Future-Look Truck Makes US Fuel Economy Run

A more efficient semi truck has just completed a cross-US run. The more than 3,700 km trip saw an impressive fuel economy figure that could help produce a large reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as well as health-harming pollution from transportation.

The Shell-sponsored Starship Initiative truck was created by the AirFlow Truck Company. It's a 1930s-style streamliner design that cuts through the air to use less diesel. The carbon fibre cab uses active grille shutters and a boat tail rear to make the truck even sleeker.

The new design has some other cool tech to help make it more efficient. Like automatic tire inflation and an extra tall 2.5:1 differential ratio to let the truck run lower rpm on the highway. A 5,000 watt trailer-mounted solar array charges a 48-volt battery bank that powers the cab air conditioning as well as 120-volt loads like heat for the driver or a TV. The solar panels will also power the truck lights, wipers, and fan. The truck is powered by a conventional diesel engine and transmission, a 400 hp, 1,850 lb-ft Cummins inline six and an Eaton 18-speed automated manual.

Robert Sliwa, the designer and owner of AirFlow, started the company when he tired of the painful 53.5 L/100 km that his fleet of trucks was averaging. Sliwa started his first truck in 2009 and started freight runs with it in 2012.

Starting in San Diego, CA, and ending in Jacksonville, FL, the trip was 3,700 km hauling just over 18,000 kg of material that was to be used to create a new offshore reef. That's a total weight of 33,112 kg, which Shell says is a payload 77 percent higher than the average truck hauls on a daily basis.

Fuel economy for the run was 26.3 L/100 km. That's a massive increase over the 36.8 L/100 km that Shell says is the national US truck fleet average.

Shell said that if the two million class 8 trucks in the US were able to reach similar fuel economy figures, it would reduce CO2 emissions by 229 million tons per year. That's a 60 percent reduction in greenhouse gasses from the truck fleet.

While 26.3 L/100 km is far from impressive by car standards, it is a big accomplishment for something that can move that much cargo and weight. Airflow Truck is now looking for funding, to hopefully bring such improvements to current trucks, where increased long-haul efficiency along with electrified trucks for short-haul runs could significantly reduce CO2 emissions from transportation in North America.