DOE Wrapping Up Fuel-Saving Project

April 2, 2004
After four years of work, the Department of Energy is on the verge of completing its ‘More Electric Truck’ program aimed at improving the fuel economy of Class 8 trucks. “Our country is importing too much oil and as we all know this industry has a huge fuel cost,” explained Jules Routbort, technical program manager for the project. “The U.S. consumes 880 million gallons of petroleum fuel per day and

After four years of work, the Department of Energy is on the verge of completing its ‘More Electric Truck’ program aimed at improving the fuel economy of Class 8 trucks.

“Our country is importing too much oil and as we all know this industry has a huge fuel cost,” explained Jules Routbort, technical program manager for the project. “The U.S. consumes 880 million gallons of petroleum fuel per day and two-thirds of that is consumed by the transportation networks in the U.S. So we need to increase the fuel efficiency of trucks in order to lower our oil consumption as a nation, and also help lower the trucking industry’s operational costs.”

The $4.8-million project – the cost split equally between the government and private sector participants – is aimed at increasing Class 8 fuel economy to 10 miles per gallon. While this goal hasn’t been reached, Routbort said the project has come very close – improving the average Class 8 truck’s fuel economy by 8% primarily by developing systems, such as battery-powered auxiliary generators, to eliminate engine idling.

DOE said fleet tests of the technology developed by the More Electric Truck program will start this summer and results should be made available to truck OEMs by October 2005.

About the Author

Sean Kilcarr | Editor in Chief

Sean reports and comments on trends affecting the many different strata of the trucking industry -- light and medium duty fleets up through over-the-road truckload, less-than-truckload, and private fleet operations Also be sure to visit Sean's blog Trucks at Work where he offers analysis on a variety of different topics inside the trucking industry.

Sponsored Recommendations

Tackling the Tech Shortage: Lessons in Recruiting Talent and Reducing Turnover

Discover innovative strategies for recruiting and retaining tech talent in the trucking industry at our April 16th webinar, where experts will share insights on competitive pay...

Stop Sweating Temperature Excursions

Advanced chemical indicators give you the peace of mind that comes from reliable insights into your supply chains. Compromised shipments can be identified the moment they arrive...

Stop Sweating Temperature Excursions

Advanced chemical indicators give you the peace of mind that comes from reliable insights into your supply chains. Compromised shipments can be identified the moment they arrive...

How Electric Vehicles Help You Prolong the Life of Your Fleet

Before adopting electric vehicles for commercial/government fleets, prioritize cost inquiries. Maintenance is essential; understand the upkeep of EV fleets. Here’s what you need...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of FleetOwner, create an account today!