Does a Truck Get Better Gas Mileage With a Bed Cover?

A truck bed cover is an essential accessory for most pickup trucks. It’s an easy way to protect your cargo from the elements and keep it secure. But beyond providing protection for cargo, a truck bed cover can also help improve your vehicle’s gas mileage.

A truck bed cover is designed to reduce air drag on the back of the truck. That air drag causes a decrease in fuel efficiency, so by reducing it, the truck can run more efficiently and get better gas mileage. Truck bed covers come in many different styles, including hard shell covers, soft tonneau covers, and folding covers that all offer varying amounts of protection from wind resistance.

Another factor to consider when looking into improving your vehicle’s gas mileage is weight. A fully loaded pickup with a truck bed cover installed can weigh up to 500 lbs more than a truck without one.

This extra weight causes the engine to work harder and therefore decreases fuel efficiency. To counteract this effect, you should be sure to remove any unnecessary items from your pickup before installing a cover and make sure that the cover itself is made from lightweight materials such as aluminum or fiberglass so that it doesn’t add too much extra weight to the vehicle.

It’s important to note that there are other factors that can affect fuel efficiency such as tire pressure and engine maintenance, so installing a truck bed cover will not guarantee an increase in fuel economy. However, if you are looking for ways to improve your vehicle’s gas mileage then investing in a quality truck bed cover could be well worth it in the long run.

Conclusion: The installation of a quality truck bed cover can reduce air drag on your pickup and help improve its overall fuel efficiency. Additionally, removing any unnecessary items from the truck before installing a cover can help reduce its overall weight further improving gas mileage. Ultimately though, other factors such as tire pressure and engine maintenance will also play an important role in determining if you get better gas mileage with a bed cover installed or not.

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Susan Delgado