Editing Pickup truck (section)

==History==
[[File:1922 Ford Model T Pickup 2.jpg|thumb|A 1922 Ford Model T pickup]]
[[File:1961 International C-120 4x4 (cropped).JPG|thumb|A 1961 International Travelette]]

In the early days of automobile manufacturing, vehicles were sold only as a [[chassis]] and third parties added bodies on top.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Mueller|first1=Mike|title=Classic Pickups of the 1950s}}</ref> In 1902, the [[Rapid Motor Vehicle Company]] was founded by Max Grabowsky and Morris Grabowsky who built one-ton carrying capacity trucks in Pontiac, Michigan. In 1913, the [[Galion Godwin Truck Body Co.|Galion Allsteel Body Company]], an early developer of the pickup and [[dump truck]], built and installed hauling boxes on slightly modified [[Ford Model T]] chassis,<ref name="Encyclopediaof">{{cite web|title=Encyclopedia of American Coachbuilders & Coachbuilding|url= http://www.coachbuilt.com |work=Coachbuilt |access-date=10 April 2012}}</ref> and from 1917, on the [[Ford Model TT|Model TT]]. Seeking part of this market share, [[Dodge]] introduced a 3/4-ton pickup with a cab and body constructed entirely of wood in 1924.<ref>{{cite web|title=1918 to 1928 Dodge Brother Pickups|url= http://www.pickuptrucks.com/html/history/segment1.html|access-date=26 May 2015|archive-date=8 March 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190308024557/http://www.pickuptrucks.com/html/history/segment1.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1925, Ford followed up with a steel-bodied half-ton based on the Model T with an adjustable [[Trunk (automobile)#Door|tailgate]] and heavy-duty rear springs.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.pickuptrucks.com/html/history/ford_segment1.html |title=The History of Ford Pickups: The Model T Years 1925–1927 |website=PickupTrucks.com |access-date=4 June 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101130214819/http://www.pickuptrucks.com/html/history/ford_segment1.html |archive-date=30 November 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Billed as the "Ford Model T Runabout with Pickup Body," it sold for {{USD|281}}; 34,000 were built. In 1928, it was replaced by the [[Ford Model A (1927–1931)|Model A]], which had a closed-cab, safety-glass windshield, roll-up side windows, and three-speed transmission.

In 1931, General Motors introduced light-duty pickups for both [[GMC (automobile)|GMC]] and [[Chevrolet]] targeted at private ownership. These pickup trucks were based on the [[Chevrolet Master#Trucks and buses|Chevrolet Master]]. In 1940, GM introduced the dedicated light-truck platform, separate from passenger cars, which GM named the [[Chevrolet AK Series|AK series]].<ref name=timeline>{{cite web|title=Trucking Timeline: Vintage and Antique Truck Guide |url= http://www.thetruckersreport.com/trucking-timeline-vintage-and-antique-truck-guide/ |access-date=26 May 2015}}</ref> Ford North America continued to offer a pickup body style on the [[1937 Ford|Ford Model 51]], and the Ford Australian division produced the first Australian [[ute (vehicle)|"ute"]] in 1932.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://archive.maas.museum/australia_innovates/index710e.html?behaviour=view_article&Section_id=1080&article_id=10085 |title=Australia Innovates: The Ute: 1934 vehicle with car cabin and utility tray |work=Powerhouse Museum |access-date=4 October 2021}}</ref> In 1940, Ford offered a dedicated light-duty truck platform called the [[Ford F-100]], then upgraded the platform after [[World War II]] to the [[Ford F-Series (first generation)|Ford F-Series]] in 1948.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}

Dodge at first assumed heavier truck production from [[Graham-Paige]], while the company produced their light (pickup) trucks, initially on their sufficiently sturdy passenger car frames. But after switching to distinct, dedicated truck frames in 1936, Dodge/Fargo launched an extensive own truck range for 1939, marketed as the [[Dodge T-, V-, W-Series|"Job-Rated" trucks]]. These [[Art-Deco|Art Deco]]–styled trucks were again continued after World War II.

