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Scania Group Press Release / July 5, 2018 An ongoing strike at one of its crucial suppliers of casted engine components means that Scania is unable to fulfil its deliveries to customers of more than 2,000 trucks ordered with V8 engines. New sales of industrial and marine V8 engines are also affected. “I deeply regret that we are currently unable to offer customers the Scania V8 engine, which is the industry benchmark and part of our company’s DNA. Our sales organisation is now focusing on being able to offer alternative 13-litre engines or other solutions to ensure that affected customers can meet commitments to their customers. It is simply about ensuring that we make every effort to maintain our customers’ confidence,” says Christian Levin, Executive Vice President and Head of Sales and Marketing. The current strike has been in progress since 14 June. Scania has also earlier this year suffered from disruptions in deliveries from this particular supplier. “We have a history of more than 20 years of partnership with this supplier. We are doing the utmost to secure and optimise our supply chain in order to avoid further inconvenience to our customers,” says Anders Williamsson, Executive Vice President and Head of Purchasing. .

Renault Trucks Press Release / July 9, 2018 Renault Trucks will be exclusively presenting its new 100% electric Z.E. range at the forthcoming IAA trade show in Hanover, due to be held between 20 and 27 September 2018. On its 1,700 m2 stand, the French constructor will also be displaying vehicles from its Euro 6 range, together with its latest research and development work. Renault Trucks will be exhibiting seven vehicles (Hall 17 Stand 21) at the 67th IAA trade show taking place between 20 and 27 September 2018 in Hanover, Germany. The spotlight will be on electric mobility on the French constructor's stand, as Renault Trucks will be presenting vehicles from its Z.E. range. As a pioneer in electro-mobility, Renault Trucks has just announced the launch of its second generation of 100% electric vehicles, featuring trucks designed for urban use, which visitors to the 2018 IAA will be able to view exclusively on the Renault Trucks stand, since the instructor will be displaying a Master Z.E and a D Wide Z.E., fitted with a refuse collector body. Although Renault Trucks has long considered electro-mobility to be the answer to air quality and noise issues in cities, when it comes to long distance road transport, the French constructor is convinced that diesel will remain the dominant form of energy for many years to come. This is why Renault Trucks is continuing its research into improving the energy efficiency of diesel vehicles and will be unveiling details of its FALCON (Flexible & Aerodynamic Truck for Low CONsumption) research project at the IAA trade show. Racing enthusiasts will be excited to see the very latest Renault Trucks limited edition on its stand, namely the T High Renault Sport Racing, set to be launched in September 2018. Limited to just 100 vehicles and with a decidedly sporty look, the T High Renault Sport Racing features Sirius yellow paint – the iconic colour of Renault Sport Racing Formula One – and the yellow and black check that forms the graphic identity of Renault Sport models. Last but not least, visitors looking for a thrill will have the opportunity of experiencing a rally raid at the wheel of a Renault Trucks K, thanks to two new driving simulators, involving virtual reality helmets and seats mounted on cylinders. Vehicles displayed on the Renault Trucks stand: - D Wide Z.E. 26 t, 6x2 carrier, fitted with an electric engine. - Master Z.E. 3.1 t, fitted with an electric engine. - D 14, 240 hp, fitted with a 5 L Euro 6 engine, xTL compatible. - T High 520, 4x2 tractor, Renault Sport Racing limited series, fitted with a 13 L Euro 6 engine. - T High 520 Maxispace, 4x2 tractor, fitted with a 13 L Euro 6 engine. - T 460 Sleeper Cab, 6x2 carrier, fitted with a 11 L Euro 6 engine. - C 480 Optitrack+ 4x2, fitted with a 13 L Euro 6 engine. Renault Trucks Financial Services advisers will be available on the stand to offer customers personalised financing and insurance solutions. .

