Topic: What does the Future hold for trucks

[Ex-airbalancer]

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2014/02/truck-wars-manufacturers-wage-fuel-economy-battle.html

[tpl]

I read the article and a fair few of the comments.   I am surprised that there is  no call for the several million truck owners in the USA to call their congressmen and senators and tell them to legislate to force the EPA to change the economy specifications back to the current numbers.

[bye]

There will be a lot of hybrid power train technologies deployed over the next few years in the big vehicle space.

Imagine the GM Voltec unit upsized to 500 ft/lb torque and 3L range extender gas motor.

It just makes a lot of sense to match a high torque electric motor with a more efficient gas powered engine that can run at some set RPM ranges which provide maximum efficiency. 

Run the drive wheels exclusively off the electric motor to avoid the need for 10 speed transmissions as listed in the article.

Towing capacity wouldn't be a problem, think of the kind of power it takes to rush a Tesla Model S (a heavy car to be sure) to 100 km/h in under 5 seconds...

[Trainman]

I can envision some of the technology that is in use for railway locomotives being applicable to cars and especially trucks.  Get rid of mechanical transmission as Smart Electric notes, and use some of that computer processor power used on diesel/electric locomotives that mange fuel and power based on load.  There are some pretty successful hybrid diesel/battery/electric locomotives out there right now, so the technology is there and pretty rugged.

[EV Dan]

There will be a lot of hybrid power train technologies deployed over the next few years in the big vehicle space.

Imagine the GM Voltec unit upsized to 500 ft/lb torque and 3L range extender gas motor.

It just makes a lot of sense to match a high torque electric motor with a more efficient gas powered engine that can run at some set RPM ranges which provide maximum efficiency. 

Run the drive wheels exclusively off the electric motor to avoid the need for 10 speed transmissions as listed in the article.

Towing capacity wouldn't be a problem, think of the kind of power it takes to rush a Tesla Model S (a heavy car to be sure) to 100 km/h in under 5 seconds...

Voltec will be very expensive in the truck application, so it's a non starter in this competitive segment. But a Prius like hybrid system with a planetary gear set (no need for 10spd tranny) and a small Li-ion pack or better yet supercaps will save tons of gas.
P.s. What puzzles me is why no truck maker cares about aerodynamics. The current models look more like bricks than ever before. My '98 F150 had a more slippery shape.

[Ex-airbalancer]

There will be a lot of hybrid power train technologies deployed over the next few years in the big vehicle space.

Imagine the GM Voltec unit upsized to 500 ft/lb torque and 3L range extender gas motor.

It just makes a lot of sense to match a high torque electric motor with a more efficient gas powered engine that can run at some set RPM ranges which provide maximum efficiency. 

Run the drive wheels exclusively off the electric motor to avoid the need for 10 speed transmissions as listed in the article.

Towing capacity wouldn't be a problem, think of the kind of power it takes to rush a Tesla Model S (a heavy car to be sure) to 100 km/h in under 5 seconds...

Voltec will be very expensive in the truck application, so it's a non starter in this competitive segment. But a Prius like hybrid system with a planetary gear set (no need for 10spd tranny) and a small Li-ion pack or better yet supercaps will save tons of gas.
P.s. What puzzles me is why no truck maker cares about aerodynamics. The current models look more like bricks than ever before. My '98 F150 had a more slippery shape.

Despite a bolder and more aggressive front end, the Ram 1500 boasts best-in-class aerodynamics and, with active aerodynamics, a 6% aerodynamic improvement on the new truck (cD is now 0.360, vs 0.386 in the 2012, for regular cab / 4x2). The front air dam was extended downward to create a 0.6% improvement in fuel economy, while a new thermo-plastic material is more malleable, preventing breakage.

[EV Dan]

There will be a lot of hybrid power train technologies deployed over the next few years in the big vehicle space.

Imagine the GM Voltec unit upsized to 500 ft/lb torque and 3L range extender gas motor.

It just makes a lot of sense to match a high torque electric motor with a more efficient gas powered engine that can run at some set RPM ranges which provide maximum efficiency. 

Run the drive wheels exclusively off the electric motor to avoid the need for 10 speed transmissions as listed in the article.

Towing capacity wouldn't be a problem, think of the kind of power it takes to rush a Tesla Model S (a heavy car to be sure) to 100 km/h in under 5 seconds...

Voltec will be very expensive in the truck application, so it's a non starter in this competitive segment. But a Prius like hybrid system with a planetary gear set (no need for 10spd tranny) and a small Li-ion pack or better yet supercaps will save tons of gas.
P.s. What puzzles me is why no truck maker cares about aerodynamics. The current models look more like bricks than ever before. My '98 F150 had a more slippery shape.

Despite a bolder and more aggressive front end, the Ram 1500 boasts best-in-class aerodynamics and, with active aerodynamics, a 6% aerodynamic improvement on the new truck (cD is now 0.360, vs 0.386 in the 2012, for regular cab / 4x2). The front air dam was extended downward to create a 0.6% improvement in fuel economy, while a new thermo-plastic material is more malleable, preventing breakage.

I'd guess due to air suspension which can lower the truck, but could be other tweaks at play here.

This is what I thought would be a design direction of the future trucks; a Ford concept of unknown time of creation:

[neil]

Not just the active suspension, I read an article back when the current Ram came out in 2008 regarding the attention to detail they put into making it slippery.   Take note of the kammback like tailgate lip.  Next time you are close to one, look at the damper between the cab and the box. 

[EV-Light]

This isn't a big issue for Toyota, Ford, GM, etc...

Now Fiat-Chrysler will soon be in hot waters...most of their best selling vehicles aren't fuel efficient.

Read further: http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/ram-growth-fca-epa-cafe-powertrains/

[blotter]

While Ram will continue to say they are working hard to hit fuel economy targets, they really need to sell more EcoDiesel and Pentastar V-6 pickups to offset Hemi sales.

what i really don't understand is why RAM stops offering the V6 beyond the Outdoorsman trim.
want a leather truck?  engine options are V6 or diesel.   
So while this helps them make more money, upselling and forcing people to pay a premium, the Hemi is certainly not helping with CAFE targets. 

[neil]

The Hemi isn't all that bad though, it's hiway mileage real world is quite good.  My brother's '14 Ram gets the same mileage as my 2012 4 cyl Equinox at 110km/hr