Every time you drive by a semi and feel your car get pushed away from the rig, it reinforces the reality that tractor trailers punch a big, ragged hole in the atmosphere. It takes a lot of power to force those big boxes through the wind, and Mercedes Benz is working to please both fleet operators and the environmentally conscious by taking some of these heavy haulers for a spin in the wind tunnel for a much-needed aerodynamic tuneup.
The result is a trailer that features a front airdam, side trim panels rear diffuser, and a tapered rear design that adds up to an 18 percent reduction in wind resistance when paired with the Mercedes Actros tractor. Mercedes projects that a truck averaging 150,000 kilometers per year (93,205 miles) will save 2000 liters of diesel (528 gallons) while releasing five fewer tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
The wind-cheating changes leave the cargo box completely unaffected, though the aero trailer is going to need special legislative dispensation to allow its extra length on the road. The tail extension makes the trailer a half-meter too long than the current law allows, though other specialty trailers, like those with forklifts, have been given such consideration, paving the way for the more-efficient Mercedes trailers.
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