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Sears' CEO has come up with a last-minute plan to save it from bankruptcy The Washington Post / September 24, 2018 Sears could face bankruptcy if it doesn't meet its next debt payment, due in the coming weeks. Now, the retailer's chief executive has come up with a last-minute plan to save it, after already shuttering thousands of stores and selling off some of its key brands. Eddie Lampert, who owns the hedge-fund ESL Investments and is also the retailer's largest shareholder and creditor, has asked creditors to refinance $1.1 billion in debt before a $134 million debt payment due Oct. 15, according to a Sunday filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He also called for the company to sell off $3.25 billion worth of real estate and assets, including Sears Home Services and the company's flagship Kenmore brand, which Lampert offered to buy last month for $400 million. In the filing, Lampert's hedge fund said it "must act immediately to have sufficient runway to continue its transformation" if Sears is to become profitable again. The company, which includes 820 Sears and Kmart stores, has about $5.6 billion in outstanding debt. "Eddie Lampert is seeking permission from himself to keep Sears on life-support while he continues to drain every last remaining drop of blood from its corpse," said Mark Cohen, director of retail studies at Columbia Business School and the former chief executive of Sears Canada. "The operation is a failure and there is no plan to turn that around." Sears said its board, which is chaired by Lampert, had received the proposal and had directed its advisors "to work closely with ESL." Analysts said the plan is likely to pass since Lampert is Sears' largest shareholder. Lampert's latest attempts may provide a short-term life line, but analysts said that it is not a sustainable plan for a company that has failed to reinvent itself for an era of online shopping. Sears, which hasn't turned a profit since 2010, last year posted a loss of $383 million. Sales dropped 25 percent to $16.7 billion. Sears, founded 125 years ago as a mail-order business, was for decades one of the nation's premier retailers. But in recent years, it has slumped, even as its competitors report quarter after quarter of growth. "Without revenue growth, Sears will remain a company at risk," Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail, wrote in a note to clients. "As usual, Sears is focusing on financial maneuvers and missing the wider point that sales remain on a downward trajectory."

