The Eagle has landed 05 May 2011

Last year's preview of Iveco's Glider concept truck sparked considerable interest. Brian Tinham finds out what's behind the massive efficiency claims

So how does an annual saving of around £25,000 worth of fuel sound for a 'typical' artic covering 100,000 miles per annum – currently costing operators at least £60,000 in diesel alone? Ridiculous? Impossible? But that's precisely Iveco's prediction for its Glider concept truck.

So says Giandomenico Fioretti, innovation and alternative traction manager at Iveco's Turin headquarters. Speaking to UK transport journalists last month, he revealed that the engineering team took as its inspiration the eagle. "Eagles don't move their wings much; they simply reconfigure them for different flight requirements," he explains. "Our Glider is similar: it's about designing a truck for maximum productivity using minimum effort."

That may sound slightly kitsch but, with a target of an incredible 40% reduction in fuel and CO2 emissions, Iveco needed its designers to think outside the box. Still, it's easily said, and less easily done. Indeed, Fioretti concedes that the project required a radical approach to engineering, facilitated initially by a major investment in IT to enable much better collaboration across its development teams.

So how exactly is that stated 40% going to be achieved? Fioretti says many of the technologies either already exist or are just around the corner. He starts by pointing to the Glider's cab, which features built-in photovoltaic panels. "These are big surfaces and what we're doing is 'functionalising' them. Admittedly, we're increasing the cost of the roof, but we're decreasing the cost of power generation," he says.

It makes sense: as does the fact that the roof sees plenty of sunlight and is constantly cleaned by wind flows. Fioretti expects 2kWh of energy, either for use directly or for the auxiliaries when the engine is off – with power stored in "a high specific energy battery pack". The result: 1% fuel saving.

It's small, but next up is recovering this truck's braking energy, through KERS, using a motor-generator on the transmission PTO. Electrical energy generated during braking charges the battery, while on acceleration the electric motor provides a power contribution to reduce engine demand. On long haul, Fioretti estimates fuel reduction at 7% – which sounds more like it.

And so it goes on. Fioretti cites beltless engine operations, with auxiliaries solely under electrical control – allowing the engine to be dimensioned for traction only, possibly even downsized – leading to 5%. He also comments on thermal management, pointing to the Glider's closed front, which slices 8% off drag and shaves a further 1.5% off fuel consumption on long haul.

"We still need thermal exchange," he agrees, "which is why we've gone for enclosed side skirts and undercarriage but converted some of the surfaces into heat exchangers, using low cost thermoplastic panels to drive dual-loop cooling for the engine, and the intercooler and power electronics. We're already doing something similar on a Daily: it doesn't even need a fan now for urban delivery."

As for the rest, the menu includes: low power LEDs for the interior and exterior (1% fuel saving, and allowing 'adaptive stop', where the brake lights 'grow' with braking intensity); eliminating conventional mirrors; working with Michelin on automatic tyre pressure monitoring and inflation (potentially 4%); and an automated fifth wheel that pulls the semi-trailer towards the cab at speed, to reduce turbulence between can and trailer.

Fioretti even broaches exhaust gas heat recovery, based on the Rankine cycle, as a future possibility – although that project is currently mired in how best to store mechanical power.

Clearly, that 40% remains a little way off, but expect some very significant improvements much sooner. And not just on Iveco's heavy duty trucks.

Author
Brian Tinham

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