Surprising reason why American trucks have been getting bigger and bigger over the years
- Chickens. The cluckers led to the end of small trucks
- After years of tariffs, American trucks are bigger than ever
- It’s all down to tariffs and fuel economy
Published on Apr 01, 2025 at 12:42 PM (UTC+4)
by Jack Marsh
Last updated on Apr 01, 2025 at 12:42 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Looking at staples like the Ford F-150, it’s clear that American trucks are growing in size year after year, but why?
The trucks on the market in America are the massive Tesla, the newer F-150s, the Chevrolet Silverado, and anything RAM.
Compared to the vehicles that came before them, they’re huge.
Manufacturers Ford, Stellantis, and General Motors now all have colossal trucks, and there’s a surprising reason for the scale.
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The literal rise of American trucks
Back in the ’70s, trucks were tiny, so much so that the likes of a Chevrolet El Camino SS and 1970 Ford Ranchero were considered pickups, given they had a longer bed attached to a typical saloon body.
But even the popular Dodge Lil’ Red Express and the 1970 Ford F-150 were quite miniature cars.
In 1975, the average weight was just over 4,000lbs, for truck brands such as Ford, GM, and Stellantis.
Now, the smallest of the American trucks is the Ford Maverick, and the average weight has been bumped up to just shy of 5,500lbs. There’s also a two-foot increase in length.
And why? Well, chickens. Of course.
As highlighted in a YouTube video by The Hustle, a small fight over export tariffs and taxes broke out between the US and Europe, specifically because of chickens.
But it quickly spiraled into farming and trucks. And soon European trucks were non-existent in the US after being priced out.
Volkswagen’s small truck market was diminished by a 25 percent tax in America. All of which helped the rise of the F-150 and more.
Why are trucks so big now?
Well, with homegrown American trucks being in competition with Europe and VW, manufacturers went above and beyond to make sure they had the best build while being cheaper than EU alternatives.
Testosterone soon kicked into gear across the States, and this healthy competition was only heightened in 2012.
A new fuel economy legislation saw more incentives for larger trucks to be manufactured, which all but ended small trucks.
Nowadays, bigger is better.
K-Trucks imported from Japan have begun to plug the gap, but with SUVs being so versatile, American trucks still reign supreme.
You can still get some small trucks, but only if your name is Post Malone.
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