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New greenhouse gas restrictions on medium- and heavy-duty trucks are pushing change into the marketplace. The regs offer truck makers more compliance flexibility than the diesel-exhaust rules did, and makers like Ford who take a "choice" approach -- offering customers most of the major choices to satisfy emissions regs -- are spreading alternate-fuel and drive train technologies throughout their lineups.
Ford offers everything from compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery-only electric vehicles. "The Ford full line of trucks (Transit Connect, F-Series and E-Series) all offer some type of an alternative fuel option," says Len Deluca, director, Ford Commercial Trucks. "By the second quarter of next year, all of the trucks will offer the CNG/LPG option."
Vocational trucks will need to take a much different approach than over-the-road tractors. "In the vocational world, there are not a lot of things we can do with aerodynamics," says Bob Mann, Navistar. Instead, much of the focus will revolve around certain truck accessories. "Today, a lot of those are basically driven off the engine. We are going to be looking at other ways to [drive them]."
Navistar is developing LNG and CNG vehicles, and is among leaders in the move to hybrid technology in utility trucks, where the engine can be turned off and the body operated with stored electrical energy.
And Mack Truck says the trucking industry is moving toward smaller engines overall. Mack reports that for the first time, 13-liter engines have become the No. 1 choice of U.S. Class 8 truck customers. "We're seeing a shift in the market to less than 15-liter engines as customers increasingly focus on operational efficiency," says Kevin Flaherty, senior vice president – U.S. and Canada.
More in the story Ecology is Transforming Truck Technology and Economy
Ford offers everything from compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery-only electric vehicles. "The Ford full line of trucks (Transit Connect, F-Series and E-Series) all offer some type of an alternative fuel option," says Len Deluca, director, Ford Commercial Trucks. "By the second quarter of next year, all of the trucks will offer the CNG/LPG option."
Vocational trucks will need to take a much different approach than over-the-road tractors. "In the vocational world, there are not a lot of things we can do with aerodynamics," says Bob Mann, Navistar. Instead, much of the focus will revolve around certain truck accessories. "Today, a lot of those are basically driven off the engine. We are going to be looking at other ways to [drive them]."
Navistar is developing LNG and CNG vehicles, and is among leaders in the move to hybrid technology in utility trucks, where the engine can be turned off and the body operated with stored electrical energy.
And Mack Truck says the trucking industry is moving toward smaller engines overall. Mack reports that for the first time, 13-liter engines have become the No. 1 choice of U.S. Class 8 truck customers. "We're seeing a shift in the market to less than 15-liter engines as customers increasingly focus on operational efficiency," says Kevin Flaherty, senior vice president – U.S. and Canada.
More in the story Ecology is Transforming Truck Technology and Economy
