Why do so many Americans hate European trucks?

It is not true. It depends on a truck/sleeper configuration... In most long haul trucks you can stand up in a cab and walk to a sleeper.. Companies that do short hauls spec their trucks with low or midroofs with smaller sleepers. If it is a low roof truck/sleeper then sure you watch your head...

 

But that will be only in the rear part of the cab then? The roof of the cab always starts directly over the wind shield, I cant imagine you can stand there. The EU cab usually has a height of 7 feet or a bit more.

 

It is not true.. A roof goes steeply up... some have storage boxes above windshields.. Volvo, Freightliner, Kenworth, Peterbilt or International they all have high cabs.

 

goofy looking comes to mind

 

to check oil ore coolant level = just rise up grill! No reason to tilt cab.

 

Cab over US trucks have very limited space compared to EU COE's but a conventional US with a decent sleeper is just more spacious than a COE in general (there are exceptions).
Conventionals are also way less maneuverable and offer poor vision in comparison.
As for goofy looking , that is just unfamiliarity.
Price is the primary reason the US use conventional's.
Space is not the issue as you could get more space out of the same length COE but is would cost way more.
Most other arguments against COE's are perception and ignorance.
Both of which could be changed if it made economic sense.

 

That is a very nice comment king Q, there's a lot of truth in there in my opinion. I suppose that for distribution work in the inner cities COE's would be much better then conventionals. In my home town the city centre is closed for normal traffic, the streets are far to narrow. Never the less they can supply supermarkets with these kind of semi's:



The rear axle of the trailer is steerable, and the whole thing is more maneuverable than a NA tractor on its own. In my view such trucks could also be very usable for the same purpose in the US.

For big supermarkets outside of the city center this type of truck can be used:



At the loading dock you can open doors between both trailers of course, creating one big cargo space. Note the small gaps between tractor and the first trailer, and between the first and second trailor. All because of aerodynamics = fuel consumption. I still have no idea why there are such enormous gaps between the cabs and trailers of NA trucks, although newer designs also have small gaps.

 

What's max speed for a tractor trailer in Europe ..?

Seems like aero wouldn't be a big player.

Big gaps look cool .......if I have to explain it , you wouldn't get it anyway.

 

Maximum speed is nominal 80 km/h (50 mph) in most countries, in reality about 55 mph. The trucks are limited to that speed. And believe me, at that speed aerodynamics is very important. EU truck manufacturers spend a lot of energy and money in improving aerodynamics.

 

Cat ,if you knew how much diesel costs in the EU compared too the USA,then you would know why you try to save as much as possible.