Renault Trucks introduces truck with lower fuel consumption
Renault Trucks has presented a truck with an improved Optifuel Lab 3 design. According to the information from the manufacturer, the vehicle will be able to save around 4 liters of diesel fuel per 100 kilometers.
In the new design the aerodynamics have been optimized, the transmission and tires have been improved. Engineers have equipped the car with a function of driving support, which is able to predict the driving style. A special system to control energy consumption makes it possible to reduce fuel consumption by 12.5% compared to the standard consumption of this type of truck.
Optifuel Lab 3 is an improved version of Renault’s base truck, the Model T. Development of the new design began back in 2017, and after lengthy tests the series was presented to the world. Optifuel Lab 3 was tested in real conditions, on different types of roads. In this way, engineers tested the truck’s operating efficiency, the level of fuel economy at maximum loads.
During the tests, the vehicle covered more than 15.5 thousand kilometers, most of which came on public highways, both international and within a particular locality. Testing was conducted according to a certain algorithm, which allowed to determine all the nuances of the truck movement, but at the same time to ensure the safety of other road users. Thus, the test vehicle was accompanied by a serial truck of the model T, which was equipped with a tent trailer from Fruehauf company. Tractors had the same Euro 6 engines with a capacity of 13 liters and 480 horsepower. This version is most often used for international transportation. This variant will allow observing the behavior of the new truck and already popular Renault model in absolutely the same conditions during the whole period of testing. It was noted that the Optifuel Lab 3 used 12.5% less fuel than the T series. Savings per 100 km were 3.75 liters, which was an excellent figure, and would make it possible to significantly reduce costs.
Another advantage of the Optifuel Lab 3 is the improved aerodynamics. According to new requirements from the European Union, the front end of the truck now has a more elongated shape and slope. In addition, the front spoilers have been redesigned. In this version, the spoilers are made of Polyrim, an innovative material that is extremely flexible. Thanks to this characteristic, the spoiler does not warp during maneuvers and provides the best aerodynamic qualities for the car.
Instead of mirrors, Optifuel Lab 3 is equipped with cameras, which increases the visibility and allows a clear control of the situation on the road. To reduce wobble while driving, the car used advanced tires from Michelin Tire Company.
