Mercedes-Benz Actros reigns supreme in mpg challenge on both sides of the Irish Sea
Mercedes-Benz Commercials have boldly and openly being challenging transport operators/ hauliers to have their existing vehicles to go head-to-head with their new Actros. The Fuel Challenger programme invites them to then measure the diesel consumption of both side by side. And tests on both sides of the Irish Sea have proven that the new Mercedes-Benz Actros fitted with PPC delivers real fuel savings.
Initial reports from our nearest neighbouring market in the UK after one month was that it has made a winning start to a bold new initiative designed to prove beyond all doubt that it is a diesel miser. Of course that is as one observer said: “as well as being the smartest, most reliable and driver-friendly truck on the road.”
The UK summary showed that it won nine of its first 10 challenges, with the only ‘defeat’ being a narrow margin and Actros in that challenge was carrying six tonnes more than its rival!
The Fuel Challenger tractor units all wear a highly visible and very distinctive white and green livery, and all are fitted with Daimler FleetBoard telematics equipment that is providing pinpoint accurate appraisals of their fuel consumption during the trials. It also identifies driver’s behaviour in detail, including any driving styles differences over all routes driven by each driver.
There are five Fuel Challenger vehicles, all Actros 2545 models with 330 kW (449 hp) six-cylinder engines and aerodynamic StreamSpace cabs. Three are flat-floored, 2.5 metre-wide variants, the other two 2.3 metre versions with 170 mm engine humps.
Great results also replicated here in Ireland
Now here in Ireland Motor Distributors, the Irish importers and distributors of Mercedes-Benz Commercials also have run the truck and trailer on the same route for two weeks. The first week the truck was driven by three from the Mercedes-Benz Ireland team and the second week by three drivers from three different Irish transport companies.
We chose only to use the customers results as we felt this was a better indication of what could be achieved.
A spokesman for Mercedes-Benz Ireland told us that driving the same Euro 6 Mercedes-Benz Actros with a gross laden weight of 38 tonnes – over a 95.8 km long route (once without PPC activated and once with PPC activated), an average fuel saving of 2.8L/100kms or 7.8 per cent was achieved.
As in the UK, the Irish test vehicles were all fitted with Daimler’s FleetBoard telematics equipment that again provided pinpoint accurate appraisals of their fuel consumption during the trials.
Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles sales manager Fergus Conheady to TransportParts.ie that: ‘these latest results confirm earlier findings proving the effectiveness of Actros fitted with PPC when it comes to delivering real fuel savings. Over the lifetime of a truck, these results would add up to a level of cost cutting that no operator could afford to ignore.’
TransportParts.ie understands that the three transport companies involved in the Irish test were (in alphabethical order) Dixon international Transport, Noone Transport and Perennial Freight.