Trucks of the future will be more efficient, but costlier

Now if that isn't the biggest Captain Obvious headline of the year, I don't know what is.

 

efficency does not equal more cost....

Just shows fantasy reigns supreme!

 

Freightliner is pushing for higher weights limits and cutting speed limits for trucks to 55. They already know they cannot meet the new restrictions. They seem to think this bright idea of theirs would help THEM meet the new restrictions.
They might as well cut our drive time to 4 hrs a day, too. Cause after a few hrs. of driving 55, I am ready for a nap. (This last statement is sarcasim and not fact. The first statement, however, is true)

 

somewhere I remember reading once that the horsepower required to move a truck down the road, once it was at speed and on the level, was around 220 HP. Anybody want to wager that super efficient trucks will head in that direction in the future?

 

Before all this EPA MANDATED BS on the Engines it was Nothing for a Well Mantained Dtorit 60 Seiries with a Good Driver to get 8-9 MPG at the Pump. What did they do Forced the Program that allowed the engines to get that OFF THE ROAD.

 

Here is my prognostication:
The day of the traditional looking tractor is finished (i.e. W900). Only aerodynamic cabs will be made such as the T700, T660.
Weight will be reduced in the tractor. (duh!)
Smaller engines
Manufacturer Fleet Averages that don't meet EPA requirements will carry a 'environmental tax' on each truck sold that does not meet the numbers. So larger and heavier models will have another $10,000 or more tacked on to assuage their environmental unfriendliness. This will become an important source of income to the government, so future regulations will continue to be out of reach for fleets, thereby creating a permanent source of income to the government.
This will be similar to the 'gas guzzler' tax that was on larger engine automobiles.
So if you buy a T660 with a 325hp engine, you're OK. But if you buy a T700 with a 475hp engine, there may be as much as $20,000 in additional tax for the vehicle.
Look for company fleets to move to the 'efficient' models and the present 'efficient' models will begin holding a higher resale price since they won't be subject to that new tax.
Just my thoughts.

 

you still need x amount of horsepower to get up the hills out west and some 10-12% grades in the NE. Idont know about you but 350 hp pulling 45k up a 8% grade at 9 mph doesnt seem to be all that safe on a 60 mph+ road.

 

Who said safe? Hell, ask any 4 wheeler out there about how safe we need to be. They'll tell you we go too fast already (unless they're stuck behind us on a two lane). It worked before in the 60's and 70's. I can remember crawling up grades at 15-20mph many times with a 78,000 gross (maximum allowed at that time). We did it with 275hp cummins.
When bigger engines and conventional tractors started making the scene in the early 80's, it was wonderful.

 

Auxiliary electric motors will have to become common to meet these goals, and super-capacitor technology to harness the downhill generation.