James Menzies, Truck News / September 26, 2018 NEW ORLEANS, La. – With Hurricane Florence out of the way, I flew to Asheville, N.C. Sept. 17 with questions on my mind. A handful of editors were about to embark on a nearly 1,000-mile test drive in the new Mack Anthem, with a focus on fuel economy. I wondered, can I hit 10 mpg? Does turbocompounding work as advertised to deliver fuel savings? And how would my fuel economy stack up against more experienced drivers, and my editor peers? It was an insightful three-day trek that featured stops in Nashville and Memphis, Tenn., Jackson, Miss., and which wrapped up in New Orleans, La. The trucks, the route, the food Who ever said a test drive can’t include a little fun? Our route with six Mack Anthems covered 940 miles over three days, and we took in some sights along the way. We also enjoyed some good grub – in fact, the tour was dubbed by Mack as the ‘Gears, Guitars and Grub’ tour. It’s true the barbecue in Memphis is tough to beat. The fleet consisted of six Mack Anthems with some key differences. Two red tractors had the MP8-445C Maxi-Cruise engine (445 hp/1,860 lb.-ft. torque) with full aero package, but without turbocompounding – or what Mack is now calling Energy Recovery Technology (ERT). More on that in a bit. Two white tractors featured the MP8-HE-415SE (415 hp/1,760 lb.-ft. torque) engines with ERT, and Mack’s HE+ aero package for maximum fuel economy. These also featured a 6×2 axle configuration with liftable pusher axle. The two blue tractors had the MP8-HE-445SE (445 hp/1,860 lb.-ft. torque) engines with ERT and the HE+ aero package. All trucks were loaded to about 67,000 lbs – a pretty typical payload. The HE+ package features: predictive cruise, and a full aerodynamics package including a roof fairing with adjustable trim tab, an under-bumper spoiler, and chassis fairings with ground effects. So, from those spec’s alone, you’d expect the white tractors to deliver the best fuel economy performance with the blue trucks hot on their heels and the red tractors slightly behind. What’s turbocompound…er, ERT? Initially introduced on the MP8 engine as turbocompounding, Mack has elected to adopt the more marketing-friendly term Energy Recovery Technology (ERT) to describe this feature. It did so to avoid confusion with past examples of turbocompounding, which differed completely by taking previously wasted exhaust heat and turning it into additional horsepower to provide a performance benefit. Mack flipped this model upside down and instead uses the 50 or so additional horsepower generated from previously wasted heat, and uses it to take a load off the engine, improving fuel economy. It’s an efficiency-based concept, rather than performance-based. “Mack Energy Recovery Technology is an advanced feature of Mack’s MP8-HE engine that captures engine heat that would otherwise be lost, converting it to mechanical energy and delivering it back to the crankshaft in the form of torque. The additional energy allows the engine to operate at 1,000-1,100 rpm, improving fuel efficiency and life expectancy without sacrificing performance,” Phil Cary, southeast regional fleet service manager with Mack Trucks, explained to me during our drive. “Mack ERT is not applying turbocompounding in the traditional manner, which has been used to add more power to the engine’s output, rather than to relax the engine to improve fuel efficiency and life expectancy without sacrificing performance.” Mack touts about a 5% fuel economy improvement in trucks spec’d with ERT. But would the trucks with ERT live up to this claim on our nearly 1,000-mile route? Achieving fuel economy parity It’s often said that the driver can have up to a 30% impact on fuel economy, all other things being equal. I don’t believe that to be the case anymore, when driving newer-generation trucks with all the latest technologies such as automated manual transmissions and adaptive cruise control. These technologies are the great equalizers, which allow even a novice driver to rival the fuel economy of a veteran. I was curious to prove my theory during this drive. Jim Park, an editor with Heavy-Duty Trucking and Today’s Trucking, has two million miles over the road to his name. He knows how to coax great fuel economy out of whatever powertrain you want to put in front of him. I’m not too proud to admit that the rest of us editors lack that over-the-road pedigree. You’d expect Park to blow our fuel economy out of the water. But that didn’t happen. Taking the non-ERT Macks out of the picture, there was an 11% spread in fuel economy between Park – who achieved the best mileage at 9.5 mpg – and the rest of us. But Park had a slight advantage. The non-ERT truck he was driving on the final leg had to be taken out of service due to a mechanical gremlin, so his mpg reflected only his time in the two ERT-equipped models. So, for fun, let’s take the 9.5 mpg driver out of the picture, as well as the driver of the other non-ERT Mack. Now we get a 5.6% gap between the best and worst drivers in the convoy. As I suspected, the technology available from this powertrain brought parity to our small pool of drivers, while the veteran was still able to squeeze a little better fuel mileage out of the equipment than the rest of us. For a direct comparison, Park got 10.5 mpg out of the same white #4 Anthem in which I achieved 10 mpg on the dot. A 0.5 mpg improvement cannot be overlooked. Put the technology to work for you My goal all along was to hit 10 mpg, something I haven’t been able to achieve before. I achieved that on the final leg with truck #4, a white Anthem that consistently obtained the best fuel economy. Here are some tips that I followed to get there: I used cruise control religiously – as much as 85% of the time. I upped the engine brake setting while in cruise by a few miles per hour in order take full advantage of the truck’s momentum on downhill grades and rolling terrain. I kept my speed at the speed limit, or against the top cruise setting of 68 mph in 70 mph zones. And I tried to minimize the number of times the active cruise with braking feature of Bendix Wingman Fusion brought a stop to my momentum, by dialing back the cruise speed when approaching traffic. Getting comfortable with the technology The Mack Anthems we drove were loaded with technology, including the Bendix Wingman Fusion collision mitigation system with active cruise control. It can take some time to get used to active safety systems, such as those that monitor pre-set following distances and apply the brakes when necessary to maintain them. But I clearly became more comfortable with the technology in short order, as evidenced by my increased use of cruise control on each leg of the drive – from 74% on the first leg to 78% on the next, and finally into the mid-80%s by the end of the drive, when I achieved my best fuel economy. The key to the getting comfortable with the technology is to trust it, but not to expect it to do your job for you. Of course, ideally you can avoid brake applications altogether by dialing down your cruise speed when approaching slow-moving vehicles. It also seemed to pay at times, following a brake application, to deactivate cruise and feather the accelerator to return to the set cruise speed rather than letting the truck do so in a harder-charging manner. One mild annoyance is that anytime the adaptive cruise applied the brakes, the driver must manually re-engage cruise control. This is going to be addressed with the next version of Wingman Fusion that Bendix will be releasing next year. While adaptive cruise control isn’t meant to replace the driver, it was an aid that helped me achieve better fuel economy while also providing peace of mind that I had some assistance with me in the cab in the event a sudden stop was required. These active safety systems are proven to react faster than a human can. By contrast, Park admitted to spending more time out of cruise control, and his driving experience enabled him to achieve better fuel economy than I did while spending almost my entire time in cruise. It goes to show an experienced driver can still outperform the machine at times. It should be noted the Anthems on our drive should get better fuel economy once they are fully broken in, and when the predictive cruise feature “learns” the route we are traveling, committing the terrain to memory and then taking further advantage of the truck’s momentum when cresting and descending hills. What we learned For those of us who write about trucks for a living, it’s a rare treat to get to spend three days and nearly 1,000 miles behind the wheel. I learned a few things during this opportunity, from watching our fuel economy so attentively. One is that small decisions have big consequences. It can take hours to gain 0.2 mpg, only to see it all vanish within a couple minutes if pulling out to pass a truck going uphill or increasing your cruise speed by just a few miles per hour. We also confirmed that today’s technology can bring relative parity to the fleet, allowing even novice drivers to compete with veterans – provided they take advantage of the technology that’s available to them. On the truck side, we learned that Mack’s ERT really works as advertised. The blue trucks with ERT were on average 4% better in fuel economy than the non-ERT red trucks, and the white tractors came in at a super-impressive 14% advantage. Mack took a risk and showed tremendous faith in the technology by allowing us to put it to the test in this manner, and I’m sure they’re pleased with the result. I also learned that the 10-mpg truck is here today in the form of the latest model highway tractors, even for someone who has never put in time as a professional driver. It took the better part of the final leg of my drive to get it up there, and it happened on the last few miles before arriving in New Orleans, where I quickly slammed the truck into park and shut down the engine before even the slightest time spent idling had the opportunity to push me back into the nines. Finally, I learned that a truck can boast traditional styling, some hard edges, and still deliver tremendous double-digit fuel economy. And oh yeah, I learned that Memphis really does have the best BBQ. .

