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GM powertrain exec says diesels can be saved Christiaan Hetzner, Automotive News / June 8, 2018 TURIN – Tumbling diesel sales in Europe do not signal a grim future for the technology, General Motors powertrain executive Pierpaolo Antonioli said, citing new evidence suggesting nitrogen oxide emissions can be cut to an absolute minimum. GM, which kept its Turin [diesel engine] engineering center despite selling Opel/Vauxhall to PSA Group (Peugeot/Citroen) last year, was first to market a truck with an EPA-certified 30 mpg highway rating with the diesel versions of the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. In January, the automaker announced a 3.0-liter inline-six turbodiesel planned for the next-generation Chevrolet Silverado. “Internal combustion engines, including the diesel, can still play a role in the years to come," Antonioli, who bears global responsibility inside GM for development of diesel engines, said Wednesday at the Automotive News Europe Congress here during a panel discussion titled “What is the Future of Diesels?” “Bosch said just a few weeks ago that they can already achieve very low emissions, especially for NOx, without increasing the cost of the combustion system,” Antonioli said. Robert Bosch, the world’s largest auto parts manufacturer and a leading supplier of diesel injection systems, said it has developed a method to cut on-road NOx emissions to just 13 milligrams per kilometer, far below the 80 mg/km test bench limit under Euro 6 regulations and the 168 mg/km limit that takes effect in September as part of the introduction of RDE real-world testing. Sales of diesels continue to plunge after threats in February 2017 of potential diesel bans in Germany. In May, domestic registrations of diesels amounted to just 31.5 percent of the overall figure in Europe’s largest car market. This was the second-lowest level in Germany since the outbreak of the crisis, as news of Hamburg’s first ban helped suppress demand. Diesel adoption rates in the U.K. were not much better at a 32.5 percent share. Greg Archer, a director responsible for clean vehicles policy at the Brussels-based advocacy group Transport & Environment, said the industry had only itself to blame because of a comprehensive abuse of regulatory loopholes. “The blame lays not only on Volkswagen but every OEM that thought thermal windows and other strategies to turn down their exhaust treatment systems’ effectiveness were legitimate -- they,” said Archer, an avowed diesel opponent. “The more your lawyers try to defend the indefensible, the more the brand and the product are discredited. “The pain is not ending. It will go on and on, and the bans will proliferate unless OEMs constructively engage to sort out the mess.” To redeem their reputation, Archer recommended four initiatives. First, carmakers should clean up the 40 million Euro 5 and Euro 6 diesels on the road, including making hardware modifications. Then they need to support new regulations, such as Euro 7 emissions standards, which ensure diesels pollute no more than gasoline-powered cars. Third, a Europe-wide fund must be introduced to financially support cities’ clean-air plans. Last, the automakers should submit their cars to the scrutiny of credible, nonpartisan organizations that independently test diesels. “Diesel won’t disappear in Europe,” Archer said, “but whether the market share in 2025 is 10 percent or 30 percent depends on how the industry responds to the crisis.”

Ford to mine, monitor vehicle data to enhance commercial fleet performance Michael Martinez, Automotive News / June 7, 2018 DETROIT -- Ford Commercial Solutions, a branch of the automaker's mobility unit, is expanding digital services to help fleet operators better monitor and maintain vehicles. One is a product that wirelessly beams information on a vehicle's GPS location, mileage, fuel usage, operating conditions, and driver behavior and more to the cloud without the need for third-party plug-in devices. The second service is similar but is specific to law enforcement agencies and lets them collect data about a vehicle's fuel consumption, carbon dioxide emissions, health and driver seat-belt usage. Ford Motor Co. is working to connect all of its vehicles by 2019 and has partnered with Verizon Connect to do so. The automaker said it has reached service agreements with connected-vehicle companies Geotab and Spireon to give fleet operators a choice of what telematics service they use. "Our new products are tailored to serve fleets of all types, whether they're run by law enforcement, composed predominantly of Ford vehicles, or are large multi-make fleets that want more insight from their Ford vehicles," Lee Jelenic, CEO of Ford Commercial Solutions, said in a statement Thursday. The products are among the first offered by Ford Smart Mobility since the automaker reorganized the unit this year. Executives have said mobility services could deliver higher profit margins than Ford's core automotive business, and Ford is working on how to monetize emerging technologies. Commercial fleets are one of the automaker's largest targets because it dominates the U.S. market with the Transit and Transit Connect vans and the F-series pickup. The products introduced Thursday are powered by Ford's open cloud-based platform, the Transportation Mobility Cloud, which is built and operated by Autonomic, a Silicon Valley startup Ford acquired this year. The goal of the Transportation Mobility Cloud is to provide fully established, back-end technology so Ford and other automakers can focus on creating products customers want. Sundeep Madra, a co-founder of Autonomic and vice president of Ford X, which oversees Autonomic's work, said dealers and fleet operators are increasingly interested in how the cloud can help them. He said dealers could use the cloud to alert customers of maintenance issues and schedule appointments to a time when the repair shop would have loaner cars available. "They're really excited about that coming together," Madra said Thursday at the TU-Automotive technology conference in Novi, Mich. "The cloud enables all that to happen." .

