DEARBORN, Mich. — It was hardly planned this way, but Ford Motor on Tuesday began building its most fuel-efficient pickup ever, just as gas prices kept dropping to their lowest level in years. 
 
 Despite the timing, Ford is betting that its new aluminum-body F-series pickup truck will be a hit with consumers and an important step toward achieving new government fuel standards. 
 
 “Even with gas at $3 a gallon, fuel economy is still very important to people,” William Clay Ford Jr., the automaker’s executive chairman, said at the ceremonial introduction of the pickup at Ford’s Dearborn Truck assembly plant. 
 
 Mr. Ford said that gas consumption was the largest area of consumer dissatisfaction in the purchase of pickup trucks. 

 Buy Photo “We’re here today to make history,” Ford executive chairman Bill Ford said as hundreds of workers cheered at the Dearborn Truck Plant. (Photo: Charles V. Tines, The Detroit News)Buy Photo 
 
 Dearborn — Shortly before 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, Dearborn Truck plant manager Brad Huff and UAW Vice President Jimmy Settles drove the first 2015 F-150 pickup — painted cherry red — off the assembly line and into history. 
 
 Ford Motor Co.'s newest truck, made with an aluminum body and bed that saves up to 700 pounds, marks a significant milestone for the Dearborn automaker and is a potential game-changer for the industry. The launch completes at least five years of research and development as Ford overhauled nearly every aspect of the building process from exterior painting to interior design. 
 
 The lightweight material is expected to increase gas mileage, but is more costly to make and repair — a big gamble for Ford's best-selling vehicle. The launch also marks a rebirth for the Dearborn Truck Plant, centerpiece of the venerable Rouge Center that was nearly shuttered before finding new life to build the truck. The plant underwent a $359 million dollar renovation this year. 
 
 "This really is the most critical launch in Ford's history, and arguably one of the most critical launches for the entire industry," Karl Brauer, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book, said in a statement. "If it goes according to plan, Ford will have a substantial advantage in the area of lightweight materials. If any serious problems arise, it will put a major crimp in Ford's near-term profits, though it's hard to believe the automaker didn't account for every variable before committing to this transition." 
 
 The Dearborn automaker is currently making about 30 new trucks per hour, Huff told reporters Tuesday. When the plant runs at full capacity, that number should more than double, he said. The new trucks will begin arriving in showrooms next month. 
 
 Mileage numbers have not yet been released, but analysts expect significant improvements. The base price is about $26,600, up about $400 from the previous generation. 
 
 "We're here today to make history," executive chairman Bill Ford said as hundreds of workers cheered. "The Rouge has always been at the heart of Ford to me and my family." 
 
 The lightweight body sits above a high-strength steel frame that allows the truck to tow 1,100 more pounds and haul up to 530 more pounds than previous models. 
 
 "This is as big as it gets at Ford Motor Co.," said President and CEO Mark Fields. 
 
 "It underscores the product excellence and innovation we are delivering in every part of our business as we accelerate our pace of progress toward profitable growth." 
 
 Ford's Dearborn plant shuttered for a month this year as old equipment was torn out and new machinery was installed. A similar changeover will take place early next year at the automaker's Kansas City Assembly Plant. 
 
 The two plants will have the capacity to make more than 700,000 trucks per year, Ford said, slightly more than its previous capacity. 
 
 During the month that Dearborn Truck was closed for the changeover, Ford lost out on production of about 90,000 vehicles. Fields told reporters Tuesday production won't be back up to normal levels until the end of the second quarter next year. 
 
 The plant transformation is obvious. Gone are the spark-producing weld guns and noisy transfer systems that moved parts around. 
 
 The new body shop is much quieter and more efficient, using about 500 smaller robots to laser-weld and put rivets into the aluminum parts. 
 
 "When we walked in on the first day, it was quiet, it was clean, but there was no shock," said Ron Ketelhut, chief engineer for body construction. "It's been challenging, but it wasn't anything we hadn't planned for." 
 
 Dearborn Diversified, a 900,000-square-foot facility built in 1942, was also transformed to house the production of aluminum F-150 roof rails, a process that had previously been built by an outside supplier. 
 
 As part of the launch, Ford added 850 new workers across four facilities at its Rouge Center. 
 
 In recent months, Ford executives have stressed that the introduction was on schedule, but some analysts remain skeptical. Morgan Stanley last month lowered its price targets on Ford from $16 to $14, citing potential issues with the F-150 launch. 
 
