21^st Century Truck Program releases technology roadmap

22 January 2001

The 21^st Century Truck Program, a new US multi-agency and industry partnership, released a “technology roadmap” for developing commercially viable technologies to increase energy efficiency, reduce pollution and improve safety in the nation’s trucking industry. The 21st Century Truck Technology Roadmap establishes technical targets and fuel efficiency goals for 2010, along with safety-relevant performance targets.

The 21 st Century Truck Program was announced on 21 April 2000, at a gathering of US truck and supporting industries, concerned environmentalists, and federal agency representatives. The program’s goals and research objectives are to

• improve fuel efficiency,
• reduce emissions,
• enhance safety,
• reduce total owning and operating costs, and
• maintain or enhance performance.

According to the roadmap, the partnership will support research aimed at developing production prototype vehicles that achieve all of the following objectives:

• Improve fuel efficiency of heavy-duty trucks and buses, specifically, by 2010:
  • double the Class 8 line-haul truck fuel efficiency on a ton-miles-per-gallon basis,
  • triple the Class 2b and 6 truck (delivery van) fuel efficiency on a ton-miles-per-gallon basis, and
  • triple the fuel efficiency of heavy-duty transit buses on a miles-per-gallon basis.
• Reduce emissions:
  • throughout the Program, meet prevailing standards for oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons.
• Enhance safety:
  • In 1998, truck-related crashes resulted in 5,374 fatalities and 127,000 injuries. The US Department of Transportation is committed to reducing truck-related fatalities by 50% by 2010. The 21 st Century Truck program will contribute to the goal of improving truck and bus safety by fostering advancements in vehicle design and performance.
• Enhance affordability:
  • maintain or enhance performance.

Source: US DOE