The Face Of Freight To Come? Freightliner’s Supertruck Is A 5 Year Project That Delivers 12-MPG


The Face Of Freight To Come? Freightliner’s Supertruck Is A 5 Year Project That Delivers 12-MPG

Improving the efficiency of over the road trucks has long been a pursuit of not just the truck makers themselves but also of the government, who have shoveled out grants and money for engineering studies and prototypes for decades. From the days of turbine engines being tried in trucks (horrid mileage) to the ever tightening emissions regulations that are keeping the air “cleaner” with the turnover in the trucking fleet, it has been a going concern for a very long time. This year at the Mid-America Trucking Show, a machine was rolled out that could largely be considered the most significant leap forward in experimental trucks potentially ever. Delivering over 12-mpg by using all sorts of aerodynamic aids and a diesel-electric hybrid drive system, the Freightliner Supertruck took a governmental challenge to raise the fuel economy in a truck by 50% and blew it out of the water, cranking it up some 115% with observed fuel economy on a Texas test loop of 12.2 mpg at 65mph while weighing in at 65,000lbs.

Yes, that was likely some pretty flat ground but let’s be honest, that’s pretty wild. Mileage would suffer with the addition of hills and all of the other stuff but to take a truck with a load on it and actually get it to turn a little more than 12 miles of travel on a gallon of diesel? That’s flipping nuts. While combining all of what was learned and applied here on this truck is probably not feasible at the current time because it would be insanely expensive, the information gleaned here can be applied in many ways in future models of trucks, especially the aerodynamic modifications.

Aside from all the trick science involved, the truck looks pretty sweet, at least we think so, especially in the photos with the trailer attached. There was an incredible amount of work done to get the truck to this state and the Freightliner Supertruck website is pretty awesome at explaining all of it. They managed to pull 700lbs out of the weight of the tractor with a revised frame design, use of lighter weight materials and other creative thinking. The truck rolls on some very “low rolling resistance” Michelin tires which are likely as hard as iron. Basically, every trick was employed, even the active shutters on the grill.

Truck drivers, what do you think? Truck lovers what do you think? How much of this stuff will actually make it into production examples in the future?

 CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE FREIGHTLINER SUPERTRUCK WEBSITE – NEAT!

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11 thoughts on “The Face Of Freight To Come? Freightliner’s Supertruck Is A 5 Year Project That Delivers 12-MPG

  1. Brenhan

    It’s only good in theory.

    What happens In winter when the bumper gets trashed by a snow drift or the driver needs to put chains on?

    I own and prefer traditional style, extended hood trucks with big motors so I am biased.

    The biggest gain in economy in trucking will come from autonomous trucks, whenever that happens there won’t need to be a sleeper cab and they could go to the nearest rail line and cruise at the most economic speed to close to their destination then go back on the road to the delivery point.

  2. Gary Smrtic

    Its impressive to look at. But its a trailer queen. It’s only used in closely controlled environments. I saw the truck up close at MATS last week. I can’t talk about it, but I’m probably going to be working on a functional design over the next year that will be a fully operational and functional truck that will likely get better numbers than this overpriced show piece.

    1. Brenhan

      Gary, I think that to be serious about that kind of project then continuously variable transmissions are a big step.

      I believe eaton have patents for their application in trucks but it have had a lot of experience with them in Fendt tractors, our fuel use for doing the same work dropped about 35% when compared to conventional tractors with powershift and I have long thought that the proper application of CVT in trucks would make a significant gain in economy. The engine can operate within a 50rpm range of where it Is most efficient to accelerate, to cruise and then engine brake as well, and because the trans would be computer controlled there would be much less chance of shock loads through the driveline from a rough driver with a clutch pedal, therefore all the driveline components could be made lighter and have less driveline power loss.

  3. BeaverMartin

    12 MPG is impressive, but I too share concerns about real world usability. I’m also curious where the cost savings will go. For some reason I feel the drivers won’t see a penny, even as the maintenance cost inevitably go up.

  4. EvanBarsy

    I think people are looking at this the wrong way. This isn’t a truck that would be on the road, this is a platform to test all of the technology they’ve come up with. Some of the advancements that were made in R&R for this truck will start to roll out into other trucks, aero, hybrid systems, weight saves, etc. You won’t see this truck on the road, you’ll see trucks using variations of systems on this truck on the road. They won’t be turning out 12mpg but even 2mpg more than before is huge when you think about the number of miles it will be driving over the course of its lifetime.

    1. Ryan

      I agree. All I can see now is the diesel electric hybrids pulling a hill with no problem. A functioning hybrid or electric assist system will be the biggest improvement for this industry.

  5. checker99

    Unfortunately US EPA emission requirements make new truck adoption very slow. In particular the soot catcher EPA now requires is a big reason to refurb an old truck rather than buy a new one … maintenance, repairs and downtime for new trucks more than offset your fuel savings even if you double the miles per gallon.

  6. Nytro

    I think most of you folks bringing negative comments here are failing to keep in mind something very important – this is not a road ready truck, it’s an engineering study.

    This is built for the purpose of research and development, as in further developing ideas, technology and concepts that will eventually make their way into the next generation of trucks.

    This is no different than seeing drawings then actual models of concept cars five years out then seeing an entirely different looking model make it to production five years later but containing so much new technology.

    No need to panic, folks, this is likely not what the final product will look like, and I’m sure there are plenty of very well educated engineers and market research personnel already concerning themselves with every point you’ve all brought up.

  7. Lynn Minthorne

    The EPA sucks !! Just replaced a working Cat, (passed smog tests) in my 1/2 T Dodge Van ONLY because they did not like the #s stamped on the converter

  8. Tyler

    es is a great design for some wonderful liberal college fantasy world where every highway is glassy smooth. this doesn’t even take in consideration that most of those body panels will be ripped off the first time you go to Michigan or another state was horrible Roads. these trucks might be nice on some dedicated route on I10, 20 and 40 but absolutely nothing with winter.
    I talk to a lot of mechanics that are trying to keep These new emissions equip trucks on the road. all these theories and designs work fantastic until the truck actually gets on the road and sensors start plugging up and having issues and then the next thing you know the particulate filter has gone nuclear and some mechanical shaking his head trying to figure out where the problem is.

    the trucking industry is in the exact same place as the car industry in 1975. we’re trying to slap all this crap on the trucks to try to meet some sort of emission standards that we don’t really need and some Brainiac always thinks the best way to do that is to kill all the horsepower and put the intake temperatures through the roof.

  9. Scooterz82

    Don’t ask drivers, ask us poor fools who have to work on the damn things. No access, will have to spend time removing fairings and covers for service and then putting them back on, adding cost to every repair. More computers and new systems means more training which is money spent you will most likely never recoup. Maybe Freightliner should work on building a truck that can pass a dealership without a 2 day visit.

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