up and meeting the tailgate fairing, but the sides on the bed remain down as an option. It also appears that Ford might include some sort of roll-up side panels rather than just the angular fold-up version as another way to configure this aerodynamic accessory for your future Ford truck.
The other good news is that, if this is created and manufactured, the Blue Oval will make it work with the existing bed post holes made into the truck bed with special adapters and a hollow bolt to help facilitate installation and use. But like many automotive patents we cover, don't go calling your dealer asking to order one just yet—just because it's a good idea that Ford wants to patent doesn't mean there's any intent to produce it yet.
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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