Let's Discuss the Aero Features of This Truck
 

I would like to see that in a van or mobile home too - makes sense and a great idea.

Weeeellllll, it looks safe, but not so aerodynamic... To me anyway.

First reaction: Holy Rumpler, Batman!

Right down to the central driving position and absense of external mirrors.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...opfenwagen.jpg


Second thought: the transition from the top of the windshield to the roof seems too sharp (even Rumpler's car appears to have a more generous curve at that point). The fact that engine cooling is exhausted through the roof is interesting, but even considering that would help to raise pressure behind the transition, it's a little hard to believe the sharp angle wouldn't generate a lot of turbulence. Would be interesting to see a smoke or tuft test to visualize airflow up there.

A similar test would be interesting at the lower part of the windshield to see the effect on flow of those cooling inlets at its base.

Other stuff: nice tight front wheel arch to tire gaps; smooth & flush bodywork from the front to rear wheels is good; the wheels themselves could be cleaner - the diagram appears to show a dish shape. Why not go smooth?

the shape might be intended to deflect more air sideways than over the truck.

the sides of a truck+trailer would easyly make out two to thee times more the aerodynamic surface than the top of the trailer so yo might want to keep the flow attached as much as possible there. the front roofline looks as though it might defect the air upward and since most trailers are higher than the truck this migh work in combination with the standard roof fairing in front of the trailer.

i'd like to see this design on the road, as it offers much better sideway visibility. many cyclists die every year because they're in a blind spot of trucks making a right turn.

Yep deflecting the air to the sides gives twice the amount of room for the air to get out of the way as going over the top. Simple curved windshield works best optically and is the next best shape to a sphere. It also forces air downwards away from the top and reduces glare - ever have a flat windshield blind you from the sun reflection?

Truck design being relatively slow to change, I'm glad to see Volvo proposing something as radical as this.

With this design, Volvo semi drivers should be aware of any drafters in their vicinity. I think we can appreciate that!

Gee, I'd hate to get a windshield crack in that one! Spendy.

Looks like they're catching up to Colani... Except he did it in the 80's :p

https://www.freiburg-hochdorf-gewerbe...i%20Truck1.jpg
https://www.io.tudelft.nl/public/vdm/...lani/col11.jpg

I guess it looks good. The fact remains,, we need to stop long haul trucking. Only use them for Local and reginal PUD. The trains need to be doing the heavy cross country stuff.

psy

trebuchet03 -

Colani! Oh yeah, I remember him! I think I saw his wild stuff in the ID (Industrial Design) magazine. Here's a cool car he did :

Attachment 405

CarloSW2

yeah that dude is has some insane ideas

Trains??? Railroads are a monopoly, and they give terrible service. We ship fertilizer around the country, and you cannot believe what a royal pain in the arse rail shipments are.

First, to get a rail car from our plant (south of Boston, MA) to Selkirk, NY takes 7 days! A round trip to Baltimore takes 28 days. This is abysmal service, and we have to maintain a huge fleet of leased cars because they're always tied up in transit.

Second, the price difference between trucking and rail is relatively small.

Third, few of our customers have rail sidings.

Fourth, shipping on two different railroads costs more than trucking. It's OK if we just ship on CSX, but add a short leg on Norfolk Southern, for example, and the price goes out of sight.

I have a better idea: Abolish railroads and ship everything in tandem and triple trailer trucks. Multi - trailers are a lot more efficient than singles.

Hmm, looks like there is some competition for the funny shaped semi!

https://www.tokyo-motorshow.com/show/...isuzu/FL-4.jpg

This one is an Isuzu

Good find, red91sit!

There certainly are similarities between the two designs.

Look at the new Freightliner I found while comparing the Isuzu and Volvo.

Go to the image gallery and look at the third photo in the second row. I don't see them in any of the other photos, but are those vortex generators on the section between the cab and trailer?

Here's Freightliner's page for the Cascadia. Be sure to watch the windtunnel video.

I like how the driver compartment looks, much like this style of small helicopter: https://www.centennialofflight.gov/es...ter/DI27G2.jpg
Although, what about the engine? Is is midengined? I think a midengine design would be good in the absence of a load (i.e. handling). It seems if the driver position could be variable in height further gains would be possible (It appears unnecessary to be so high up all the time, and a midlevel position looks optimal to influence the downwind airflow of the cargo).
Again, I like the looks of this and assume the crash characteristics (materials) prevent its construction.
Aerodynamics of trucks should of come along much further than it has, it seems the box styling has move into overall passenger vehicles unfortunately.
I saved a pdf entitled "Aerodynamic drag of heavy vehicles (class 7-8): simulation and benchmarking." It includes testing of a small boattail. I think a clear inflatable "bladder" that has an optimized shape would work well for a semi trailer rear.
If I recall correctly, long ago on Discovery channel's beyond 2000, the dead space between the driver cab and the cargo box was proposed to be shortened during transit (at speed) and extended at low speeds to allow turning.
It is disappointing to see their use of the aerosol wand at such low air speeds. I want to see the truck aerodynamics in use at the intended airspeed. :confused:

This (Click link) was something recent also on semitrailer tires that may add to discussion.

This might work well...

Frontal Area
 

Without the luxury of a wind tunnel, I'm concerned mostly about frontal area in this design.

Granted, conventional designs have an air deflector for the trailer (which isn't necessary for this design) but the front glass is obviously enormous!

Kudos tho, for a new design in a very traditional industry.

RH77