Iveco is preparing what it claims could be the ultimate fuel-saving heavy truck combination for press evaluation, having paired its Ecostralis 6x2 mid-lift tractor unit with Montracon's latest FST (fuel-saving trailer).
Montracon says its tri-axle box van semi-trailer returns fuel savings of up to 8% compared with traditional box vans.
Nigel Emms, press and PR director at Iveco, says it is now a permanent addition to Iveco's Dunstable-based press fleet, and is available for media appraisal and road test in the UK and Ireland throughout 2012, in conjunction with the Ecostralis AS440S46TX/P.
"With diesel prices at record levels and an additional 3.02p in fuel duty being added by the Chancellor on 1 August 2012, fleets need to be increasingly innovative, if they are to keep fuel bills in check," observes Emms.
"We're confident that pairing our ultra-fuel-efficient Ecostralis with this sleek new aerodynamic trailer will demonstrate a further way for fleets to save at the pumps," he says.
The Ecostralis features a re-mapped version of the EEV-rated FPT Cursor 10 engine, designed to reduce fuel consumption while maintaining performance. The 10.3 litre engine is capable of producing up to 460bhp and a maximum torque of 2,100 Nm between 1,050 and 1,550rpm.
Additional fuel-saving features include an 'Ecoswitch' device that uses vehicle weight information from the ECAS/EBS systems to limit engine torque, according to the truck's gross weight, which is claimed to ensure overall performance is maintained in line with that of a fully laden vehicle.
As for the rest, there's the EuroTronic transmission with its ECOfleet mode, which automatically adjusts to the loading of the vehicle to help fine- tune fuel economy; Michelin X Energy SaverGreen low rolling resistance tyres; higher gearing; and an 85km/h speed limiter.
Trials involving the first two customer Ecostralis tractor units delivered in the UK last year, to Bedfords Transport, demonstrated a 15.6% improvement in fuel economy when measured against this fleet's average.
Bedfords Transport ordered a further 12 identical tractor units on this back of this fuel performance.