Cummins shows at IAA why diesel will remain 'primary source of power' Neil Abt, Fleet Owner / September 25, 2018 HANOVER, Germany. Cummins Inc. displayed various emissions reductions technologies at the IAA Commercial Vehicles show aimed making diesel engines more efficient. “With our technical advancements, we see diesel remaining as the primary source of power in the commercial vehicle sector for the foreseeable future,” said Tim Proctor, executive director of product management and market innovation. The Indiana-based company is also heavily invested in electric technologies. However, at IAA one of its showpieces was a concept emissions control system that could one day be used to meet a potential Euro VII emissions regulation, anticipated in the coming years. “This innovative system allows further reduction in NOx and PM emissions, while simultaneously improving fuel efficiency,” said Tim Proctor, executive director of product management and market innovation. Proctor added in a statement that other technologies under development to reduce friction and parasitic losses “will also continue to make the diesel engine even more productive and energy efficient.” Separately, Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies showed the Endurant 12-speed automated transmission for the first time at IAA. It was launched in North American in the fourth quarter of 2017 and company officials said sales have been outpacing expected demand. Endurant is up to 105 lbs. lighter than competitive automated manual transmissions (AMTs).

Mild hybrid aims to create long-haul fuel savings Jim Mele, Fleet Owner / September 25, 2018 Eaton's 48-volt system should offer significant fuel savings by removing accessory parasitic power drains while also providing engine-off AC when drivers are off duty. HANOVER, Germany. Calling it a mild hybrid, Eaton is working on the development of an integrated system that bolts on to a heavy-duty transmission PTO replacing belt-driven accessories with electrically driven air conditioner compressor, alternator, starter and invertor to capture and store electric power. The 48-volt system should offer significant fuel savings by removing accessory parasitic power drains while also providing engine-off AC when drivers are off duty. The company introduced the new mild hybrid system, which is still in the prototype phase, at the 2018 IAA commercial vehicle show. The single transmission-mounted package replaces a traditional starter motor with an electric motor designed for automatic engine stop/start functionality. When paired with Eaton’s 12-speed automated HD transmission, it can generate electric power for storage in batteries when a truck enters neutral coast modes. That stored power can also run an integrated AC compressor, providing cooling when the engine is off, either when coasting or parked. Fuel savings estimates for the hybrid range from 3% to 7%, according to Matt Nolan, global product strategy manager for Eaton’s eMobility division. The prototype could move to U.S. production by 2021, he said. The 48-volt transmission-mounted system can also provide 24- and 12-volt power for vehicle electric loads, and reduces overall weight up to 50 lbs. by reducing or eliminating cables and harnesses, according to Eaton. In other IAA news, Eaton also introduced a 4-speed transmission for electric medium-duty trucks and buses. Unlike single- and 2-speed drives commonly used in electric commercial vehicle applications, the new 4-speed is intended to offer both high efficiency at top speeds and increased torque for launch and low speeds. With a torque capacity of 885 lbs.-ft, it does not have a clutch and uses gearing optimized for electric motor performance. Schedule to enter production later this year, the 4-speed transmission has shown a 20 to 30% efficiency improvement over single-speed drives and a 10 to 15% improvement over 2-speed transmissions, according to Eaton. Truck applications include medium-duty refuse collection, utility trucks and other medium-duty commercial vehicles with GVWs up to 18 tons, the company said at the European introduction.

