Well we can all talk about gas mileage; my 2011 E-Boost F-150 4x4 gets 10 mpg. Now my last trip I got 11.4 mpg on the first tank and 11.7 on the second. Who knows why?
Tail winds, reduced speed, gasoline blends, it really does not matter. With gas at $2.70/gal. at 10 mpg it costs 27 cents per mile. At 12 mpg. it costs 22.5 cents per mile. A savings of 4.5 cents per mile or a whopping 17 gallons if you drive 1000 miles and maintain the 12 mpg.
With gas currently below $2.50 in most parts of the country the savings are even less.
My biggest concern on the OPs question is that they are designing a half ton to do what 3/4 tons was meant to do. This does not seem like a good idea to me.
That said it may be Detroit’s way of meeting the ever increasing mileage standards imposed by the government and a trend for TVs of the future. Who would have thought today's F-150 4x4 could get 20 mpg cruising at near 70 mph on the Interstate between tows.