They were, last time I was in Johannesburg. It's long been popular there.....with the 60 Series.

The 'real journey' is just beginning for Shell's Starship truck Fleet Owner / June 6, 2018 JACKSONVILLE, FL. The Shell Starship ended its 2,300-mile trip from San Diego, CA, to Jacksonville, FL, on Tuesday with a presentation highlighting the tractor-trailer’s efforts to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. But, as Shell’s Chris Guerrero pointed out, the real journey is only beginning. The goal with the ship’s maiden voyage was to explore the Class 8 truck’s potential to increase freight-ton efficiency by transporting a 39,000-lb. payload of artificial reef material from California to Florida. The long-term goal is to drive the fuel-economy conversation into the future. “There’s more work left to be done,” said Guerrero, the global marketing director for Shell Lubricants. “Four years ago, when we talked about the possibility of working with Bob Sliwa and AirFlow Truck Company, we recognized there was an opportunity for us to do more than test low-viscosity fluids in fuel-economy applications. That’s something we do regularly. We thought there was an opportunity to raise the level of discourse and dialogue around fuel economy, and what’s possible. “Through perseverance and hard work – something every truck driver is well-acquainted with – we arrived here today, not in Jacksonville, but at a crossroads of where we move going forward.” The trip Sliwa, who partnered with Shell to design and build the “hyper-aerodynamic, super fuel-efficient” truck, also piloted the Starship across the country, battling real-world conditions truckers see daily, like traffic, bad weather and even a tire blowout, along with unique challenges. The truck was bombarded by curious passersby throughout its journey, both on the highway and during stops along the way, including a state trooper who pulled the truck over as it entered Florida. “We weren’t doing anything wrong, he was just so enthralled and intrigued by the truck,” Sliwa said. “He told me during our stop autonomous vehicles are allowed in Florida now, and he didn’t know if it was autonomous, and I guess he wanted to see if the robot would stop when he lit him up.” Sliwa said the trooper, who does training for the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, eventually let them go, after taking plenty of pictures – to document the vehicle and, most likely, for himself. He wasn’t the only one, either. “All day long cars were coming by with cell phones, taking video (and) pictures,” Sliwa said. “The truckers were some of the worst. Going through California, a trucker was going 49 mph in the fast lane with his four-way flashers because he wanted us to pass him on the right so he could make a movie. “The guy wanted to see the truck, but that raised my stress level through the roof.” The technology The truck took three years and 18,000 man-hours to conceive and construct, all with Shell Rotella financing, and Sliwa’s company not only built it, but he was charged with delivering it to Jacksonville intact. Mission accomplished. Even the extremely low-profile trailer skirts – only 3-4 inches off the ground – made the trek undamaged. “This is a very expensive truck,” Sliwa quipped. “Shell paid a lot of money for me to build it – although way less than the SuperTruck folks.” The “co-engineered” Starship features a custom-made cab crafted entirely of carbon fiber; active grill shutters that open for cooling, when necessary, and close to improve aerodynamics when not; boat tail, trailers skirts and automatic tractor fairings for streamlining; automated tire inflation system; and a 5,000-watt solar array covering the trailer roof that powers the cab’s air conditioner. Shell intended to use Hyliion’s hybrid electric axle system, which provides a power boost uphill and captures braking energy downhill to recharge the tractor’s battery pack, but the project ran out of time. “The technology’s not on the tractor yet,” Hyliion CEO Thomas Healy said. “It was one of those things where, as we were coming to the completion of this, timing-wise it didn’t work out. But in the next couple of months here, we’ll replace the rear axle of the tractor with a fully electric axle, and then mount our battery-box control systems on it, and make into a hybrid truck.” The results The Starship truck’s first-of-its-kind testing concluded May 24 and was third-party verified by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE). The truck achieved an average fuel economy of 8.94 miles per gallon compared to the average U.S. fuel economy for transport trucks of 6.4 miles per gallon. They averaged 10.2 mpg during one 100-mile stretch in Texas. Those results were with a gross vehicle weight of nearly 73,000 lbs., which is 28% heavier than average, according to joint statistics compiled by the EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. But the most important number, said Bob Mainwaring, Shell Lubricants’ technology manager for innovation, is 178.4, which is the ton-miles per gallon for freight-ton efficiency, a more relevant measurement of energy intensity that combines a cargo’s weight with the amount of fuel consumed. The North American average for trucks is 72 ton-miles per gallon, according to a NACFE report. “Our goal with the Starship Initiative is to challenge how the trucking industry is defined,” Mainwaring said. “Through this road trip, we were able to test the Starship truck along with a number of technologies available today to provide insight into what trucking fleets and owner/operators could consider adopting to help reduce fuel use and emissions as they haul heavy loads. “This includes optimized aerodynamics, drivetrain and operational efficiencies, and low viscosity lubricants.” With Starship technology on all the 2 million trucks in the U.S., Shell extrapolates an estimated 229 million less tons of CO2 entering the atmosphere per year – a 60% reduction in emissions. “These and other learnings are not the final results,” Mainwaring said. “They are simply the start of our ongoing learning.”

