Xstream Trucking’s TruckWings, mechanically controlled flaps that close off the void between tractor and trailer to reduce turbulence and increase fuel efficiency, will now be available as a factory option for compressed natural gas trucks and more widely available for diesel trucks.
The manufacturer announced Agility Fuel Solutions will be TruckWings’ exclusive CNG distributor, via the ProCab 175 CNG fuel storage system, as well as a non-exclusive supplier for the diesel market.
Fleets can select TruckWings as a standalone option or integrate the glass-reinforced wings, which automatically deploy above 50 mph, with Agility’s ProCab 175 CNG fuel storage system for Class 8 trucks. This system currently offers a range of 800 miles, which is even higher when paired with the aerodynamic addition.
“For the bigger gaps on day cabs, we're seeing up to 6% savings,” said Xstream Trucking CEO Daniel Burrows, who added sleeper cab get about 3% or 4%.
Agility has installed TruckWings on 750 CNG trucks so far. Installation in the aftermarket takes less than three hours.
“Agility’s trucking fleet customers are focused on fuel cost savings and on increasing the fuel economy of their CNG trucks,” said Eric Bippus, Agility’s senior vice president of global sales and marketing. “TruckWings are a great answer to this problem, as we’ve demonstrated in real-world use with some of our major fleet customers.”
Xstream also has done extensive benchmarking with UPS and was deployed on their CNG-powered entrant for the 2019 Run on Less Regional event, organized by the North American Council on Freight Efficiency (NACFE).
“Working with UPS has helped us make the product better and make it work in different types of operations,” Burrows said.
He said since the company's inception in 2016, their have been incremental improvements in engineering and the supply chain "and now we're going to market in a more comprehensive way."
Burrows, who was at the Technology & Maintenance Council’s 2020 meeting in Atlanta along with a pair of mounted TruckWings, explained that attaching the automated aerodynamic pieces also help the drivers.
When deployed, the truck acts more like a wind sock, Burrows explained, so the driver doesn’t have to fight cross winds. “We're a big win for drivers in terms of fatigue reduction and stability of their truck,” Burrows said.
Burrows also mentioned maintenance and repair could be reduced by allowing trucks to run with shorter side extenders. Longer extenders are more prone to damage, while at slower speeds TruckWings retract “inside the truck envelope” behind the tractor, where damage is less likely to occur.
