Second phase of a federal research partnership

[Svin]

DC - Volvo chosen to continue research on new fuel-efficient trucks

 

--- Volvo Technology of America has been selected as one of four participants to continue working on the second phase of a federal research partnership to develop the next generation of fuel-efficient commercial trucks, U.S. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski announced Tuesday... The second phase of the SuperTruck program included $20 million in four multiyear grants during fiscal 2016, which ends Sept. 30. Another $20 million is being made available in fiscal 2017, the release said... In June 2011, under the first phase of the program, the energy department awarded Volvo a $19 million, five-year SuperTruck contract... The Volvo Group Trucks facility in Hagerstown has received $8.2 million for engine and transmission research and development, officials have said... Volvo has matched that money 100 percent, supporting about 1,500 local jobs.

[kscarbel2]

Wonderful. Giving free money to foreign aggressor Volvo, of Sweden, so that they can better profit in.......the United States.

Odd, I don't recall the referendum in which United States taxpayers voted in favor of providing free money to foreign aggressors.

[kscarbel2]

DOE Commits $137M to Advance Fuel-Efficient Tech

Heavy Duty Trucking  /  August 17, 2016

The United States Department of Energy (DoE) is announcing up to $137 million in investments for two programs designed to develop next-generation fuel-efficiency technologies in commercial and passenger vehicles, including more funding for SuperTruck II.

The program is designed to advance environmental and innovative technologies for heavy- and medium-duty vehicles while accelerating technology advancement for passenger cars and lighter trucks.

One of the initiatives, SuperTruck II, will fund four projects to develop and demonstrate cost-effective technologies aimed at doubling the freight efficiency of Class 8 trucks.

Through another initiative, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Vehicle Technologies Office Program Wide Funding Opportunity Announcement selections, 35 new projects will receive $57 million to develop and deploy an array of cutting-edge vehicle technologies. These technologies include advanced batteries and electrical drive systems to reduce carbon emissions and petroleum consumption in passenger cars and light trucks.

“These investments will accelerate the development of innovative vehicle technologies that will save businesses and consumers money at the pump, cut carbon emissions, and strengthen our economy,” said David Friedman, acting assistant secretary. “SuperTruck II builds on the successful SuperTruck I program, which has already led to more than 20 fuel-saving technologies that have reached the commercial market.”

Announced in March, the SuperTruck II initiative is a continuation of the SuperTruck program that was launched in 2010 to improve heavy-duty truck freight efficiency by 50%. For SuperTruck II, the Energy Department has selected four SuperTruck II teams for projects of $20 million in federal funding with each recipient matching that amount dollar-for-dollar.

The four companies tapped participating in SuperTruck II are Cummins, [Germany’s] Daimler Trucks North America, Navistar, and [Sweden’s] Volvo Technology of America.

Cummins will design and develop a new more-efficient engine and advanced drivetrain and vehicle technologies.

Daimler Trucks North America will develop and demonstrate a tractor-trailer combination using a suite of technologies including active aerodynamics, cylinder deactivation, hybridization, and the electrification of accessories.

Navistar will design and develop a vehicle and powertrain with electrified engine components that can enable higher engine efficiency and a significantly more aerodynamically reengineered cab.

Volvo Technology of America will develop and demonstrate a tractor-trailer combination with a lightweight cab that achieves the freight efficiency goal using alternative engine designs and a variety of system technologies.

For more information on both programs, click here. 

[kscarbel2]

DOE Commits $137M to Advance Fuel-Efficient Tech

Heavy Duty Trucking  /  August 17, 2016

The United States Department of Energy (DoE) is announcing up to $137 million in investments for two programs designed to develop next-generation fuel-efficiency technologies in commercial and passenger vehicles, including more funding for SuperTruck II.

The program is designed to advance environmental and innovative technologies for heavy- and medium-duty vehicles while accelerating technology advancement for passenger cars and lighter trucks.

One of the initiatives, SuperTruck II, will fund four projects to develop and demonstrate cost-effective technologies aimed at doubling the freight efficiency of Class 8 trucks.

Through another initiative, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Vehicle Technologies Office Program Wide Funding Opportunity Announcement selections, 35 new projects will receive $57 million to develop and deploy an array of cutting-edge vehicle technologies. These technologies include advanced batteries and electrical drive systems to reduce carbon emissions and petroleum consumption in passenger cars and light trucks.

“These investments will accelerate the development of innovative vehicle technologies that will save businesses and consumers money at the pump, cut carbon emissions, and strengthen our economy,” said David Friedman, acting assistant secretary. “SuperTruck II builds on the successful SuperTruck I program, which has already led to more than 20 fuel-saving technologies that have reached the commercial market.”

Announced in March, the SuperTruck II initiative is a continuation of the SuperTruck program that was launched in 2010 to improve heavy-duty truck freight efficiency by 50%. For SuperTruck II, the Energy Department has selected four SuperTruck II teams for projects of $20 million in federal funding with each recipient matching that amount dollar-for-dollar.

