For a variety of reasons, including emissions regulations, driver amenities, and fuel economy features, the basic required components of today’s trucks are heavier than they have been, as we noted in our Confidence Report on Lightweighting. In some cases, they have become as much as 1,000 lb. heavier over the past decade.
While not all heavy-duty use cases reached federally mandated weight limits, every fleet has to abide by those weight limits for tractor-trailers. And regardless of whether they weigh out or cube out, many fleets focused on sustainability are trying to carry more payload per truck. This is part of their decarbonization strategy, as more payload per truck means fewer trucks are needed to deliver the same amount of goods.
The good news is that vehicle manufacturers are finding ways to take weight out of vehicles, and fleets can save 2,000 lb. by investing to a limited degree in lightweighting, and as much as 4,000 lb. with more aggressive investments.
According to Andrew Halonen, NACFE’s lightweighting consultant and founder of Mayflower Consulting, aluminum extrusions are one way manufacturers are reducing vehicle weight. In an article in Light Metal Age, he discusses how aluminum extrusions provide structural support and retain loads in the trailer.
This is just one example of the steps vehicle manufacturers are taking to reduce vehicle weight. There are a variety of places where weight can be removed from the vehicle, including the powertrain, axles, suspensions, wheel ends, driveshaft, frame, fifth wheel, and more.
While no one is sharing numbers at this point, the EPA27 emissions will likely add weight to the tractor, thereby reducing the payload a truck can carry.
And diesel-powered trucks are not the only trucks where weight is an issue, or let’s say opportunity. Many alternative-fueled vehicles come with weight penalties, including battery electric vehicles, where batteries can add 4,000 lb. or more to the vehicle’s weight, and fuel tanks on natural gas-powered trucks also add weight.
The benefits of manufacturers reducing the weight of their vehicles include improved freight efficiency by allowing fleets to carry more freight per truck and meeting shippers’ needs for denser, heavier loads.
The biggest opportunities for lightweighting remain the frame structure and the cab, and engineering teams at truck and trailer manufacturers continue to push the weight reduction envelope, which will benefit not only diesel-powered trucks but will help spread the adoption of alternative fuel vehicles, including those powered by natural gas, batteries, and hydrogen fuel cells.