[[International Harvester]] offered the [[International K and KB series]], which were marketed towards construction and farming and did not have a strong retail consumer presence, and [[Studebaker]] also manufactured the [[Studebaker M-series truck|M-series truck]]. At the beginning of World War II, the United States government halted the production of privately owned pickup trucks, and all American manufacturers built [[Truck|heavy duty trucks]] for the war effort.<ref name="timeline" />

In the 1950s, consumers began purchasing pickups for lifestyle rather than utilitarian reasons.<ref name=timeline/> Car-like, smooth-sided, fenderless trucks were introduced, such as the Chevrolet Fleetside, the [[Chevrolet El Camino]], the Dodge Sweptline, and in 1957, Ford's purpose-built Styleside. Pickups began to feature comfort items such as power options and air conditioning.<ref name="Mueller" /> During this time, pickups with four doors, known as crew cabs, started to become popular. These pickup trucks were released in 1954 in Japan with the [[Toyota Stout#RK|Toyota Stout]],<ref name="VIM">"Toyota Vehicle Identification Manual", Toyota Motor Corporation, Overseas Parts Department, Catalog No.97913-84, 1984, Japan</ref><ref name="brochure228">{{cite web |year=1954 |title=Toyota Truck 48HP brochure No. 228 |url=http://members.iinet.com.au/~stepho/brochures/Toyota/Toyopet%20truck%20228 |access-date=17 June 2011 |work=Toyota |location=Japan |archive-date=14 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314061416/http://members.iinet.com.au/~stepho/brochures/Toyota/Toyopet%20truck%20228/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> in 1957 in Japan with the [[Datsun 220]], and in 1957 in America with the [[International Harvester Travelette|International Travelette]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=22 April 2017|title=The Evolution Of The Great American Pickup Truck, From 1925 To Today|url=http://www.dailydetroit.com/2017/04/21/evolution-great-american-pickup-truck-1925-today/|access-date=13 November 2020|work=Daily Detroit|archive-date=13 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113224457/http://www.dailydetroit.com/2017/04/21/evolution-great-american-pickup-truck-1925-today/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Other manufacturers soon followed, including the [[Hino Briska]] in 1962, Dodge in 1963,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allpar.com/model/ram/ram-history.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070906125410/http://www.allpar.com/model/ram/ram-history.html |archive-date=September 6, 2007 |title=The 2007 Jeep Wrangler |website=Allpar |access-date=4 June 2007}}{{cbignore}}</ref> [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] in 1965, and [[General Motors]] in 1973.<ref>{{cite press release|url= http://media.gm.com/division/chevrolet/products/trucks/02chevy/02avalanche/heritage.html | title = Chevrolet Avalanche press release | access-date = 4 June 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070614223109/http://media.gm.com/division/chevrolet/products/trucks/02chevy/02avalanche/heritage.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 14 June 2007}}</ref>

In 1961 in the UK the [[British Motor Corporation]] launched an Austin [[Mini#Mini_Pick-up_(1961–1983)|Mini Pickup]] version of the original 1959 Mini. It was in production until 1983.
[[File:Mini pickup ADO8547.JPG|thumb|Mini Pick-up]]

In 1963, the US [[chicken tax]] directly curtailed the import of the [[Volkswagen Type 2]], distorting the market in favor of US manufacturers.<ref name="nyt1">{{cite news|title=Light Trucks Increase Profits But Foul Air More than Cars |newspaper=The New York Times |first=Keith |last=Bradsher |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/30/business/license-pollute-special-report-light-trucks-increase-profits-but-foul-air-more.html |date=30 November 1997 |access-date=28 April 2010}}</ref> The tariff directly affected any country seeking to bring light trucks into the United States and effectively "squeezed smaller Asian truck companies out of the American pickup market."<ref name="atrop">{{cite web|title=Global Vehicles and Thailand Argue Against 'Chicken Tax' On Imported Pickups |work=Autobytel |first=Benjamin |last=Hunting |date=10 March 2009 |url= http://www.autobytel.com/auto-news/global-vehicles-and-thailand-argue-against-chicken-tax-on-imported-pickups-105325/}}</ref> Over the intervening years, Detroit lobbied to protect the light-truck tariff,<ref name="nyt1"/> thereby reducing pressure on Detroit to introduce vehicles that polluted less and that offered increased fuel economy.<ref name="nyt1"/>

