TRUCKS' EFFICIENCY * USA: Shell's ones
* Kentucky - Shell partners with AirFlow Truck Co. to develop ‘hyper’ fuel-efficient ‘StarShip’ truck
-- Being a former racecar driver and enthusiast, it was only natural that when Bob Sliwa got involved with heavy-duty Class 8 trucks he would want a truck to be as sleek and aerodynamic as possible... His first foray into building a fuel-efficient truck in 1983 was a good start. It was squared off in front but had full-length tractor skirts and top fairings... People said his second fuel-efficient creation resembled a Bullet Train so it was called the Bullet Truck, and got 13.4 mpg on a trip from Connecticut, Sliwa’s home state, to the West Coast... According to Shell and Sliwa, initial designs call for the StarShip tractor and trailer to join together into a single integrated unit... This will solve the problem of having a gap between the tractor and trailer, which is a big source of aerodynamic drag and loss of efficiency, noted Sliwa. The tractor and trailer will also have newly designed side skirts, hood, front end and custom interior. A tractor-to-trailer Active Aerodynamics gap sealer and the trailer skirts will all retract below 35 mph or when coming up on obstructions such as a railroad crossing... The StarShip truck is expected to complete cross-country testing in 2017 as it seeks to establish new fuel economy records for a Class 8 truck... (Picture courtesy: SHELL) -- Louisville, KY, USA - The Trucker, by DOROTHY L. COX - 27 March 2015
Labels: 'green' trucks, future trucks, techno trucks
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