Freightliner Unveils All-Electric eCascadia, eM2 Models Transport Topics / June 6, 2018 PORTLAND, Ore. — Freightliner Trucks introduced the first all-electric versions of its heavy-duty Cascadia and medium-duty M2 models here, a major step toward bringing a full lineup of electric trucks to the North American market. The first-generation eCascadia and eM2 test vehicles were unveiled here June 6 at the Portland International Raceway during Daimler Trucks’ capital market and technology day. Freightliner plans to deliver 30 of the trucks to customers later this year. This “electric innovation fleet” will further test the vehicles in real-world operations, the company said. The manufacturer intends to begin series production of the two models in 2021. The Class 8 eCascadia, which offers 730 peak horsepower and a maximum range of up to 250 miles on a single charge, is designed for local and regional distribution and drayage operations. The vehicle can charge up to 80% in about 90 minutes, the company said. The eM2 has 480 peak horsepower, a range of up to 230 miles and can charge to 80% in about 60 minutes, the company said, adding that the vehicle is well-suited to local distribution, pickup and delivery, food and beverage and final-mile delivery. Martin Daum, the head of Daimler’s global truck and bus business, said the company has set out to be the clear industry leader in e-mobility. “We were the first movers on electric trucks and we strive to provide the leading electric truck in each relevant segment,” said Daum, who arrived at the presentation in a Fuso eCanter model, a fully electric Class 4 cabover that already is in production. “These innovative trucks reflect DTNA’s commitment to bring practical, game-changing technology to market,” said Daimler Trucks North America CEO Roger Nielsen. Nielsen asked the event production crew to cut the music as the eCascadia and M2 drove into view to illustrate how quietly the vehicles run. Nielsen entered in a Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley, an all-electric school bus from Thomas Built Buses, another division of DTNA. The bus, which has a 100-mile range, is set to enter limited production in 2019. .

Daimler unveils two all-electric Freightliner trucks Fleet Owner / June 6, 2018 PORTLAND, OR. Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) unveiled on June 6 what President and CEO Roger Nielsen said will be the “broadest [electric] truck fleet in North America by 2021.” The unveiling of the Freightliner eCascadia heavy-duty truck and Freightliner eM2 medium-duty model took place on the same day DTNA announced the creation of the Automated Truck Research and Development Center in Portland. Electric mobility is an “important part of the company for the future,” said Martin Daum, president of Daimler’s global truck and bus unit. “We have decades of experience in successfully producing durable commercial vehicles in high volumes that stand up to the demands our customers place on them," Nielsen said. "We now bring this unmatched experience and expertise to the electric truck category.” Nielsen, who rolled up to the press conference in an all-electric Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley school bus manufactured by Daimler’s Thomas Built Buses unit, noted that “battery technology is catching up to our expectations.” That bus is slated to begin limited production in 2019 and will join the Fuso eCanter, a fully electric light-duty truck. He then introduced the eCascadia, which he said can offer a range of 250 miles, and be recharged up to 80% of capacity in 90 minutes, offering an additional 200 miles of driving. The eCascadia has up to 730 peak horsepower, and the batteries provide 550 Kwh usable capacity. Immediately after, the eM2 was debuted, which offers a 230-mile range and ability to recharge to 80% in 60 minutes, providing drivers another 180 miles. It has up to 480 peak horsepower. Nielsen stated the vehicles will be in “serious production in the next two-to-three years.” In the meantime, DTNA in 2018 will roll out the “Freightliner Electric Innovation Fleet,” which includes delivery of the first 30 eCascadias and eM2s to “customers hauling real freight,” Nielsen added. Meanwhile, Daimler said the automated truck center would be built on the grounds of the company’s existing headquarters in Portland. Engineers will work in close coordination with colleagues in Germany and India. As part of the day’s events, DTNA showcased a series of demonstrations, including automatic emergency braking of a two-truck platoon. .

