Kenworth unveiled a sleek-looking Super Truck 2 at the recent Advanced Clean Transport (ACT) expo in Las Vegas.
Developed over a six-year period, truck makers were challenged to improve freight efficiency using a diesel engine as the main power source.
Using the 2009 Kenworth T660 as inspiration – possibly the most fuel-efficient truck in the industry at the time of its release – PACCAR vice president Jim Walenczak says the Super Trucks’ efficiency improved by up to 136 percent.
“This was realized through a combination of improving fuel efficiency up to 12.8 mpg while reducing our combination weight by more than 7,000 pounds,” Walenczak says.
“The result was the ability to haul more payload with an ultra-fuel-efficient tractor-trailer combination.
“SuperTruck 2 provided us with the opportunity to investigate new technologies in an early stage. We learned what worked and what didn’t. As a result, we are able to commercialize new technologies much quicker than we would have otherwise.”
The unique look of the Kenworth catches most of the attention, but the powertrain and driver amenities are just as impressive.
“We started with an ideal aerodynamic shape when we started the design of SuperTruck 2,” Kenworth chief engineer Joe Adams says.
“At the start of the project, we asked ourselves, ‘What does the next generation vehicle for long haul transportation look like?”
“We wanted the SuperTruck 2 to embody ‘The Driver’s Truck’. The result was a systematic approach to developing a futuristic looking, yet relevant vehicle with technologies that have the potential to be refined and commercialized.”
The new rig runs a PACCAR MX-11 engine, rated at 440 hp and features a 48-volt electric generator.
This allows the truck to operate electric fans, electric steering, power electric coolant and HVAC pumps.
Resembling a bullet train, Kenworth’s design director Jonathan Duncan says the team wanted to show what the future of Kenworth may look like.
“Our headlamps take up the entire front fender of the truck. It’s striking – you can’t miss it as it’s going down the road,” he says.
While the SuperTruck 2 is powered by a diesel engine, Kenworth is looking toward the future, with the overall design to support zero and near-zero emission solutions.
The truck can easily package fuel cells, hydrogen tanks, natural gas tanks or batteries without changing the basic cab.
Adams says there will be massive technology changes in the trucking industry, however partnering with DOE was an opportunity to consider all possibilities looking toward the future.
“There are major challenges ahead as we continue to advance vehicle performance, all while keeping in mind the goal to be a carbon neutral society by 2050.”