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Transport Engineer / September 29, 2016 Construction material supplier Ardula Group has expanded its fleet to 50 with four new Charlton SuperLite steel-bodied tippers, selected after positive performance from its first three SuperLites last year. “With a tipper, it’s really the body that does all the hard work,” says Ardula’s group managing director Ricky Hemmings. “On the one hand, we want a really good payload when moving easier, high density products such as sand and aggregates. On the other, we want real strength and durability if we are doing heavy site work. “We need one truck that can operate at both ends of the envelope and on everything in between. A premium chassis fitted with a strong, top quality lightweight steel body is therefore the only realistic solution. We had our first three SuperLites last year and have been delighted with them – hence these latest four.” The bodies are mounted on Scania chassis and powered by 450bhp engines, and two of the new additions have sleeper cabs to improve operational versatility. Each vehicle is fitted with Hyva’s latest FCA137 separate ram and tank cylinder which combines a light 450kg wet weight with heavy duty performance. They also feature electric sheeting and aluminium wheels, and boast a payload capacity of more than 19 tonnes. Charleton Bodies by Thompsons Group - http://thompsonsuk.com/products/charlton-bodies/ .

Goodyear Press Release / September 28, 2016 Goodyear SUPER FUELMAX prototype truck tires were unveiled at the 2016 IAA commercial vehicle show in Hanover this September. The prototype steer and drive tires, which boast fuel saving A EU label grades, were fitted to one of the trucks on display at the DAF stand, which all stand out in highest fuel efficiency. The Goodyear prototype truck tires displayed are the SUPER FUELMAX S steer tire in size 385/55R22.5 and SUPER FUELMAX D drive tire in size 315/70R22.5, and are a further development of the very successful low rolling resistance Goodyear FUELMAX range. At the IAA, these tires will be mounted on a fuel efficiency optimized DAF XF 4x2 tractor unit. In addition to their outstanding rolling resistance with A EU tire label grades, the drive tire qualify for the 3 Peak Mountain and Snow Flake (3PMSF) winter tire certification. The super fuel efficient prototype tires demonstrate Goodyear’s commitment to developing innovative products that reduce Total Cost of Ownership for fleets thanks to low fuel consumption – a key cost factor for fleet operators. “The new Goodyear SUPER FUELMAX prototype tires illustrate our commitment to innovative transport solutions”, said Benjamin Willot, Director Marketing Commercial Tires at Goodyear Europe, Middle East and Africa. “The EU tire label covers just three performance criteria but before we bring any new product to market it must meet our stringent requirements covering 50 different performance criteria. The SUPER FUELMAX A grade rolling resistance tires demonstrate our commitment to develop advanced fuel saving truck tires for our customers with a balanced performance in the other important criteria.” Both the steer and the drive tires’ tread compounds feature a specifically developed new formulation based on silica. Thanks to a combination of material processing and curing, the silica blends with the polymer network in a way that further reduces rolling resistance while ensuring long tread life. The tread design of the SUPER FUELMAX S steer tire features the tried and trusted IntelliMax Groove Technology. This limits slip, especially when cornering, thanks to hidden raindrop grooves, which close when rolling through the footprint. The ribs support each other reducing their movement and stiffening the tread. The tread blocks of the SUPER FUELMAX D drive tire have been re-designed and the stiffness of the blocks has been improved. Combined with the low rolling resistance tread compound, the overall tire design results in a noticeably improved fuel efficiency compared to current FUELMAX D. Re-engineering has further decreased rolling resistance, while offering a balanced performance in other important criteria areas. IntelliMax Rib Technology has been introduced between the central and intermediate ribs to stiffen the tread for low rolling resistance, high mileage and regular wear, thanks to the inter-locking elements. Goodyear was the first tire manufacturer to bring a truck tire to market that met the A grade rolling resistance requirements of the EU Tire Label. This was the 385/55R22.5 LHT II trailer tire. Goodyear currently offers the Goodyear FUELMAX T in size 385/55R22.5 and 435/50R19.5, which is an A grade fuel efficient truck trailer tire. Together with the SUPER FUELMAX steer and drive prototype tires, Goodyear customers could benefit from a combination of A grade EU tire label tires in rolling resistance on steer, drive and trailer positions. .