 But Ford said it's encouraged by early customer feedback. The automaker said more than 225,000 people have submitted contact information for updates about the vehicle, and more than 250,000 customers have built and priced their own custom truck online — the most of any vehicle in the automaker's history. 
 
 "We recognize that is the most-watched launch in the industry right now," Raj Nair, Ford's chief technical officer, global product development, said at an event Monday. "Everyone's really interested whether we can launch this groundbreaking truck with quality our truck customers demand. We know the importance of getting the F-150 right." 
 
 mmartinez@detroitnews.com 
 
 (313) 222-2401 
 
 Twitter.com/MikeMartinez_DN 
 
 Read or Share this story: http://detne.ws/1ui9TsU 

 A production 2015 F-150 rolls off the assembly line at the Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn, Mich., Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014. The aluminum-sided F-150 could set a new industry standard — or cost the company... (Associated Press) 
 
 In this Nov. 6, 2014 photo, Clark Barton IV works on the new Ford F-150 truck at the Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn, Mich. It’s Ford Motor Co.’s biggest bet in decades: an aluminum-sided F-150 that... (Associated Press) 
 
 In this Nov. 6, 2014 photo, tires are attached to a new Ford F-150 truck on the assembly line at the Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn, Mich. It’s Ford Motor Co.’s biggest bet in decades: an aluminum-sided... (Associated Press) 
 
 This Nov. 6, 2014 photo shows the new Ford F-150 truck at the Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn, Mich. It’s Ford Motor Co.’s biggest bet in decades: an aluminum-sided F-150 that could set a new industry... (Associated Press) 
 
 Bill Ford Jr., Ford Motor Company Executive Chairman, speaks about the 2015 F-150 at the Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn, Mich., Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014. The aluminum-sided F-150 could set a new industry... (Associated Press) 
 
 Mark Fields, Ford Motor Company President and CEO, let, and Bill Ford Jr., Executive Chairman, listen during a news conference about the production of the 2015 F-150 at the Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn,... (Associated Press) 
 
 This Nov. 6, 2014 photo shows the new Ford F-150 truck at the Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn, Mich. It’s Ford Motor Co.’s biggest bet in decades: an aluminum-sided F-150 that could set a new industry... (Associated Press) 
 
 Bill Ford Jr., Ford Motor Company Executive Chairman, left, and Mark Fields, President and CEO, pose with a production 2015 F-150 at the Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn, Mich., Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014.... (Associated Press) 
 
 In this Nov. 6, 2014 photo, Chris Lucking installs a grill on a new Ford F-150 truck at the Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn, Mich. It’s Ford Motor Co.’s biggest bet in decades: an aluminum-sided F-150... (Associated Press) 
 
 Employees take pictures with a production 2015 F-150 at the Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn, Mich., Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014. The aluminum-sided F-150 could set a new industry standard — or cost the company... (Associated Press) 
 
 In this Nov. 6, 2014 photo, Shawn Ebeler works on the door assembly on a new Ford F-150 truck is assembled at the Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn, Mich. It’s Ford Motor Co.’s biggest bet in decades:... (Associated Press) 
 
 Ford is using the metal almost exclusively in body of the 2015 version of its best-selling F-150 pickup, which starts arriving at dealerships next month. Barnett is already answering customers' questions about the truck. And he's updated his repair shop not only for the F-150, but in anticipation that other Ford brands such as the Mustang will eventually make the switch from steel. 
 
 But, just in case, he ordered some extra steel-bodied 2014 pickups. 
 
 "There will be some people who won't want to change for a while," says Barnett, who says pickups make up around half of the annual sales at his dealership in rural Winchester. 
 
 Ford is doubling down on aluminum, which is lighter — and more expensive — than steel but just as tough. The new truck is the company's response to customers' requests for a more fuel-efficient and nimbler pickup. Ford hopes the advantages outweigh customer doubts about the durability of aluminum or potential repair costs for the pricier metal. 
 
 It's a big risk. So far this year, one out of every three vehicles Ford sold in the U.S. was an F-Series pickup. Morgan Stanley estimates F-Series trucks account for 90 percent of Ford's global automotive profit. 
 
 On Tuesday, it kicked off production of the new truck at its Dearborn Truck Plant, four miles from the company's headquarters. 
 
 "Yeah, this is a risk, but it's one well worth taking." said Bill Ford, the company's executive chairman, as he stood alongside the assembly line. "For our customer, this is a big, big leap forward." 
 
 The trucks have been the best-selling vehicles in the U.S. for 32 straight years; last year, Ford sold nearly 100,000 more full-size pickups than General Motors. 
 
