Wal-Mart Working For All of Us

[j54mark]

From a wire story:

"Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, announced that within 10 years it would double the fuel efficiency for its fleet of heavy-duty trucks to an average of 13 miles per gallon"

This is for 80,000 lb. semis. Of course, once they do that they will then learn how to raise the dead and will no longer need trucks or stores to make money.

But if they do acheive this goal, I can only assume that the rest of us will be able to buy trucks to tow our little 6,000 pound Airstreams at a 30 mpg clip, or better. That is something to look forward to.

Mark

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by j54mark

From a wire story:

"Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, announced that within 10 years it would double the fuel efficiency for its fleet of heavy-duty trucks to an average of 13 miles per gallon"

Yep it is called chip the suckers at 45 mph Actually Walmart is better than a lot, they are chipped at 65mph and you seldom see them speeding in the slower speed limit zones, they have onboard recording devices and the drivers can be fired if they are caught exceeding posted.

Aaron

[overlander63]

Of the 1970's, we averaged around 4.5 mpg with a tractor trailer weighing 73,000 pounds, if they are now up to 6.5, and hauling 80,000, that is about a 50% improvement...Only took 30 years to get it. I wonder how they are going to double current mileage in a third of the timespan?

[SafeHarbor]

Onboard hydrogen generation and injection looks like it'll be good for a few mpgs on the biggies. I don't understand at all how infrequent injection events of hydrogen or propane improves fuel mileage so much.

Lamar

[Tinsel Loaf]

You use less fuel for a bigger "BANG" = more go.

[wheel interested]

I think I saw on tv that they use an incredible amount of fuel too.

[Cedars]

Originally Posted by overlander63

Of the 1970's, we averaged around 4.5 mpg with a tractor trailer weighing 73,000 pounds, if they are now up to 6.5, and hauling 80,000, that is about a 50% improvement...Only took 30 years to get it. I wonder how they are going to double current mileage in a third of the timespan?

Four to four and a half gallons held into the mid to late eighties, then mileage crept up slowly. Our last truck was getting between eight, and eight point three, in 1996. Hauling up to fifty three thousand pound loads of steel or coils! Kept as close to 80,000 gross as possible because as you know, pay for OO's is based on wieght hauled! Bless those lightweight Frieghtliners! Even the cab and a half was light!
They are going to have to go some to double mileage, more like sixteen to the gallon than thirteen. Maybe it was to increase by fifty ercent and someone equated that with doubling? That makes sense to me... say from eight and a half increase by fifty ercent, add four and a quarter, almost thirteen to the gallon!
Going to take more than better engines, though. Will mean making the truck itself more slippery through the air... and redesigning trailers as well. And then there's the flatbed quotient.... how do you make a flatbed load slippery? Think of all the things carried on a flat... from tractors to Airstreams to coils to bar stell to timbers to shiingles and on and on.....
WalMart and fleets that only haul dry freight might be able to do it under ten years...


Elizabeth in Iowa

[3Ms75Argosy]

Here in Seattle, we have the first (or so they say) diesel electric buses. They're articulating buses (fairly long).
http://transit.metrokc.gov/am/vehicles/hy-diesel.html
I think they were hoping to get close to 10mpg with them, the reality is that they're getting around 8 in the city. I think the electric works better in the stop/go city cycle vs. the the long haul, but I guess there's promise.
Marc

[Pick]

I am experimenting with propane injection on my Duramax diesel. Some with the exact same setup as mine have seen 53 mpg on diesel and 21 mpg on LP. Cost per mile is about the same, depending on how much you pay for LP.

I was going to buy a diesel tank for the bed, to extend my cruising range, but it would have been over $1,000. I've achieved the same result for about $550 and got about 85 more horsepower to boot!

http://www.delucafuelproducts.com