EkoStinger Offers New Approach to Trailer Aerodynamics
EkoStinger said it is offering a new approach to trailer aerodynamics with a product designed to consistently enhance airflow, regardless of tandem placement and even at low speeds.
The EkoStinger aerodynamic system consists of two parts — an arrow-shaped undercarriage unit that moves in conjunction with the trailer’s rear wheel tandem and a cross-member cover that also installs underneath the trailer.
The product delivers 4% to 6% improvement in fuel economy through its aerodynamic enhancements while improving trailer maintenance and driver safety, EkoStinger said.
The business is a division of StormBlok Systems, a provider of hurricane-protection products, but CEO Parr Wiegel told Transport Topics that he plans to spin it off as a separate company this summer due to expected growth.
Unlike side skirts and other mounted systems, EkoStinger’s arrow unit moves with the tandem, enabling the product to boost efficiency no matter where the tandem is placed, Wiegel said. “By moving with the tandems, we keep our aerodynamics consistent.”
Meanwhile, the cross-member cover helps to further control airflow while prolonging the trailer’s lifespan by reducing I-beam rot and keeping the floorboards dry, he said.
“It organizes the air so it’s not tumbling off the I-beams and adding pressure and drag and picking up moisture off the road on rainy days,” Wiegel said.
He said the system enhances visibility for drivers and other nearby motorists by reducing “mist” by 70% in damp conditions.
It also improves stability in high crosswinds, providing a smoother ride and reducing driver fatigue, Wiegel added.
“Drivers say they like pulling these better than an empty trailer,” he said.
Wiegel already had studied the effects of high-speed winds while developing StormBlok’s line of products designed to protect property during hurricanes, but he said a chance sighting inspired him to apply that knowledge to the trucking industry as well.
While driving back from a wind-tunnel testing session, Wiegel spotted a trailer with a “wobbling” side skirt and a large gap between the fairing and the tandem, which hinders aerodynamic efficiency.
After investigating the systems on the market, he decided to develop an alternative product.
Wiegel said the EkoStinger system also was designed to avoid striking obstacles such as railroad tracks or loading docks, preventing a problem sometimes associated with side skirts.
As a result, EkoStinger offers a two-year warranty on the product, including parts, labor and coverage of damage caused by driver error, he said.
EkoStinger began selling the product in May 2014 after it was verified by the Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay program and the California Air Resources Board.
About 350 units are on the road, Wiegel said.
To bring its product to market, EkoStinger has partnered with fleet-management service provider Ameriquest, equipment-leasing company NationaLease and parts supplier HDA Truck Pride.
Wiegel said his company also hopes to work with trailer manufacturers to install the systems at the factory level.
He said his contacts in the industry expect aerodynamics to become a necessary adaptation for new trailers under the federal government’s upcoming Phase 2 greenhouse-gas standards. EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration aim to publish the proposed rule in June.
EkoStinger manufactures its systems in Rochester, New York.
