https://www.meche.engineering.cmu.edu/_files/images/research...
The cheapest way to meet the EPA MPG requirements is to INCREASE the vehicle wheelbase and make it larger. This is much easier than making it lighter or adding fuel efficient engines and technology. Plus, Americans have shown a preference for larger cars.
It's a win-win until people can't afford the tin
Idiots who complain about inflation and the price of gas yet who also are spending gobs of money on vehicles that get awful MPG.
You can't fix stupid. I have no sympathy for these people.
1) Many people just like driving a truck as their vehicle. Many of those people are wealthy enough to drive 100k+ vehicles. They like a truck, they just want one with a fancy interior.
2) High value trucks are extremely profitable for OEMs. The margins are huge since the engineering and tooling is amortized across a ton of lower cost and fleet trucks, so there is big incentive to have the best luxury truck as it's a license to print money
3) Tax incentives for 6000+lb vehicles that were intended for truly commercial vehicles. Didn't envision Escalades and luxury trucks being used by regular people and not for hauling goods.
4) Buying vehicles based on monthly cost rather than total. 7-8 year loans keep the monthly cost on huge value trucks pretty reasonable
Instead of a big V8 slab of pig iron for an engine you end up with a smaller turbo charged engine. Coupled with a mostly aluminum body to save weight is how they've been increasing fuel economy of trucks.
There has also been a significant drop in the desire for base model two-seater trucks. Most trucks sold are some variation of extended/crew/king cab. Coupled with a desire to use the truck as a daily driver you end up with a lot of extra like adaptive cruise control, cameras, infotament, etc.
Plus the usual expansion of standard safety features that has been raising the price of all vehicles. Backup cameras being required equipment now comes to mind as an example.
Mostly supply and demand, but it is true that pickups these days are a ton nicer than the cheap and functional single cab, 8 foot bed, rear wheel drive, roll-up windows trucks of yore.
And to be fair, $90k is on the extreme high end of the market currently. I could drive down to my local Ford dealer right now and for $90k, a F-150 Raptor could be mine. It has 450 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque, goes 0-60 in less than five and a half seconds, and can carry five grown adults in scrumptious comfort, as well as having a somewhat usable bed for cargo. No one can deny that it's a nice product, though whether it's worth $90k depends on the individual. I certainly wouldn't pay that kind of money.
Most F-150s available on the lot right now are in the $40k range, which is still way more than what I would like to pay, but it's comparable to many other vehicles. That same money would get you a nicely optioned midsize SUV, a sporty car like a Mustang, or an EV on the cheaper side.
https://www.financialsamurai.com/tax-rules-for-buying-a-vehi...