'Super singles' raise fuel economy-US study

Tire Business staff report

Greenville, South Carolina - A four-year US Department of Energy (DOE) study released this week reveals wide-base single truck tyres deliver 6- to 10-percent better fuel economy than duals, according to Michelin North America Inc., which supported the study.

The study, sponsored by DOE's Office of Vehicle Technologies (OVT), involved efforts to collect and analyse data related to Class-8 heavy trucks operating in real-world highway environments. The tyre aspect was one of several variables examined.

Carried out by the DOE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, the study is based on data from six instrumented tractors and 10 trailers driven more than 700 000 miles over the course of the four-year test, Greenville-based Michelin said. The lab's researchers found wide-base singles-the so-called “super singles”-deliver 6-percent overall better fuel efficiency and up to a 10-percent improvement with fully-loaded tractor-trailers.

“Our tests have found wide-single tyre technology to be more fuel efficient in a variety of real-world conditions,” said Bill Knee, director of vehicle safety research at Oak Ridge. “As we continue the national and global discussion of conserving energy, fossil fuels and other natural resources, this technology is a solution that is making a difference today.”

Data collected during the tests include instantaneous fuel consumption, speed, acceleration, gear, location, time of day and grade. A total of 60 channels of data at 5Hz for one year were collected and analyzed.

Half of the tractors were outfitted with Michelin X One wide single tyres, and half with standard dual tyres. Half of the trailers were outfitted with Michelin X One wide single tyres, two with standard dual tyres and three with dual retread tyres. Schrader Trucking of Jefferson City, Tennessee, maintained the test vehicles.

“This real-world field testing confirms what our engineers and designers have said since we launched the Michelin X One nine years ago-that replacing duals with wide single tyres not only reduces rolling resistance and saves energy, but also reduces the amount of CO2 we put into the atmosphere,” said David Stafford, chief operating officer of Michelin Americas Research Company.

This is an external link and should open in a new window. If the window does not appear, please check your pop-up blocking software. ERJ is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Staff report from Tire Business (A Crain publication)