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Latest Freightliner Cascadia Evolution: 7.5 Percent Improvement in Fuel Economy
 A specially modified and fully loaded Cascadia reaches 10.67 mpgUS! The new heavy-duty truck Freightliner Cascadia Evolution (available next year) provides a 7.5% improvement in fuel economy when compared to the current model. Last week, Daimler’s U.S. commercial vehicle subsidiary Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) demonstrated its strength in the field of environmentally friendly technologies with eye popping results. The new heavy-duty truck Freightliner Cascadia Evolution will become available on the U.S. market starting next year. When compared to the current model (EPA 10 Cascadia), the new truck consumes up to 7 percent less fuel. These fuel savings were confirmed by an independent agency (Automotive Testing and Development Services) in the course of a one-week drive across the U.S. under real-life conditions. The 2,400-mile route led from San Diego, California, to Gastonia, North Carolina. During the test, the two heavy-duty semitrailer trucks – weighing approximately 76,000 lbs. each – traveled at an average speed of 62 mph. According to Martin Daum, two key factors led to the positive result of this Evolution of Efficiency Tour: Quote:
Freightliner Trucks Ready for 2014 Regs At the beginning of this year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified the Daimler commercial vehicles subsidiary’s complete portfolio of long-distance trucks, medium-duty trucks, and vocational vehicles of the Freightliner and Western Star brands as fully compliant with the Greenhouse Gas 2014 (GHG14) regulations. This means that DTNA is leading in the U.S. commercial vehicles industry. The company already meets the standards set by the EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which will not go into effect until the beginning of 2014. These regulations aim to permanently reduce the green-house gas emissions of heavy- and medium-duty trucks. The EPA believes that through the new GHG14 regulations, trucks and buses of the model years 2014 through 2018 are projected to reduce oil consumption by 530 million barrels and greenhouse gas emissions by 270 million metric tons. The Real Deal A Specially fitted Freightliner Cascadia with a full load achieves an unheard of 10.67 mpgUS! During a test drive with a technology prototype at the proving grounds in Uvalde, Texas, DTNA demonstrated that the fuel consumption of a heavy-duty semitrailer truck can be reduced even further through ideal airflow and additional technical fine-tuning. For the test drive, the new Freightliner Cascadia Evolution was equipped with a Detroit DT12 automated transmission, low rolling-resistance singlewide tires, and an aerodynamic trailer. This technically and aerodynamically optimized combination of a tractor and a trailer (total weight: approximately 34 tons) traveled exactly 1,000 miles at an average speed of 60 mph resulting in a 10.67 mpg. There is a lot of muscle cars that still brag about power while achieving similar results in the real world. How embarrassing for those automobile manufacturers when a fully loaded semi pulls 20 times their weight and 4 to 6 times their frontal area! CNG DTNA presented another test result in the area of alternative drive systems. For the first time, a natural gas-fueled Freightliner Cascadia completed a tour from Los Angeles to Washington D.C. (approximately 2,700 miles), interrupted only by refueling stops every 350 to 500 miles. The CNG truck (CNG = compressed natural gas) only used public gas stations to refuel, thus impressively demonstrating that alternative drive technologies represent a real alternative even today. Daimler Trucks and Daimler Buses is the leading commercial vehicle manufacturer consolidates these activities in its worldwide “Shaping Future Transportation” initiative, which aims to turn the zero-emission commercial vehicle of tomorrow into reality through efficient and clean drive systems and alternative fuels. The initiative involves the sparing use of resources and the reduction of emissions of every kind, while guaranteeing maximum traffic safety. Now if only they would make their automobile offerings as noteworthy… |
Re: Latest Freightliner Cascadia Evolution: 7.5 Percent Improvement in Fuel Economy
WoW! That's a heck of an FE jump for those big boys. The improvements that can be had for these big trucks is just beginning. The downside, is these trucks typically spend like 15-20 years on the road before replacing, don't they? I wonder how many large companies will spend the upfront money, to save over the long term.
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Re: Latest Freightliner Cascadia Evolution: 7.5 Percent Improvement in Fuel Economy
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A trucking company is thinking of replacing an older truck that is getting 7.5 mpg, that uses 13,333 gallons of diesel a year. This bad boy will only use 9,372 gallons of diesel. That is almost a $16,000 savings per truck per year based on $4.00 a gallon diesel and 100,000 miles a year. At $5.00 per gallon you're looking at almost $20,000 in savings per year. |
Re: Latest Freightliner Cascadia Evolution: 7.5 Percent Improvement in Fuel Economy
It looks like the 10.67 mpg figure was on a 1000 mile test in Texas. What was the mpg from the 2400 mile CA. to NC trip?
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Re: Latest Freightliner Cascadia Evolution: 7.5 Percent Improvement in Fuel Economy
I found another article that stated the mpg during the 2400 mile trip from CA. to NC. was 9.31 mpg. Still impressive.
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Re: Latest Freightliner Cascadia Evolution: 7.5 Percent Improvement in Fuel Economy
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Wonder what Wayne would get. |
Re: Latest Freightliner Cascadia Evolution: 7.5 Percent Improvement in Fuel Economy
That is VERY impressive ... more than 310~360 ton miles per gallon!
Keep an eye out for the 2013 Mercedes 2.143 Liter twin turbo AT 2500 Sprinter. I have heard that it it averages 30 mpg in mixed route driving. Just think, crush a base US Sonic's sides in 7 inches ... put it in the back of the 2500 and get better fuel economy? This does suggest that downsizing and weight reduction are not the only solution. Detroit seems to be having trouble getting their light passenger vehicles into the 100 ton miles per gallon region. Is anyone aware of a Det3 light passenger vehicle that exceeds 100T*M/gallon? |
Re: Latest Freightliner Cascadia Evolution: 7.5 Percent Improvement in Fuel Economy
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As of 2 minutes ago there were 0 out of 1856 current new UK gasoline vehicle offerings rated Euro Step 6 emissions compliant. http://carfueldata.direct.gov.uk 129 and 143 gCO2/km roughly translates to 43 and slightly <40 mpg(US) combined respectively ... according to Citigroup Investment Research data. So this seems to be a Step 6 gasoline first ... Hey ... Det3 ... where are you??? Well ... ok ... maybe ... Ford Focus Titanium 1.0L EcoBoost (gasoline) £20,365 => USD $25,048 ~EXPORT LIST 58.9 mpg(Imp) combined => ~49 mpg(US) 0-62mph 12.5secs http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/...-5dr-hatchback But it is not Step 6 ... |
Re: Latest Freightliner Cascadia Evolution: 7.5 Percent Improvement in Fuel Economy
I've driven many trucks, but I can say that I never drove a Freightliner I liked. They always rode harsh, even when new. I was always partial to Internationals. They always seemed to drive and ride the best.
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Re: Latest Freightliner Cascadia Evolution: 7.5 Percent Improvement in Fuel Economy
Well, I wish they all road harsh and maybe we would have far less on the roads! Get the freight trains working more. Tax the heck out of all trucks including all gas hog auto's. H
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