 Aluminum isn't new to the auto industry, but this is the first time it will cover the entire body of such a high-volume vehicle. Ford made 647,697 F-150 pickups at its two U.S. plants last year; that's one every 49 seconds. 
 
 If Ford's bet pays off, it could pad its lead in the lucrative truck market. More importantly, aluminum "future proofs" the truck — and the company — in an era of rising fuel economy standards, says Karl Brauer, a senior analyst with Kelley Blue Book. 
 
 Ford will announce the truck's fuel economy figures later this month. That could determine if it steals customers away from the Silverado or Ram. Truck buyers are among the most loyal in the auto market. 
 
 Ford says the 2015 truck will have from 5 percent to 20 percent better fuel economy that the current version. A figure in the higher end of that range might sway some buyers, says Jesse Toprak, chief sales analyst for the car buying site Cars.com. 
 
 "If I own a business and if I look at the numbers, and it's going to add up over time, then I'll think twice about it (switching brands)," Toprak says. 
 
 Ford has the disadvantage of introducing the truck as gas prices are hitting a four-year low, with the national average now below $3 a gallon. But CEO Mark Fields says even when gas prices were $1.25, truck buyers still asked for better fuel economy. 
 
 "These vehicles are not just vehicles to our customers. They're tools to help them do their job," Fields says. "This thing has to deliver." 
 
 Toprak believes that Ford's biggest risk with the truck is simply the unknown — truck buyers don't know how an aluminum body will hold up over time. 
 
 When Ginny Pruet, who runs a wedding rental business in Rockwall, Texas, decided to trade in her 2012 F-150 to get one with a backup camera, she chose a 2014. 
 
 Pruet, 54, has checked out the 2015 version at auto shows. She is impressed by the new truck's bells and whistles, like the movable LED spotlights on the side mirrors. But she's concerned that aluminum is untested and not worth the extra cost. Ford has raised the price of the base model by $395 to $26,615, including destination fees. A fancier King Ranch version costs $3,615 more. 
 
 "We'll just hold off and find out the reaction to it," she says. 
 
 As with any new vehicle, marketing will be key. Toprak says Ford should promote a key advantage of an aluminum body: It won't rust. 
 
 John Krafcik, the president of the car buying site TrueCar.com, points to the truck's capability. The F-150 sits on a high-strength steel frame that's carrying less weight from the truck, so it can carry more cargo and haul heavier trailers. The new F-150 can tow up to 12,200 pounds compared with 12,000 for the Silverado and 10,500 pounds for the Ram. 
 
 Ford is spending more than $1 billion to retrofit both assembly and metal stamping plants. The company also helped dealers such as Barnett with the $30,000 to $50,000 cost to retrofit their repair shops, says spokeswoman Elizabeth Weigandt. 
 
 Ford took steps in the design of the truck that minimize repair costs, Weigandt says. Because of the way the aluminum is sectioned, for example, the roof doesn't have to be removed to repair to the B-pillar, which sits just behind the front doors. 
 
 Jason Cannon 34, a writer who lives in Demopolis, Alabama, says he wouldn't drive anything but an F-150. 
 
 He would like to get better fuel economy than the 15 to 16 mpg he averages driving his 2006 pickup around town. That's why he's eyeing the 2015 F-150 with the 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine, a V6 that could give him similar horsepower to his current V8. 
 
 Cannon says he wouldn't hesitate to buy aluminum. 
 
 "This is an F-150. The technology is proven," he says. "This is the same song, just a different verse." 
 
 ___ 
 
 Auto Writer Tom Krisher contributed from Detroit.
– When you've had the bestselling vehicle in the US for 32 years, why change the formula? To make it even better, Ford argues. That's why the company's 2015 F-150, which will appear at dealerships next month, will have a body made almost entirely out of aluminum rather than steel. Customers' biggest concern about pickup trucks is their gas mileage, executive chairman Bill Ford tells the New York Times. With the aluminum version some 700 pounds lighter than previous models, the F-150 will see its mileage improve by 5% to 15%, Ford says. Aluminum is as strong as steel, the AP reports, though it's a little pricier. The base model will now cost an additional $395, making it $26,615. And right now, gas prices are around their lowest in four years. But "even with gas at $3 a gallon, fuel economy is still very important to people," says Bill Ford. The 2014 F-150 gets about 19 miles per gallon, the Times notes; the official figures for the 2015 model haven't yet been revealed. In other improvements, the new model can tow 1,100 pounds more than its predecessors, while it hauls up to 530 pounds more, the Detroit News reports. The first one came off the assembly line yesterday. "Is this a risk? Yes," says Bill Ford. "But it's a risk worth taking."