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Scania Group Press Release / July 8, 2018 It was one of the most exotic and exciting adventures in the history of transport: a round-trip of more than 18,000 km between Norway and the Persian Gulf. In the late 1960s and into the 70s, a few daring men drove what became legendary truck routes – the Bandar Abbas Express and the Dubai Road Express, transporting parts to ships stuck in the Gulf due to conflict and unrest in the Middle East. From snow-covered mountain passes to the scorching desert heat, it was a small band of intrepid drivers that chose to venture into the unknown, driving across unpaved desert and relying at times on handmade maps that they charted out through the years. Revisiting the 1976 Dubai Road Express film produced for Scania, we take a trip down memory lane with some of these brave and now legendary truck drivers, looking back at a unique moment in the history of trucking. This is the story of a handful of tough, groundbreaking drivers behind the wheel of some of the most reliable trucks ever made; vehicles that served as their trusted companions, transporting them thousands of kilometres from home. .

Iveco Truck & Bus Press Release / July 11, 2018 IVECO stand at IAA 2018, in collaboration with SHELL, will be a Low Emission Area – 100% Diesel Free – displaying a full offering of alternative Electric, CNG and LNG traction vehicles available on the market today to cover every mission from passenger transport to long-distance haulage. IVECO’s display will highlight the far-reaching environmental benefits of natural gas in transport – which can deliver emissions cuts of more than 90% for NO2, 99% for particulate matter and 95% for CO2 with biomethane – and of electric technology in specific urban transport missions. At the IAA 2018 IVECO will collaborate with Shell, which shares the belief that de-carbonisation of the transport sector requires a range of fuels and technologies. Also on the IVECO stand will be key customers and a bodybuilder. IVECO will hold a Round Table on “The energy transition towards a sustainable future” and host a series of workshops exploring specific topics relating to the adoption of alternative traction technologies in the transport sector and the opportunities for a circular economy approach. IVECO will participate in the 67th edition of the IAA Commercial Vehicles (IAA) , the most important international event in the commercial vehicle industry, which will be held in Hanover from September 20 to 27, 2018. IVECO will dedicate its presence at the exhibition to sustainable transport. On its stand, which will be a Low Emission Area, it will showcase its full offering of alternative traction vehicles, available on the market today, and able to match the requirements of every mission, from passenger transport to long-distance haulage. The forward-looking brand will invite industry experts to join it in Round Table and workshop events to discuss the energy transition in the transport industry and related topics. IVECO’s 360-degree approach to sustainable transport also extends to supporting the development of the refuelling infrastructure – and at the IAA 2018 its stand will also feature the global energy supplier Shell, which shares its belief that de-carbonisation of the transport sector requires a range of fuels and technologies. Pierre Lahutte, IVECO Brand President, commented: “The pressure on Diesel is mounting: public opinion has turned against it. EU institutions and national governments are introducing policies and subsidies to support the conversion of fleets to environmentally friendly technologies. At IAA, with its Diesel Free stand illustrating a Low Emission Area, IVECO, in collaboration with SHELL, will demonstrate that its Electric, CNG and LNG full offering is available today as a viable alternative to diesel vehicles. Visitors to the exhibition will discover a stand full of alternative traction vehicles, developed with customers and body builder partners, covering every mission – and not a single diesel engine in sight!”. IVECO’s display at the IAA 2018 will show its approach to sustainable transport, with an energy mix that matches the requirements of the different missions. It sees electric propulsion as having an important role to play, especially in high-value missions such as people transport – particularly in low speed missions in city centres. The other key energy source is natural gas, which provides a mature solution for sustainable transport of people and goods. IVECO will highlight the considerable environmental advantage of natural gas, which is able to deliver massive reductions in the most polluting emissions: in excess of 90% for NO2, 99% for particulate matter, 10% for natural gas which rises as high as 95% with biomethane. The 18 vehicles on display will showcase IVECO’s sustainable solutions, from city people mobility all the way to long-haul freight, which make up a complete offering. For city public transport, the stand will showcase the approaches CNH Industrial’s two bus brands have adopted towards achieving sustainable mobility. HEULIEZ BUS, which pioneered electric technology to become the leader in France for urban transport and number one for hybrids in Continental Europe, has taken the path of advanced battery technology. On display will be the 12-metre GX Series electric 2-door version for Bus Rapid Transit systems, which features a high-energy battery that ensures extended autonomy