Scania Group Press Release / September 23, 2016 Time is running out and immediate action is required to fulfil the Paris climate target of no more than a two-degree global warming. At IAA, Scania outlined three cornerstones that are crucial for achieving sustainable transport: Smarter transport to make public transport an attractive alternative to passenger car travel through, for example, rapid bus systems, Energy savings by a host of measures, including electrification, Replacement of fossil energy with renewable energy with the increased use of alternative fuels. Scania’s three buses on display at IAA all contribute to this end. Jonas Kempe and Anna Carmo e Silva, Scania Buses and Coaches, outline how these buses contribute to the shift towards more sustainable transport. .

Grandmother murders 3-year-old grandson Associated Press / September 28, 2016 A Delaware woman has been arrested and charged with suffocating her three-year-old grandson, whose decomposing body was discovered in bed inside her trailer home. State police say paramedics responded to a home in Felton at around 8.40am Tuesday after Angela Bingham, 51, called 911 saying she wanted to harm herself and that she had killed her grandson, Rilan Everett. Paramedics and state troopers then entered the woman’s residence and found the toddlers body body decomposing in his bed. He had been dead for more than a week. Bingham has been charged with first-degree murder. Bingham confessed to suffocating her grandson with a washcloth on September 18 as the boy lay awake in bed after telling him 'it was time to go.' Bingham told police that Rilan had been living with her because her daughter left to be with her boyfriend. A neighbor described the toddler as extremely bright and very devoted to his grandmother. A search of the residence yielded a calendar in the kitchen that had an entry on September 18 that read: 'Dead, I love you.' Angela Bingham remained jailed Wednesday on $1,000,000 cash bail. .

When you visited your local Mack Australia dealer, were they unable or unwilling to help you ? The wiring info I have is limited to US market CH models. It would be different from a CHR.

. Police Deputy Derrick Stafford: “I never saw a kid, bro” Associated Press / September 28, 2016 Police have released a graphic video that captured the moment two officers fired on a car and killed a six-year-old boy in Louisiana last year. Prosecutors showed the tape in court on Wednesday to support their claim that one of the deputies, Derrick Stafford, had a pattern of using excessive force — including last November's fatal shooting of Jeremy Mardis in Marksville. The head of the Louisiana State Police said the video was the most disturbing thing he's ever seen. Nearly a year later, the public is getting its first look at the graphic footage. The state judge presiding over the murder cases against the two deputies allowed reporters to make copies of the tape on Wednesday after a hearing where it was formally introduced as evidence. Prosecutors and defense attorneys previously described in writing how the footage depicts the shooting, which stops less than a minute into the video. The rest of the nearly 14 minutes of footage shows the aftermath, as the officer with the body camera checks on the lifeless body of Mardis while his critically wounded father, Christopher Few, lies bleeding on the pavement. Matthew Derbes, a prosecutor from Attorney General Jeff Landry's office, said Stafford's pattern of hurting people he's arresting also provides a motive for shooting at Few while his hands are raised. 'Motive is something the jury wants to hear,' Derbes said. 'Why would they do this?' But defense attorneys for Stafford and Norris Greenhouse Jr. argue the deputies acted in self-defense. They claim Few drove recklessly while leading officers on a two-mile chase and then rammed into Greenhouse's vehicle as he was exiting it, before he and Stafford opened fire. While the video doesn't capture the entire pursuit, state District Court Judge William Bennett noted that the footage doesn't show Few's car posing a threat to the officers as they fired. 'That car was not being used as a deadly weapon at that time,' Bennett said. 'I daresay it was not even close to being used as a deadly weapon at that time.' Prosecutors say the video shows the deputies firing from a safe distance from Few's car. The video from the body camera worn by Marksville Police Sgt. Kenneth Parnell III lacks audio for the first 27 seconds. The deputies began shooting before the audio begins. After the shooting and sirens stop, somebody yells at Few to show his hands. Few was slumped over the blood-stained door on the driver's side of his car when officers approach him. 'Is he hit at all?' Stafford later asked Parnell. 'Who?' Parnell replied. 'The driver,' Stafford said 'Yeah,' Parnell responded. 'I never saw a kid in the car, man,' Stafford said. 'I never saw a kid, bro.' About seven minutes after the shooting, Parnell opened the passenger door to Few's car, shone a flashlight onto Mardis, nudged his right shoulder and checked for a pulse. Then he walked over to another officer and said he found a faint pulse on the boy. Donning surgical gloves, Parnell walked back to the boy's side of the car and shone a light on the boy again. 'Oh, my God,' he muttered. Several minutes later, a paramedic told Parnell that first-grader Jeremy Mardis was dead. He was hit by five bullets in the head and chest. Defense attorneys have suggested investigators rushed to judgment. George Higgins, one of Greenhouse's attorneys, said investigators have no evidence that any of the bullets fired by Greenhouse struck Few or his son. Higgins asked State Police detective Rodney Owens during Wednesday's hearing why the deputies were arrested before obtaining results of ballistics tests. 'You didn't know that Mr. Greenhouse did not shoot anybody when you arrested him?' Higgins said. Owens acknowledged that he didn't. But investigators later traced 14 shell casings to Stafford's semi-automatic handgun and determined four other shell casings recovered at the scene came from Greenhouse's gun. Of the four bullet fragments recovered from the boy's body, three matched Stafford's weapon and another couldn't be matched to either deputy. Owens also testified that there isn't any physical evidence that Few's car collided with Greenhouse's vehicle, but he couldn't rule that out as a possibility. Stafford and Greenhouse await separate trials on second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder charges. Stafford, a Marksville police lieutenant, and Greenhouse, a former Marksville police officer, were moonlighting as deputy marshals on the night of the November 3, 2015, shooting. Stafford's trial is scheduled to start November 28; Greenhouse has a March 13, 2017, trial date. .