Ford expands partnership talks with VW, Mahindra to cut costs Ben Klayman, Reuters / September 26, 2018 DETROIT -- With its stock trading near a 6-year low late last month, Ford Motor Co. CEO Jim Hackett gathered the automaker's top 300 executives near its headquarters in Michigan for a global leadership meeting. Hackett's message: Ford must put in motion plans to restructure its business now in order to secure promised costs savings, Ford executives present at the meeting said. "We have clarity of purpose and now it's time to take action," Hackett told Reuters in an interview. A key part of that plan to save money calls for Ford to deepen partnerships with other automakers around the world to share factory floor capacity and develop vehicles together, Ford executives told Reuters. Specifically, they said Ford is engaged in talks with Germany's Volkswagen AG and India's Mahindra about expanding product and technology alliances. With Volkswagen, discussions are focused on how to expand a commercial vehicle tie-up they previously announced to include collaboration in South America and Europe -- where Ford is losing money -- and co-develop other types of vehicles, according to a Volkswagen executive and two sources familiar with Ford's thinking who asked not to be identified. Pablo Di Si, CEO for Volkswagen in Latin America, told Reuters the companies are studying a partnership in Brazil and the talks are "advancing positively," although he did not expect an announcement until 2019. A VW spokesman declined further comment on the alliance discussions. An expanded alliance would give Volkswagen access to some of Ford's most profitable vehicles, including the Transit commercial vans and Ranger compact pickups, said the two sources. VW could also help Ford strengthen its money-losing South American and European operations by combining vehicle production in those markets, the sources said. Separately, product sharing talks are underway with Mahindra & Mahindra, including using the Indian automaker as a benchmark to bring down supplier costs in the region, two other people familiar with Mahindra's plans said. The first vehicle from the platform they are jointly developing will likely be launched in 2020, they added. A spokesman for Mahindra did not respond to a request for comment. The twin efforts are meant to help remake Ford in conjunction with the $11 billion restructuring it outlined for the next three to five years. Ford needs to improve profitability because it is investing billions of dollars to develop electric and self-driving vehicles, and gearing up for a major roll out of products over the next two years. Hackett, who recently spoke with the heads of Volkswagen and Mahindra, told Reuters the alliance talks are going well and hold a lot of promise for Ford. He declined to comment on specific deal structures being discussed or locations, however. Broader product and cost-sharing deals with Volkswagen and Mahindra could allow the No. 2 U.S. automaker to reduce the number of different vehicles it builds and shrink engineering and purchasing costs, Ford executives said. Fewer vehicle architectures, combined with increased numbers of electric vehicles, would also help Ford reduce the number of plants and employees it needs for that work over the next several years, according to the two sources familiar with Ford's thinking. The moves are aimed to help Ford hit its goal of doubling global pretax profit margins to 8 percent by 2020, up from 4.3 percent in the second quarter of this year. Hackett remains under pressure to show results. The stock is down about 24 percent this year. "Hackett's job really is to cut the costs," said Edgar Wachenheim III, chairman of Greenhaven Associates, which is Ford's ninth largest investor with almost 33 million shares at the end of June. "You have this possibility that Hackett can eliminate the $4.5 billion of losses [in its weaker operations] that were there in 2017 and the earnings will shoot up." The capital demands currently in the industry have never been greater, Ford executive vice president Joe Hinrichs told Reuters at the company's headquarters outside Detroit. "A big opportunity is around leveraging other people's strengths," Hinrichs, who is president of global operations, said of the alliances. "There's a lot of opportunity to share capital, share engineering resources." Ford and Volkswagen said in June they were discussing whether to jointly develop and build a range of commercial vehicles, including vans. The commercial vehicle deal is a "quick win" and more will follow with VW, said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford's executive vice president in charge of Ford's product development. "If you look on paper, we complement each other really well," he said of Ford and Volkswagen. "There's opportunities for some synergies without us stepping on each other." Alliances also offer automakers the chance to share the costs, Hinrichs said. "Everyone wants higher capacity utilization, but they want someone else to come to their capacity, and so we have to work through that," he said. In Europe, Ford's Mondeo sedan and S-Max, C-Max and Galaxy minivans are set to be phased out when they reach the end of their product lives over the next several years, two other people close to the company said. That will ultimately lead to capacity cuts and job losses at assembly plants in Valencia, Spain and Saarlouis, Germany, the sources said. The level of optimism at the annual leadership meeting last month about Ford's transformation was high, and now those executives want to get the message out more broadly to employees, according to Ford's Thai-Tang. "We have the right plan," he said. "We now have to go execute and execute quickly."

Then upgrade to a 13-speed UltraShift Plus MHP (multi-purpose high performance).

Why would you even want to ???

Jim, I'm troubled by our Supreme Court concept, given that justices may remain until......death. Respectfully speaking, I think they should retire at age 70. Serving into their eighties is ridiculous. Of course, I'm for term limits on congress as well.

This is getting old real fast, seeing the headlines day after day after day. It happened what.....three to four decades ago? People evolve. Is it fair to judge the immature teenage Kavanaugh of 35 years ago by the convoluted standards championed by some today in year 2018? As Paul would say, it was another time and place, with different attitudes. Even today, when you travel from country to country, you need to realize and respect that you're in another place, with different attitudes. I personally don't care if Kavanaugh gets in or not......just tired of hearing about it. These women should have made their accusations years ago, told their parents, ect. (and avoided frat parties at Delta House).

