Mercedes-Benz's Econic refuse truck comes to North America

[kscarbel2]

Truck News  /  April 24, 2018

Freightliner Trucks today unveiled its EconicSD waste collection truck, a North American offering that focuses on driver comfort and safety.

The truck, which was first introduced in Germany in 1998 and updated in 2013, completes the company’s vocational lineup, and as Richard Saward, general manager of vocational and government sales for Freightliner Trucks, said, is built to serve a segment that sees up to 1,400 stops per day in our neighborhoods where safety is a primary concern.

“Vocation segments have a direct effect on our everyday lives,” said Saward. “It’s all fun and games until the trash can stays out on the road.”

The Freightliner EconicSD is a low-entry COE waste collection truck, equipped with the Detroit DD8 mid-range engine and Detroit Assurance suite safety system.

Leveraging the global engineering experience of parent company Daimler AG, the refuse truck has been tailored to meet the needs of the North American customer.

“By working closely with our North American waste collection customers and analyzing how we could provide a solution that best benefits their businesses, we recognized the opportunity to adapt the Freightliner EconicSD for this market,” said Roger Nielsen, president and CEO for Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA). “Our customers continually seek to elevate the safety and performance of their waste collection vehicles, and the Freightliner EconicSD is the right solution for the distinct needs of this segment.”

More than 125 modifications were made the EconicSD in an effort to meet North American demands.

Saward underscored the vehicle’s robust safety offerings during a sneak peak of the truck prior to the April 24 unveil at WasteExpo in Las Vegas.

The EconicSD is equipped with a panoramic windshield and low seating position to enhance driver visibility to mitigate incidents with pedestrians, cyclists, and other drivers.

“Waste collection vehicles need to navigate tight turns, busy urban streets and suburban neighborhoods, so safety is a critical concern at all times,” added Jeff Allen, senior vice-president, operations and specialty vehicles for DTNA.

The mirror system provides an expanded field of vision, and a short wheelbase and aggressive wheel cut delivers better maneuverability for tight residential areas.

Detroit Assurance suite also comes with the EconicSD. Standard safety features include active brake assist, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warning. Optional safety offerings include side guard assist and a built-in camera system with 360-degree views displayed on a flat screen dash monitor.

The truck’s cab and chassis are designed and manufactured in Woeth, Germany, with the final assembly being completed in Gaffney, S.C., at the Freightliner Custom Chassis manufacturing facility.

“The cab-over-engine design for the North American waste collection market is a unique concept, so collaborating with Heil and McNeilus was critical to ensure a streamlined upfit process and efficiencies from the very beginning,” said Richard Howard, senior vice-president, sales and marketing for DTNA.

Driver comfort and safety were also a focus for the Freightliner EconicSD.

Its low entry allows for a single 19-inch step to enter the cab, with one more step to the driver’s platform. A kneeling feature also reduces step-in height and a lifting feature improves clearance over objects.

The spacious cab comes with an air-suspended driver’s seat, additional seating to accommodate up to three passengers in the high cab model. A digitized instrument cluster displaying key information on an LCD screen on the dash, intuitive steering wheel controls, and a walk-through cab to allow drivers to exit the cab safely are also features of the EconicSD.

“Inside and out, every aspect of the Freightliner EconicSD is designed with the customer in mind. We understand what impacts their bottom lines, and as their partners we are driven to create solutions that contribute to their long-term success,” said Howard. “The Freightliner EconicSD is an exceptional solution that we are proud to bring to the North American waste collection market.”

The EconicSD is designed to be fully prepped for body builder integration, with a guideline of recommendations.

The truck will go into production in October of this year, will be available for order this June, and delivered in April 2019.

As for pricing, Saward said, “This will not be the cheapest truck, but it will be the best.”

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[kscarbel2]

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[kscarbel2]

The most advanced refuse chassis in North America.......by a mile.

[kscarbel2]

Freightliner Brings Next-Level Refuse Hauler to North America

Jack Roberts, Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT)  /  April 24, 2018

Like all trucking market segments today, the refuse industry is experiencing a technology revolution. Refuse’s technology revolution is happening at double-time, as the trucks that serve this market are quickly adopting advanced safety systems, autonomous control systems, telematics, and highly sophisticated hydraulics that are enabling a host of new side- and rear-loading refuse collection systems.

