Commercial Vehicles Publications

Advanced insulation packages, solar reflective film, and other thermal-management technologies enable heavy vehicles to reduce idle climate control loads, as demonstrated by NREL's CoolCab project in collaboration with industry OEMs and suppliers.

Automated road trains such as the one demonstrated on a test track in Tsukuba City, Japan, help prove out new truck platooning technology for real-world use. Similar programs have been conducted in Europe and the U.S.

Climate control can reduce electric-vehicle range by up to 46% from A/C usage in hot weather and up to 68% from electric heaters in cold temps. Tests of a solar glass windshield at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory show 4% savings in required A/C cooling capacity, providing an up to 1.0 mi (1.6 km) increase in vehicle range.

Phil Zulueta, Chairman of the SAE G-19 Committee, provides an update on committee subcommittee activities.

Kevin Woock, Henkel's Global Market Segment Manager for Automotive, explains how the Bonderite Flex Process, which uses zirconium oxide pretreatment instead of conventional zinc phosphating, enables processing of up to 85% aluminum content on vehicles vs. 25% with zinc phosphate coating.