Daimler Trucks North America to Build Electric Cascadia, M2 Trucks Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / June 6, 2018 PORTLAND, OREGON. Freightliner Trucks premiered two fully electrified commercial vehicles, a Freightliner eCascadia and a Freightliner eM2 106, during the Daimler Trucks Capital Market and Technology Day on June 6. Freightliner plans to deliver an Electric Innovation Fleet of 30 vehicles to customers later this year for further testing under real-world operating conditions. Both electrified Freightliner models are designed to fit specific applications, carefully identified through an extensive “co-creation process” with customers. For the eCascadia, for instance, the focus is on port drayage and local and regional distribution. The eM2 is designed for local distribution, pickup and delivery, food and beverage delivery, and last-mile logistics applications. The eCascadia uses wheel-end motors to produce up to 730 peak horsepower. The batteries provide 550 Kwh usable capacity, a range of up to 250 miles, and have the ability to charge up to 80% (providing a range of 200 miles) in about 90 minutes. The eM2 has up to 480 peak horsepower. The batteries provide 325 Kwh of usable capacity, a range of up to 230 miles, and have the ability to charge up to 80% (providing a range of 184 miles) in about 60 minutes. “The Freightliner eCascadia and eM2 are designed to meet customer needs for electrified commercial vehicles serving dedicated, predictable routes where the vast majority of daily runs fall between 45 and 150 miles,” said Roger Nielsen, president and chief executive officer of DTNA. The Freightliner eCascadia with 80,000 lb. gross combined weight rating (GCWR) and eM2 with 26,000 lb. GCWR are part of Daimler Trucks’ global electrified truck initiative. The Mercedes-Benz eActros, with a range up to 124 miles and a 55,000 lb. GCWR, is now entering testing for distribution applications with customers in Europe, while the E-Fuso Vision One, a Class 8 concept truck in Japan with a range of 220 miles and a 51,000 lb. GCWR, gives an outlook on the electrification of the Fuso portfolio. The Fuso eCanter, a light-duty truck, is already in regular production as a fully electric truck from Daimler Trucks. “Our primary goal at DTNA is bringing vehicles to market that are safe, reliable and efficient. Heavy-duty electric vehicles present the greatest engineering challenges, but they also are the best learning laboratories,” Nielsen said. “DTNA is preparing to pivot our future business environment to bring e-mobility solutions into the realm of our core business,” he noted. “Battery technology is rapidly improving and bringing costs down and power density up. Now we see applications to develop use cases for electric vehicles that match the real cost of ownership with conventional powertrains.” Leveraging Global Scale Daimler emphasized that this rollout is part of a global effort, and in fact the goal is to develop a single proprietary electric system that will be used on its products around the world. Saying that it aims to become “the undisputed number one when it comes to e-mobility,” Daimler said it has bundled all of its electric activities under a new organization for e-mobility: the E-Mobility Group (EMG). EMG will define the strategy for everything from electrical components to completely electric vehicles for all brands and all business divisions, while also working to create a single global electric architecture. EMG is globally structured, with employees working cross-functional in various locations throughout the company's worldwide development network, e.g. in Portland (U.S.), Stuttgart (Germany) and Kawasaki (Japan) Daimler Trucks commercial electric vehicles breakthroughs already entering the market include: Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 electric school bus, Jouley, with a range of up to 100 miles that starts limited production in 2019 More than 100 electric vehicles built by Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. in 2012 with supplier Electric Vehicles International (EVI) on the MT-55 walk-in van chassis are still on the roads today The Fuso eCanter, a fully electric Class 4 light-duty truck in regular production with electric urban delivery vehicles being delivered to various customers in North America, Asia and Europe The fully electric Mercedes-Benz Citaro is based on the global bestseller Mercedes-Benz Citaro, going into full production in late 2018 The Mercedes-Benz eActros is a fully electrified heavy-duty distribution truck starting operations with initial first customers in the second half of 2018 Developing Charging Infrastructure DTNA understands the success of electric commercial vehicles requires extensive knowledge and support on the infrastructure side, and is leading the initiative to develop a commercial vehicle charging infrastructure for North America. Germany-based Daimler AG, DTNA’s parent, is a founding member of CharIN, the Charging Interface Initiative – an effort to develop a standard charging system for battery-powered vehicles. DTNA itself is heading a CharIN taskforce to develop a new electric commercial vehicle charging standard globally, collaborating with utilities and service providers. While the Society of Automotive Engineers recently released charging recommendations for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, Andreas Juretzka, chief engineer for Daimler’s e-mobility efforts, told HDT that they are concerned that the SAE process may not move quickly enough. The trucks shown here to journalists and investors were equipped with European charging ports.