Ford CEO Says Metals Tariffs Took About $1 Billion From Profits Jim Hackett, president and chief executive officer at Ford Motor, discusses the automaker's focus on new technologies and the impact of the U.S.-China trade war. He speaks with Bloomberg's David Westin on "Bloomberg Daybreak: Americas" at the Bloomberg Global Business Forum in New York on Sept. 26, 2018. Video - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2018-09-26/ford-ceo-says-metals-tariffs-took-about-1-billion-from-profits-video

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Green Car Congress / September 23, 2018 The Renault Master Z.E. (earlier post) is now available for sale in Renault Trucks’ dealerships. The Renault Master Z.E. is suited to last-mile deliveries. This all-electric utility vehicle comes in six variants—four panel vans and two platform cabs—to meet the varied requirements of professionals working in urban environments. It provides access to inner-city areas, even those with strict traffic restrictions. The Renault Master Z.E. offers a real-world operating range of 120 km (75 miles) and its 33 kWh pack can be fully charged in six hours. Its loading volume is the same as a conventional diesel Renault Master as the batteries are mounted under the front seats. To protect both the driver and the load and guarantee the safety of city-dwellers, the Master Z.E. is fitted as standard with a reversing camera, a reversing radar and a wide-view mirror. The truck also features the Z.E. voice alert system designed to warn pedestrians that the vehicle is approaching when it is travelling at speeds of between 1 and 30 km/h. The Renault Master Z.E. belongs to Renault Trucks’ all-electric range. This new line-up features the Renault Trucks D Wide Z.E., the Renault Trucks D Z.E. and the Renault Master Z.E. It offers capacities between 3.1 to 26 tonnes to cover the full gamut of urban uses. The Renault Master Z.E. features a 57 kW electric motor that delivers maximum torque of 225 N·m; maximum speed is 100 km/h. .

Green Car Congress / September 24, 2018 Renault Trucks is continuing its research into improving the energy efficiency of diesel trucks. (Earlier post.) With Optifuel Lab 3, the laboratory vehicle developed as part of the FALCON collaborative project, the manufacturer aims to reduce fuel consumption by 13% compared with a standard Renault Trucks T and trailer. Optifuel Lab 3 combines technologies relating to aerodynamics, rolling resistance, driver assistance, energy management and the powertrain. It brings together innovative technologies developed by a consortium of partners comprising Renault Trucks, Faurecia, Michelin, Total, FRUEHAUF, Wezzoo, Benomad, Styl'Monde, Polyrim, Enogia, the IFP Énergies nouvelles, the École centrale de Lyon (LMFA) and the IFSTTAR. Optifuel Lab 3 is part of the FALCON (Flexible & Aerodynamic Truck for Low CONsumption) project which receives public funding after selection by the French Public Investment Bank BPI France on the 23rd F.U.I. call for projects. Optifuel Lab 3’s technological developments will focus on optimized tractor semi-trailer combination aerodynamics, connected low-rolling-resistance tires, predictive energy-saving driving assistance and energy management functions, as well as an improved powertrain. Optimized complete tractor-trailer combination aerodynamics. The aim is to significantly improve the aerodynamics of the combination to considerably reduce fuel consumption, particularly by introducing a variable-geometry trailer. Developed by FRUEHAUF in collaboration with Styl’Monde for the fairings, this “adaptive” trailer is intended to automatically take on an optimized shape by using empty loading space thanks to a built-in control and command system and sensors. The tractor’s aerodynamics will also be improved by replacing wing mirrors with cameras, and a newly designed cab A-pillar based on a PhD thesis from the Fluid and Acoustic Mechanics Laboratory at the École Centrale de Lyon. Airflow will also be optimized by extending the front end and door and streamlining wheel arches. Side fairings will also be bigger and made from flexible material by Polyrim, like the side deflector extensions to provide continuity between the truck and trailer. Connected, low-rolling-resistance tires. On long-haul trips, tire rolling resistance accounts for around 25% of fuel consumption. Michelin will develop tyres with low rolling resistance for the laboratory vehicle by integrating innovative technologies derived from research projects. Renault Trucks and Michelin will also use data obtained by sensors installed in the connected tires. Predictive energy-saving driver assistance and energy management features. Navigation and traffic (Benomad), meteorological (Wezzoo), and tire (Michelin) data from Optifuel Lab 3 will be used by optimized predictive speed and cooling system controllers. This latest system will be equipped with new actuators to maximize energy savings. These developments will be accompanied by a new Human-Machine Interface specially developed in partnership with the IFSTTAR to provide the driver with an energy-saving, efficient and user-friendly driver assistance system. Alternator control will be made even more intelligent in order to optimize the balance between electrical energy production and internal-combustion engine fuel consumption. For Optifuel Lab 3, extensive work will also be carried out on the dual battery device with expected significant weight reduction and improved cold-start performance for the start battery and increased capacity and life time for the living battery. Powertrain: low-viscosity lubricants and Rankine waste heat recovery system. The whole powertrain will benefit from new-generation low-viscosity lubricants developed by Total for reduced friction. In addition, performance studies will be carried out on test benches and integration studies will be conducted for two types of waste heat recovery system architecture based on Rankine’s thermodynamic cycle. The research is being carried out jointly by Renault Trucks, Faurecia, IFPEN and Enogia. Optifuel Lab 3 will conduct its first on-road tests in 2019 and determine consumption savings assessments in 2020. .