The four companies tapped participating in SuperTruck II are Cummins, [Germany’s] Daimler Trucks North America, Navistar, and [Sweden’s] Volvo Technology of America.

Cummins will design and develop a new more-efficient engine and advanced drivetrain and vehicle technologies.

Daimler Trucks North America will develop and demonstrate a tractor-trailer combination using a suite of technologies including active aerodynamics, cylinder deactivation, hybridization, and the electrification of accessories.

Navistar will design and develop a vehicle and powertrain with electrified engine components that can enable higher engine efficiency and a significantly more aerodynamically reengineered cab.

Volvo Technology of America will develop and demonstrate a tractor-trailer combination with a lightweight cab that achieves the freight efficiency goal using alternative engine designs and a variety of system technologies.

For more information on both programs, click here. 

Related reading - http://www.slideshare.net/PaulMenig/tmc-2013-far-horizon-tech-session

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[kscarbel2]

Watch the video to determine if you got your money's worth. Your taxes paid for it.

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[kscarbel2]

Volvo Group Outlines SuperTruck II Plans

Heavy Duty Trucking  /  August 31, 2016

Volvo Group has outlined how it plans to use $20 million in federal funding to further the freight-moving efficiency of heavy-duty trucks as part of the SuperTruck II initiative.

Volvo Group said its team of researchers and engineers will use alternative engine designs and an integrated system approach to build a lightweight tractor-trailer concept that will exceed the freight efficiency goal of 100% improvement on a ton-mile-per-gallon basis compared to a 2009 baseline. The team is also tasked with demonstrating powertrain capable of 55% brake thermal efficiency. Volvo Group and its partners will match the development funds dollar-for-dollar.

To achieve these goals, the company plans to leverage its experience in vehicle development along with established partnerships with advanced technology and trailer equipment vendors.

Those partners include Michelin Americas Research Company for tires, Wabash National for trailers, Metalso for lightweight frames, Johnson-Matthey for exhaust aftertreatment systems, and Peloton Technology for platooning and connected vehicle tech.

Volvo will also partner with Oak Ridge National Laboratory for aftertreatment testing and analysis, Pennsylvania State University for connected vehicle testing, Knight Transportation for long-haul fleet, and Wegmans Food Market for regional-haul fleet.

The news comes as Volvo prepares to unveil its first SuperTruck concept from the original program in mid-September.

Other SuperTruck II Projects

The $20 million is part of a larger investment by the Department of Energy to develop next generation fuel-efficiency technology for commercial and passenger vehicles. Other manufacturers being funded as part of the SuperTruck II initiative are Daimler Trucks North America, Peterbilt, Cummins, and Navistar.

Cummins will design and develop a new more-efficient engine and advanced drivetrain and vehicle technologies.By reducing drag and rolling resistance, Peterbilt will work with Cummins to improve aerodynamics by 15% in all wind directions to gain up to 7.5% better fuel economy. 

Peterbilt said it will also improve efficiency through auxiliary systems, such as air compressors, power steering pumps and cooling pumps. To reduce rolling resistance, Peterbilt will team with tire manufacturing partners to investigate alternative compounds and tire configurations for optimized surface contact.

Daimler Trucks North America will develop and demonstrate a tractor-trailer combination using a suite of technologies including active aerodynamics, cylinder deactivation, hybridization, and the electrification of accessories.

Navistar will design and develop a vehicle and powertrain with electrified engine components that can enable higher engine efficiency and a significantly more aerodynamically reengineered cab.

For more information on the DOE’s alternative fuel technology investment, click here.

 

[kscarbel2]

Volvo, Peterbilt to join SuperTruck II program

Fleet Owner  /  August 31, 2016

Volvo Group North America and Peterbilt announced they have joined the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s (DOE) SuperTruck II program.

Under a SuperTruck II award announced by the DOE, Volvo Group North America is scheduled to receive $20 million in federal funding that it will use to improve the freight-moving efficiency of heavy-duty trucks. The Volvo Group said it and its partners will match the development funds dollar-for-dollar.

“The Volvo Group’s team of researchers and engineers will use alternative engine designs and an integrated system approach to build a lightweight tractor-trailer concept that exceeds the freight efficiency goal of 100 percent improvement on a ton-mile-per-gallon basis compared with a 2009 baseline,” the company said. “The team also will demonstrate a powertrain capable of 55 percent brake thermal efficiency.”

“The Group will leverage its industry-leading expertise in vehicle development, along with established partnerships with advanced technology and trailer equipment vendors,” Volvo added. “It will also draw from the company’s legacy of innovation in the areas of energy efficiency, safety and environmental solutions.”

Volvo Group’s partners include Michelin Americas Research Company (tires), Wabash National (trailer), Metalsa (lightweight frame), Johnson-Matthey Inc. (exhaust aftertreatment system catalysts), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (exhaust aftertreatment system testing / analysis), Peloton Technology (connected vehicle / platooning), Pennsylvania State University (connected vehicle testing), Knight Transportation (long-haul fleet) and Wegmans Food Markets (regional-haul fleet).

