Another angle. Pretty good-lookin'.
Posted on 03/03/2014 12:37:37 PM PST by posterchild
Heavy-duty trucks spend more time on the road than passenger vehicles, so improving their efficiency can have a major effect on emissions--and their owners' bottom lines.
That's why Walmart is getting into the truck-design business with the WAVE--Walmart Advanced Vehicle Experience--concept.
With its aerodynamic cab, the WAVE certainly doesn't look like any other large truck currently on U.S. roads.
(Excerpt) Read more at autos.yahoo.com ...
It supposedly uses a turbine/electric hybrid, but I would think a diesel/electric hybrid would be efficient, since a smaller diesel could operate at peak performance RPM levels. The batteries would not be expected to run long without the engine, but act as a booster bank for when extra power is needed.
Another angle. Pretty good-lookin'.
These Futurliner concepts were pretty cool.
I guess those truckers will have to wear pants when they drive, now?
The whole thing looks like a bird/bambi/rock magnet to me...
Even a small increase in efficiency for semi trucks would yield a huge savings - can’t imagine that improving aerodynamics will help that much though.
They did. I read that these trucks are outfitted with 360 degree cameras.
That may work as long as the cameras work, and they team drive (two drivers, almost always rolling down the road) until they stop in some place like West Memphis, Arkansas, for anything more than fuel. It's actually safer at the Pilot in South Memphis, Tennessee (and people have died at that one, too).
If the cameras are mounted on the back end of a trailer...they won't be eventually, if they can be removed. Gone in 60 90 seconds. Heck-- it could be gone while stopping just to fuel.
Not every place is rough, but most anyplace can have thieves.
Elizabeth New Jersey would be a place where it's first figured out how to best remove [steal] the things. That place is another one to avoid. A guy can get himself killed for no reason much at all in those places...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.