The boys from (Resende) Brazil never fail to impress.

Green Car Congress / September 24, 2018 Brazil-based Volkswagen Truck & Bus introduced the e-Delivery electric truck (earlier post)—a battery electric version of the company’s Delivery mode—at the 2018 IAA Commercial Vehicle Show. The model will enter production by 2020. Volkswagen also introduced the e-Flex flexible architecture for the electrification of the Volksbus. e-Delivery. The Brazilian team developed a new powertrain and battery pack for the electric truck. The lithium-ion-nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery pack supports a range of more than 200 km (124 miles). The battery has a quick-charging mode which reaches 30% capacity in 15 minutes and 100 percent in three hours. The new powertrain achieves an output of up to 260 kW with a maximum torque of 2,150N·m. The truck’s modular configuration makes flexible assembly possible and provides more space for batteries. The vehicle is divided into three parts: a front module with the cabin and additional functions, a middle module with the batteries, and the rear module with the powertrain. The modules are independent of each other, so that the various components and designs can be easily combined for other electric vehicles as well. The model presented at the IAA has also been improved with respect to its intelligent systems. Pneumatic suspension and a smart payload reading system, for example, synchronize the load and electricity consumption in the eco-drive mode. The brake has three regeneration stages. This enables up to 30% of the power to be recuperated during braking. This energy is used to charge the battery. The regenerative brake engages before the pneumatic brake. The entire system can be adjusted according to the charging status or the driver’s preferences. Systems such as the air compressors, air conditioning, steering and water pump are controlled independently of each other, thus optimizing their electricity consumption. Axles, chassis, wheels and tires retain their traditional features and their robustness in the new Delivery line. They share platform components with the diesel vehicle family. Synergies and scaling can therefore reduce costs. Volksbus e-Flex. The Volksbus e-Flex is a flexible architecture for the electrification of this vehicle. The concept can be applied to any of the brand’s vehicles. It works with battery electric vehicles (BEV), hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), and range extended electric vehicles (REEV). The performance is the same, regardless of how the batteries are charged. The batteries, developed internally by Traton Group, can be charged using external chargers or a generator in the vehicle. The generator is driven by the Volkswagen 1.4 TSI Flex, which is currently used in the Golf. This engine can be run on gasoline or ethanol, and a version for natural gas or biomethane (1.4 TGI) is also available. The generator and engine set starts automatically by means of intelligent vehicle electronics as soon as the pre-programmed battery charging level is detected. . .

Matt Cole, Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / September 25, 2018 Daimler Trucks North America is recalling 4,500 Freightliner and Western Star tractors equipped with Cummins ISX15 and X15 engines for a fuel line defect. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents, Daimler’s recall affects model year 2017-2019 Freightliner 122SD, Freightliner Cascadia, Freightliner Coronado and Western Star 4900 trucks. The company says in certain driving conditions, such as on a long downhill grade, the fuel line may burst if the fuel pump cooling circuit screen is restricted. If the fuel line bursts, fuel can leak onto the road causing poor conditions, and the truck’s engine could stall without warning. Affected engines were manufactured between March 12, 2016, and Aug. 8, 2018. Cummins will begin notifying owners of trucks with affected engines beginning Oct. 28. The remedy for the recall is still being developed, NHTSA says. Owners can contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712 with recall number FL789 or Cummins customer service at 1-800-286-6467. NHTSA’s recall number is 18V-581.