Relax, it's working extremely well in practice. Have a look at these videos. http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/44535-6-truck-makers-to-participate-in-european-platooning-challenge/#comment-328766

Detroit Press Release / September 28, 2016 Detroit Intelligent Powertrain Management (IPM4) pinpoints the truck's location and looks over a mile ahead to anticipate terrain. .

International Trucks Press Release / September 28, 2016 .

ZF is a global leader. There Traxon transmission "system" has all the bases covered with the latest technology in the industry. Eaton, like Cummins, has lagged behind the European makers. I honestly don't know why they've been so complacent. At one time global leaders, they are now followers.

NACFE Report: Truck Platooning Could Save 4% in Fuel Heavy Duty Trucking / September 28, 2016 Platooning – the electronic linking of trucks where a lead vehicle largely controls the one following -- would save about 4% in fuel compared to a pair of rigs running separately, says the latest “confidence” report from the North American Council on Freight Efficiency. The money thus saved will pay back an investment for necessary equipment in one to two years, say estimates in “Two-Truck Platooning,” released Wednesday by NACFE. "Two-truck platooning is showing real promise as a fuel-saving technology, even when considering the actual performance in real-world use,” said Mike Roeth, the organization’s executive director, in a statement. Fuel savings come from reduced air turbulence between the two tractor-trailers when they operate 40 to 50 feet apart, Roeth said. Reducing that distance should save more fuel, but would introduce operating complications, like reduced air flow to the second truck’s radiator. Testing shows that reduction in fuel use is 7% as the vehicles move at highway speeds, he explained. But probably one-quarter of the time they would not be operating as a platoon as they split up to pick up and deliver freight, stop for driver rest breaks, etc., during a trip. Taking out those times yields the 4% figure. Payback estimates outlined in three scenarios set equipment costs at $1,050 and $2,800, with the higher figure including more equipment than the lower dollar amount. Installation cost of $200 was also factored in. Equipment includes collision avoidance systems, adaptive cruise control, and in-cab cameras – all now available on the market, Roeth said. Vehicle-to-vehicle radios, the key element, are not yet available but should be soon as testing and perfecting progress. Two scenarios assume a tractor would platoon three-quarters of its running time, and a third scenario assumes it would do so half the time. Fuel was pegged at $3 per gallon, which it might be by the time platooning comes into common use. Two trucks now comprise a platoon in most testing here and in Europe, said Roeth and two researchers: Jack Roberts, a freelance truck writer and HDT contributing editor, and Rick Mihelic, an industry consultant and former engineer at Peterbilt Motors. More than two trucks could platoon, explained Roberts, with the number limited by the range of the radio signal that links the vehicles. “Daimler,” which is testing in Germany, “puts that at 200 meters,” he said. “That brings it to 10 trucks.” Education campaigns will be needed to alert the public to platooning and what trucks engaged in it will look and act like, Roberts said. Law enforcement officers, too, need to be informed because even the 40- to 50-foot interval is close by currently held safety standards, Roeth added. Stopping distances are not a problem because the brakes of the following vehicle would apply so quickly, in 1 millisecond after the lead driver applies them, Mahalik said. Meanwhile, protocols for which vehicle leads and which follows need to be worked out. Two-Truck Platooning is NACFE’s 14th project, Roeth said, and it was conducted using a standard method. “We used our common approach as we’ve done in previous confidence reports,” he said – a search for publically available information on the topic, then interviews with suppliers, manufacturers and fleets. “But rather than sharing experiences, which they don’t have because the technology is not yet in use, they are making predictions.” The amount of automated control of a platoon’s second and subsequent trucks will likely increase from the current throttle and braking