Peterbilt announced it will work with Cummins to develop technologies under the program. According to Peterbilt, the technologies will double freight efficiency to achieve Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) requirements set forth for model years 2021, 2024 and 2027.

“Peterbilt is proud to support the DOE’s SuperTruck II program in cooperation with Cummins,” said Darrin Siver, Peterbilt general manager and PACCAR vice president. “We will work together to build on the success of our original SuperTruck program.”

“Cummins and the entire team is focused on developing technologies that can transform the industry and help our customers be more successful while continuing to be great stewards of the environment. Combining some of the best technical minds available for this project, I am confident that we can reach our goals and deliver results that are a win for our customers, a win for our organizations and a win for the environment,” said Wayne Eckerle, Cummins vice president of Research and Technology.

Peterbilt said it will work to improve aerodynamics by 15% in all wind directions, which will provide customers an up to 7.5% improvement in fuel economy. According to the company, this enhancement will decrease aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance.

“Peterbilt recognizes customers’ needs for reduced fuel costs,” said Scott Newhouse, Peterbilt chief engineer. “Our aerodynamic and fuel saving initiatives align with the goals of the SuperTruck II program.”

Peterbilt will work to improve fuel economy and efficiency through technologies including auxiliary systems such as air compressors, power steering pumps and cooling pumps. To reduce rolling resistance, Peterbilt will team with tire manufacturing partners to investigate alternative compounds and tire configurations for optimized surface contact.

The SuperTruck II program is a five-year program between Peterbilt and Cummins. On the original SuperTruck program, the Peterbilt and Cummins team demonstrated a 66% fuel economy improvement and 76% freight efficiency improvement over the baseline truck, according to Peterbilt.

[kscarbel2]

Bridgestone Developing SuperTire for Cummins/Peterbilt SuperTruck II Project

Heavy Duty Trucking  /  January 6, 2017

Engineers at Bridgestone are working to develop super-low-rolling-resistance tires for the next Cummins/Peterbilt SuperTruck project. The goal is a tire with a 30% reduction in RRC (rolling-resistance coefficient), which equates to a 6% improvement in fuel economy, that still meets industry expectations for wear and retreadability.

"That's a stretch target from our perspective, but we feel we can get half to two-thirds of the way there with our current tool box," says Steve Charles, vice president of product development for Bridgestone Americas. "At the same time we have to balance the wear and traction characteristics because the ultimate boss -- the consumer -- won't tolerate just a fuel economy improvement without good wear characteristics."

As in the first round of the SuperTruck project, Cummins is the lead on this one too. Cummins will partner again with Peterbilt, Eaton, Great Dane and others. But this time, rather than using an available tire, Bridgestone has been brought onboard as a funded partner and is charged with developing a tire specifically for the project. 

"It's hard for us in the business world to allocate these kinds of dollars because we're always trying to be business oriented and value-proposition based for the consumer," Charles said. "The Department of Energy is helping with this research project by letting us take a clean sheet of paper and say, what if ..."

The project offers opportunities to design the tires working as part of a cross-functional team. Tire engineers will be working beside suspension and engine makers, for example, and looking at many different interactions such as the impact of suspension function or torque on a tire.

Charles told HDT this is a clean-sheet project, with everything open to consideration, including such fundamentals as casing construction, cavity shape and casing compounds. 

"Historically, the casing was off the table in fuel efficiency discussions," Charles says. "In the TBR (Truck & Bus Radial) tire world, you retread multiple times. In the past, when we looked at the rolling resistance of the casing, those compound characteristics typically lost overall their ability, so everyone has been hesitant to move in that direction. It's been the weak link. We will be looking closely at how to manage those tradeoffs on this project."

Even tire size is on the table -- within the DOT constraints of pounds per inch of tire width, and construction, etc.  They will start with the current tire size, probably a typical low-profile design, but if they find that some radically different tire size can carry the load, can handle the wear, reach the rolling resistance targets and be retreaded -- that's key -- then they look at it.

"Who knows where that might take us," he says. "Will a totally new tire emerge from this? Maybe. For the agriculture industry we have developed smaller tires that can carry more load. Or, look at the tire we developed for the BMW I3. It's tall and thin and it was developed expressly for electric vehicles and the torque those motors produce. It's working really well."

The Bridgestone SuperTruck II project will be looking at all three wheel positions. All three tires are likely to be quite different because of the need to optimize the tire for the wheel position. For example, engineers will have to consider the tractive requirements of drive tires versus the potential for irregular wear with steer and trailer tires.

"Fleets just will not accept any trade-offs, even in the name of fuel efficiency." Charles says. "However, the emissions regulations are forcing us to do things that we aren't really happy about. We have to go beyond simply adjusting the tread rubber compounds and bringing the whole tire into focus, along with its working relationships to other components."