The major advantage of this new tractor-trailer combination by the company is that it can carry a load equivalent of a 6 x 4 tractor at a lower running cost
NaTTCo, a trailer start-up founded by Kartik Krishna, first came into the limelight at the ITTTE 2017 when it showcased a prototype of a first-of-its-kind 32-feet trailer that can be extended to 40 feet. The company is back in the news with ‘Airavat’, a new-generation heavy-duty air suspension trailer. In Indian mythology, Airavat is the name of the white elephant used by Lord Indra and suggests overwhelming strength and endurance. In a parallel of sorts, NaTTCo’s Airavat is capable of highest gross cargo weight (GCW) of its kind on a 4 x 2 tractor-trailer combination.
When combined with a suitable 4 x 2 prime mover, the empty vehicle weight comes to about 13.4 tons and if extra chains and tools are considered, the combined weight is about 14 tons. This offers a GCW of 40 tons. The major advantage of this combination is that it can carry a load equivalent of a 6 x 4 tractor at a lower running cost. The customer saves majorly on the cost of a 6 x 4 using a 4 x 2 tractor. “He saves on fuel, tyres and the total cost of ownership. The trailer is equipped with heavy-duty air suspension and ABS as standard,” a company press release states.
The idea was derived from rigid trucks whose axle spacing was changed to achieve higher GCW. “The same idea was used here on trailers to achieve higher GCW. This is in accordance with the government’s load norms notification, July 2018 that spells out the extra load provision for air suspension,” the release adds. With the infrastructure and highways improving, air suspension is entering the trailer segment at a very fast pace. With the benefit of being lighter when compared to leaf spring helps to add extra cargo weight. And when compared to mechanical suspension running on rated load, the new product offers better fuel mileage as against the use of leaf springs along with improved tyre life and lower maintenance cost.
The trailer is made of high-strength steel equivalent to Strenx 700. This adds to the trailer being lighter and stronger than conventional steel. The entire concept makes more sense in today’s scenario where the prime mover prices have increased quite a bit. Buying a 4 x 2 prime mover with 54 ton configuration is certainly advantageous in many ways than buying a 6 x 4 combination. According to the company’s management, a customer had a major issue with not being able to enter Kolkata with a 22-wheeler since anything above 18 wheels is prohibited from entering the city. NaTTCo approached this customer with its new concept, which was quickly accepted.
“The customer agreed to take the vehicle for a trial. Eight months down the line he is more than happy to have opted for it. The driver feedback has been excellent since there are no jerks from the body while better fuel mileage has enabled him to earn extra points on the company roll. And the added safety of ABS gives him more confidence while driving,” the company states. NaTTCo sees this as a great opportunity for its air suspension trailers and has already bagged quite a number of orders for this innovative product. It is now working with axle manufacturers and its customers for more variants based on the concept of air suspension.
The company can be contacted at nattco.jsr@gmail.com