It is said that more than 75 per cent of all households in North America have at least one computer, be that a laptop, a desktop, a tablet or a smartphone.
With that in mind, it is a good guess that you’ve probably seen an email featuring the latest “Walmartians.” It consists of a number of still shots of overly large people who wear very little clothing in an attempt to shock the rest of us normal folks. Funny, but sort of sad.
On the other side of the coin, the folks who run that chain have shown the innovative thinking that goes on in their corporate offices. They recently unveiled a very strange looking, but very futuristic looking, Big Rig that might just change this industry.
Walmart commissioned the design departments at Peterbilt Motors, Great Dane Trailers, and Capstone Turbines, asking them to work together to come up with a combination that could be a game-changer. From the video I’ve seen, I think Walmart is on the right path.
First, let me describe the power unit. It is driven by a micro turbine, a battery storage system, and an electric motor.
The Capstone micro turbine can operate on natural gas or any other fuel. The emissions are extremely low. The turbine itself spins at very high speed on “air bearings” so there is no oil to change. The turbine is air-cooled, thus, no need for that big ugly radiator you see in today’s big rigs.
The elimination of the radiator alone is purported to increase the aerodynamics by 20 per cent over today’s big rigs, and that 20 per cent equals a solid 10 per cent savings in fuel.
Turbines were tried in the late-’60s, and while giving lots of power, proved not all that fuel efficient. They were quickly dismissed, and put on the back shelf. This may be their re-birth.
Still with the cab design, the driver’s door slides back, and the driver sits in the centre of the spacious cab, with an electronic dash in front of him, and to his left and his right. This design requires very little head movement to see all the instruments.
The cab also includes a full-sized sleeper with all the comforts of home. To me, the inside and outside of the cab looks like Darth Vader
on wheels.
The trailer is a 53-footer. (16.15 metres), with the side walls made up of one 53-foot long section of carbon fibre. This material is 10 times stronger than steel, and is much lighter than fibreglass. The overall trailer weight is almost 4,000 pounds, or 1,815 kg, less than today’s trailer of the same dimensions. That allows for 4,000 pounds more cargo, which translates into that much more potential earnings.
The inside of the trailer can handle normal forklift traffic, while the outside has skirts along the side and the nose is convex. This allow less drag, again, making it even more aerodynamic.
Walmart is currently testing this vehicle, so just watch as you’re driving down the highway, it might slide past you in the very near future.
Not to be outdone is a big-rig designer in Europe who thinks all of today’s heavy trucks, both in North America and in Europe, are totally inefficient.
Luigi Coloni is in the process of building a unit that to me, looks like one of the old British Airways/Air France SST supersonic transport aircraft.
Coloni’s design has wheels underneath, and no wings. It even has a joy stick, not a conventional steering wheel, with which to direct it down the road.
Listening and watching him as he gives a guided tour of his vehicle, I can’t help but think of a man who is on a mission to change our way of thinking. I found myself smiling in half amusement and half disbelief as I watched his video.
Sure, I’d like to give it a shot, but on an abandoned aircraft runway, not the highway. It is just so darn weird looking, I’d never get anything delivered, what with having to spend all my time at ICBC, filling out accident reports about the folks in four-wheelers who had smashed into me when they had encountered this futuristic monster.
Totally understandable, but be it weird or wonderful, times are changing, and trucks as we know them today are certainly not going to be exempt.
I could fill a newspaper with stories about life on the road, but why not share yours with readers? Send them to Driving editor Andrew McCredie at amccredie@sunprovince.com.
