Can fitting a tonneau cover to a pickup truck bed help to save fuel? It's probably not a question you've been asking yourself on a regular basis if you don’t have one already, but if it's true, isn’t it something you might want to think about? Let's take a look at the issue to find out whether it's a fact or a myth that tonneau covers save fuel.
Despite fuel prices having been relatively reasonable and stable for the last few years, they could start to escalate again at almost any time. Although these vehicle-friendly gas prices have contributed to the declining sales of compact and subcompact cars and the massive upsurge in sales of larger, less fuel efficient vehicles like SUVs and pickup trucks, fuel economy is still a big issue with manufacturers. We only have to look at the latest new trucks from the likes of Ford, GM and Ram to see much of the focus of their development is concentrated on efficiency, especially the 2019 Ram 1500 which now even boasts a 48-volt mild-hybrid powertrain.
Of course, there's only a certain amount manufacturers can do to help us get the best possible mileage from a pickup truck. A large amount of the responsibility for delivering ultimate fuel efficiency from any truck rests with drivers. Most of us know about how having the correct tire pressures, regularly changing the oil and driving in a certain way can help maximize fuel efficiency. But how many people consider how the load we are hauling in a pickup bed affects the amount of fuel a pickup uses?
Automakers spend fortunes designing, engineering and honing trucks in computer models and wind tunnels to refine the aerodynamics to allow them to cut through the air as efficiently as possible so they use the minimum amount of fuel. It doesn’t take someone with a degree in advanced aerodynamics to know a dart goes through the air more efficiently than a brick, so surely an oddly shaped load sticking up in a truck bed would have an adverse effect on the vehicle's aerodynamic performance?
Well, the truth is a tonneau cover really does improve the truck's aerodynamics and therefore reduces the amount of fuel the vehicle uses. Don’t just take our word for it though, the Western New England College's Department of Mechanical Engineers carried out a study on the subject and came to the conclusion: "The best way to reduce drag, and improve gas mileage for pickup trucks, is to add a tonneau cover." The New England College's study used a Ram in its testing and found adding a tonneau cover resulted in an average fuel saving of some 8 percent.
The study is also backed up by none other than Ford, which admits also seen the fuel economy of its all-conquering F-150 improve by between 8 and 10 percent with the addition of a tonneau cover. When driving at highway speeds with the cruise control in operation the improvement is around 5 percent with a tonneau cover, and that translates into a big saving on long journeys.
Whether it's a soft, easily removable cover or a fixed hard tonneau that best suits your needs, the evidence is clear. Fitting a tonneau cover really does help save fuel, and we haven’t even touched on the other benefits they offer as well as undeniably improving fuel economy.
Tonneau Covers Save Fuel - Fact or Myth?