Next Ford F-150 to hit 30mpg?

It’s been well documented that Ford will use extensive amounts of aluminum in its next-generation F-150 pickup truck to save weight and boost economy, but those fuel efficiency gains could be even more dramatic than first expected.

The current EcoBoost F-150 set the standard for the full-size truck segment when it arrived with a 23mpg highway rating, but it was recently overtaken by Ram’s 25mpg 1500. Ford is planning to leapfrog the competition with its all-new 2015 F-150, and it might be awhile before trucks like the Ram and Chevrolet Silverado are able to catchup.

According to Automotive News, Ford’s new F-150 could offer fuel economy as high as 30mpg on the highway, approaching levels that were reserved for compact cars just a few short years ago.

Ford’s 30mpg F-150 might not be ready at launch, however. In order to achieve that lofty figure, the F-150 will require a new 10-speed automatic transmission that is currently under development. Ford is also working with Toyota to design a hybrid system for light duty trucks.

While it could be a year or two until the F-150 tickles the 30mpg mark, expect the 2015 model to arrive with significantly better fuel economy than today’s trucks, thanks to weight savings as high as 750 pounds.