5 ms·

> I have a 2004 Toyota Tacoma that I love, and it would be amazing with a frunk, but you can't really get small pickups that size anymore You're not kidding! I

> I have a 2004 Toyota Tacoma that I love, and it would be amazing with a frunk, but you can't really get small pickups that size anymore You're not kidding! I was in the market for a small pickup and checked out the Tacoma and Frontier, which I previously understood to be "small" trucks. They're massive these days, just like the F-150! I guess it's perceived that there's no market for that size any more. A small electric pickup would be a super handy thing to have around, potentially appealing to urbanites too since they can toss their groceries in the frunk. There's really no reason the frunk needs to be so big on the F-150 Lightning - that part of the design is really a head scratcher.

giarc 5y ago
The new Ford Ranger is a smaller size, but it's perhaps the worst looking truck available. I'm not sure what Ford was thinking there.
- annoyingnoob 5y ago
  Still much bigger than the Rangers of years past.
  - sswezey 5y ago
    Indeed. I think the defining feature of a small pickup is the ability of an averaged height person to be able to reach over the sides and grab something from the bed of the truck. All of the current trucks on the market you can barely even see in to the bed. It makes it super hard to load the bed without actually being in it. Trucks today have become so much more vanity symbols than anything else.
    - twiddling 5y ago
      This. I had an old VW pickup which was a charm to use for my small business. Could also park it in tight spots too.
- birdman3131 5y ago
  The new ranger is the size of my 99 F150. I have an 01 ranger that is way smaller. The only thing the same is the name.
- axaxs 5y ago
  Agreed on looks - I actually declined buying one because of that. That said, I really wish they would have started there. I want an electric truck. I don't want one anywhere near as large as an F150. I understand F150s sell better so know why they went that route, but an electric Ranger/Colorado could really dominate the fleet market.
  - giarc 5y ago
    Maybe GM will see as an opportunity to electrify the Colorado instead of the Silverado (unless there are already public plans to do so).
- blincolnmercury 5y ago
  And what was Toyota thinking when they named a truck the "TRD" (Toyota Racing Division): "Hey, Tom, see you're polishing your TRD today!" Guess some things get lost in translation.
- scoopertrooper 5y ago
  I don't know much about trucks, but I looked up both on the Ford website. The Ranger's front area is slightly curved while it is flat on the F-150. Aside from that, the trucks look identical to my novice eyes. I can't say I find either particularly appealing.
  - giarc 5y ago
    They look quite a bit different in person. The Ford Ranger has a very muted look where as most trucks these days have an agressive look. It looks like it was designed not to be noticed.
Red_Leaves_Flyy 5y ago
Trucks, vans, suvs are the size they are, at least in part a due to CAFE regulations that give fuel efficiency concessions to vehicles with a larger wheelbase. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_average_fuel_economy https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_average_fuel_econo... I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that Ford did a lot of internal research, and focus groups, on the marketability of differently designed electric trucks to their primary customers and came to the conclusion that their consumers like the way the trucks look and are more likely to adopt electric trucks if they look the same and offer tangible benefits. Consider the massive frunk, that can hold 400 pounds of gear, or the 2k hauling capacity, or the on board outlets, including a 240v plug, or all the fancy new towing features (that are hopefully not useless vapor ware). If I was in charge of a large truck work truck fleet that averages less than 200 miles/day I'd be replacing at least a few of my oldest trucks with these and give them to the senior guys to break in and see how they do. This truck could be a serious game changer. Ford's not my favorite vehicle manufacturer but they've got my respect for building a serious electric truck at a reasonable price.
Scarbutt 5y ago
You should have look at the Toyota Hilux, not Tacoma.
- HeyLaughingBoy 5y ago
  I don't think those have been sold in the US for over 30 years. I miss mine.
bostonvaulter2 5y ago
I wonder if there are hidden systematic considerations that make it so that trucks the size of Japanese mini trucks simply appear to not exist in the united states. Here's the first DDG link about these trucks: https://jpnautoimport.com/mini-truck%EF%BC%86jdm https://jpnautoimport.com/mini-truck%EF%BC%86jdm
- burnt_toast 5y ago
  From what little I know, I believe it's related to this. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tax https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tax
- throwaway2037 5y ago
  Crash test safety is the answer.
earth_walker 5y ago
What we need is an electric Subaru Brat.
- bratcomplex 5y ago
  Funny, I’m building just that! https://www.instagram.com/bratindustries/ https://www.instagram.com/bratindustries/
  - gilbetron 5y ago
    That is awesome.
  - earth_walker 5y ago
    That's what I love about HN. Make anything up, and someone's done it and posted pics. It's like being able to wish things into existence just by posting a forum comment. Next: Cold fusion jet pack!