to steering and lane-keeping, Roeth predicted. “The technology will evolve” as it’s shown to be workable. However, “Platooning is not autonomous trucking, and it is being improperly grouped with that,” he said. “Platooning still requires a driver in the second truck.” Platooning is not exactly around the corner, but it will begin sooner or later, said those consulted in the study. “I’m thinking 2018 to 2030 before we see platooning operations on the road," said an anonymous manager for a major truckload fleet quoted in the report. "There are still way too many studies that have to be done on this subject.” An executive summary of the report is here. The full report is here. .

Fleet Owner / September 28, 2016 Report predicts the front truck in a platoon can save 4% on fuel and the following truck can save 10%. Platooning could potentially deliver a 4% average savings over two trucks in real-world operating conditions, according to Trucking Efficiency’s most recent Confidence Report. That is after accounting for traffic, terrain and time when equipped trucks will not be operating in a platoon, explained Michael Roeth, executive director of the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE). Trucking Efficiency, a joint effort between NACFE and the Carbon War Room, released its report on two-truck platooning Sept. 28. According to the report, at a 40- to 50-ft. following distance, the front truck in a platoon can save 4% on fuel and the following truck can save 10%, giving an average of 7% (versus the two trucks not platooning). NACFE also added that platooning would accelerate the adoption of safety equipment, such as collision mitigation and adaptive cruise control, since trucks’ safety systems work together at significantly reduced following distances to overcome aerodynamic drag. “What we wanted to do here is understand the early stages of a path toward automation trucking,” Roeth said. “We see platooning as being the next audible automation, followed by other technologies for assisted driving, and then, finally, autonomous trucks.” Roeth explained that platooning is not fully autonomous/driverless trucking, noting that it is being improperly grouped with that concept. “We see this as an evolution, not a revolution, in trucking,” he added. “What we see is the braking and accelerating through V2V communications [creates] a reduced drag for both trucks, and the 40- to 50-ft. difference is what we see as a sweet spot.” Some of the hurdles and unknowns surrounding platooning include payback, driver acceptance, integrity, system security, legislative efforts and public awareness, and shared fuel savings, according to the report. “The standards aren’t very well defined,” explained Rick Mihelic, NACFE's program director, who also worked on the report. “We’re just going to have to see where it goes over the next few years.” The group’s study team developed two tools to help fleets make decisions about two-truck platooning: The Payback Calculator, which uses upfront cost of the equipment, any subscription costs for platooning, the savings in fuel, etc. to calculate the payback of two-truck platooning. “It’s clearly way too early to understand the cost benefits of platooning and the paybacks that exist,” Roeth explained. “We don’t expect this to be accurate, but directional.” The Confidence Matrix plots where the two-truck platooning choice falls in terms of available data on the technology and how quickly fleets should realize payback. Trucking journalist Jack Roberts, who also worked on the report, noted that there is a great deal of concern on the fleet side regarding the safety aspects of platooning. However, he said the safety benefit lies within the automation equipment and improved response time of brake application. “It takes lag that a human would have in recognizing a situation and properly responding to it and does it automatically,” Roberts explained. “It reduces the time the brakes have to react; that’s really where the safety part of this comes in.” Roberts mentioned that the industry and government must release public safety awareness campaigns, particularly to address concerns of cars cutting into platooning trucks. “This will be different today, a year from now and five years from now,” Roeth said. “NACFE hopes to do some work on the different phases of this. This is a basic understand and sharing of what we learned.” .

