What's New for 2015

Originally published in the December 2014 edition of Tech Trends (e-newsletter and as an article within NTEA News), this article is also available to you below as an employee of an NTEA member company.

Each year at the NTEA’s Truck Product Conference, leading chassis manufacturers showcase their new trucks and vans to the industry, giving attendees the chance to review, measure and plan for these upcoming models. Trucks at the 2014 event, held in September, included new models being introduced for the first time; vehicles being re-launched after staying off the market for a few years; and long-term workhorses being updated with new materials.

New Van Offerings

Ford, GM and Ram all have new vans for the 2015 model year.

• Ford is currently selling the new North American Transit, which has multiple variations, including cab chassis and cutaway styles.
  • Ford has published an extensive body and equipment mounting manual for this vehicle to help body builders transition from the venerable old Econoline with their upfits and equipment installations. The manual covers electrical, equipment mounting and new equipment attachment techniques for these new-style chassis.
• GM has introduced the new Chevrolet City Express compact cargo and passenger van, which will hit dealer showrooms in December 2014.
  • GM has published extensive body builder manuals for equipment mounting and electrical systems. The manual includes information on the locations and sizes of standard mounting nuts to help upfitters efficiently install equipment inside and outside of the van.
    • Chevrolet City Express Cargo Van Body Builders Manual
    • Chevrolet City Express Cargo Van Body Builders Electrical Section
  • GM’s Truck Product Conference presentation
• Ram introduced the ProMaster City compact cargo and passenger van, which will appear in dealer showrooms in early 2015. 
  • Ram has published the latest information on vehicle dimensions and body and equipment attachment points on its website. More information is becoming available weekly.

Pickup Updates

• Ford is introducing an aluminum-body F-150 for 2015, which arrives in dealer showrooms in December 2014. These aluminum bodies will require different equipment attachment techniques to protect against galvanic corrosion. Additionally, the 2015 F-150 offers expanded snowplow capability.
  • Ford SVE Bulletin – Attaching Accessories to Aluminum Panels and Structures
• GM has reintroduced the mid-sized Colorado/Canyon pickup after a few years off-market. The mid-size pickup lineup also includes a box delete chassis-cab option for the work truck industry. NTEA’s American Institute of Service Body Manufacturers affiliate division worked with GM to assist in providing bodies and equipment for development testing to bring a very capable, upfit-friendly truck to the industry. With a significant allowed sub-unit body weight (more than 1,000 lbs.) and significant maximum frontal area, this allows upfitters and customers more choices in the mid-size work truck market.
  • Special Applications 1/T PBR-2015

Additional Resources Available on NTEA.com

• Chassis Manufacturer Directory

Are you faced with technical or engineering challenges?
Contact the Technical and Engineering Hotline at (800) 441-6832 for individual attention on varied topics such as Federal Excise Tax, truck certification and labeling, vehicle compliance and truck spec’ing. The Hotline is available Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm (EST). Members can contact the Association as frequently as needed.