Gotta love those!

 

Well it's not often mentioned but a bigger issue is the speed at which you consider HIGHWAY travel.

so often at say 65 - the effect is nill or near nill.

move on up to 80 and the effect is that much more.

ALso what tonneau cover - see those accordian ones or the tri folds that sit over the top of the bed lip - actually can add drag or at the least they don't smooth the flow off.

versus say those fibreglass hard covers that are domed or shaped - can actually help.

Even better in an ideal world your cover would start near the top of the cab - drape down in a semi-parabolic shape - and taper off over the top of the tail gate. as mentioned like that new lip edge they put on the tail gates now. but that's impractical as all get out.

so yes there is a benefit sometimes - depending on what cover - how it fits - what speed and even better - length of the bed covered vs the length of the cab.

SCREW it will help less than a standard cab long bed. (whatever that acronym is)

And hey got to get her up to 70+ or more to really see the effect - oh what's that you're doing this on a ecoboost equipped with a low gear so your rolling high boost at 80 - well you're pissing away your saving just to start with.

Remember the rest of the aero helpers on the F150 (like that fibremat plate on the bottom) are designed with the open bed in mind for efficiency.

It can help a little - but it most likely won't.

Biggest reason I got one - as said before is to turn my bed into a trunk for most of my operation. when I need it gone - it's gone.

 

Something some don't consider. Road surfaces can have an affect on your fuel economy noticeably.

 

I've gone through two tanks with my new Truxedo cover on (17 3.5 screw) and it's early to tell but it hasn't made much of a difference............maybe 1/2 mpg better. I thought since I had a 6.5 bed it might help more but I don't have a 5.5 to compare it to.

 

This is one of those subject that really shouldn't matter because an awfully lot of folks are going to believe what they want to with or without scientific proof. There are so many variables in being able to make a worthwhile argument. Wind, weather, road surfaces, topography, altitude, fuel, driving habits etc. Next thing you know someone will clam their White truck gets better or worse MPG than another color.

Hey wait a minute. My truck is White. Let's see...........

 

I've put a Pace Edwards Jack Rabbit cover on 4 trucks. Didn't notice a speck of difference in gas mileage, despite the manufacturers claims. But then I didn't put them on the trucks for the mileage gain. It was to keep things dry, from blowing out, secure, etc etc. The way I look at it is if the cover doesn't cause the mileage to go down, then I'm not concerned about it.

 

I am pretty certain in that all of us can agree, they will NOT hurt gas mileage!

 

Well technically they are just as likely to hurt it a bit as it is to help it! One thing is certain, they have weight and more weight means more fuel burned. However, if they do help the aerodynamics more than it hurts it, it could overcome the extra weight and still be a small increase overall.

I love my roll up tonneau covers but have never found any sort of increase in MPG on any of them, like said above, too many other factors that can affect MPG and to greater effects.

 

My observation based on several thousand miles of operation is 0.4 mpg improvement on highway travel at 65 mph. Gator trifold on a 2017 4x4 screw.

 

I've heard from credible sources that adding a racing stripe to a tonneau cover increases mileage, speed and even sex appeal, all at the same time.