on one charge. This range also offers an 18m version that can be charged with a high power battery and fast charging. HEULIEZ BUS’s wide-ranging approach extends to tools and services to facilitate its customers’ adoption of electric traction: a simulation of the electromobility system to help identify the solution that precisely matches their requirements, rental solutions for the battery, a choice of modular and scalable battery types, chargers sourced from leading European providers, as well as remote data management and proactive maintenance services. IVECO BUS has taken the path of reducing the battery on board the vehicle to a minimum with its In-Motion-Charging technology featured in the new electric IVECO BUS Crealis on display. This vehicle combines the electric overhead lines with a small on-board battery. This means that a new electric bus route can be deployed even if it has portions without overhead lines, it considerably reduces complexity and costs, and no time is lost for recharging. The Crealis In-Motion-Charging has been awarded the Innovation Award at the Paris Salon du Transport Public 2018 for this groundbreaking innovation. Also for urban people transport IVECO will show its zero-emission Daily Electric Minibus, which together with the Daily Electric delivery van, offers the perfect solution for people and goods transport in the busy traffic of city centres. The Daily Electric is part of the Daily Blue Power range, “International Van of the Year 2018”. For suburban public transport, IVECO BUS has also pursued the natural gas solution, and will display the Crossway Low Entry Natural Power, “Sustainable Bus of the Year 2018”. This vehicle features a unique design with the natural gas tanks integrated into the roof space, has its autonomy up to 600 km and delivers the high performance and low emissions of the Cursor 9 Natural Power engine. For urban and suburban transport, IVECO will show five versions of the Daily Hi-Matic Natural Power, the first CNG vehicle with an 8-speed automatic gearbox in the LCV industry and a Daily Electric Minibus. With their very different configurations, they will demonstrate the wide variety of missions this vehicle family is able to serve while freeing transport operators from the constraints of the strictest emissions and noise abatement regulations. IVECO will also present its natural gas solutions for regional and long-distance goods transport, which also cater for the requirements of city centre and night-time deliveries. Two Eurocargo – the Truck the City Likes and Truck of the Year 2016 – in CNG version will be on the stand. Both models are already compliant with EURO VI Step D emissions standards, one year ahead of time. To showcase the variety of missions this medium line range covers, one will be a 3-way tipper application and the other a road sweeper developed by Johnston, the competence centre for truck-mounted sweepers of the Bucher Municipal Group. With their low emissions and quiet operation, the Eurocargo NP trucks can enter restricted traffic areas in city centres, a key advantage in multi-drop missions and Municipal missions. For longer distance missions with city centre and night time deliveries, IVECO will show a 26-ton Stralis NP 400 rigid with refrigerated body, featuring for the first time a Carrier Supra CNG technology to power the cooling group. This truck represents an industry first, with the refrigerated vehicle’s two diesel engines being replaced by state-of-the-art stoichiometric natural gas engines. This truck delivers ultra-low NO2 and particulate matter emissions, low CO2 and Piek certified quiet operation – ideal for supplying city-centre supermarkets at night. The set up includes 3 CNG tanks for a range autonomy of 1,000 km. In long distance missions, IVECO leads the way with the Stralis NP, the first natural gas truck specifically designed for long-haul transport on the market. The 7 vehicles on display will include articulated and rigid versions, and the unique Stralis X-Way Natural Power equipped with a Cifa electric concrete mixer. Among them will be the latest introduction, the Stralis NP 460: elected Low Carbon Truck of the Year in the UK, it is the only full range of natural gas heavy trucks with the latest-generation automated transmission designed to serve all missions. All the vehicles on display show IVECO’s commitment to delivering low Total Cost of Ownership to the benefit of its customers’ profitability. This begins with the exceptional fuel efficiency of its vehicles, as demonstrated by recent press tests that have seen the Stralis XP 480 prove to be among the top market players in fuel efficiency, and the Stralis NP 460 do even better and reach the top of the ranking with the lowest consumption. IVECO is also involved in a variety of projects aiming to create circular economies in passenger and freight transport. This commitment has led to the partnership with the French city of Lille, which operates a public transport fleet of IVECO BUS Natural Power vehicles running on biomethane generated from the city’s household waste collection. IVECO is also involved in the creation of the first real example of a methane-based circular economy that bring the entire biogas value chain on a single site, in partnership with Pot au Pin Energie, Air Liquide and Carrefour: biomethane generated from intermediary crops grown on site supplies a refuelling station – also on site –and is introduced into the GRDF gas distribution grid.

