The Mercedes-Benz stand at the recent Hanover commercial vehicle show drew plenty of interested onlookers eager to view the company’s Aerodynamics Trailer which has been designed and developed to reduce the drag of the entire articulated vehicle by around 18 percent.
According to Benz, practical tests confirm fuel savings of 4.5 percent are attainable in long-distance haulage with a 40-tonne articulated vehicle. At a customary annual mileage for a long-haul semi of 150,000 kilometres, this means a reduction in diesel consumption of around 2000 litres, while CO2 emissions are cut by more than five tons annually.
When extrapolated on the basis of the mileage covered by all trucks subject to toll charges on German motorways, this is equivalent to savings of 300 million litres of diesel annually and a corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions of 800,000 tons.
The Mercedes-Benz Aerodynamics Trailer is designed to meet all practical needs without any restrictions. It is based on a standard 13.6 metre long box body for refrigerated goods transport and the aerodynamic measures leave box internal dimensions unchanged. In addition, it meets all the customary day-to-day requirements of haulage operations, from ground clearance through approach and departure angles to user-friendly operation of the rear portal.
The two partners Daimler Trucks and renowned trailer specialist Schmitz Cargobull have devoted special attention to practical considerations, with Schmitz Cargobull producing the attachments in close collaboration with Daimler Trucks.
Additional pictures of the Aerodynamics Truck & Trailer are available online at www.media.daimler.com
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