Cummins Inc. and Peterbilt Motors Co., a division of PACCAR, say the latest version of their so-called SuperTruck demonstration tractor-trailer achieved 10.7 mpg last month under real-world driving conditions. This compares to the 9.9 mpg average fuel economy their previous truck reached in 2013.
The Class 8 Peterbilt Model 579, powered by a Cummins ISX15 engine, performed the 312-mile test between Denton and Vernon, Texas. The partners say their latest SuperTruck averaged a 75% increase in fuel economy, a 43% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and an 86% gain in freight efficiency in 24-hour, head-to-head testing against a 2009 baseline truck.
The U.S. Department of Energy launched the SuperTruck initiative in 2009, with a goal of achieving 50% freight-efficiency improvements by the end of this year. Cummins, Peterbilt and their program partners will have invested $38.8 million in private funds over the four-year life of the program when it draws to a close. Their investment has been matched with DOE grants.
‘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,” says Wayne Eckerle, Cummins' vice president of research and technology.