Jason Cannon, Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / September 25, 2018 Paccar broke ground on a 400 acre greenfield in Columbus, Miss., in July 2007 – a site that would become home to the company’s engine assembly plant, pushing out its first units a year-and-a-half later. In the nearly eight years since Paccar opened its Columbus Engine Plant, employees have cranked out more than 175,000 MX engines. The 450,000 square-foot facility produces about 150 MX engines per day at a split of about 10-12 percent MX11 and nearly 90 percent MX13. Penetration rates for the MX in Peterbilt and Kenworth tractors hover just under 50 percent. “The MX11 has only been out since 2016, so I think customers are still trying to realize the benefit [of the MX11],” says plant manager Lance Walters. The structure of the plant itself occupies barely 12 percent of the campus where it sits and Walters says production numbers could potentially double through expansion. “As our engine gets into the market more, we’re going to naturally grow our marketshare more,” he says. “Our engine will cover 80 to 90 percent of our customer’s specs so that’s [the production capacity] that we need to be capable of.” Production of a pre-ordered engine begins approximately one week before truck assembly starts. The Columbus plant ships MX engines to Peterbilt’s Denton, Texas truck plant and Kenworth facilities in Chillicothe, Ohio, Renton, Wash., and Mexicali, Mexico. Dedicated carriers handle 11 outbound shipments per day with 14 engines on each load. The engine plant has been a zero-waste-to-landfill facility since it opened and heavily features motion-activated LED lighting. Nearly 90 percent of all material arrives in a returnable container – a figure Walters expects to push to 100 percent in the next few years. The air conditioning system uses a combination of electric and gas depending on seasonality. All the compacted graphite iron chips milled off the cylinder heads – about 40,000 pounds per day – are recycled and add about $1 million per year back to the company’s bottom line. “We didn’t try to get [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] certified but we built the facility with the same philosophies,” Walters says. Paccar, who employs 600 in Columbus, competes for employees in and around Columbus with the likes of Yokohama and Boeing, who each have facilities nearby. Would-be employees submit an application, take an online test and pass an in-person job simulation before facing a five-person interview. “We’re testing you for different values,” Walters says, noting that one of the interviewers is an employee from the production line. “They deselect a lot of applicants based on how they feel that person would be as a co-worker.” As rigorous as the process sounds, it’s effective. Turnover at the plant is less than 5 percent and under 2.5 percent on the assembly line. Paccar Engine Company sources parts globally but mounting political pressure on imports have mostly been a non-issue. Walters says about half of all engine components come from overseas, but “plenty” of stock sits in Mississippi. “Even with Hurricane Florence, we use Charleston as our port, we didn’t see any impact,” he says, “and we have long term agreements with suppliers so we don’t see any real threats from tariffs in the near future.” .

Broshuis Press Release / September 24, 2018 The easy controlling system of this new Heavy Duty is the biggest improvement in comparison with the old one. Because of the patented “push / select / pull” controlling system, the driver doesn’t need to get in and out the truck as much as he did before. The only thing the user needs to do is selecting the right container size and the chassis will automatically get to the right extension wide. All of this without any physical effort, mistakes and all very quick and safe. .

When sanctions were applied the first time, Iran switched to buying Chinese trucks which, by that time were becoming quite mature. Today, the leading Chinese trucks are barely a notch below the European trucks, so Iran will not suffer.

Esha Vaish, Reuters / September 24, 2018 STOCKHOLM - Swedish truckmaker AB Volvo has stopped assembling trucks in Iran because U.S. sanctions are preventing it from being paid, a spokesman for the company said on Monday. The sanctions against Iran, reimposed on Aug. 6 by U.S. President Donald Trump after his decision to pull out of a nuclear deal with Tehran, have forced companies across Europe to reconsider their investments there. Volvo spokesman Fredrik Ivarsson said the trucks group could no longer get paid for any parts it shipped and had therefore decided not to operate in Iran in another blow to the country’s car industry, which unlike the energy and banking sectors, had managed to sign contracts with top European firms. “With all these sanctions and everything that the United States put (in place) ... the bank system doesn’t work in Iran. We can’t get paid ... So for now we don’t have any business (in Iran),” Ivarsson told Reuters by telephone. Before the sanctions were reimposed, Volvo had expressed an ambition for Iran to become its main export hub for the Gulf region and North Africa markets. The European Union has implemented a law to shield its companies, but the sanctions have deterred banks from doing business with Iranian firms as Washington can cut any that facilitate such transactions off from the U.S. financial system. TRUCK EXIT Volvo was working with Saipa Diesel, part of Iran’s second-largest automaker SAIPA, which was assembling the Swedish firm’s heavy-duty trucks from kits shipped to Iran. Ivarsson said Volvo had no active orders in Iran as of Monday. A commercial department manager at Saipa Diesel confirmed that sanctions had prompted Volvo Trucks to terminate their partnership agreement. “They have decided that due to the sanction on Iran, from (May) they couldn’t cooperate with us. We had some renovation planned in Iran for a new plant but they refused to work with us,” said the manager, who declined to be identified. More than 3,500 Volvo trucks had been assembled by Saipa Diesel in the year to May, but none had been assembled in this financial year although the original deal was for at least 5,000 trucks, the manager told Reuters. Swedish truckmaker Scania, which is owned by Volkswagen, said it had canceled all orders that it could not deliver by mid-August due to sanctions, while French carmaker PSA Group began to suspend its joint venture activities in Iran in June. Germany’s Daimler has said it is closely monitoring any further developments, while carmaker Volkswagen has rejected a report that suggested it had decided against doing business in Iran.

