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The running costs of heavy-duty trucks are strongly influenced by fuel consumption. Even a small improvement in fuel economy has a big effect on fleet cost savings and pollutant contamination. From the different possible sub-systems to be improved, reducing the rolling resistance of the tires is a cost-effective option due to its relatively high influence on the fuel consumption without negatively affecting the overall performance. Nevertheless, the other causes of resistance forces, such as mechanical friction and aerodynamics must be optimized as well. The focus of the work is to propose an accurate methodology specifically for heavy trucks for the proper evaluation of resistance forces to allow accurate fuel consumption simulation. For this purpose, the results obtained in proving ground were post-processed by applying different resistance forces characterization methodologies and the results were analyzed theoretically and numerically.

The focus of the work is to carry out a study of the relative impact of the rolling resistance measurements on CO₂ emission and fuel consumption reduction for heavy-duty vehicles. For the purpose of the study, friction coefficients of the tires from tire test machine according to UN/ECE Regulation No 117 test procedure have been used. The rolling resistance coefficient has also been obtained from SAE J1263 and SAE J2263 procedure for coast-down determination on proving ground. The fuel consumption has been simulated and tested on the proving ground by following FIGE standard cycle and stabilized speed conditions. A simulation tool has been developed and validated by testing different rolling resistance coefficient tires, analyzing their effect on the fuel consumption. The analysis of the contribution of the tires to fuel consumption achieved on the test track has been correlated with the experimental results and those obtained from the simulation tool.