The US government's 1973 [[Corporate Average Fuel Economy]] (CAFE) policy set higher fuel-economy requirements for cars than pickups. CAFE led to the replacement of the [[station wagon]] by the [[minivan]], the latter of which belonged in the truck category, which allowed it to comply with less strict emissions standards. Eventually, CAFE led to the promotion of [[sport utility vehicle]]s (SUVs).<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2007/04/06/DI2007040601383.html |title=Greenhouse Real Wheels |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=22 June 2007 |first=Warren |last=Brown |date=13 April 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2004/08/29/AR2005032405083.html |title=The Station Wagon Stealthily Returns |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=22 June 2007 |first=Warren |last=Brown |date=29 August 2004}}</ref> Pickups, unhindered by the emissions controls regulations on cars, began to replace [[muscle car]]s as the performance vehicle of choice. The [[Dodge Warlock]] appeared in Dodge's "adult toys" line,<ref name="Mueller"/> along with the Macho Power Wagon and Street Van. The 1978 [[Gas Guzzler Tax|gas guzzler tax]], which taxed fuel-inefficient cars while exempting pickup trucks, further distorted the market in favor of pickups. Furthermore, until 1999, light trucks were not required to meet the same safety standards as cars,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Eddington |first1=Julia |title=Why Trucks Aren't as Safe as Cars |url= https://www.thezebra.com/insurance-news/1762/why-trucks-arent-as-safe-as-cars/ |work=The Zebra |access-date=29 October 2019 |date=16 July 2015}}</ref> and 20 years later, most still lagged behind cars in the adoption of safety features.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Atiyeh |first1=Clifford |title=Three Pickup Trucks Ace IIHS Crash Tests, Yet Many Aren't As Safe As They Should Be |url= https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a26894769/full-size-pickup-trucks-crash-test-iihs/ |work=Car and Driver |access-date=29 October 2019 |date=21 March 2019}}</ref>

In the 1980s, the compact [[Mazda B-series]], [[Isuzu Faster]], and [[Mitsubishi Forte]] debuted. Subsequently, US manufacturers built their compact pickups for the domestic market, including the [[Ford Ranger (North America)|Ford Ranger]], and the [[Chevrolet S-10]]. [[Minivans]] make inroads into the pickups' market share.<ref name="Mueller"/> In the 1990s, pickups' market share was further eroded by the popularity of SUVs.<ref name="Mueller"/>

Mid-sized electric trucks had been tried early in the 20th century<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.chuckstoyland.com/category/automotive/early-electric-cars/trucks/truck-auto-car/ |title=Electric truck |work=Autocar |location=US |date=14 June 1923 |access-date=1 October 2022}}</ref> but soon lost out to gasoline and diesel vehicles. In 1997, the [[Chevrolet S-10 EV]] was released, but few were sold, and those were mostly to fleet operators.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Stumpf |first1=Rob |title=Forget the Cybertruck: Get Yourself a Factory 1997 Chevrolet S-10 Electric Pickup |url= https://www.thedrive.com/news/31349/forget-the-cybertruck-get-yourself-a-factory-1997-chevrolet-s-10-electric-pickup |work=The Drive |access-date=1 October 2022 |language=en |date=13 December 2019}}</ref>

By 2023, pickup trucks had become strictly more lifestyle than utilitarian vehicles. Annual surveys of Ford F-150 owners from 2012 to 2021 revealed that 87% of the owners used their trucks frequently for shopping and running errands and 70% for pleasure driving, whereas 28% used their trucks often for personal hauling (41% occasionally and 32% rarely/never) and only 7% used them for towing while 29% only did so occasionally and 63% rarely/never did. The 1960s–1970s Ford F-100 was typically a regular cab and consisted of mostly 64% bed and 36% cab, while by mid-2000s, crew cabs were largely becoming the norm and the bed was shrunk to accommodate the larger cab, and a 2023 F-150 consisted of 63% cab and 37% bed.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Pickup trucks have gotten bigger, higher-tech — and more dangerous |url= https://www.axios.com/ford-pickup-trucks-history |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=axios.com}}</ref>