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Freightliner debuts electric Cascadia, M2 Truck News / June 6, 2018 PORTLAND, Ore. – Daimler Trucks boldly proclaimed it intends to be the world’s leader in electric trucks, and it showed for the first time its electric-powered eCascadia and eM2 for the North American market. The announcements and electric truck debuts came at the company’s Capital Market and Technology Day here, in front of investors and media. “The Freightliner eCascadia and eM2 are designed to meet customer needs for electrified commercial vehicles serving dedicated, predictable routes where the vast majority of daily runs fall between 45 and 150 miles,” said Roger Nielsen, president and chief executive officer of Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA). “These innovative trucks reflect DTNA’s commitment to bring practical, game-changing technology to market. The eCascadia, utilizing North America’s bestselling Class 8 platform, and eM2 106, based on one of the most in-demand medium-duty truck designs, are built on validated, series production trucks in extensive use by our customers every day.” The eCascadia boasts up to 730 peak horsepower, with batteries located at the axle ends that produce 550 Kwh of usable power. It’ll have a range of up to 250 miles and can be recharged to 80% of its power within 90 minutes, providing another 200 miles of range. It’s aimed at regional distribution and drayage applications. It’s capable of handling a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 80,000 lbs. The eM2 medium-duty truck produces 480 peak horsepower, with batteries that provide 325 Kwh of capacity for a range of up to 230 miles. It can be charged to 80% within an hour, providing another 184 miles of range. It’s designed for local distribution, pickup-and-delivery, food and beverage delivery, and last mile logistics applications. The eM2, said Nielsen, represents the broadest range of opportunities that are practical today. It has a GCWR of 26,000 lbs. “Our primary goal at DTNA is bringing vehicles to market that are safe, reliable and efficient. Heavy-duty electric vehicles present the greatest engineering challenges, but they also are the best learning laboratories,” Nielsen said. “We have decades of experience in successfully producing durable commercial vehicles in high volumes that stand up to the demands our customers place on them. We now bring this unmatched experience and expertise to the electric truck category.” Martin Daum, head of Daimler Trucks globally, said electrification is not new to Daimler. He noted the company produced a Fuso eCanter prototype as far back as 2010. Daum said Daimler will work closely with customers to jointly gain knowledge of how to use electric trucks, and in which segments to do so. Daimler also launched a new electrification strategy dubbed EMG – its e-Mobility Group. Nielsen said the time is right to roll out a line of electric commercial vehicles, thanks to maturing battery technology, lower battery costs, improved power density, and more use cases where the real cost of ownership of running electric trucks if favorable when compared to conventional powertrains. “We are ready to pivot our future business environment to bring e-mobility solutions into the real of our core business,” Nielsen said. “We have much to learn but we are well on our way.” Thirty eCascadias and eM2s will be deployed with fleets later this year, as part of the Freightliner Electric Innovation fleet. They’ll be evaluated in real-world applications. Meanwhile, the company is also working to support charging infrastructure development. Daimler AG is a founding member of CharIN – the Charging Interface Initiative – which is looking to develop a standard charging system for battery-powered vehicles. Daimler’s leading a CharIN task force that will develop a new electric commercial vehicle charging standard globally. “We are the undisputed global leader of the trucking industry and we want to remain in that position also with regards to electric trucks,” said Daum. “We were first-movers on electric trucks and we strive to provide the leading electric truck in each relevant segment. With the foundation of the global electric mobility group, we maximize the impact of our investments in this key strategic technology field. Thus, we can go for the best solutions in batteries, charging solutions and energy management.”

