The TruckWing solution is a fully automatic aerodynamic system that deploys at 52 mph.
Photo: ConMet
ConMet announced fuel efficiency results for their TruckWings aerodynamic device, which helps close the tractor-trailer gap, tested on CNG and diesel trucks.
The announcement was made at the American Trucking Associations Technology & Maintenance Council’s annual meeting and expo in New Orleans.
Tractor-trailer aerodynamics have made great strides over the past several years, said Daniel Burrows, vice president and general manager, TruckLabs, at the press briefing — but the gap between tractor and trailer has been a persistent challenge. This is the most aerodynamically inefficient area on a tractor-trailer and the most difficult to address in terms of smoothing out air flow around and over the gap.
“If aerodynamics matter so much, why can’t we make trucks more aerodynamic,” he said.
The TruckWings solution is a fully automatic aerodynamic system that deploys at 52 mph and directs air over and around the trailer gap at highway cruise speeds. Aerodynamics are most efficient at these speeds, Burrows added.
“And TruckWings helps all the way down the trailer,” he said. “It decreases turbulence coming off the back of the trailer, too.”
TruckWings is designed to deploy without any input at all from the driver.
“We knew going it t had to be a fully automatic system,” Burrows said. “We don’t do any driver training. The drivers drive they way they always have. That was a key design point for us.”
Rigorous Testing Program
Third-party tester Mesilla Valley Transportation Solutions conducted tests on Class 8 CNG trucks and Class 8 diesel trucks to evaluate the TruckWings product’s efficiency. The results demonstrated a 5.25% improvement in efficiency for CNG trucks and a 6.2% improvement for diesel trucks.
The testing methodology employed by MVTS for both applications was rigorous and designed to provide accurate data, Borrows said.
Two identically spec’d vehicles ran simultaneously at 65 mph on a 9-mile circle track near Pecos, Texas. One vehicle remained unchanged throughout testing, while the test vehicle had ConMet’s TruckWings device installed and deployed. This setup allowed for a fair comparison of the efficiency gains.
The efficiency improvements were calculated based on various factors including fuel consumption, aerodynamics, rolling resistance, and driver behavior. MVTS used its proprietary methods to analyze the data collected by sensors and data recording systems installed in the vehicles.
“These efficiency results are a testament to TruckWings technology and to ConMet’s commitment to developing innovative solutions that help fleets achieve greater operational efficiency and cost savings,” Burrows added.
The TruckWings device was created by Burrows’ company, TruckLabs, which was acquired by ConMet in November 2023.
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