Since 1948, the Ford F-series has been racking up sales of monumental proportions; Ford has sold over 34 million F-Series vehicles. You can see them everywhere. Last year Ford sold 763,000 F-150s, making it the most sold car in America. This month, the thirteenth generation of the truck will go on sale, with an all new, all aluminum body. Ford is the first company to use an aluminum body on a mass market vehicle.

The switch to aluminum will raise initial body repair costs, but raise fuel economy. The aluminum is a high strength alloy that is stronger and lighter than the current steel used on the last generation. The new F-150 will be produced at Ford’s Rouge and Kansas City assembly plants. Both factories received massive production upgrades, to accommodate the new body material.

The aluminum body will help the F-150 lose up to 700 pounds on some models. The loss of weight, paired with new smaller and more efficient engines, will help the F-150 return 20 percent better fuel economy than last years model. The base F-150 with a 2.7 liter V-6 engine will return 19 miles per gallon city, 22 highway and a combined 22. This makes the F-150 the most fuel efficient full size gas pick up in America. The rest of the F-150 lineup receives similar increases in mpg over last years models.

Critics of the F-150 question whether the increase in body repair prices will be worth the improved fuel economy. If the F-150 can overcome higher initial and body repair costs, it will succeed and help the auto industry make the switch towards lighter building materials.

Over the past ten years, America has switched from mostly large trucks, SUVs, and sedans to smaller engined, lighter crossovers, sedans and hatchbacks. The change has been largely due to the emphasis on better fuel economy, but as fuel prices drop and new technologies for smaller more efficient engines and lighter cars emerge; the market is shifting towards greater efficiency.

Ford has predicted the market trends perfectly, and announced the F-150 at the best possible time. Since they were able to get a jump on the market, they will be producing the aluminum F-150 for almost two years before GM, or Ram competitors come on the market. Ford has also chosen the right vehicle to bring aluminum to the mainstream. Whether or not the F-150 is aluminum, buyers will flock to dealerships, simply because it is such a well known vehicle. The F-150 will establish aluminum for the masses in America, and help to usher in the age of the light car. The 2015 Aluminum F-150 will be a great success and re-establish the F-150 as the king truck in America.