PIT Compares 6×2 and 6×4 Tractors

FPInnovations’ Performance Innovation Transport (PIT) group, a not‐for‐profit engineering and research center for the North American trucking industry, has  announced results of performance evaluations comparing 6×2 and 6×4 trucks that took place during the PIT Energotest™ trials at the Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Test Centre in Blainville, Quebec in June 2013.

The test results show that 6×2 tractors consume less fuel than similar 6×4 tractors. PIT traction performance evaluations show that 6×2 tractors’ traction was also reduced compared to 6×4 models.

“The objective of our Energotest trials is to conduct controlled test‐track studies for the trucking industry of technologies that increase fuel efficiency and lower emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG),” said Yves Provencher, Director of PIT. “The results being released today scientifically demonstrate that for the vehicles tested, 6X2 tractors have better fuel performance than similar 6×4 tractors, which can lead to significant savings for fleets.”

In the evaluations of fuel consumption and traction performance of 6×2 and 6×4 tractors, PIT compared the following vehicles:

• 2013 Volvo VNL 64T 6×4‐‐Meritor MT40‐14XC rear axle, 2.64 rati
• 2014 Volvo VNL 62T 6×2‐‐Meritor RS23‐160/161 rear axle, 2.67 ratio; Volvo non drive axle
• 2012 Kenworth T660 6×4‐‐Dana Spicer D40‐170P rear axle, 3.21 ratio 2012 Kenworth T660 6×2‐‐Dana Spicer D40‐170P rear axle, 3.21 ratio; modified (emptied rear housing, removed the drive shaft between front and rear housing, change gears in the front housing, same ratio)
• 2012 Kenworth T660 6×2‐‐Dana Spicer D40‐170P rear axle, 3.21 ratio; modified (switched front and rear housing, emptied rear housing; gears not changed)

In tests using the SAE J1321 Fuel Consumption Test Procedure ‐Type II (SAE International 2012) for Kenworth models, 6×2 tractors consumed from 2.6 percent to 3.5 percent less fuel than similar 6×4 models. Using the TMC‐SAE Type III Test Procedure (SAE J1526), the Volvo 6×2 tractor used 3.3 percent less fuel than the 6×4 model.

PIT traction performance evaluations of the 6×2 and 6×4 tractors used a pull sled test to compare pulling distance, maximum speed and acceleration. When pulling the same sled on a similar surface, the 6×2 tractors traveled from 5.4 percent to 13.5 percent shorter distances, reached maximum speeds that were about 17 percent lower, and exhibited from 10.5 percent to 35 percent slower acceleration rates compared to the 6×4 tractors.

Tags: PIT

Category: General Update