Daimler AG Press Release / July 11, 2018 The new Mercedes-Benz eCitaro is an kick-off for an innovation initiative with a clear strategy aimed at the swift and above all practical electrification of public transit with buses in cities and population centres. Daniel Baeuerle, responsible for product planning and product management of alternative drives at Daimler Buses, shares his impressions of the world premiere of eCitaro on the Daimler-Blog. https://blog.daimler.com/en/2018/07/1... In order to shape the future of mobility, Daimler Buses is investing around 200 million euro in the implementation of the CASE strategy, and that is just up until 2020. CASE at Daimler stands for the future topics of connectivity (Connected), autonomous driving (Autonomous), flexible use (Shared & Services) and electric powertrains (Electric). A significant proportion is going toward building up competencies, and into development and production of electric buses. .

Volvo Trucks Press Release / July 6, 2018 In 2018 Volvo Trucks celebrates 45 years of both doing business in Russia and collaborating with Sovavto Saint-Petersburg. Swedish quality, history, reliability is what keeps the relationship going according to the general director Artur Lazarian that we met at Volvo Ocean Race in Gothenburg. .

James Menzies, Truck News / July 10, 2018 CLIFFORD, Ont. – About 250 trucks, mostly antiques, converged at Rotary Park in Clifford, Ont., June 29-30 in what has become an annual Canada Day weekend celebration of classic iron. The annual Clifford Truck Show, put on by the Great Lakes Truck Club, always manages to attract some trucks that haven’t been seen before – and this year was no exception. “I know there’s a ton of stuff out there, sitting in people’s shops,” said show coordinator Chris Hall. “As time goes by a friend or a neighbor will say, ‘Hey, do you want to bring it down?’” The club also does outreach to members, urging them to display any antique trucks they may have parked in the shop or barn. Classics are welcome to come as they are, so to speak, with minimal prep work involved. Of course, there are the more modern, shinier, chromier show trucks there as well, but the show has always been about the classics and the newer trucks are tucked towards the back. They won’t be turned away, however, as long as their owners share a passion for trucks and trucking. This show is about heritage over polish, and most of those who attend can still see beauty in an older truck whose best days are well behind it. The cabovers are an especially strong draw, even among the younger attendees, Hall said. “The 359 Petes are always going to be a big thing, but as they become too expensive to purchase you see younger guys getting into cabovers,” Hall explained. “They think those are cool because they’re different, which is good to see.” The number of trucks on display at the two-day show has remained about steady in recent years, at 250. It’s a number organizers are comfortable with. “It’s a very manageable size,” Hall said. “It’s not like other shows where we’re striving for bigger numbers every year. Because you have to remember, with antique trucks there are only so many in the province.” This year the focus was on Ford trucks, but every make – including many no longer in production – was represented. Brockway, White, and Diamond Reo badges were seen – brands that only old-time truckers would recognize. The Clifford Truck Show has earned a reputation for being one of the best shows for classic iron in the country, and trucks came from as far away as Saskatchewan to take part. One of the most gratifying aspects of the show, according to Hall, is seeing truckers and former truckers meet up with others they’ve worked with or known in the past. For some, it’s a reunion of sorts. And the quiet town of Clifford actually welcomes the arrival of hundreds of trucks. Perhaps because its guests are so gracious. The Great Lakes Truck Club invested about $10,000 into a new roadway to access the Rotary Park grounds and has added lighting. It plans to plant trees and it chipped in on expanding the park grounds by an additional five acres. More room for trucks. The show also donated money to a local family that was suffering a hardship, enough to buy an upgraded wheelchair. And the giving went both ways. Cervus Peterbilt was so impressed with the show, it kicked $1,200 back to the club to support the event. “It was extremely generous on their part,” Hall said. The Clifford Truck Show will return next year, on the Canada Day long weekend. For details, visit www.GreatLakesTruckClub.com. Photo Gallery - https://www.trucknews.com/equipment/celebrating-the-classics/1003086691/

