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MOTORINDIA
l
January 2012
corresponds to virtually three per
cent less fuel consumption or more
than 1000 l of diesel a year. At the
same time it saves the environment
over 2600 kg of CO
2
emissions. This
is also proven by the simulations
which have been carried out for the
aero trailer.
As part of its “Truck and Trailer
7plus” initiative Mercedes-Benz is
working on further holistic measures
aimed at lowering fuel consumption.
One of the projects involves inclu-
sion of information on the trailer’s
tyres in the tyre pressure display in
the cab of the new Actros.
The FleetBoard subsidiary –
which leads the field when it comes
to telematics for commercial vehi-
cles – is also currently developing
methods of integrating the trailer in
its systems. This forms the basis for
concrete opportunities for increas-
ing economy and therefore envi-
ronmental compatibility to an even
greater extent. The nearest available
suitable trailer for a particular job,
the correct allocation of truck and
trailer, the transmission of trailer
data to the truck’s cockpit – these
and other ideas could soon become
a reality.
TruckWorks is a further example
of integrating the trailer in an over-
all system. More than 80 Mercedes-
Benz locations now deal with the
entire service for the tractor unit,
trailer and bodies, plus their associ-
ated components. TruckWorks en-
sures the same levels of top quality
at each location and saves the opera-
tors of semi-trailer/tractor combina-
tions expense and unnecessary jour-
neys – which, in turn, means less
fuel consumption and reduces the
burden on the environment.
New Actros, towards utmost
efficiency
The inclusion of the trailer supple-
ments the already superb economy
displayed by the new Mercedes-
Benz Actros. It is driven as eco-
nomically as it is powerfully with
a highly sophisticated drive system
– perfectly matched to the particular
application in question – from a sin-
gle source. With a view to achiev-
ing the utmost efficiency the new
Actros spent 2600 hours in the wind
tunnel alone, being meticulously op-
timised, as intensively and carefully
as no truck before it. As a result the
new Actros is the most frugal and
therefore the cleanest truck in its
class.
There is a long tradition of adopt-
ing a holistic approach to the truck
and trailer at Mercedes-Benz. As
far back as the mid-1980s the de-
velopment engineers were carrying
out in-depth investigations into the
aerodynamics of entire vehicle com-
binations. These involved research
into the effect of air deflector panels,
side trim panels, edge radii and rear
end tapers.
The fundamental knowledge
gained then is still valid to this day
and forms the basis for the current
investigations. In those days the fo-
cus was merely on saving fuel for
economic reasons; priority had not
yet been given to protecting the en-
vironment by reducing CO
2
output.
Today, some 25 years later, environ-
ment relief, conservation of resourc-
es and economy represent seamless
additions, in the form of the “Truck
and Trailer 7plus” initiative.
w
focus on trailers
The unique DCA Airmaster
trailer axle is one of Mer-
cedes-Benz’s
outstanding
products: it stores the com-
pressed air for the trailer in
the axle housing. This saves
the air vessels for the trailer
and reduces the weight, and
with it fuel consumption and
emissions.