Scania Group Press Release / September 24, 2018 A childhood spent around Scania trucks inspired Irish truck enthusiast to build a scaled-down S 730. Now it’s a social media hit, sparking huge customer interest. If you’re someone who views nostalgia as just a thing of the past, then think again. Wayne Auchmuty, an Irish truck enthusiast and design engineer, can tell you otherwise. Auchmuty’s childhood memories of doing his homework in his father’s Scania trucks led him to design an electric-powered, scaled-down S 730. It’s a child-friendly, ride-on version that has proved to be an instant hit on social media, with 600,000 Facebook views within 48 hours of the initial posting of promotional photos and films. Orders are already coming in from across Europe. “I grew up loving trucks” “I grew up with trucks and I grew up loving trucks,” explains Auchmuty. “My dad had Scania trucks when we were kids. His first one was a 111 in the early ‘80s, then he had a 141, a 142 and then a 143. My siblings and I spent a lot of our childhood being driven around Ireland on general haulage jobs sitting behind him in the back of the truck. “My dad used to pick us up from school and we’d go off in the evening and do our homework in the back of the truck while he drove. And when we’d come home at night, he’d carry us out asleep from the truck to our beds, before we went to school the next morning again.” Nowadays, Auchmuty is a partner in Athlone-based Lakeside Engineering Design, which specialises in manufacturing whole or parts of farming and quarrying machinery. However, his childhood experiences, coupled with being a father himself, made him consider the possibility of a new sideline to address a gap in the market by building the scaled-down Scania truck. “Three years of late nights” Our nostalgic designer knew to approach Scania before he got started, and after some initial encouragement from the company’s brand manager, Auchmuty was ecstatic to get a licence to make the truck. “Scania has been so helpful”, he says. There was still a long road ahead, but the designer and his team, now called Scaled Rigs, received the invaluable assistance of Irish distributor Westward Scania, which obtained 2-D images of the S 730 for them, after the designers had originally started drawing an R-series. “It’s been three years of late nights trying to get it right, but we’re happy with how it turned out,” he says. Now, mini trailers, tankers and even T-cabs are in their thoughts, subject to Scania approval. A torque that’s equal to a mobility scooter Auchmuty’s five-year-old daughter Lola is currently enjoying testing the prototype around the farm where his Scaled Rigs is based. The trucks are being made to order but these miniature marvels are not cheap: a fully-finished, spray-painted Scania model will retail at more than 3,000 euros. But perhaps that’s understandable, what with a 24-volt electric battery power that gives four-and-a-half hours of operation per charge, plus a torque that’s equivalent to a mobility scooter. And for all you Peter Pans out there: it takes an adult’s weight too! The price tag hasn’t put people off. “We’ve had a lot of interest from truck company owners,” says Auchmuty. Which just goes to show: never underestimate the power, or value, of nostalgia. .

Scania Group Press Release / September 21, 2018 Scania Product Manager Mats Waldekrantz shows us around the Scania G 450 XT 8x4 on display at #iaa18 in Hanover, Germany. .

Scania Group Press Release / September 21, 2018 Following six-month trials of the battery electric Scania Citywide in the northern Swedish city of Östersund, results are encouraging and Scania is moving forward toward serial production. “We have an uptime level which is basically in line with our conventional buses,” reports Karin Rådström, Head of Buses and Coaches, Scania. “The buses are performing very well and both the operator and the public transport authority are pleased.” Wide range of buses meeting diverging demands In developing battery electric buses, Scania adheres to its modular philosophy to meet diverging demands. “We know that all cities and operators have varying demands and that won’t change just because the buses are electrically powered. However, robustness and uptime will remain as important as ever.” “In the long run, the total cost of operating battery electric buses will come down since we can use and reuse technology and the same parts as in our conventional buses. That will also enable us to provide a wide range of different versions of electric buses, such as articulated variants and buses with different bodies.” Rådström underlines that battery electric buses are only effective in curbing carbon emissions if the charging electricity is generated through clean energy. In Östersund, the buses are charged on hydroelectric power and are thereby fully fossil free. “Otherwise, it’s actually better to operate a diesel bus.” Electricity and fossil-free fuels Battery electric buses are best suited for inner city bus operations that actually only account for one-fifth of bus operations in urban areas. “In different areas of the city, there will be different needs. Our electric bus has its place in the inner city but in suburbs and in traffic between the inner city and suburbs we have other solutions that we believe are more suitable such as buses fuelled by natural and biogas as well as our hybrid buses.” Meanwhile, Scania continues its trials in Östersund to the delight of passengers. “They like riding the electric bus because it’s quiet and the journey is very comfortable, and happy customers are what ultimately drives our business,” says Rådström. . .