Freightliner focuses on fuel economy

www.chinatrucks.com: Freightliner Trucks has set an ambitious goal of improving the fuel efficiency of its flagship Cascadia by 5% every two years.

The company shared some insight on where it stands today and how it will deliver further fuel economy improvements during a recent press briefing here. David Hames, Freightliner's general manager, marketing and strategy, said the company improved the fuel efficiency of its Cascadia by 5% when introducing its EPA2010 emissions package using selective catalytic reduction (SCR) exhaust aftertreatment, achieving a baseline of 6.7 mpg in typical linehaul operations.

That was improved another 3.5% in 2011 with a recently introduced aerodynamic package including improved chassis fairings. Further enhancements - including everything from a switch to 5W-30 engine oils, predictive technologies, improved drivetrain integration and further aerodynamic improvements - will pave the way to another 15% fuel consumption reduction, improving the Cascadia's baseline fuel mileage to an impressive 7.9 mpg by 2015, Hames noted.

'Aggressive goal'

"It's an aggressive goal but that's our target," he said. "We believe it will keep us ahead of any regulations that are coming our way."

Hames was referring to the EPA/NHTSA fuel economy standards for heavy trucks, announced recently by US President Barack Obama. Hames said compliance with those standards, to be introduced with 2014 model year trucks will be an "easier hurdle to clear" than previous EPA-driven emissions mandates, which required cleaner burning engine technologies but at the expense of some significant fuel economy degradation.

"We're not having to go to market with a higher price and lower fuel economy as we have in the past," Hames noted.

The challenge for truck makers such as Freightliner, will be to increase the "take rates" on aerodynamic options the companies already offer; things such as chassis fairings and low rolling resistance tires.
"And frankly, we want our customers to get the maximum benefit we can provide in terms of fuel economy," Hames added.

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