New Patent Could Make Ram Trucks More Aerodynamic Than Ever

There's no denying that Americans love their massive pickup trucks. These gas-guzzling vehicles dominate the sales charts and easily make it to the list of America's most sold cars. Given the sheer size and weight of these vehicles and the relatively inexpensive gas prices, fuel efficiency wasn't a headline feature on these cars. While that perception is gradually changing, at least one major pickup truck brand appears to be working on making its products more aerodynamic and fuel-efficient. The company in question is Stellantis-owned pickup truck maker Ram, which has published a new patent application for an angled bed cap that will cover the cargo bed. The patent document, titled "US-20250388273-A" listed on the USPTO website, claims that this design modification has the potential to make trucks more aerodynamic.

One of the major causes of high aerodynamic drag on pickup trucks — especially during high-speed trips — is their open bed design at the rear. Ram's new patent details an "Angled Bed Cap for Truck", which covers the rear cargo bed with the purpose of reducing this aerodynamic drag. The bed cap — which positions itself using retractable panels hidden within the sidewalls — also includes a tonneau cover that lets the air flow more smoothly over the cargo bed, thereby reducing the aerodynamic drag. This, by extension, also improves the fuel efficiency (and range in the case of EVs) on its pickup trucks.

Now, it's common knowledge that third-party bed cap and tonneau cover combos already exist. But these systems are aftermarket installs and take up usable space within the cargo bed. What Stellantis is essentially claiming with this patent is that the panels that raise the bed cap from the flat to the angled position are housed within the sidewalls, thereby freeing up storage space.

In the U.S., pickup trucks have generally escaped scrutiny in areas concerning fuel efficiency and overall range. However, the automobile industry is fast changing, and fuel efficiency and environmental-friendliness are things that consumers are increasingly taking note of. Interestingly, while Stellantis' patent describes in detail how the angled bed cap for trucks works, it does not detail the benefits that consumers may expect by opting for a pickup truck factory fitted with this cover. Given that this angled bed cap is just in the conceptual stage, with no prototypes in existence, this isn't entirely surprising.

If future Ram trucks ever end up getting this in-built angled bed cap, it would only happen after extensive customer surveys and internal deliberations within the company. It is also quite common for manufacturers to patent interesting-looking ideas that never make it to the production stage. While it is too early to comment on whether this bed cap concept would meet a similar fate, there is a potential challenge clearly visible in the patent drawings. 

We're talking about the altered rear profile created by the angled cap and spoiler combination. In some configurations, it results in a sharply tapered silhouette, which while increasing aerodynamics and fuel efficiency, also gives the truck a polarizing look. In fact, in certain views, the combination bears a visual resemblance to the Tesla Cybertruck as well.