SuperTruck II is a partnership between the DOE, truck manufacturers and equipment suppliers seeking to improve freight efficiency more than 100 percent over an equivalent 2009 model, and improve engine brake thermal efficiency performance by 55 percent. The $100 million program is funded by the Vehicle Technologies Office of the U.S. DOE and industry partners.
Eaton technologies being leveraged in the SuperTruck II program include a high-efficiency transmission that achieves additional fuel savings by enabling engine-off coasting and waste heat recovery; a 48-volt mild hybrid electrically regenerative accessory drive that charges the vehicle’s batteries, efficiently runs the air conditioner and other accessories, and replaces the alternator in linehaul commercial vehicles; and precise exhaust gas recirculation controllers that enable simultaneous fuel and emissions reductions.
“This is a great opportunity for Eaton technologies to contribute to a program focused on improving the efficiency of commercial vehicles,” says Dr. Mihai Dorobantu, director, Technology Planning and Government Affairs, Eaton’s Vehicle Group. “We’re excited to work with several OEMs involved in SuperTruck II as we strive for a common goal of cleaner, more fuel-efficient commercial vehicles.”
SuperTruck II is a continuation of the DOE’s SuperTruck initiative, which launched in 2010 with the goal to improve heavy-duty truck freight efficiency by 50 percent. Eaton says the long-term objective of the project is to develop technology that can lead to cleaner, more efficient heavy-duty trucks, which haul 80 percent of goods in the United States and use about 28 billion gallons of fuel per year, accounting for around 22 percent of total transportation energy usage.
In addition to the components Eaton is supplying to the SuperTruck teams, it offers several other technologies that help truck manufacturers achieve stringent upcoming fuel economy and emissions regulations, the company says.
