Improving fuel efficiency in heavy trucks depends on a number of factors associated with the truck and its components. The two figures above show the power use inventories for a potential future Class 8 tractor-trailer combination truck, as well as a basic Class 8 tractor-trailer combination. Both list the truck's balance of fuel input, engine output, and tractive power (losses from aerodynamics, rolling resistance, and inertia). The power use inventory in the baseline diagram highlights areas in which research efforts can lead to major benefits in truck fuel efficiency, including engine efficiency, aerodynamics, and rolling resistance.
Based on this power use inventory, the Partnership has defined specific technology goals in six critical areas that will reduce fuel usage and emissions while increasing heavy vehicle safety. The 21st Century Truck Partnership aims to support research, development and demonstration that enable achieving these goals with commercially viable products and systems. If the Partnership meets these goals, a power use inventory for the same Class 8 tractor-trailer combination could resemble the first image. In this version, the new truck efficiency technologies have enabled a significant improvement in freight specific fuel consumption (ton miles per gallon).
The Partnership’s Roadmap and Technical White Papers describe these specific technology goals, along with broad justification for these goals and background information on these technical areas.