giarc 5y ago

The new Ford Ranger is a smaller size, but it's perhaps the worst looking truck available. I'm not sure what Ford was thinking there.

annoyingnoob 5y ago
Still much bigger than the Rangers of years past.
- sswezey 5y ago
  Indeed. I think the defining feature of a small pickup is the ability of an averaged height person to be able to reach over the sides and grab something from the bed of the truck. All of the current trucks on the market you can barely even see in to the bed. It makes it super hard to load the bed without actually being in it. Trucks today have become so much more vanity symbols than anything else.
  - twiddling 5y ago
    This. I had an old VW pickup which was a charm to use for my small business. Could also park it in tight spots too.
birdman3131 5y ago
The new ranger is the size of my 99 F150. I have an 01 ranger that is way smaller. The only thing the same is the name.
axaxs 5y ago
Agreed on looks - I actually declined buying one because of that. That said, I really wish they would have started there. I want an electric truck. I don't want one anywhere near as large as an F150. I understand F150s sell better so know why they went that route, but an electric Ranger/Colorado could really dominate the fleet market.
- giarc 5y ago
  Maybe GM will see as an opportunity to electrify the Colorado instead of the Silverado (unless there are already public plans to do so).
blincolnmercury 5y ago
And what was Toyota thinking when they named a truck the "TRD" (Toyota Racing Division): "Hey, Tom, see you're polishing your TRD today!" Guess some things get lost in translation.
scoopertrooper 5y ago
I don't know much about trucks, but I looked up both on the Ford website. The Ranger's front area is slightly curved while it is flat on the F-150. Aside from that, the trucks look identical to my novice eyes. I can't say I find either particularly appealing.
- giarc 5y ago
  They look quite a bit different in person. The Ford Ranger has a very muted look where as most trucks these days have an agressive look. It looks like it was designed not to be noticed.

Red_Leaves_Flyy 5y ago

Trucks, vans, suvs are the size they are, at least in part a due to CAFE regulations that give fuel efficiency concessions to vehicles with a larger wheelbase. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_average_fuel_economy https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_average_fuel_econo... I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that Ford did a lot of internal research, and focus groups, on the marketability of differently designed electric trucks to their primary customers and came to the conclusion that their consumers like the way the trucks look and are more likely to adopt electric trucks if they look the same and offer tangible benefits. Consider the massive frunk, that can hold 400 pounds of gear, or the 2k hauling capacity, or the on board outlets, including a 240v plug, or all the fancy new towing features (that are hopefully not useless vapor ware). If I was in charge of a large truck work truck fleet that averages less than 200 miles/day I'd be replacing at least a few of my oldest trucks with these and give them to the senior guys to break in and see how they do. This truck could be a serious game changer. Ford's not my favorite vehicle manufacturer but they've got my respect for building a serious electric truck at a reasonable price.

Scarbutt 5y ago

You should have look at the Toyota Hilux, not Tacoma.

HeyLaughingBoy 5y ago
I don't think those have been sold in the US for over 30 years. I miss mine.

bostonvaulter2 5y ago

I wonder if there are hidden systematic considerations that make it so that trucks the size of Japanese mini trucks simply appear to not exist in the united states. Here's the first DDG link about these trucks: https://jpnautoimport.com/mini-truck%EF%BC%86jdm https://jpnautoimport.com/mini-truck%EF%BC%86jdm

burnt_toast 5y ago
From what little I know, I believe it's related to this. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tax https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tax
throwaway2037 5y ago
Crash test safety is the answer.

earth_walker 5y ago

What we need is an electric Subaru Brat.

bratcomplex 5y ago
Funny, I’m building just that! https://www.instagram.com/bratindustries/ https://www.instagram.com/bratindustries/
- gilbetron 5y ago
  That is awesome.
- earth_walker 5y ago
  That's what I love about HN. Make anything up, and someone's done it and posted pics. It's like being able to wish things into existence just by posting a forum comment. Next: Cold fusion jet pack!