http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007...aton.html#more

The system captures energy generated by the diesel engine and recovers energy normally lost during braking and stores the energy in batteries. That electric torque is then sent through the motor/generator and blended with engine torque to improve vehicle performance, operate the engine in a more fuel-efficient range for a given speed and/or operate only with electric power in certain situations.

 

Cool idea. When can we buy that add-on for a cummins powered P/U?

 

2 years ago wally world pledged to double it's mpgs in 10 years...
recently they added thermo king units to all their trucks,
with the thermo king unit idling is no longer allowed.
thus their mpg's when up a little.
now, they have 8 years to go, before reaching their goal of 13 miles per gallon....
place your bets!

 

I read that in diesel resource. It seems do-able but it is based on a very modern fleet. there is no way to do that with a miled out truck in my view.

 

if they would only start streamlining the truck and trailer....
ie: boat tails and skirts i've heard they could save 10%
but this is old news and none of it has ever happened....

 

web surfing today yeilded some cool reductions in drag coefficients,
available now in the U.K.







New aero aids cut fuel by 14% Race car designers Piper International Design Group say its FSA aerodynamic aids can cut truck fuel use by around 14% more than market-leading aero aid kits. The firm’s boss, John Piper, says: ‘This is just the beginning.’ Following trials including wind tunnel and on road tests, Piper’s FSA kit is being fitted on more than 85 Marks & Spencer trucks. With Piper’s aero aids on tractors alone, M&S saved 7.5% more fuel than before. More trials showed this figure almost doubled when the trailer gets its own aero aids. Piper says hauliers should see payback in a year and that future products may cut fuel use by 20%. Piper Design is owned by John Piper and broadcaster Noel Edmonds.

More from John Piper on +44 (0) 2 087 351 310 or johnp@piperdesign.co.uk

 

if you're a nut about fuel efficiency and reducing drag.....like me....

the links below will explain how they do it....

http://www.solusinc.com/vortexstrakes.html

http://www.solusinc.com/pdf/flyer.pdf

http://www.dieselmidatlantic.org/die...DCAeroOvw2.pdf


what's interesting to me is that the ideas and the patents are held by Solus,
and yet Piper is taking credit for some of the designs.....
Piper may have a licencing agreement with Solus, i don't know......

 

if any of the below statements are true,
then, why is it that no one in the U.S. is modifying our current inventory of trailers.....clearly i'm missing something.....


* Aerodynamically redesigning a truck cab can be made to reduce fuel costs by 7.5%, and aerodynamically redesigning the trailer as well reduces costs by a further 7%

* With the latest refinements to the design, it looks likely to bring the overall saving figure up to 20%



http://www.eurekamagazine.co.uk/arti...-truckers.aspx

 

New Freightliner Class 8 Platform Improves Fuel Economy 3%
3 May 2007

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007...eightline.html

 

Hey guys, I might have a slightly inside track on the WM hybrid, I should have a first hand report in a few weeks. I can say I'm very excited about it, it should open the door for alot of new technology