Shell’s Starship achieves 178.4 ton-miles per gallon Truck News / June 5, 2018 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After a six-day, 2,300-mile journey across the United States, Shell’s Starship lived up to its tagline of being ‘super fuel-efficient’ by putting up major numbers on its run. The truck, developed collaboratively with Shell Lubricants and AirFlow Truck Company, attained a remarkable 178.4 ton-miles per gallon for freight efficiency – representing a 248% increase over the North American average that sits at 72 ton-miles per gallon today – during its trip from San Diego, Calif. to Jacksonville, Fla. in the last week of May. In total, the Starship burned 257 gallons of fuel. The freight ton efficiency number is the one to focus on according to Shell executives, as it is a “more relevant statistic for judging the energy intensity associated with moving cargo from point A to point B since it combines the weight of cargo being moved with the amount of fuel consumed.” By focusing on miles per gallon only, Robert Mainwairing technology manager for innovation, Shell Lubricants, said, you’re making drivers “go slow, and go light. And that encourages truckers to run empty. The better alternative is freight ton efficient, to assess the amount of fuel or energy required…so it drives a go slow, go heavy approach.” And that’s exactly how the truck got from point A to point B – slow and heavy. The truck, loaded with clean reef material, weighed in at 73,000 lbs, with an average speed of just over 50 mph, was decked out in a number of aerodynamic improvements and technologies to help achieve these numbers. “Our goal with the Starship Initiative is to challenge how the trucking industry is defined and to further the conversation by working with AirFlow Truck Company and others,” said Mainwairing. “Through this road trip, we were able to test the Starship truck along with a number of technologies available today to provide insight into what trucking fleets and owner/operators could consider adopting to help reduce fuel use and emissions as they haul heavy loads.” The cab itself is a bespoke aerodynamic design made of carbon fiber, to minimize wind resistance. The futuristic and streamlined design of the truck was amped up with cameras replacing the side mirrors. It also sports active grill shutters, that open and close to maximize efficiency. Boat tails also played a major role in the fuel economy the truck achieved. In addition to having low rolling resistance, single-wide based tires on the truck, it also has an automatic tire inflation system installed. The roof of the truck is covered with 5,000 watt solar panels that charge the main 48 volt battery bank on the tractor. The battery powers the cab’s air conditioning and inverter for the 120 volt hotel loads. According to Shell, if all the trucks in the U.S. reached the overall fuel economy and freight ton efficiency as the Starship, they would emit 229 million less tons of CO2 into the atmosphere per year, which would correspond to a 60% reduction in CO2 emission from U.S. truck fleets. Though all of these technologies helped achieve remarkable number, none could be possible, said Shell, if it wasn’t for operational efficiencies controlled by the driver. Driving the truck across the country was Robert Sliwa, the owner of AirFlow Truck Company. “A poor driver can negate all the technology in the truck and get poor fuel mileage,” he said. Overall, Sliwa reached an average of 8.94 mpg with the Starship on his run. The best fuel economy attained in his trip was 10.2 mpg. He said the truck was extremely quiet, most times he couldn’t even hear the engine on his trip, only the tires. His German shepherd, Kayla, joined him for the six-day trip that concluded on May 24. “Driving the truck is an exercise in concentration,” he added. “The mental aspect of it is not to be underestimated. I was constantly aware of the grades the truck was coming up to and going down. I was doing my own predictive cruise. Really for a truck driver to maintain the best fuel economy he or she can, you have to get feedback from the gauge and anticipate what is coming up.” The results of the truck were measured by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) as a third-party. According to Mike Roeth, the executive director of NACFE, the council used two telematics devices and a data logger to verify the results. Essentially, Roeth said, NACFE used a PeopleNet device and a LinkeDrive device to measure miles travelled, fuel consumed, and weight. “The Shell team didn’t take the easy road to trying to achieve the best results they could with their first drive with the truck,” he said. “They knew they wanted to make the truck run, but they went a step further. They carried a much heavier load than many average truckers on the road carry, traveled a longer route in an uncontrolled environment with a variety of technologies not tested in these real-world conditions. For us, it was a rewarding opportunity to see the truck move from an idea on paper to traveling with the team on the road to help verify the run results.” And while these results are all Shell could have hoped for, Carlos Maurer, Shell Lubricants Americas president, says this is just the tip of the iceberg for what is achievable tomorrow. “For me, what is fantastic, is that this truck can be commercialized and on the road today,” he said. “All the products and technologies on the truck are ready to be rolled out. I believe the results today are just the baseline and I believe we will get better as time goes on and continue to make improvements.”

I've mentioned it before........the Argosy is built in Cleveland, North Carolina and then shipped in knocked down (KD) kits to Australia and South Africa.