Mahle is a cutting edge piston supplier. With cooling in mind, Mahle also acquired Behr in 2013, and Delphi's thermal management unit in 2015.

Heavy Duty Trucking / September 28, 2016 Mahle is working on a camshaft technology that will replace conventional bearings with wear-free roller bearings, the company announced at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hannover, Germany. Because the roller bearings do not rely on pressurized oil, the burden on the oil circuit is reduced and complex oil channels to the bearing points are no longer required. The associated simplification of the cylinder head design will, in turn, open up new opportunities, such as stop-start applications in commercial vehicles, according to Mahle. The combination of improved engine components, less friction, and reduced oil requirements based on actual demand can lead to lower fuel consumption and consequently reduced CO2 emissions. For heavy-duty commercial vehicles, Mahle can says it can achieve a reduction of around 3% thanks to optimized oil management and innovative engine components. Another innovation Mahle introduced at IAA is a map-controlled thermostat for commercial vehicles. These thermostats have already been successfully introduced as a series production application in passenger cars. They are designed to react fast and operate even at low temperatures. As a result, the thermostats are flexible in any driving situation and can optimally condition the coolant. In systemic interaction with the controlled E-Visco coolant pump and the E-Visco fan, the map-controlled thermostat can reduce fuel consumption and therefore CO2 emissions by 2%, according to Mahle.

International Makes Collision Mitigation Standard on LT Series Trucks Heavy Duty Trucking / September 23, 2016 International Truck has announced that its upcoming LT Series on-highway Class 8 tractor will come standard with an advanced driver assistance safety system that includes collision mitigation and stability technologies. Bendix Wingman Advanced is the standard solution offered on the LT Series, giving drivers following distance and stationary object alerts, adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation braking and Bendix ESP stability technology. The system can help drivers avoid collisions, roll-overs and loss-of-control situations. For fleets, the system can also provide data to help keep owners and operators aware of what is happening on the road. "As part of our DriverFirst philosophy, driver safety is paramount when operating a truck and we're proud to lead the way by integrating a standard solution on the new LT Series, which demonstrates our commitment to drivers, their safety, and their livelihood,” said Bill Kozek, president, truck and parts at Navistar. "We continue to integrate industry-leading safety technologies on our vehicles and we're pleased to be the first OEM to make this level of driver assistance system standard on our newest on-highway tractor.”

