G. David Felt
Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer
www.CheersandGears.com

 

In looking at my other love , BIG RIGS, I came across this video online and found more info from Walmart about their new WAVE Semi.

 

http://blog.walmart.com/the-future-of-fleet-efficiency

 

Walmart has teamed up with Peterbilt, Great Dane Trailers and Capstone Turbine to create a modern 21st century Semi.

 

The new Carbon Fiber truck is 20% more aerodynamic than a standard semi and with 6000 trucks on the road daily, this alone reduces fuel use by a large factor. The great thing about the Turbine motor is that it can run on Diesel, LNG, CNG or Bio-Diesel. The all in one vehicle system combines the outside aerodynamics with the advanced control system, microturbine-hybrid powertrain and electrification.

 

The benefits in testing of this truck is the ability to ship 40% more merchandise over a conventional trailer, reduce cost by 24% and emissions by 14% according to the details released by Walmart.

 

Benefits of the WAVE Truck:

 

Center sitting like an F1 race car driver

Customizable LCD screens to monitor what the driver feels is important

Large weight savings, 4000lbs lighter in just the trailer alone with the all carbon fiber trailer

Turbine Green Fuel Hybrid powertrain

Convex trailer nose adds merchandise storage space in trailer while reducing air drag

Comfortable modern size sleeper

Sliding drivers doors

 

 

I wonder if whatever weight savings via the vehicle will just be offset by increasing the cargo weight/load. Of course, wouldn't be a factor on empty 'return' trips.

Yes, they would put more cargo on the truck, as gross weight would still remain 80,000lbs. But by putting an extra 4,000lbs of cargo on a truck, for every 10 trucks carrying an extra 4,000lbs of cargo, they could remove one truck from the fleet. Less trucks would be able to transport the same amount of cargo.

Series hybrid?  So all propulsion is done by the electric motors and power is supplied by the generator and batteries.  It's basically an diesel locomotive setup.

 

The diesel/gas turbine power thing I think is a non-starter.  General Electric, EMD, Westinghouse, and Union Pacific all experimented with the technology with the UP being the biggest adopter.  They all were found to be fuel hogs. Once the '73 Oil crisis hit, they started being removed from service.   Aside from the fuel economy, they all had substantial maintenance issues.

 

My guess, if this ever gets produced, is that they run a modern but otherwise conventional downsized diesel engine in place of the turbo.

So in searching I see that GM did the Turbine Semi concept in 1964.

 

 

You also have Luigi Colani who is pushing the design and efficiency of Semi's in Europe.