Mercedes-Benz truck of the future
Monday, May 10th, 2010In 10 years time, commercial vehicles will consume 20 per cent less fuel while CO2 emissions will be reduced by the same amount, according to Mercedes-Benz truck and bus director Andreas Renschler, who made his comments during a recent truck test drive across the San Bernardino Pass in Switzerland.
[private] Since 1960, truck fuel consumption has been reduced by 30 per cent. In the same period, emissions levels have decreased by up to 98 percent. Similarly, freight transport efficiency has also increased by more than 80 percent while the introduction of fully automated transmission has reduced driver strain and increased driving comfort. In terms of safety, smart assistance systems have also had a major role to play.
“In the years to come, engineers will have to pull out all the stops, from enhancing the aerodynamics of the truck and trailer and fine tuning the conventional drive systems we know today to using alternative fuels and perhaps partially hybridizing the power train,” Renschler said.
“While a reduction of fuel consumption and emissions is one of the goals, another aim will be to increase performance and torque – factors that have a big impact on a commercial vehicle’s efficiency and economy,” he added.[/private]
