18 Wheeler of the Future

Status
Not open for further replies.
airflow-bullettruck-images-airflow-truck-company_100451653_l.jpg
 
That would last about a month.. then after the deer causes 5000$ in body damage they will throw on a giant brush bumper and get 10mpg :p

and good luck retrofitting all the trailers with the skirting.

I think it WILL be possible to implement some of the ideas and maybe eek out another 1-2mpg.

13.5 is a pipedream anytime soon.
 
Last edited:
Pardon my ignorance but what does a fully laden TT unit get (average) for mileage now?
 
I have seen trucks with the covered wheels and the faired trailers have been around a while now, too.

I wonder why they don't replace the mirrors with video cameras?
 
Safety reasons, I'd imagine. It's quicker to glance at the side mirror and make a quick lane change vs that 4" LCD screen on the dash.

I doubt the mirrors are going away any time soon, hence why the Super Truck in the link still has them.
 
Originally Posted By: Rand
That would last about a month.. then after the deer causes 5000$ in body damage they will throw on a giant brush bumper and get 10mpg :p


I can see this as being the semi truck of tomorrow. Looks aerodynamic and you can still stick that RAM guard in the front, to whack deer with.

mantruck6602.jpg


mantruck660.jpg


by the way, my Dad is a truck driver for USPS and his last dear encounter cost $9,000 in truck repairs. Regardless of how your truck looks, if you hit a dear, it's gonna be costly.
 
Originally Posted By: Rand
That would last about a month.. then after the deer causes 5000$ in body damage they will throw on a giant brush bumper and get 10mpg :p

and good luck retrofitting all the trailers with the skirting.

I think it WILL be possible to implement some of the ideas and maybe eek out another 1-2mpg.

13.5 is a pipedream anytime soon.


Actually, more and more trailers are already getting air skirts- I see quite a few on the road.

Its way past time that trucks got some improvement. Sure, the tractors are slicker than they were 30 years ago... but until the trailers get skirts and some sort of smooth blend at the TAIL end (there are also attachments popping up that provide that) efficiency isn't going much higher. Enclosed wheels, too.

Its all about moving the air out of the way and rolling resistance- which is why trains get something like 400 ton-miles per gallon. Nearly zero rolling resistance, and and only the first locomotive and last freight car have the big air drag, all the rest just have "wetted area" drag along the sides for the most part.
 
Originally Posted By: Artem
Originally Posted By: Rand
That would last about a month.. then after the deer causes 5000$ in body damage they will throw on a giant brush bumper and get 10mpg :p


I can see this as being the semi truck of tomorrow. Looks aerodynamic and you can still stick that RAM guard in the front, to whack deer with.

mantruck6602.jpg


mantruck660.jpg


by the way, my Dad is a truck driver for USPS and his last dear encounter cost $9,000 in truck repairs. Regardless of how your truck looks, if you hit a dear, it's gonna be costly.
Where are the mirrors? Id like to see how those low profile tires would last pulling heavy weight.
 
Originally Posted By: typ901
Originally Posted By: BISCUT
Pardon my ignorance but what does a fully laden TT unit get (average) for mileage now?


5-6mpg I believe.


Yup! 5-6. Unless you're fighting a head wind, then it's 4.5.

.5 MPG does make a difference when you are only getting 5 and the amount of miles they drive.
 
I like this last paragraph in the article:

Quote:
Rising gas prices mean higher costs for operators. Higher costs for operators mean more expensive goods and services to cover those costs. And those higher prices are what we pay at the local store. Reduce fuel use and you don't just reduce environmental impact: you reduce our cost of living.


I disagree with the last sentence where cost of living goes down. Price of fuel will go up, then price of goods go up. Prices of fuel stabilizes. Then technology catches up and creates a savings in operating costs. Price of goods still stay the same.

Prices of food and goods won't go down...
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top