Today's Trucking / July 10, 2018 International’s HX vocational tractor was introduced as a daycab in 2016, but got a sleeper in late 2018. We saw it first at the NACV truck show in Atlanta in last September. Equipment Editor Jim Park took one for a short spin a few weeks later on an off-road track at the company’s proving grounds in New Carlisle, Indiana. .

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Sims --> Rite-Way --> Savage --> Mack https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/34458-the-mack-hmm-“front-runner”-front-discharge-mixer-chassis/?tab=comments#comment-229465

Same new H62X, Bob. But regarding the grille and headlamp modules, this one has (high level trim package) silver trim around the perimeter absent from the blue truck in the other photo.

Henry Kissinger pens ominous warning on dangers of artificial intelligence RT / July 9, 2018 Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has issued a stark warning to humanity: advances in artificial intelligence could lead to a world which humans will no longer be able to understand — and we should start preparing now. What if machines learn to communicate with each other? What if they begin to establish their own objectives? What if they become so intelligent that they are making decisions beyond the capacity of the human mind? Those are some of the questions the 95-year-old Kissinger poses in a piece published by the Atlantic under the apocalyptic headline: ‘How The Enlightenment Ends.’ https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/06/henry-kissinger-ai-could-mean-the-end-of-human-history/559124/ Kissinger’s interest in artificial intelligence began when he learned about a computer program that had become an expert at Go — a game more complicated than chess. The machine learned to master the game by training itself through practice; it learned from its mistakes, redefined its algorithms as it went along — and became the literal definition of ‘practice makes perfect.’ Into the unknown We are, Kissinger warns, in the midst of a “sweeping technical revolution whose consequences we have failed to fully reckon with and whose culmination may be a world relying on machines powered by data and algorithms and ungoverned by ethical or philosophical norms.” Kissinger uses the example of a self-driving car. Driving a car requires judgements in impossible-to-predict circumstances. What would happen, he asks, if the car found itself having to decide between killing a grandparent or killing a child? Who would it choose, and why? Artificial intelligence goes “far beyond” the kind of automation we are used to, he says, because AI has the ability to “establish its own objectives,” which makes it “inherently unstable.” In other words, through its processes, AI “develops an ability previously thought to be reserved for human beings.” Unintended consequences The typical science-fiction narrative is that robots will develop to the point where they turn on their creators and threaten all of humanity — but, according to Kissinger, while the dangers of AI may be great, the reality of the threat may be a little more benign. It is more likely, he suggests, that the danger will come from AI simply misinterpreting human instructions “due to its inherent lack of context.” One recent example is the case of the AI chatbot called Tay. Instructed to generate friendly conversation in the language patterns of a 19-year-old girl, the machine ended up becoming racist, sexist and giving inflammatory responses. The risk that AI won’t work exactly according to human expectations could, Kissinger says, “cascade into catastrophic departures” from intended outcomes. Too clever for humans The second danger is that AI will simply become too clever for its own good — and ours. In the game Go, the computer was able to make strategically unprecedented moves that humans had not yet conceived. “Are these moves beyond the capacity of the human brain?” Kissinger asks. “Or could humans learn them now that they have been demonstrated by a new master?” The fact is that AI learns much faster than humans. Another recent example was a computer program AlphaZero, which learned to play chess in a style never before seen in chess history. In just a few hours, it reached a level of skill that took humans 1,500 years to reach — after being given only the basic rules of the game. This exceptionally fast learning process means AI will also make more mistakes “faster and of greater magnitude than humans do.” Kissinger notes that AI researchers often suggest that those mistakes can be tempered by including programming for “ethical” and “reasonable” outcomes — but what is ethical and reasonable? Those are things that humans are still fighting over how to define. No way to explain What happens if AI reaches its intended goals but can’t explain its rationale? “Will AI’s decision-making abilities surpass the explanatory powers of human language and reason?” Kissinger asks. He argues that the effects of such a situation on human consciousness would be profound. In fact, he believes it is the most important question about the new world we are facing. “What will become of human consciousness if its own explanatory power is surpassed by AI, and societies are no longer able to interpret the world they inhabit in terms that are meaningful to them?” Legalities and opportunities Outside of philosophical concerns, Kissinger also outlines some legal ones: in this vastly different world, who will be responsible for the actions of AI? How will liability be determined for their mistakes? Can a legal system designed by humans even keep pace with a world run by artificial intelligence capable of outthinking them? But it’s not all doom and gloom. Kissinger admits that AI can bring “extraordinary benefits” to medical science, provision of clean energy and environmental issues, among other areas. Kissinger acknowledges that scientists are more concerned with pushing the limits of discovery than comprehending them or pondering their philosophical ramifications. Governments, too, are more concerned with how AI can be used — in security and intelligence, for example — than examining its results on the human condition. In his final pitch, the senior diplomat implores the US government to make artificial intelligence a major national focus, “above all, from the point of view of relating AI to humanistic traditions.” He argues that a presidential commission of eminent thinkers in the field should be established to help develop a “national vision” for the future. “If we do not start this effort soon,” Kissinger writes, “before long we shall discover that we started too late.”

