TruckWings aero panels added to Cumberland International C10

Truck Wings C10 Increase Fleet Fuel Efficiency 5 300x225Cumberland International Trucks announced this week it has added TruckWings speed-sensitive aero panels as an optional spec for its 2019 model year Cumberland International C10.

Based upon a custom configured International LT, the C10 is the work of Cumberland International Trucks and its supplier partners. The specialized vehicle spec is optimized to achieve the goal of 10 miles per gallon fuel economy. The C10 was first developed beginning in 2013, and has seen improvements year over year as Cumberland has encouraged customer feedback and continued to engage with OEMs and suppliers.

The company says the addition of TruckWings to the C10 for 2019 closes the last major aerodynamic deficiency on a tractor-trailer, the turning gap, improving on-highway fuel efficiency by as much as 4 percent. This increase helps to make the 2019 C10 the most fuel-efficient version yet offered by Cumberland.

“We’ve focused a lot of our efforts in creating the C10 on enhancing the aerodynamics of the truck. In our goal of offering a product to our customers that can deliver real-world fuel economy of 10 mpg, we’ve benefitted from starting with the industry-leading International LT. But, it’s been the dedication of our team and the partnership we’ve seen from the OEM and aftermarket suppliers that has allowed us to deliver on the promise of efficiency while developing a proprietary spec for the truck, worthy of its own name,” says Patrick Mendenhall of Cumberland International. â€śHowever, trucks don’t earn any money without moving freight, and it’s therefore necessary to look at the tractor and trailer as a unit to continue to improve fuel economy.

“Aerodynamic improvements don’t require major technology changes, but until TruckWings became available, there was no solution for closing the tractor-trailer gap. The gap’s required for turning, but a literal drag on the vehicle the more than 90 percent of the time it’s driving. With the addition of TruckWings to the C10, our customers can automatically improve the efficiency of their routes, regardless of the trailer they may be hauling.”

According to the two companies, the lightweight TruckWings panels and control module are installed by Cumberland, and require no driver interaction to use.  As speed increases, the TruckWings panels automatically deploy from the back of the cab and close the gap between the tractor and trailer, delivering streamlined aerodynamics, fuel savings and reduced carbon emissions. When the truck slows down, the panels automatically retract, allowing the trailer clearance required for maneuverability in turns, the company says.

Additionally, in high winds, TruckWings greatly reduces the buffeting that’s caused by turbulent air hitting the face of the trailer. Drivers can feel the improvement in windy conditions and report smoother rides with less lane drift. When combined with the full aero package on the C10, the companies say TruckWings contribute to make up the most aerodynamic and fuel-efficient Class 8 truck available for sale in North America.

“Cumberland is pushing fuel economy to another level with their C10 truck and that’s exciting to us as we are all about fuel economy.  We are thrilled to partner with them to fix the final unaddressed area of fuel economy: the tractor-trailer gap,” saysDaniel Burrows, CEO, XStream Trucking, makers of TruckWings. â€śFleets told us they wanted to fix this – but didn’t want to add more things for the driver to do, or create another area of high maintenance. So we engineered TruckWings to automatically tuck away at low speed into the less exposed area at the back middle of the cab, far from curbs and behind the existing cab extenders. On the highway the wings deploy streamlining your truck to save fuel and reduces buffering from crosswinds.”

Cumberland is accepting orders now for the 2019 C10 featuring TruckWings, for deliveries in early Q2 and beyond.

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