Reuters / June 6, 2018 PORTLAND -- Daimler AG unveiled on Wednesday an all-electric big rig truck it promises to have in production in 2021, as the German automaker mounts a major challenge to European manufacturers and Tesla Inc. Daimler said the Freightliner eCascadia, with a range of up to 250 miles (402.34 km) and an 80,000 lb. (36.29 ton) gross combined weight, will be suitable for regional distribution and port shipments. Daimler also unveiled a medium-duty Freightliner eM2 106, with a range of up to 230 miles, designed for local distribution, food and beverage delivery, and "final-mile" logistics services. Daimler said it will deliver 30 vehicles to customers later this year for field-testing and expects to have the trucks in production by 2021. The announcement came after Daimler's trucks division said it has set up a research and development center for autonomous driving in the United States, the latest sign of the German manufacturer's commitment to getting self-driving freight trucks on the road. Engineers at the new center in Portland, Ore., will draw on r&d resources at Daimler Trucks operations in Germany and India to create a global network of hundreds of specialists in the autonomous driving sphere, the company said on Wednesday. Daimler will invest more than 2.5 billion euros ($2.9 billion) in r&d at its truck operations by 2019, with more than 500 million euros earmarked for electric heavy-duty commercial vehicles, connectivity and self-driving technology, including the new Portland r&d center, it said. "We are pioneering technologies across the automated vehicle spectrum that make roads safer and help trucking companies boost productivity," said Sven Ennerst, head of truck product engineering at Daimler. The announcement was made during the Daimler Trucks Capital Market and Technology Day at Portland where the division already has a significant r&d presence including a heavy-duty truck wind tunnel. Daimler also plans to expand its lineup of battery-powered trucks to help comply with tougher carbon dioxide emissions rules in Europe, said Martin Daum, head of the division. Serial production of the eActros truck with an operating range of up to 200 kilometers (125 miles) will start in 2021, said Ennerst, citing tests with other models including the eFuso and eCanter trucks. A presentation revealed that Daimler has plans for more than a dozen more electrified trucks worldwide, including the new eCascadia model for North America to compete with Tesla's planned long-distance Semi electric truck. Separately, Daimler Trucks expects a strong second half of the year but second-quarter business remains challenging, its finance chief said, citing problems in the supply chain. "Q2 will be challenging but we see a strong second half of the year," Jochen Goetz said. "We are currently facing some problems on the supply chain, we will not lose a single truck but some (trucks) might be invoiced in Q3." A new restructuring will not be needed, Goetz said, adding the truckmaker would focus on executing its previous savings plan and aim to lower costs by 1.4 billion euros as planned by 2019. .

Freightliner Australia Press Release / May 16, 2018 More Options, More Income. Quiet Comfort. Maximum Payload. .

Freightliner Australia Press Release / May 16, 2018 The Perfect Tool of the Trade. Comfortable and Safe. Ready to Work, Every Day. .

Freightliner Australia Press Release / May 16, 2018 Freightliner Argosy. Durability built into every aspect. Power you can trust. .

Isuzu Trucks Australia Press Release / May 15, 2018 Isuzu Australia is proud to preview two locally developed EV concept vehicles. As Isuzu enters the exciting new eTruck space, it's committed to maintaining the same philosophy that's led to 29 years of market leadership: offering reliable trucks that help workers work. The testing that comes from this EV concept program will aid the development of genuine, commercially-viable vehicles, built for Australian conditions. .

Kenworth Trucks Australia Press Release / May 23, 2018 Celebrating key production milestones is a Kenworth tradition, one that began in April 1974 when we handed over the keys to truck number 1,000. Kenworth’s achievement in manufacturing 60,000 trucks was a major milestone, not only for the company and its dealer group but for its suppliers, the vast majority of whom are local Australian Businesses. .

Rainier Truck Starts Pilot Production Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / June 5, 2018 Rainier Truck & Chassis LLC of Yakima, Wash., is moving into pilot production mode on its all-new cabover truck. The company has secured a 6,000 square-foot seven-bay facility on 13.5 acres with plenty of room for future expansion. Product rollout of their low cost, common cab/chassis COE platform has not changed. Rainier will offer the Cummins B6.7 300 & 325 hp diesel models first, then the 6.4L 370 hp Hemi gas, followed by an AWD pure electric model. In addition, the company announced that it is looking to compliment its Class 4-7 cab-over engine lineup and has got the initial go ahead to accept and offer a U.S. version of the Sinotruk A7 Class 8 cab-over engine. .

Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / June 5, 2018 Navistar International Corp. on June 5 announced it turned around its financial picture during its fiscal second quarter of the year, with net income of $55 million, or 55 cents per share, compared to a second quarter 2017 net loss of $80 million, or 86 cents per share. Revenues for the period ending April 30 increased 16% from a year ago to $2.4 billion, primarily due to higher volumes in the company's Class 6-8 trucks and buses in the U.S. and Canada, according Navistar. Second quarter 2018 EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) was $174 million compared to $47 million a year earlier. Second quarter adjusted EBITDA was $182 million, compared to adjusted EBITDA of $65 million a year earlier. "We had a great second quarter, delivering stronger than expected results by taking advantage of the robust market conditions," said Troy A. Clarke, Navistar chairman, president and chief executive officer. Navistar ended second quarter 2018 with $1.14 billion in consolidated cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities. Manufacturing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities were $1.1 billion at the end of the quarter. "We are also pleased to report that on a trailing 12-month basis, we were manufacturing free cash flow positive by nearly $100 million," Clarke said. Navistar’s said truck segment net sales increased 22% to $1.7 billion in second quarter 2018 compared to second quarter 2017, due to higher volumes in the company's core markets, higher export truck volumes, an increase in military sales, and a shift in model mix, partially offset by a decline in Mexico truck volumes. The truck segment profit increased to $42 million in second quarter 2018, versus a second quarter 2017 loss of $56 million. The company’s parts segment second quarter 2018 net sales were $601 million, down $9 million compared to second quarter 2017. This was driven by lower U.S. volumes and Blue Diamond Parts sales, partially offset by higher Mexico volumes and parts sales related to the Fleetrite brand, according to Navistar. The parts segment recorded a quarterly profit of $132 million in second quarter 2018, down 14% versus the same period one year ago, primarily due to lower U.S. margins, higher freight-related expenses, and intercompany access fees. Navistar’s global operations segment second quarter 2018 net sales grew 39% to $97 million compared to second quarter 2017. This was primarily driven by higher engine volumes in the company's South America engine operations due to the improving Brazilian economy, according to the company. The global operations segment recorded a $1 million profit in second quarter 2018 compared to a $7 million loss in the same period one year ago. The company’s financial services segment second quarter 2018 net revenues increased 13% to $63 million versus the same period one year ago, primarily driven by higher overall finance receivable balances in the U.S. and Mexico, according to Navistar. Financial Services segment recorded a profit of $19 million in second quarter 2018, an increase of $4 million versus second quarter 2017, primarily due to improved interest margins. Based on what Navistar said are “stronger industry conditions,” the company raised its 2018 full-year guidance: Industry retail deliveries of Class 6-8 trucks and buses in the United States and Canada are forecast to be 380,000 units to 410,000 units, with Class 8 retail deliveries of 250,000 to 280,000 units Navistar revenues are expected to be between $9.75 billion and $10.25 billion The company's adjusted EBITDA is expected to be between $725 million and $775 million Year-end manufacturing cash is expected to be about $1.2 billion "The work we've done in the first half of the year growing Class 8 share, building our backlog and managing costs, combined with strong industry conditions, positions us to deliver an even stronger second half," Clarke said.

The Hill / June 1, 2018 The Air Force is not buying two $24 million refrigerators for Air Force One, the service recently told a congressman. On Monday, Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) released a letter from Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson saying the Air Force and White House Military Office decided to cancel the purchase out of "prudent fiscal sense." "While the VC-25A chiller replacement requirement still exists, the progress on the VC-25B program weighed against the cost of the chiller effort makes termination the most prudent fiscal sense for the government," Wilson wrote to Courtney in a letter dated May 29. "The Air Force has notified Boeing of the government's intention to cancel the subject contract." Boeing was awarded a $23.7 million contract to replace two of the five refrigerators aboard Air Force One. The refrigerators have been on the plane since it went into service in 1990. The coolers on the presidential aircraft need to have the capacity to store 3,000 meals onboard. Though the refrigerators have unique requirements, the high price tag raised eyebrows, particularly as President Trump has railed against excessive defense contracts. Prior to taking office, Trump slammed the cost of building two new Air Force One planes, tweeting the Pentagon should "cancel order!" The new Air Force One planes are expected to be ready in 2024. In her letter, Wilson said that steps can be taken to ensure "food security" until the new aircraft are ready. "While not optimal, mitigation options exist to ensure food security until new aircraft are delivered," she wrote. Courtney praised the Air Force for canceling the refrigerator contract. "Clearly, the Air Force is making the right decision cancel the previously announced sole-source contract and hit restart on this process," he said in a statement. "Even with the understanding that the Air Force One mission brings with it unique requirements and challenges, a $24 million sole-source contract just didn't pass the smell test."

No Volvo connection. I'm sure it is Ford proprietary. The cost of designing cabs today has fallen dramatically. Look at the Chinese truckmakers, for example. Most are now using proprietary cab designs (link below). I'm proud of Otosan. They truly have a passion for trucks in their belly. And I'm thrilled to see Bill Ford continue to nurture the Ford-Otosan relationship along. Frankly speaking, the H62X is a big deal, on the same scale as the Transcontinental in 1975. https://product.360che.com/p731/

Iepieleaks / June 2, 2018 Dutch truck specialist Vlastuin has started the production of the bonneted Scania ‘nextgen’ trucks. At this moment 12 trucks are sold and there are already three of them on the road. Vlastuin is now considering a second version of the new Scania T model. The first one is based on the S- cab with the flat floor. Now there is also a design for the R- model. If you ask us that is a better looking truck than the massive S- model. .

Ford will officially launch the H62X at the IAA Commercial vehicle show in Hannover, Germany this September. .