Peterbilt Delivers its First Model 579 UltraLoft Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / July 9, 2018 Peterbilt has delivered the keys to the first owner of a new Model 579 UltraLoft after announcing the model earlier this year. Purchased for Oklahoma City-based Freymiller Trucking, the UltraLoft variant of Peterbilt’s flagship Model 579 features a high roof integral cab and sleeper design that prioritizes driver comfort. Designed for a better driver experience, the UltraLoft offers more room and storage than a typical 579 with a larger upper and lower bunk mattress and sleeping area and creature comforts such as a microwave and room for up to a 32-inch flat screen TV. The UltraLoft also features aerodynamic enhancements and reduced weight in order to improve overall efficiency. David Freymiller, president and CEO of Freymiller Trucking noted that his fleet was using the Peterbilt truck as a tool to retain and recruit drivers. “The Model 579 UltraLoft is a game changer as it takes it to a new level,” said Freymiller. “Our drivers are excited to take advantage of the increased space and premium cab design.” .

EPA Will Not Enforce 300-Unit Limit on Glider Kits through 2019 Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / July 9, 2018 The Environmental Protection Agency said it will not enforce for 2018 and 2019 a 300-unit production cap put in place on the manufacture of glider kits that do not comply with Phase 2 GHG emission rules. EPA said the action is being taken because it is working to finalize a proposed rule to repeal “certain emission requirements” on glider kits that were imposed under the Phase 2 rules, which were put in place in 2016. News of the enforcement loophole was broken by The New York Times one day after the resignation of EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt on July 5. EPA Press Secretary Molly Block told HDT on July 9 that back in November, the agency proposed to “repeal certain emission requirements for gliders. This proposal also contemplated as alternatives or additional measures an extension of compliance deadlines, and raising the cap on the number of gliders allowed to be built by small manufacturers.” (Per Block, a “small” manufacturer is one defined as such by the Small Business Administration.) In July 2017, after Fitzgerald Glider Kits petitioned EPA to do so, the agency announced it intended to revisit the Phase 2 glider kit provisions. In November, the agency issued its official proposal to entirely repeal emission requirements for glider vehicles, glider engines, and glider kits. The repeal proposal came out only weeks before the 300-unit glider cap was to take effect on Jan. 1 of this year, which is the driving factor behind the newly announced enforcement pause. “The [Phase 2] requirements in question first took effect in January 2017, and limit the number of new glider vehicles that small manufacturers can produce and sell without being subject to additional requirements,” stated Block. “The limit took effect in two stages. In 2017, small manufacturers were limited to the number of gliders they built in their biggest production year between 2010 and 2014. In 2018, small manufacturers are limited to no more than 300 gliders" by the rule. She said EPA took into consideration “public comments received as well as engagement with stakeholders” before determining that “additional evaluation of a number of matters is required before it can take final action on one or more aspects of the [repeal] proposal." However, it should be noted that, per The Washington Post, a Sept. 11 letter to then-EPA chief Pruitt urged him not to revisit the rule, contending that glider kits “should not be used for circumventing purchase of currently certified powertrains.” The letter was signed by executives from Volvo Group North America, Cummins, and Navistar. The companies noted that they were joining the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association, the American Trucking Associations, and the Truck Rental and Leasing Association in supporting the Phase 2 mandate as written. “Until a final rule can be completed to bring regulatory certainty to glider manufacturers,” Block stated, “the agency is considering interim steps to reduce severe impacts on the industry. First, EPA is considering an extension of the compliance date, which would set a new effective date of Dec. 31, 2019. And, second, the agency is exercising its enforcement discretion in 2018 and 2019 for small manufacturers who limit production to the interim cap provided in 2017.” The decision to not enforce the existing Phase 2 limits on glider kits means that, for at least the next two years, a manufacturer may produce as many gliders as it did during its biggest production year between 2010 and 2014. .

