Tonneau/MPGs

[Limeymav]

Did your Mpg"s increase after adding a tonneau cover, if so what's the best one on Amazon, roll up Or tri fold soft TIA

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[gp1200x]

Don't expect a great improvement...may not even be noticeable since your driving habits will affect your mileage a lot more. I installed the Tyger soft trifold...nice cover and easy to open and provides some security with bed locked. Product well packaged and easy to install with no issues.

 

[#.7]

The TV show Mithbusters did a show on tonneau covers and found NO difference in mileage

 

[Steve Urquell]

I built a riveted aluminum bedcover for my 94 Ranger out of semi-trailer panels in the 90s expecting that slick cover would improve mileage.

Didn't make 1 mpg difference.

 

[Samus]

The TV show Mithbusters did a show on tonneau covers and found NO difference in mileage

They also did one where they made the body of a car like a golf ball, and were surprised at the MPG increase. Good episode.

 

[NoVaJimmy]

The TV show Mithbusters did a show on tonneau covers and found NO difference in mileage

This, if a tonneau cover improved mileage in any significant manner Manufacturers would make them standard to improve their fleet CAFE numbers and then bake the cost of the tonneau into the base price of the vehicle. Trucks are actually designed to be aerodynamic without a tonneau with small details, that little lip spoiler on the tailgate of the Maverick isn't for good looks, it's to help reduce turbulent air in the low pressure area behind the truck, by directing airflow upwards it changes the separation point of airflow reducing the turbulence, aka, drag.

 

[K5Blazer]

The TV show Mithbusters did a show on tonneau covers and found NO difference in mileage

They were wrong.
Many people here think Mythbusters is the last word on this.

Lots of testing done by others, some of which are truck manufacturers, have shown improvements.

Many aerodynamic studies have proved this out over the years.

And no, manufacturers would not automatically add a cover to improve mpg. Most truck buyers don’t use them and the bean counters would have a fit.
Manufacturers use tailgate lip spoilers to help the flow. A cover spoiler combo works wonders.

 

[BAScott62]

They were wrong.

Well that convinces me!

 

[K5Blazer]

Well that convinces me!

Research some other sources besides that show. I enjoyed some of the episodes too, but their conclusions weren’t always 100% accurate.

 

[LSchicago]

Zero difference. No difference dropping the gate either.

 

[NoVaJimmy]

They were wrong.
Many people here think Mythbusters is the last word on this.

Lots of testing done by others, some of which are truck manufacturers, have shown improvements.

Many aerodynamic studies have proved this out over the years.

And no, manufacturers would not automatically add a cover to improve mpg. Most truck buyers don’t use them and the bean counters would have a fit.
Manufacturers use tailgate lip spoilers to help the flow. A cover spoiler combo works wonders.

This is laughable, manufacturers have been forced to add all kinds of safety equipment to meet safety standards and baked that equipment into the price of the vehicle. You don't think they would do the same to meet fleet CAFE requirements? I don't think you even understand what CAFE is and how much in fines automakers pay for every vehicle sold that does not meet the requirement which goes by a dollar amount for every .1mpg that a vehicle misses the mark. You are spouting nothing but anecdotal evidence. Please try again.

 

[Thoron99]

From what I've read on various truck websites it seems to be a few percent improvement in MPG. Soft covers are better for MPG, since hard/folding covers offset any aerodynamic improvement by being heavy.

I don't have a cover currently, but will eventually get one mostly for keeping rain off stuff in the back and looky-loos from nosing around the bed.

(Mav beds are really easy to reach into, both a blessing and a curse)

 

[K5Blazer]

This is laughable, manufacturers have been forced to add all kinds of safety equipment to meet safety standards and baked that equipment into the price of the vehicle. You don't think they would do the same to meet fleet CAFE requirements? I don't think you even understand what CAFE is and how much in fines automakers pay for every vehicle sold that does not meet the requirement which goes by a dollar amount for every .1mpg that a vehicle misses the mark. You are spouting nothing but anecdotal evidence. Please try again.

How many contractor/ fleet buyers want, or use, tonneau covers?

The negative response would be a financial disaster for Ford.

Your response is laughable.

Please try again..

 

[NoVaJimmy]

How many contractor/ fleet buyers want, or use, tonneau covers?

The negative response would be a financial disaster for Ford.

Your response is laughable.

Please try again..

Do you really think auto makers care what retail or fleet customers want when it comes to saving money on CAFE penalties or ANY safety standards especially when customers are paying for it anyway? I'm sure a ton of fleet buyers really want the added costs of a camera safety system or automatic braking capabilities or most other safety features but guess what, they're baked into the price of the vehicle, like I said, you have no clue what CAFE standards are or how much manufacturers pay in penalties on trucks. It's $14 per every 0.1mpg off the requirement. Tonneau covers offer NO MPG benefit. I love how you offer anecdotal evidence but crap on a pretty well done controlled test. Show me a controlled test of your own that proves otherwise or stop spewing ridiculousness.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Do you really think auto makers care what retail or fleet customers want when it comes to saving money on CAFE penalties or ANY safety standards especially when customers are paying for it anyway? I'm sure a ton of fleet buyers really want the added costs of a camera safety system or automatic braking capabilities or most other safety features but guess what, they're baked into the price of the vehicle, like I said, you have no clue what CAFE standards are or how much manufacturers pay in penalties on trucks. It's $14 per every 0.1mpg off the requirement. Tonneau covers offer NO MPG benefit. I love how you offer anecdotal evidence but crap on a pretty well done controlled test. Show me a controlled test of your own that proves otherwise or stop spewing ridiculousness.

You are 110% correct. K5 clearly still lives under auto manufacturing habits from the 1970's and doesn't have a clue about 2023 manufacturing.

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