Capital Equipment News April 2015

TRANSPORT

DAIMLER TRUCKS SHOWS ADVANCED TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP with new SuperTruck study

T he new SuperTruck study provides further evidence of Daimler Trucks’ technological leadership. In addition to the existing series-production vehicles the SuperTruck from Freightliner shows how targeted measures in aerodynamics, energy management, the use of an intelligent power- train and other levers can further reduce fuel consumption. For example, the SuperTruck is equipped with the DT12 automated transmission and predictive technology that controls the vehicle speed using GPS and digital 3D maps. In test drives, the SuperTruck at a weight of 29.5 metric tons (65,000 lbs GVWR) consumed an average of about 19 litres of fuel per 100 km (12.2 mpg) at a speed of around 100 km/h (65 mph). In addition, the SuperTruck achieved a 115 percent freight efficiency improvement (measured in ton- miles per gallon) over a 2009 baseline truck. DTNA initiated the SuperTruck research and development project in 2010. The U.S. Department of Energy supported the proj- ect with a $40 million grant. Daimler’s Su- perTruck greatly surpassed the Department of Energy’s aim to increase the freight effi- ciency of US Class 8 trucks by 50 percent.

The project’s improvements to aerodynam- ics and the powertrain have already been incorporated into the Freightliner Cascadia Evolution and Western Star 5700 XE se- ries-production vehicles. For example, about every fourth Freightliner Cascadia Evolution is equipped with the automated DT12 trans- mission. Increasing numbers of customers appreciate the benefit of a fully integrated Detroit powertrain from a single source, in which the engine, the axles and the trans- mission come from Daimler Trucks and are thus perfectly synchronised. While these optimisations are feasible for customer use, the SuperTruck study also shows that for example ultralight materials are not economically viable at this time. “The SuperTruck engagement is another component of our strategy to make future road transportation as environmentally friendly and fuel efficient as possible,” said Martin Daum, President & CEO of Daimler Trucks North America. About Daimler Trucks North America Daimler Trucks North America LLC, with headquarters in Portland, Oregon, is the leading heavy-duty truck manufacturer

in North America. DTNA produces and markets vehicles of the Freightliner, Western Star, and Thomas Built Buses brands. The DTNA production network encompasses nine locations. In addition to the headquarters and manufacturing plant in Portland (Oregon), DTNA has four manufacturing plants in North Carolina (Cleveland, Gastonia, High Point, and Mount Holly) and one manufacturing plant each in Redford (Michigan) and Gaffney (South Carolina). DTNA has two additional manufacturing facilities in Mexico (Saltillo and Santiago Tianguistenco). b

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