The 2017 Ford F-150.
The 2017 Ford F-150.
The 2017 Ford F-150.
The 2017 Ford F-150.
The 2017 Ford F-150.

2017 Work Trucks — More power, new concepts, increased efficiencies

Nov. 9, 2016
The 2017 Ford F-150 offers better gas mileage The success of Transit has propelled Ford to become the top seller of commercial cargo vans The 2017 Silverado 2500HD Carhartt concept vehicle is a truck built to tackle tough jobs The concept is powered by the all-new, next-generation Duramax 6.6L V-8 turbo-diesel engine The ProMaster City is Ram Commercial's Class 1 van offering The Sprinter Worker from Mercedes-Benz is equipped as standard with a powerful and efficient 4-cylinder diesel engine

Like a kid in a candy store, one can see that gleam in the eye any time grown men and women can talk about their work vehicles. What better place to gather to see, feel, talk and connect on a contractor level than The Work Truck Show 2017, March 14-17, Indianapolis. For 2017 and beyond, the future brings excitement, innovation and initiative. Let’s get right into it, shall we?

Future Ford

The 2017 Ford F-150 offers better gas mileage. Thanks to the all-new 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine mated to the first volume-production 10-speed automatic transmission, EPA-estimated city, highway and combined fuel economy increase 1 mpg, with the combined rating for 2017 F-150 4 x 4 up 2 mpg. Second-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 produces 375 horsepower and segment-best 470 lb.-ft. of torque – a gain of 10 horsepower and 50 lb.-ft. over first-generation engine.

The success of Transit has propelled Ford to become the top seller of commercial cargo vans in the United States. According to Ford, it controls 40% of the full-size commercial van market in the country through September — up from 36 percent in 2015.

By 2020, Ford aspires to have reduced its water usage per vehicle by 72% and will have saved more than 10 billion gallons of water since the turn of the millennium.

And for Ford lovers nationwide, a new F-150 is sure to catch the eye of passersby, yet it might be what Ford is doing in its plants that should be garnering more attention. Ford is getting more serious about sustainability and is aiming to reduce its use of water by nearly three-fourths as it takes its next step toward using zero potable water for vehicle manufacturing.

By 2020, Ford aspires to have reduced its water usage per vehicle by 72% and will have saved more than 10 billion gallons of water since the turn of the millennium. In layman’s terms, that roughly means for every one gallon of water Ford used in manufacturing in 2000, it aims to use about one liter by 2020.

“With many of our plants located in water-stressed regions around the globe, we’re focused on responsible water stewardship in our operations,” says Bruce Hettle, group vice president, Global Manufacturing & Labor Affairs. “We aim to ensure a stable water supply for our facilities, while working with local communities to help ensure their needs are met.”

Ford has saved 10 billion gallons of water from 2000 to 2015, a decrease of 61 percent— enough to fill over 15,000 competition-sized swimming pools. By achieving that feat in 2013, Ford beat its own water reduction target by two years. 

The 2017 Silverado 2500HD Carhartt concept vehicle.

Worksite ready Chevy Trucks

Chevy and Carhartt have something cooking, and the result blends capability and style for the Silverado HD concept. The 2017 Silverado 2500HD Carhartt concept vehicle is a truck built to tackle tough jobs while integrating the rugged aesthetics of hard-working lifestyles, reflected in the resiliency and versatility of the work jackets.

“This concept vehicle mirrors the lifestyles of countless Chevy truck owners, demonstrating the personal connections with the tools of their trades,” says Sandor Piszar, Chevrolet Truck marketing director.

The concept is powered by the all-new, next-generation Duramax 6.6L V-8 turbo-diesel engine offered in the 2017 Silverado HD lineup.

Durability is expressed in the texture of the concept’s distinctively trimmed Jet Black interior, which features Carhartt’s signature duck brown garment material on the seats, armrests and door panel inserts, with triple-stitched seams just like the jackets. The Carhartt logo is laser-etched on the headrests, while antique nickel-finish trim is used on the doors, center console and instrument panel.

The concept is powered by the all-new, next-generation Duramax 6.6L V-8 turbo-diesel engine offered in the 2017 Silverado HD lineup. It delivers more horsepower and torque than ever — an SAE-certified 445 horsepower (332 kW) and net 910 lb.-ft. (1,234 Nm) — for easier, more confident hauling and trailering.

Along with a 19 percent increase in max torque over the current Duramax 6.6L, the new engine’s performance is quieter and smoother, for greater refinement. It also advances the Duramax’s legacy of low-rpm torque production, offering 90 percent of peak torque at a low 1,550 rpm and sustaining it through 2,850 rpm.

The ProMaster City.

City tough Ram

The ProMaster City is Ram Commercial’s Class 1 van offering. Whether the job is organizing and hauling the tools of a professional tradesman, the Ram ProMaster City van is designed and engineered to tackle big jobs with best-in-class cargo volume of 131.7 cubic feet and payload capacity of 1,883 pounds. It does so while delivering versatile functionality, durability and superior ride and handling.

Other benefits include:

• Shifter illumination brighter for improved visibility

• Rear-door reflectors added to inside/lower portion of doors for improved visibility

• Best-in-class fuel economy of 29 miles per gallon (mpg)

The Sprinter Worker.

Sprinter moves

Mercedes-Benz Vans is moving and shaking. In addition to its recent news of the groundbreaking of its Sprinter plant in North Charleston, South Carolina, Daimler Vans USA and Mercedes-Benz USA has announced the expansion of the Sprinter Worker lineup to include additional chassis, engine and body configurations to better suit the needs of those in the contracting industry.

“We remain committed to providing an affordable and approachable van, starting at just $32,495 for all the hard-working contractors,” says Bernie Glaser, head of the Mercedes-Benz USA Vans Division.

Available from late 2016, the expanded Worker lineup will now also include a 170" wheelbase and a high-roof cargo van model, offering up to 486.5 cubic feet of cargo space and an interior standing height of nearly 6.5-feet. A 3.0-liter V6 BlueTEC turbo diesel engine will also be available on the Sprinter Worker Cargo Van lineup.

The Sprinter Worker is equipped as standard with a powerful and efficient 4-cylinder diesel engine paired with a class-exclusive 7G-TRONIC 7-speed transmission that helps stretch each gallon of diesel further. Based on over 300,000 miles of user-reported fuel economy on fuelly.com, this efficient engine and transmission combination is capable of well over 23 miles per gallon, even in high-roof, extended- wheelbase Sprinter 2500 applications.

The 2018 Isuzu FTR.

Forward-thinking Isuzu

And while we are talking 2017 trucks, why not talk 2018? Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc. recently announced key specifications of its all-new entry in the Class 6 medium-duty truck segment, the 2018 Isuzu FTR, which is slated to go into production at a new facility in Charlotte, Michigan in mid-2017.

Key features include a turbocharged Isuzu 5.2-liter 4HK1-TC engine propelling the FTR will generate 215 horsepower and 520 lbs.-ft. of torque; 25,950 pounds GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating); and the FTR will be available in eight wheelbase lengths ranging from 152 to 248 inches, accommodating bodies from 14 to 30 feet long.

“This truck represents our vision of the future of the medium-duty truck industry. The overall concept of the FTR is to bring to our customers the next generation medium-duty low-cab-forward truck, one that features a clean, durable, highly-efficient four-cylinder engine and is the best Class 6 choice for urban pickup and delivery,” says Shaun Skinner, president of Isuzu Commercial Truck of America.

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