Aerodynamics on tractor/trailer combinations are increasingly becoming a serious consideration when looking to greatly reduce carbon emissions and increase fuel efficiency.

The PTS50 has already been included as a component on Freightliners SuperTruck project which surpassed the project goal of achieving a 50% gain in freight efficiency by recording a figure of 115% in testing. Freightliner SuperTruck

Shell Lubricants and AirFlow Truck Company owner and designer, Bob Sliwa are developing a new hyper-fuel mileage Class 8 tractor trailer. This next-generation concept truck, nicknamed the StarShip, will feature a completely new design with the aim of breaking current fuel efficiency records for class 8 trucks after its debut in 2017.  The PTS50 has been lined up to be included on this project vehicle. Shell Lubricants, Air Flow Truck Company Innovate Together

Henry Albert of Freightliners “Team Run Smart” has be running the PTS50 on his trailer since October 2013, Henry has the enviable opportunity to trying out new technologies and blogs about them on the Team Run Smart website.  His constant goal is to increase his units MPG and regularly reports above average MPG figures.

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A report published by the EPA and DOT announced their planned proposal for Phase 2 of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles.
Phase 2 of the program would “significantly reduce carbon emissions and improve fuel efficiency of heavy-duty vehicles, helping to address the challenges of global climate change and energy security,” according to the EPA.
The proposed standards will begin in model year 2018 for trailers and 2021 for tractors and culminate in vehicle-wide — engine, truck and trailer — standards for model year 2027 vehicles.
The EPA said the proposed plan will cut GHG emission by approximately 1 billion metric tons and conserve about 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the lifetime of the vehicles sold during the program.

For the first time, emissions regulations will also be put on trailers, set to begin in 2018. The EPA and NHTSA said they are proposing to regulate trailers because they significantly contribute fuel consumption and subsequent carbon pollution emissions.
The agencies said components like aerodynamic devices, low rolling resistance tires and automatic tire inflation systems could offer “significant carbon emissions and fuel use reductions for the vehicle.”
NHTSA’s trailer standards would be voluntary from 2018 to 2020, becoming mandatory in 2021. There is no requirement, however, to retire or retrofit older trailers. The standards will only apply to new trailers.

The types of trailers included in the proposed standards are:

•Long (longer than 50 feet) highway box trailers-dry vans
•Long highway box trailers -refrigerated vans
•Short (50 feet and shorter) highway box trailers-dry vans
•Short highway box trailers-refrigerated vans
•Non-box highway trailers

The EPA estimates that, in 2027 when the standards are fully phased in, heavy-duty vehicles across all classes would achieve the following carbon dioxide emissions and fuel use reductions:

•24 percent for combination tractors designed to pull trailers and move freight when compared to Phase 1 standards
•8 percent for trailers when compared to an average model year 2017 trailer
•16 percent for vocational vehicles when compared to Phase 1 standards
•16 percent for pick-up trucks and light vans when compared to Phase 1 standards

For full details of the proposed national program click here

The PTS50 will be an instrumental component in the trailer system to accommodate the extension of the trailer skirts toward the tractor unit, its lightweight design will also help compensate for the increased weight of the skirts.