Scania Touts Fuel Savings of Dual Trailers
Swedish truck maker Scania AB said that by driving with two full-length trailers fuel consumption is reduced by up to 30%.
The truck maker said its laboratory has been doing research for the past six years transporting the company’s own material among production facilities.
A combination of lower average speed, optimized vehicles and towing two 54-foot trailers resulted in a halving of CO2 emissions, according to the company.
Due in part to the success of the trials, the Swedish Transport Agency granted permission for the truck maker to test rigs 103 feet long on certain roads.
“There are positive environmental effects of longer vehicle combinations, but, unfortunately, it is difficult to find support for this issue in many European countries,” Erik Ljungberg, senior vice president of corporate relations, said in a statement. “It is really gratifying that the Swedish authorities are taking action to obtain these benefits. To achieve an equivalent climate effect through vehicle development would take several years.”
Scania will be testing the longer trailer combinations to ensure they don’t pose additional risk in various conditions and sudden evasive maneuvers.
