A boarding/deboarding support structure includes a lower door having an upper end configured to be rotated and opened with respect to a bottom surface of a vehicle body, a lower trim located inside the lower door, the lower trim having an upper end configured to be rotated and opened with respect to a floor of the vehicle body, and an absorbing member having at least a portion supported by the lower door and a rear surface of the lower trim, the absorbing member being configured to absorb energy, wherein the lower trim is located between the floor of the vehicle body and an inner surface of the lower door, and wherein, when the lower door is opened, the absorbing member is deployed to be located between the lower trim and the lower door.

A tail gate for a vehicle cargo bed includes a tail gate body having an interior surface disposed towards the vehicle cargo bed and an exterior surface disposed outwards from the vehicle cargo bed; and a heat shield secured to the exterior surface of the tail gate body. At least a portion of the tail gate body is constructed from a first material having a first melting temperature and the heat shield is constructed from a second material having a second melting temperature. The second melting temperature is greater than the first melting temperature.

A tail gate for a vehicle cargo bed includes a tail gate body having an interior surface disposed towards the vehicle cargo bed and an exterior surface disposed outwards from the vehicle cargo bed; and a heat shield secured to the exterior surface of the tail gate body. At least a portion of the tail gate body is constructed from a first material having a first melting temperature and the heat shield is constructed from a second material having a second melting temperature. The second melting temperature is greater than the first melting temperature.

A vehicle includes a cargo box including at least one side wall. A tailgate is coupled to the box and operable between open and closed positions. A light assembly is positioned in a vehicle rear portion of the at least one side wall. A box light is configured to emit light into the box and a puddle lamp is configured to emit light in a vehicle rearward direction.

A cargo bed system for a vehicle includes an inner shell and an outer shell operably coupled to the inner shell so as to be movable with respect to the inner shell between a lowered position and a raised position so as to vary a height of a cargo bed defined by the cargo bed system.

A cargo bed system for a vehicle includes an inner shell and an outer shell operably coupled to the inner shell so as to be movable with respect to the inner shell between a lowered position and a raised position so as to vary a height of a cargo bed defined by the cargo bed system.

A method for producing a door element comprising a planar panel (30) and protruding edges (32a, 32b, 32c), each edge (32a, 32b, 32c) being joined to at least one adjacent edge (32a, 32b, 32c) by a joining edge, comprising:—providing a rectangular planar blank,—cutting out said blank to retrieve a corner part being adapted to form a joining edge (34),—stamping the cut-out blank to obtain a door element part (52) comprising the panel (30) and the edges (32a, 32b, 32c), said edges (32a, 32b, 32c) being separated one from the others,—joining the adjacent edges (32a, 32b, 32c) by attaching a joining part (54) to the door element part, said joining part (54) being made of a material different from the material of the door element part (52) and forming a joining edge.

An illustrative folding tailgate for an automotive vehicle includes a first wall portion and a second wall portion that are rotatably connected to one another. A first latch may be attached to the first wall portion and configured to engage with a complementary latch part at a first portion of a vehicle to lock the tailgate in a closed position. A guide member may be attached to the first wall portion and configured to move along a rail disposed at a rear of the automotive vehicle, the guide member configured to move along the rail in a manner constrained by the rail. A rotatable connection mechanism may be attached to the second wall portion and configured to attach to a second portion of a vehicle. The tailgate may be configured to open and close via folding movement of the first and second wall portions relative to one another.

An embodiment lower gate stopper structure includes a stopper unit configured to protrude from an upper end of a groove positioned adjacent to an inner surface of a gate, a rack unit connected to the stopper unit and configured to move longitudinally to cause the stopper unit to protrude, and a controller configured to selectively control protrusion of the stopper unit based on an open or closed state of the gate.

An embodiment lower gate stopper structure includes a stopper unit configured to protrude from an upper end of a groove positioned adjacent to an inner surface of a gate, a rack unit connected to the stopper unit and configured to move longitudinally to cause the stopper unit to protrude, and a controller configured to selectively control protrusion of the stopper unit based on an open or closed state of the gate.