LAS VEGAS—Daimler Truck North America unveiled its SuperTruck II Wednesday, exhibiting off an environment friendly diesel massive rig meant to exhibit fuel-saving applied sciences that may be deployed because the trucking business pivots to zero-emission automobiles.

The smooth cab, painted in a pixelated rainbow livery to evoke a way of easy movement, is extra of a proof-of-concept automobile quite than the standard pie-in-the-sky ideas widespread within the auto business.

“We centered on applied sciences and concepts that might be realistically carried out. We do not do science initiatives at DTNA,” mentioned Daimler Truck North America CEO John O’Leary.

The idea truck is predicated on Daimler’s Freightliner Cascadia mannequin, which with almost 40 % of the market is the main vendor amongst Class 8 vans within the U.S.

The undertaking’s goal is to develop a tractor-trailer mixture that demonstrates advances in aerodynamics, diesel engine expertise, tire rolling resistance and different techniques to dramatically improve the gas effectivity of a Class 8 massive rig.

Some will seemingly discover their means into future Cascadias.

“The analysis and improvement we’ve executed right here is creating instruments that we will later pull out of the toolbox and use,” mentioned Derek Rotz, Daimler’s U.S. head of superior engineering.

Daimler mentioned the truck runs at about 12 mpg. The everyday diesel Class 8 truck will get about 6.2 mpg, in response to the North American Council for Freight Effectivity.

Though California, components of Europe and different areas are forcing a gradual transition to zero-emission vans, O’Leary mentioned diesel would endure because the predominant gas alternative for the foreseeable future as a result of it fits one hundred pc of all functions.

“It stays probably the most cost-effective and environment friendly strategy to transfer items and other people,” he mentioned. However truck producers can nonetheless make important effectivity beneficial properties.

The SuperTruck II is clearly recognizable as a Freightliner. Essentially the most seen change is the elimination of the massive elephant ear-style facet view mirrors — lengthy acknowledged as effectivity killers — required on present vans. As an alternative, the truck takes benefit of a program exemption permitting cameras and screens contained in the cab granted by NHTSA.

Daimler mentioned the change solves a significant effectivity fault in present vans and may enhance the driving force’s visibility. The corporate sees the digital camera system as a possible regulatory change.

Elsewhere, engineers redesigned the hood, bumper and chassis fairing to work with the Cascadia’s current cab however now permit air to stream across the truck with much less disturbance. In addition they modified the grille, air intakes and doorways to enhance aerodynamics. The truck options prototype low-rolling resistance tires from Michelin.

Daimler used different methods to assist the massive rig glide easily by way of the air. The truck makes use of lively facet extenders and a roof spoiler system to counteract fuel-sucking turbulence between the cab’s finish and the trailer’s begin. The system shrinks that hole by as much as 4 inches when it opens at freeway speeds. A top management system lowers the truck simply inches above the highway to reinforce its aerodynamics.

Daimler additionally swapped the 12-volt electrical system in commonplace Cascadias for a 48-volt electrical system with lithium ion batteries. That battery pack gives sufficient energy to scale back parasitic drains from the air-con and different techniques. The electrical energy steering additionally makes use of energy from the battery pack.

The truck has an engine auto-off characteristic that advances what new shopper passenger vehicles do at alerts and stops. Known as EcoSail, the system robotically judges when energy will not be wanted coasting down a hill and shuts the engine off. Options equivalent to air-con and energy steering stay in operation because of the battery-powered electrical steering.

The truck builder additionally made powertrain enhancements. The idea truck makes use of a prototype 13-liter engine from Daimler’s Detroit engine division. It has a two-stage turbo and interstage cooling system and is mated to a 13-speed overdrive transmission. It may well obtain decrease downspeeding — reducing the engine’s rpm — and likewise saves gas by decreasing drag.

Launched in 2016, the Division of Vitality put up $20 million for Daimler’s SuperTruck II undertaking. The corporate added $18 million. Michelin pitched in $1 million, and different analysis establishments added almost one other $1 million.

Different producers, together with Navistar, Volvo and Paccar are creating related demonstration automobiles.

Attaining higher effectivity is an business aim. Gasoline trails solely labor and accounts for about 22 % of the price of heavy-duty trucking, in response to the American Transportation Analysis Institute.

Business vans eat about 24.5 % of transportation fuels within the U.S., in response to the U.S. Vitality Info Administration, though they make up about 13 % of automobiles on the highway, in response to S&P International Mobility registration information.

Daimler may use the aerodynamic and different expertise demonstrated within the SuperTruck II with completely different powertrains, the design group informed Automotive Information.

Already Daimler is promoting electrical eCascadia Class 8 tractors that work solely with electrical motors.

Daimler additionally began a SuperTruck 3 demonstration undertaking following a $26 million Division of Vitality award in 2021. The deliberate automobile is a Class 8 hydrogen gas cell electrical truck with an anticipated vary of 600 miles.

The aim is to design a zero-tailpipe-emissions Class 8 tractor that exceeds the efficiency of a diesel heavy-duty long-haul sleeper in vary and effectivity with out compromising the quantity of cargo it may possibly haul.

The SuperTruck grants are working to advance transportation expertise, mentioned Mike Roeth, govt director of the North American Council for Freight Effectivity, one of many program’s early advocates.

“SuperTruck 2 had a really particular deal with affordability of the applied sciences, and we’ll see the ideas present up in upcoming mannequin 12 months vans because the OEMs meet ever-increasing GHG Part 2 rules,” Roeth mentioned.

Daimler is a standalone truck builder following its December 2021 spinoff from the company guardian of the Mercedes-Benz automobile enterprise.