Bloomberg / September 28, 2016 Volkswagen AG’s heavy-truck business assigned development of components for its largest vehicles to Swedish brand Scania while MAN will be in charge of mid-sized and smaller models to reduce costs by eliminating duplicated work. Scania will take the lead in developing 13-liter engines as well as large exhaust systems and heavy gearboxes while MAN will oversee creation of 5-to-9-liter engines and related emissions and transmissions, the Volkswagen Truck & Bus division said in a statement. All jobs will be secured, and hiring will be needed at some operations. “We will generate synergies that are to everyone’s advantage,” Andreas Renschler, the head of Volkswagen Truck & Bus, said in the statement. “This gives us the necessary financial room to maneuver and create new business areas.” The division, which was decoupled from Volkswagen’s larger passenger-car business last year, is gearing up for a global expansion after hammering out a $256 million deal to buy a 16.6 percent stake in Navistar International Corp. to establish a bridgehead in North America. VW Truck & Bus is largely unaffected by the diesel-emissions scandal that erupted at the Wolfsburg, Germany-based manufacturer’s car brands a year ago. Among other project assignments, Munich-based MAN will be in charge of driven and non-driven axles while Soedertaelje-based Scania will take the lead in engine-management systems. VW has said it’s keeping all options open to expand the commercial-vehicle business, including increasing its stake in Navistar and a possible share sale, even though Renschler said last week that currently there’s no plan in place. Renschler joined VW from rival Daimler AG in 2015 as part of the carmaker’s effort to forge the world’s most profitable heavy-truck producer and push cooperation between recently acquired MAN and Scania. The unit is targeting an average profit margin of 9 percent of revenue across industry cycles.

Navistar comes in with the best looking "SuperTruck" of the bunch. Job well done.

Advanced cruise control system pushes Navistar SuperTruck to double efficiency standards set by DOE Overdrive / September 28, 2016 Navistar on Wednesday announced its SuperTruck demonstration vehicle, CatalIST, achieved a freight efficiency improvement of 104 percent – more than double the 50 percent goal set by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for its SuperTruck program. Against a 2009 base line model truck, CatalIST achieved fuel economy of 13 miles per gallon and demonstrated 50.3 percent Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE) and a path towards 55 percent BTE, Navistar adds. Mark Stasell, Navistar vice president of product development, says CatalIST demonstrates the potential for reduction in the trucking industry’s consumption of energy. Stasell pointed to Navistar’s predictive cruise control technology as one of the technical innovations the company achieved through the program. Predictive cruise control looks ahead of the vehicle and recognizes the terrain and continuously calculates the most efficient speed and gear for optimal fuel economy in real time. Unlike conventional predictive cruise technology, the company’s predictive cruise control uses preinstalled GPS maps and the latest commercial route data to make adjustments to cruising speed without the need to pre-drive the route. Other improvements over the course of the five year project included: Integration of Navistar N13 Engine utilizing proprietary intelligent controls and high efficiency combustion. Reduction in aerodynamic drag through replacement of cab- and hood-mounted mirrors with a series of cameras and interior-mounted monitors, which also yield equal or better indirect vision for the driver. A new LED headlamp system that reduces lamp size for a more aerodynamic shape and cuts electrical power requirements by greater than 80 percent, while improving luminous output and light color for improved night-time direct driver vision and reduced driver fatigue. An all-new shape with a sloped windshield and wedged cab for improved aerodynamics. Innovative use of lighter-weight carbon-fiber panels in the upper body, roof headers, back panel, and dash panel. A hybrid front suspension and lightweight rear suspension that leverages lightweight alloys with composite materials, reducing weight and enabling an electronic ride height management system, which provides dynamic ride height and pitch control for improved aerodynamics. Aerodynamic improvements that reduce the trailer’s drag coefficient by more than 30 percent.

