Bed extension for Chevrolet and GMC pickups

General Motors has registered a new device with the US Patent Office for easily expanding the cargo area of ​​pickup models. With a special folding mechanism, the height of the platform can be extended if necessary.

The patent drawings show that the tailgate acts as an actual extension when opened. A kind of back wall is placed outside it, which in turn serves as an extension tail. The panel parts are mounted on the side wall of the loading area behind the wheel arches. These can be used to cover additional side loading area. The folding buttons on the tailgate are meant to hold the side panels.

The expansion of the loading area is intended to extend the usable height from six feet (182 cm) to eight feet (244 cm). This measure is not accidental: In the United States, most construction is done with wood; The load of the boards can also be seen in the patent drawings.

A similar system can be imagined for Chevrolet’s Silverado series and GMC’s Sierra pick-ups. These are now also officially released in Germany (see the second part of the photo gallery). Ford is working on a similar device for the F150 series. With the “Multi Pro” tailgate (see video above), General Motors already has another unusual system for the lineup.