LISLE, Ill., Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Navistar
today unveiled its innovative SuperTruck demonstration vehicle,
CatalIST, which has achieved a freight efficiency improvement of
104 percent compared to the control vehicle, exceeding the
improvement goal set by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the
SuperTruck program.
In addition, the Navistar vehicle has achieved fuel efficiency
of 13 miles per gallon, and demonstrated 50.3 percent Brake Thermal
Efficiency (BTE) and a path towards 55 percent BTE.
The last three letters of the vehicle's name, the CatalIST,
stand for "International SuperTruck," referencing the company's
International® commercial truck brand. The "CatalIST"
concept underscores the company's conviction that the innovations
achieved through the program will serve as the catalyst for
significant improvements in future commercial vehicles.
"The CatalIST's significant improvements in freight efficiency,
achieved with the support of DOE's SuperTruck program, demonstrate
tremendous potential for reduction in the trucking industry's
consumption of energy," said Mark
Stasell, vice president, Product Development. "In addition,
a number of the technology innovations we have achieved through the
program are already being implemented in production vehicles
today."
Stasell pointed to Navistar's predictive cruise control
technology as one example of a significant technical innovation the
company achieved through the program. Predictive cruise control
looks ahead of the vehicle and recognizes the terrain and
continuously calculates the most efficient speed and gear for
optimal fuel economy in real time. Unlike conventional predictive
cruise technology, the company's predictive cruise control uses
preinstalled GPS maps and the latest commercial route data to make
adjustments to cruising speed without the need to pre-drive the
route.
Other improvements included:
- Advanced integration of Navistar® N13 Engine
utilizing proprietary intelligent controls and high efficiency
combustion.
- Reduction in aerodynamic drag through replacement of cab- and
hood-mounted mirrors with a series of cameras and interior-mounted
monitors, which also yield equal or better indirect vision for the
driver.
- A new LED headlamp system that reduces lamp size for a more
aerodynamic shape and cuts electrical power requirements by greater
than 80 percent, while improving luminous output and light color
for improved night-time direct driver vision and reduced driver
fatigue.
- An all-new shape with a sloped windshield and wedged cab for
improved aerodynamics. Innovative use of lighter-weight
carbon-fiber panels in the upper body, roof headers, back panel,
and dash panel.
- A hybrid front suspension and lightweight rear suspension that
leverages lightweight alloys with composite materials, reducing
weight and enabling an electronic ride height management system,
which provides dynamic ride height and pitch control for improved
aerodynamics.
- Aerodynamic improvements that reduce the trailer's drag
coefficient by more than 30 percent.
The DOE's SuperTruck program, a five-year-long research and
development initiative, focused on improving freight efficiency, a
measure of the payload carried while burning less fuel, versus 2009
base model trucks. Its objective was to develop and demonstrate a
50 percent improvement in overall freight efficiency on a
heavy-duty Class 8 tractor-trailer vehicle as measured in ton-miles
per gallon of diesel fuel.
About Navistar
Navistar International Corporation
(NYSE: NAV) is a holding company whose subsidiaries and affiliates
produce International® brand commercial and military
trucks, proprietary diesel engines, and IC Bus™ brand
school and commercial buses. An affiliate also provides truck and
diesel engine service parts. Another affiliate offers financing
services. Additional information is available at
www.Navistar.com.
* All marks are trademarks of their respective
owners.
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SOURCE Navistar International Corporation