LAS VEGAS – Daimler Trucks North America unveiled the SuperTruck II on Wednesday, showcasing an efficient diesel heavy-duty rig intended to demonstrate fuel-saving technology that can be deployed as the trucking industry transitions to zero-emission vehicles.
The sleek cab is painted in pixelated rainbow colors for an effortless feel, more like a proof-of-concept vehicle than the pie-in-the-sky concept common in the auto industry. am.
Daimler Trucks North America CEO John O’Leary said:
The concept truck, based on Daimler’s Freightliner Cascadia model, is the top-selling Class 8 truck in the United States, accounting for approximately 40% of the market.
The project aims to develop a tractor-trailer combination that demonstrates advances in aerodynamics, diesel engine technology, tire rolling resistance, and other systems to dramatically improve the fuel efficiency of large class 8 rigs. is to let
Some may find their way into Cascadias in the future.
“The R&D we do here is to create tools that you can later pull out of your toolbox and use,” says Derek Rotz, Daimler’s US head of advanced engineering.
Daimler says the truck runs at about 12 mpg. According to the North American Council for Freight Efficiency, a typical Class 8 diesel truck gets about 6.2 mpg.
While California, parts of Europe and other parts of the world are forced to make a gradual transition to zero-emission trucks, O’Leary says diesel is 100% suitable for all applications and will soon , says it will persist as a primary fuel choice.
“It remains the most cost-effective and efficient way to move goods and people,” he said. However, truck manufacturers can still achieve significant efficiency gains.
The SuperTruck II is clearly recognizable as a Freightliner. The most visible change is the removal of the large elephant ear style side mirrors required for current trucks. Instead, the truck utilizes an NHTSA-approved program exemption that allows cameras and screens in cabs.
Daimler says the change could solve a major efficiency problem on current trucks and improve driver visibility. The company sees the camera system as a potential regulatory change.
Elsewhere, engineers redesigned the hood, bumpers and chassis fairings to work with the Cascadia’s existing cab, but not impede airflow around the track. We also changed the grille, air intakes and doors to improve aerodynamics. The truck is equipped with Michelin prototype low rolling resistance tires.