Navistar Hits 16 MPG with SuperTruck II – Gasoline Smarts

Navistar introduced that its SuperTruck II analysis truck obtained 16 MPG throughout latest analysis take a look at runs.

The Worldwide SuperTruck II venture is a partnership between the OEM and the U.S. Division of Power (DOE). Throughout latest take a look at runs, Worldwide stated the SuperTruck II demonstrated 16 miles per gallon (MPG) gasoline effectivity by way of hybridization — utilizing electrical motors along side a standard truck powertrain to supply extra torque when wanted to scale back the quantity of gasoline the engine burns. General, the OEM stated, SuperTruck II registered a 170% enchancment in freight effectivity, amongst different developments, over the 2009 baseline automobile, the Worldwide SuperTruck I.

The continuing SuperTruck automobile evaluations are a joint venture between business automobile producers and DOE with a purpose of exploring rising applied sciences that can be utilized on future Class 8 vans to scale back greenhouse gasoline emissions whereas growing each gasoline economic system and freight effectivity. 

The idea truck additionally proved revolutionary technical approaches to weight discount from rolling resistance applied sciences, aerodynamic enhancements, and powertrain applied sciences, the OEM stated. All of those applied sciences are designed to ship premium freight effectivity to help in decreasing U.S. dependency on fossil fuels within the business automobile sector.

“With co-funding by the DOE, Navistar engineers experimented with potential applied sciences not at the moment accessible within the Class 8 truck market to speed up the influence of sustainable mobility,” stated Russ Zukouski, chief engineer, World Innovation and Principal Investigator for the Supertruck applications. “The crew concentrated its design on high-voltage electrification, using hybrid know-how on a path towards full electrification that has the potential to be commercialized in absolutely electrical automobiles and enhance clients’ whole price of possession (TCO) and enterprise operations.”

With a shared program purpose of accelerating Class 8 automobile effectivity and decreasing the U.S. dependance on fossil fuels, Worldwide stated the SuperTruck II targeted on the following era of auto effectivity enhancements by way of hybridization and aerodynamics. This resulted in an illustration of 170% enchancment in automobile freight effectivity, 55% engine brake thermal effectivity, assessed TCO alternatives for particular person applied sciences, and high-voltage electrification efforts modeling hybrid applied sciences that may be utilized for absolutely electrical automobiles.

Navistar’s SuperTruck II venture automobile shares most of the identical techologies and techniques that Freightliner introduced by itself SuperTruck II collaboration with DOE earlier this yr.

“Navistar is the one OEM to construct a trailer to supply probably the most correct testing outcomes attainable,” stated Dean Oppermann, chief engineer, superior truck. “It features a 100% composite field designed for minimal aerodynamic drag with gentle weight, built-in cross members, managed underbody circulate with composite aero remedies, next-generation photo voltaic panels with connectivity choices, and trip peak management.”

A Collaborative Design Effort

Highlighting Navistar’s dedication to an electrified future, Worldwide SuperTruck II was constructed as a hybrid automobile that includes an inner combustion engine with high-voltage equipment and applied sciences, developed in partnership with Bosch. Engine enhancements have been made in key areas together with combustion, friction, gasoline alternate, and airflow by way of the engine. A redesigned cylinder head with twin overhead cam engine and enhanced gasoline system resulted in a 2% gasoline economic system enchancment when in comparison with Worldwide SuperTruck I. Aftertreatment system enhancements included diesel exhausted fluid (DEF) dosing, improved mixing and decrease restrictions, new selective catalytic discount (SCR) formulations for high-NOx discount and decreased cold-start activation time.

“A full system strategy was required to attain 55.2% brake thermal effectivity,” stated Jim Cigler, chief engineer, superior engine. “Alternatives have been recognized by inner engineering groups together with analysis associate Argonne Nationwide Laboratory by way of detailed evaluation and simulation. System suppliers reminiscent of Bosch, Jacobs Car Programs, and Utilized Nano Programs (ANS) introduced new approaches to key techniques that enabled laboratory success and yielded real-world gasoline economic system enhancements.  Navistar was capable of establish new methods to push our engines to the following degree of effectivity.”

Worldwide SuperTruck II highlighted connectivity with next-generation predictive cruise management, in addition to leveraging applied sciences and data inside the bigger Traton Group to discover vehicle-to-everything applied sciences to boost security and automobile efficiencies, in accordance with the OEM.

“Our purpose is to proceed to advance inner combustion engine know-how as effectively and sustainably as attainable till there may be parity with zero-emissions automobiles,” stated Opperman. “Growth of each applied sciences concurrently ensures a clean transition of know-how to finest serve buyer wants. We’re targeted on your entire product ecosystem — product improvement itself, in addition to infrastructure charging, service and assist of auto operation, finish of life for batteries.”

The SuperTruck II program strikes Navistar towards its imaginative and prescient to speed up the influence of sustainable mobility. As a member of the Traton Group, Navistar continues to establish, engineer, and take a look at future applied sciences, together with stable state batteries, hydrogen gasoline cell electrical automobile know-how, autonomous driving functionality, and related automobile options.