Until now, if you saw a Freightliner working in the refuse industry, odds are it was a medium-duty 114SD or 117SD conventional truck. But now, Daimler’s premier North American truck brand is heavily leveraging its European design and engineering expertise to bring the EconicSD low-entry cabover to the refuse industry.

“This truck is a game-changer,” said Richard Saward, general manager government and vocational vehicle sales, Freightliner, at the EconicSD’s unveiling in Las Vegas on the eve of WasteExpo 2018. “With this truck, we are offering refuse fleets next-level safety, productive and uptime, both inside and out. We now have a purpose-built refuse truck for this industry with a low COE configuration optimized to accommodate side- and rear-loader bodies.”

The EconicSD is a mature design that has been hauling refuse in Europe since the 1990s. In 2012, however, Daimler completely refreshed the design, adding a more ergonomic cab in terms of both entry and exit, as well as interior appointments and the latest technology to enhance safety and productivity.

For its North American debut, the EconicSD has undergone an additional updating that Saward said included 128 separate enhancement projects. The result is a thoroughly modern design that is loaded with the latest safety, telematics, and autonomous technology.

Perhaps the most eye-catching feature on the EconicSD are the cab doors, which run the entire length of the cab and look more like a transit bus door than ones normally seen on vocational trucks. The result, said DTNA officials, is a design that allows even tall drivers to enter and exit the cab easily without stooping. The EconicSD’s low-entry concept is further enhanced by a kneeling and lifting cab, which further reduces the truck’s already low step-in height. A pneumatic, bi-fold passenger door with full-length tinted glass is available as optional equipment.

A Robust Suite of Standard Safety Features

Inside, the EconicSD’s cab design is spacious and features an intuitive digital instrument cluster and a large, panoramic windshield. A highly optimized rear-view mirror system is designed to eliminate blind spots and complement onboard safety camera systems. Electronic stability control is standard, as is active brake assistance, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warning. The EconicSD’s short wheelbase and deep wheel cuts allow for excellent maneuverability in urban working conditions.

A slew of safety options can be spec’d for the new truck to complement the robust suite of standard safety features. These include Daimler’s proprietary Detroit Assurance, a side guard object/pedestrian warning system, as well as a built-in camera safety system with 360-degree views around the truck displayed on a flat-screen dash monitor.

Under the small doghouse mounted behind the cab interior is the standard Detroit DD8 Diesel engine and Allison 3000 Series, 6-speed automatic transmission that power the EconicSD. Power output for the DD8 is 350 horsepower and 1,050 lbs.-ft. of torque. An engine brake and Detroit Connect Virtual Technician remote diagnostic system are standard.

In an age of electric powertrains and alternate fuels, Saward said Freightliner made a strategic decision to focus on diesel power for the EconicSD right out of the box. “Around 50% of refuse haulers working today are powered by diesel engines,” he noted. “Everything is on the table for Daimler when it comes to electric trucks and alternative fuels. However, given the strong presence of diesel in refuse today, it makes sense for us to focus on that technology first and move to alternative fuels, CNG or possibly electric drivertrains in the future.”

Freightliner will begin taking orders for the EconicSD in June. EconicSD components will be shipped in from Europe and assembled in Gaffney, South Carolina, beginning in April 2019.

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[RoadwayR]

Cab looks too large for a front-loader, but I suppose the upfitters will come up with something that works.  Side loader would appear to be no problem, but who uses rear load packers anymore?

[Rob]

3 hours ago, RoadwayR said:

Cab looks too large for a front-loader, but I suppose the upfitters will come up with something that works.  Side loader would appear to be no problem, but who uses rear load packers anymore?

Rear load packers are very common around here and Peoria. All types are in use but the rear loaders far outnumber the side and front loaders. There are few side loaders used in residential in the area, and that is Peoria only.

[41180]

Looks like a bus ,looks like it would fall apart after a year or so in the rubbish world.  

[Maxidyne]

Looks kind of long in the front, I suppose to get the low floor in the cab they had to put the cab ahead of the engine, like Mack did with the LR. Could hurt maneuverability a bit, or require the use of a smaller packer to get the same overall length.

[Maxidyne]

Forgot to mention that Daimler may have left some refuse customers with a sour taste when they discontinued the Condor.