Navistar's SuperTruck Concept, CatalIST, Demonstrates Engine and Fuel Efficiency Transport Topics / September 28, 2016 Navistar Inc. is the fourth and final original equipment manufacturer to produce a SuperTruck concept vehicle as part of a Department of Energy vehicle research program. Known as CatalIST, with the last three letters standing for International SuperTruck, the experimental Class 8 hit 50.3% for brake thermal efficiency, up from 42% in the 2009 baseline. BTE measures actual work done by an engine as a percentage of the potential for work. CatalIST is a modified ProStar tractor hooked to an altered 53-foot Wabash National Corp. trailer. Freight efficiency, measured in ton-miles transported per gallon of fuel used, more than doubled, gaining 104%, Navistar said in a Sept. 28 statement. “CatalIST’s significant improvements in freight efficiency, achieved with the support of DOE’s SuperTruck program, demonstrate tremendous potential for reduction in the trucking industry’s consumption of energy,” said Mark Stasell, Navistar vice president of product development. He said some of the new systems, such as predictive cruise control, are already used on current production vehicles. SuperTruck provided four OEMs with grant money for research and development that had to be matched equally by the manufacturer. Volvo Trucks North America was the most recent OEM to demonstrate a SuperTruck, rolling out its version Sept. 13 in Washington, D.C., at DOE headquarters. Daimler Trucks North America and a combination of Cummins Inc. and Peterbilt Motors Co. have also demonstrated SuperTruck vehicles. In August, DOE announced details on SuperTruck II, which will feature the same four participants. Navistar used one of its N13 engines to power CatalIST. The N13 is based on a MAN SE European truck engine (D2676). Navistar said CatalIST’s miles per gallon rating was 13, but declined to release a 2009 baseline level. Technologies used by Navistar, parent of International trucks, include: intelligent controls and high-efficiency combustion for the engine; reducing aerodynamic drag by replacing exterior, side-view mirrors with cameras; greater use of light-emitting diodes, or LEDs; a new cab shape that incorporates carbon-fiber panels; and a suspension made of lightweight alloys.

Navistar SuperTruck Beats DOE Efficiency Goals, Hits 13 MPG Heavy Duty Trucking / September 28, 2016 Navistar has revealed that its SuperTruck program demonstration vehicle, CatalIST, exceeded the improvement goals set by the Department of Energy for the SuperTruck program. CatalIST achieved a freight efficiency improvement of 104% compared to the DOE’s control vehicle, sipping diesel at 13 mpg. The vehicle also demonstrated 50.5% Brake Thermal Efficiency and Navistar said it is on the path towards 55% BTE. "The CatalIST's significant improvements in freight efficiency, achieved with the support of DOE's SuperTruck program, demonstrate tremendous potential for reduction in the trucking industry's consumption of energy," said Mark Stasell, vice president, product development. "In addition, a number of the technology innovations we have achieved through the program are already being implemented in production vehicles today." The vehicle was named CatalIST because it will serve as the catalyst for significant improvements in future commercial trucks. The last three letters of CatalIST stand for International SuperTruck, referencing the vehicle’s International Trucks branding. Through the program, the company was able to make improvements to its own vehicle technology. One innovation from the program was Navistar’s predictive cruise control, which looks ahead of the vehicle and recognizes terrain, continuously calculating the most efficient speed and gear for better fuel economy in real time. Other improvements included: Advanced integration of Navistar N13 Engine utilizing proprietary intelligent controls and high-efficiency combustion. Reduction in aerodynamic drag through replacement of cab- and hood-mounted mirrors with a series of cameras and interior-mounted monitors, which also yield equal or better indirect vision for the driver. A new LED headlamp system that reduces lamp size for a more aerodynamic shape and cuts electrical power requirements by greater than 80%, while improving luminous output and light color for improved night-time direct driver vision and reduced driver fatigue. An all-new shape with a sloped windshield and wedged cab for improved aerodynamics. Innovative use of lighter-weight carbon-fiber panels in the upper body, roof headers, back panel, and dash panel. A hybrid front suspension and lightweight rear suspension that leverages lightweight alloys with composite materials, reducing weight and enabling an electronic ride height management system, which provides dynamic ride height and pitch control for improved aerodynamics. Aerodynamic improvements that reduce the trailer's drag coefficient by more than 30%. The vehicle is part of the DOE’s SuperTruck program – a five-year research and development initiative aimed at improving freight efficiency, based in the measure of the payload carried while burning less fuel. Its objective is to develop and demonstrate a 50% improvement in overall freight efficiency on a Class 8 tractor-trailer vehicle as measured in ton-miles per gallon of diesel fuel. .

When you called Virginia Truck Center (now called Excel Truck Group) in Richmond (Chester) at 804-597-7009, or Watt's Mack (provider of the BMT website at 1-888-304-6225, with your F-model's model and serial number located on the driver's door-mounted vehicle identification plate, what did they say?

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