Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
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The Freightliner Cascadia used for the Evolution of Economy Tour was a 2014 model with trailer aerodynamic aids simulating available products. horsepower ratings, like the 455-hp DD15 we tested. By dispensing with the turbocompounding on these lower-rated engines, there is an economy gain and a savings of about 100 pounds. New chassis fairings and longer side extenders do their work to reduce drag. A change to the windshield seal, a sleeker elliptical shape for the mirrors and an in- tegrated antenna further boost efficiency. That's the Evolution in a nutshell. But CCJ TEST DRIVE: Finding 10 mpg The 2014 Cascadia Evolution shows the way forward. BY STEVE STURGESS W hen Freightliner's 2014 Cascadia Evolution becomes available early next year (ordering is open already), it will offer revisions to the tractor's already extraordinarily good aerodynamics with a package that wins a few more decimal points in miles per gallon. Also, some changes to the fuel and air handling systems on the DD15 engine bring a contribution that, old model to new model, shows 7 percent fuel savings. It was hard to imagine how the Cascadia could be improved, but it has been, and since the changes impact the pocketbook, they are significant. Paired with the new Detroit DT12 smart transmission, it's a combination that's hard to beat. We were let loose in the demonstration truck for these and some other new com- ponents that, bundled together, allowed a test-track fuel economy of 10.67 mpg. To prove this wasn't just the result of tricky test procedures, the same truck was employed in an over-the-highway Evolution of Economy Tour, a run from San Diego to Gasto- nia, N.C. Those real-world conditions yielded 9.31 mpg with a nearly maxed-out load. This truck could push fuel economy close to the magical 10 mpg. Aerodynamic efficiency improvements here are subtle – likely only possible because Freightliner has its own wind tunnel at its prototype shop on Swan Island, just outside Portland, Ore. Hood and bumper closings keep air flowing to the sides. A change to the air dam under the front reduces the amount of air flowing under and becoming trapped in the engine compartment or around axles and the suspension. A smaller radiator for less air to pass through saves some weight, yet adds some durability and reliability with a new mounting. It's the result of the switch to selective catalytic reduction, requiring less cooling for the still-present exhaust gas recircula- tion in the 2010 DD engines. At the same time, the new radiator has a revised baffling system for greater efficiency. Also new is the adoption of an asymmetric waste-gated turbocharger for the "fleet" 24 COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2012 our test truck might well be called the ultimate Evolution, with 6x2 drive, ultra- low-profile wide single tires, wheel covers and a trailer with aerodynamic aids created in Freightliner's wind tunnel but representative of commercially available products. It's the ultimate you can spec today on top of the 2014 Evolution. Smart transmission We've driven other truly smart transmis- sions, but the DT12 does everything the best driver can do, and it does it quicker, smarter and, at the end of the day, more efficiently. The direct transmission is backed up by a Meritor final drive of 2.50:1 in the single drive axle to give it the tall gears it needs for the economy with the direct top gear. The tandem is the available Meritor 6x2 setup with a for- ward drive axle with load and anti-spin logic to reinforce the drive axle if traction is compromised. It's increasingly gaining attention for its 400-pound weight savings and the ad- ditional fuel economy from only one set of gears back there. Some fleets – notably Mesilla Valley Transportation – have made this a standard spec on their trucks and are enjoying the fuel savings day in and day out. It's also a spec that's been proven over decades in Europe, even in notorious spinout applications such as off-highway logging. The ultra-low-profile super singles