[TS7]

Maybe advanced, but will it last in the real trash hauling world? Trash trucks have to work everyday, that is why there a lot of Mack MR"s on the road, they are strong. 

[kscarbel2]

Econic refuse trucks "work every day" in the global market. They're built to take it.

[kscarbel2]

18 hours ago, RoadwayR said:

Cab looks too large for a front-loader, but I suppose the upfitters will come up with something that works.  Side loader would appear to be no problem, but who uses rear load packers anymore?

 

[kscarbel2]

 

[TS7]

Five years and done like other Freightliners.

[Hayseed]

On 26/04/2018 at 12:29 AM, logtruckman said:

Looks like a bus

Yup, I reckon they raided the Bus Parts Bins during the R&D phase..

[66dc75]

Looks like a phone booth with wheels

[kscarbel2]

'Because we can' – Freightliner targets refuse market with new EconicSD low COE

Trailer-Body Builders  /  April 25, 2018

Leading body builders played an important role in bringing the latest Freightliner truck to the North American market.

LAS VEGAS. Filling an untapped market niche in their product portfolio, Freightliner Trucks on Tuesday introduced the new Freightliner EconicSD refuse truck at WasteExpo.

The low-entry cab-over-engine (COE) vehicle is “purpose built” and “without compromise” in its implementation of the latest in integrated safety systems, explained Richard Saward, general manager of vocational sales and government vehicle sales for Freightliner Trucks. He also touched on the company’s reasoning for making the substantial investment needed to bring a new truck to a segment that’s a very small slice of the vocational market.

Saward described the market currently as one in which three “tried and established players” fight for a share of 2,400-2,600 trucks per year—a total that would hardly register on the sales report of North America’s largest truck manufacturer.

“We did it because we could,” Saward said. “No doubt many others would’ve liked to have done the same, but here at Daimler Trucks North America we have the ability to look at a global portfolio and imagine what those products could mean to our market.”

The Freightliner EconicSD was adapted from the Mercedes-Benz Econic, a low-entry COE chassis that is popular with waste collection customers in Europe, Australia and Asia. The cab and chassis are designed and manufactured in Woerth, Germany—Daimler’s largest truck plant. More than 125 modifications optimized the truck for North American operations. Final assembly of the cab and chassis will be completed in Gaffney SC, at the Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation (FCCC) manufacturing facility, before shipping to upfitters.

Saward pointed to the Sprinter van, brought to North America after success in Europe, and how the traditional panel van quickly became “a relic of the past” as other manufacturers adopted new products to compete with the Sprinter.

“We plan on doing that again [with the introduction of EconicSD],” Saward said. “From today forward, every traditional low COE on the market will be benchmarked against this new standard.”

But all the safety systems, driver amenities and operational efficiency wouldn’t mean much if the Econic didn’t meet the needs of body builders and upfitters.

“We’re proud to supply a quality chassis for this industry, and we truly recognize that most of the hard work in this industry takes place with the body and a well-designed body solution,” Saward said. “Early on in the program we engaged two of the industry leaders to ensure that the platform would work seamlessly with their equipment. These teams have spent thousands of hours looking at every nuance of the Freightliner EconicSD.”

Representatives of those truck equipment manufacturers were on hand at WasteExpo to pass along their thoughts on the new truck.

Robby Dehart, senior director of sales for Heil Environmental, was most impressed with the safety features of the EconicSD.

“Safety is No. 1, from the panoramic views to the kneeling feature to the easy in and out—it’s just a superior cab,” Dehart said. “It’s been a long road but, like Freightliner, Heil is a market leader in the industry and we’ve truly enjoyed the experience [of working with Freightliner]. There are superior engineers on each side; we got to have a little fun and I think it’s an impressive outcome.”

McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing Inc. VP of Refuse Sales Matt McLeish also pointed to the safety systems built into the EconicSD.

“You can see it’s a beautiful truck. But the view and windshield allows for our drivers and the waste haulers to see—not only for their safety, but for pedestrian safety as well,” McLeish said. “The air-suspension seats, the active breaking system—it’s absolutely a safety-laden truck. The easy entry is hugely important; the intuitive sensors on the doors that keep the doors from shutting on passengers; and most important is the walk-though cab that allows all passengers to exit curbside safely.”

