Cummins/Peterbilt ‘SuperTruck’ Reaches 10.7 MPG
A demonstration truck built by Cummins Inc. and Peterbilt Motors Co. achieved a 10.7 mile-per-gallon fuel economy reading last month under real-world driving conditions, the companies announced.
The project is part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s SuperTruck program, in which multiple truckmakers are developing extremely efficient vehicles. Compared with a normal 2009 Peterbilt 579, the Cummins/Peterbilt prototype is 75% more fuel efficient, emits 43% fewer greenhouse gases and represents an 86% increase in total freight efficiency, the companies said in a Feb. 18 statement.
President Obama showcased the truck Feb. 18 in Maryland as he announced an effort by the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to develop a new round of truck fuel-efficiency and greenhouse-gas standards.
“The SuperTruck clearly demonstrates the technologies that can deliver significant fuel-efficiency improvements over the next decade and beyond as we continue to develop for cost and performance attributes that will make them strong commercial successes,” said Wayne Eckerle, Cummins’ vice president of research and technology.
“I think it’s been a terrific opportunity for us to look into the future and demonstrate what’s possible,” said Landon Sproull, chief engineer at Peterbilt, which is a unit of Paccar Inc.
Eaton Corp. has worked with Cummins and Peterbilt to build an automated transmission for their SuperTruck project.
Volvo Group, Navistar Inc. and Daimler Trucks North America also have their own SuperTruck efforts, according to DOE.
