It's funny what you pick up at the most unlikely of places... At last week's Truck & Bus World Forum in Gothenburg Biglorryblog stumbled across this vehicle--which is news to yours truly and I suspect many BLB readers too. It's called the Renault Premium Optifuel Concept Optifuel or 'Optilab'and is a based on a super slippery Premium tractive unit and highly-modified Lamberet trailer.
Apparently it was unveiled in Brussels last September (no one tells me anything!) and according to the French truck maker it: "Proves that lower fuel consumption in heavy vehicles is not limited to the search for alternative solutions to diesel. With a more aerodynamic cab, a 30 cm longer nose, the concept vehicle uses more than 10 % less diesel and cuts CO2 emissions compared with a conventional truck."
Renault goes on to say: "Designed to handle high-volume intercity transport, the Optifuel/Optilab test vehicle supports a research programme aimed at reducing diesel consumption by 15% and lowering CO2 emissions in comparison with a current vehicle (i.e. a Renault Premium Long Distance 450 Euro-4). To achieve this goal, Renault Trucks will continue its work to optimise the driveline, engine and gearbox, especially with regard to ancillary energy use. The project will also serve to test a new high performance fuel, in collaboration with Total."
Moreover, it says: "The second source of economy comes from reducing rolling resistance, achieved by the new generation of tyres developed by Michelin, a partner to Renault Trucks in this project. Nevertheless, the greatest savings in diesel consumption and CO2 emissions comes from the exhaustive work done on the aerodynamics of the outfit." Now click through here for more.....and how you might be seeing one of these trucks for real in 2010...
Renault tells me that: "Improving the aerodynamics on the Optifuel Solutions Generation 2010 involves lengthening the front wraparound bumper on the cab by 30 cm. This is not just a matter of style, for Renault Trucks is applying the water droplet [i.e. Tear Drop] principle to the truck, a well-known automobile design trait that improves the vehicle's drag."
"The mirrors have been removed, supplanted by a clever camera-based rear-view system with five cameras + one reverse camera. The roof has also been streamlined and raised to 4.16 m, so that it functions as a deflector while the semi-trailer has been entirely restyled by Lamberet, another partner in the project. The new concept, with side fairing, under-chassis pan and streamlined roof extension, is designed to reduce drag, another source of consumption that is further reduced by adding 70 cm deflectors in the rear."
Along with recent calls from MAN and Volvo Renault reckons that in order to improve artic aerodynamics "...certain changes would have to be made to the current regulations on the dimensions of truck convoys. In fact, with these different aerodynamic elements added, the outfit has to be lengthened by about 100 cm in order to maintain load and volume capabilities." And just before you ask Renault adds: "The driver hasn't been forgotten either, for his behaviour behind the wheel is a key element in the efforts to reduce consumption. The Optifuel artic is equipped with a state-of-the-art driving aid system that provides guidance and instructions during the journey to help the driver optimise the productivity of his convoy.
The Optifuel artic is able to move 25 tonnes of freight and consume, on average, 5 litres less fuel per 100 km. And in case you though it was all show and now go, the demonstrator seen here has been circuit-tested to validate consumption findings "...with the view to launching the product by the end of 2010."
machine is wonderfull.