As for advantages the EconicSD chassis offers to body suppliers for the waste collection industry, McLeish noted the effort Freightliner has put into adapting the European base vehicle to American standards such as 12-volt power and the J-1939 interface.

“We paired this with one of our best-selling, most reliable bodies that’s truly optimized right now for our customers,” he said. “It says, ‘Get in it!’ and that’s what it’s all about.”

Powered by Detroit

The Freightliner EconicSD is equipped with the new Detroit DD8 mid-range engine, with a rating of 350HP and 1050 lb-ft torque. The DD8’s variable exhaust cam phasing optimizes exhaust temperatures during low-load operations for more efficient aftertreatment performance in the waste collection environment.

The DD8 also features Detroit Connect Virtual Technician remote diagnostic service for maximized uptime and productivity.

“The robust design and the technological achievements found with the DD8 engine make it well-suited for the demands associated with waste collection,” said Jeff Allen, senior vice president of operations and specialty vehicles for Daimler Trucks North America. “The Freightliner EconicSD and the DD8 make a durable and efficient combination.”

Advanced safety systems

The Freightliner EconicSD is engineered to enhance the safety of not only the driver and crew, but also pedestrians and drivers of other vehicles. The truck’s panoramic windshield and low seating position provide outstanding visibility, while the mirror system offers an expanded field of vision for work areas and potential blind spots. The short wheelbase and aggressive wheel cut deliver superior maneuverability.

Further contributing to the Freightliner EconicSD’s safety is the Detroit Assurance suite of safety systems. The Freightliner EconicSD comes standard with active brake assist, adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning to mitigate potential collisions. Optional safety features include side guard assist and a built-in camera system with 360-degree views displayed on a flat screen dash monitor.

Designed for the driver

The Freightliner EconicSD’s low entry means only one step is needed to enter the cab, with just one more step to the driver’s platform. The first step is only 19 inches, half the first-step height of many conventional waste collection trucks. A kneeling feature further reduces step-in height, while a lifting feature improves clearance over objects.

“Waste collection vehicle drivers and passengers are in and out of their trucks all day. The Freightliner EconicSD’s ergonomic design reduces fatigue and provides a more comfortable and productive work environment,” said Allen.

The spacious cab has an air-suspended driver’s seat, with additional single seating to accommodate up to three passengers in the high-cab model. The Freightliner EconicSD comes standard with digitized instrument cluster that displays key information on an LCD screen on the dash, and is operated by intuitive steering wheel controls.  

The Freightliner EconicSD will be available to start ordering in the summer of 2018. Cab configurations for the EconicSD in 6x4, high cab and low cab, and rear and side loader configurations will be available.   

Photo Slide Show - http://www.trailer-bodybuilders.com/chassis/because-we-can-freightliner-targets-refuse-market-new-econicsd-low-coe/gallery?slide=1

[james j neiweem]

Should put a Western Star badge on it.

[davehummell]

To me the drivers door looks narrow? I have found the mack cabs hold together but we justabout went broke trying to keep the trucks on the road because of problems with the pollution controls. We had an older acar with a cummins and i liked that frontloader over the macks. We were rearload  only until the owners got a frontloader soon every thing was frontload what a time saver.

[kscarbel2]

 

 

[scoofa]

Was at waste expo. Didn't like the Freightliner if you are going with European style trucks the Dennis has this beat by far. As for frontloader the arms have to be too long to ride in the dumped position and also too high too ride with the cross bar at cab height causing blind spots with the arms down. A high dash doesn't allow front vision close to the bumper like a Mack.Also super specialized windshield looks super expensive when it gets broken, not like the MR flat glass anyone can change.  The door release handle was cheap plastic and looks like it will last a week with the number of times it needs to be used per day in refuse service.Time will tell but I think this will flop they should have tweaked the Condor it wasn't the worst truck.

[kscarbel2]

Here's the European market Econic.

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[kscarbel2]

I like Dennis Eagle. They're owned by Terberg RosRoca.

 http://www.terbergrosroca.com/en/products/

[Maxidyne]

Was thinking about this, the Econic is a truck for operators who need extreme visibility and low entry height- Thus it competes with the LR rather than MR. And given that the Econic has an effective BBC as long as Daimler's own M2 conventional which is probably half the price, for many applications the Econic is a waste of money.

[kscarbel2]

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