I can assure you that drag is actually still massively dominant. A 'strong man' can tow a truck.....
And oddly enough per unit weight a truck is a lot more aerodynamic than you think, due to its length..
Sure, on a flat level surface WSM competitors can pull a truck for about 20m at maybe 2mph. They'd do a lot better with a car and it wouldn't be because of the aerodynamics.
It would be even more aerodynamic if it had a more swept profile. A 747 is even longer but it doesn't have a slab front for a very good reason.
Unfortunately idiotic max length rules preclude most kinds of bonneted truck so the opportunities for improving aerodynamics as they do in the USA are slim. If the numpties at the DoT had anything approaching a clue they'd realise just how many millions of tons of CO2 are generated every year by trucks just pushing air out of the way and would alter the length rules accordingly.
But I expect these "numpties" in DoT will, unlike you, know about Directive 2015/719. (That's the Directive which - among other things - provided for extra length at the front and rear for more aerodynamic HGVs.)
"to allow the addition of such devices to the rear of vehicles or vehicle combinations"
So its the rear only, not much help at the front.
"and any exceeding of the maximum lengths shall not result in an increase in the loading length of those vehicles or vehicle combinations."
No increase in the loading length, so thats longer tractors out the window.
You were saying?
"Paging Mr Boltar, paging Mr Boltar. Messrs Dunning & Kruger are here for you"
Sadly for him and you, it wasn't quite the drop the mic and walk off flourish he thought. I actually read it.
I was saying what seems to me worth repeating - that I've yet to see evidence that DoT officials are numpties.
I suggest you read the Directive more slowly and carefully as you seem to have missed some of what it deals with. A little taster for you:
"With the aim of improving energy efficiency, in particular as regards the aerodynamic performance of cabs, as well as road safety, vehicles or vehicle combinations which fulfil the requirements laid down in paragraph 2 and which comply with Directive 2007/46/EC may exceed the maximum lengths laid down in point 1.1 of Annex I to this Directive provided that their cabs deliver improved aerodynamic performance, energy efficiency and safety performance."
Note please "aerodynamic performance" + "cabs" (which AIUI are at the front of vehicles) + "may exceed the maximum lengths".
You may well think so, I couldn't... well actually I did, just a minute ago.
Thus speaks "Machine-Gun Huge"
michael adams
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Drag has virtually no effect on hill climbing ability (yes, it has some effect, but not compared to weight)
And frontal area has only a limitted effect on drag - the coefficient of drag is mich more important - and the amount of air flowing under the vehicle and how "rough" the bottom of the vehicle is, as well as how "streemlined" the trailer and load are - things like side skirts on the trailer make a big difference - as well as thegap between the tractor and the trailer, use of roof spoilers, and things like "air tabs". Even the existance of and design of a "roo bar" or bumper affecys drag on a truck - and a roof rack or bike rack can screw up the cD of a "slipery" car like a Prius
And American trucks "generally" have much better aerodynamics than Euto trucks which tend to be slab-fronted COE and Forward Conrol rigs.
The Romans, Vikings, Barbarians did not plan their city street layout very well and big trucks would be severely limited. Thankfully, the Pilgrims foresaw the future and started the interstate highways system.
I've seen a lot of stuff moving on had carts in the historic small towns. If they have a pickup, it is very small even compared to a Ranger.
Yeah, its interesting to pass them coming in the opposite direction on a normal one lane in each direction road. Some produce a hell of thump of air as they pass and with others you really have to be watching to even notice that its passing.
I they weren't numpties they'd f*ck off and do a worthwhile job instead of impeding everyone else's.
They have to, Americans only get half the horsepower from an engine as any other country.
The weight of the batteries and motors in a Prius makes them a very pointless idea. Plus they used a petrol instead of a more efficient diesel engine. A small diesel car gets more mpg than a Prius, and you don't have 3 grand of batteries to replace.
UK law introduced longer trailers a few years back. They could have easily allowed longer tractors at the same time. They didn't so make of that what you will.
Surprise, an EU document with 2 seperate sections that talk about the same thing.
Fair enough. It'll be interesting to see what the manufacturers come up with especially given there's no explicit mention of how much the length can be exceeded by unless one is supposed to assume its same as the 500mm mentioned in 8b.
And euro trucks are a lot less safe in a head on collision with another truck or the scenery. There's only so much you can do when the "crumple zone" is some sheet metal and the dashboard instead of 6 foot of bonnet + engine.
Yankee trucks waste so much space on the road.
It is weight, drag (from all sources), the shape of the power curve and gearing. If the driver is prepared to shift down any car has enough power to get to over 70 up a motorway incline.
The Mondeo version is 125hp. Theoretical 50-70 time in 5th (13.5 seconds according to my model) works out better than some older cars with 1.6 engines.
Frontal area does matter when the typical car tailgating down the outside lane now is twice the size of cars 20 years ago. (Maybe I'm confused, I thought that tailgating when there is no gap to pull into on the left was impatience, perhaps it is to save fuel.)
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