EPA gives glider builders a hall pass Trailer-Body Builders / July 7, 2018 Canned EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt on Friday got in a parting shot at Obama-era “regulatory overreach” in his last day in office, ordering the agency not to enforce an annual cap on glider kits. “The Agency is exercising its enforcement discretion in 2018 and 2019,” Molly Block, an agency spokeswoman, said in a statement reported originally by The New York Times. Related: A rough go for gliders in EPA review hearing Gliders, or new chassis into which refurbished older engines without modern emissions control systems can be installed, were deemed to be a substantial loophole in the decade-long EPA effort to greatly reduce emissions from heavy-duty commercial vehicles. Indeed, given the expense and troublesome nature of the mandated emissions controls, production of gliders has soared since 2010, going from going from just a few hundred per year to more than 10,000 in 2015. So, in the Phase 2 Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles (GHG 2) rule that took effect Jan. 1, 2017, EPA required that engines installed in new glider vehicles meet the emission standards applicable in the year of assembly. A “small business” exception was included in GHG2 to allow glider builders to assemble up to 300 non-compliant units per year through 2020. But last fall, following a lobbying effort and appeal by leading glider builder Fitzgerald Glider Kits, Pruitt determined that that gliders should not be regulated as “new motor vehicles” under the Clean Air Act. “Gliders not only provide a more affordable option for smaller owners and operators, but also serve as a key economic driver to numerous rural communities,” Pruitt said, and EPA proposed to repeal the emission standards and other requirements for glider vehicles. A subsequent public hearing on the matter, however, drew dozens of angry opponents compared to just a couple of supporters. “It’s well-known that gliders are purchased to save money, avoid maintenance costs … and skirt federal excise tax payments,” said Glen Kedzie, American Trucking Associations vice president of energy and environmental affairs council. He noted that ATA member fleets have paid $31,000 more on average per new truck since 2004 to comply with new emissions rules. And Susan Alt, senior vice president of public affairs, Volvo Group North America, cited EPA’s own testing which found that glider vehicles emit 43 times more NOx and 55 times more soot than today’s low-emission diesels. EPA estimates that gliders make up about 5% of the entire Class 8 market, but contribute about one-third of all NOx and particulates from the sector. “The current annual impact of glider emissions already grossly outweighs that of the VW diesel engine violations in the U.S. at their peak,” Alt said. “A repeal of the Phase 2 glider provisions makes a mockery of the massive investments we’ve made to develop low-emission compliant technology.” Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland said he was “baffled and confounded” as to why EPA would consider a repeal. He noted that Fitzgerald had failed to secure legislative relief, so the company’s owners then met directly with Pruitt. According to Raskin, Fitzgerald’s petition included new information on glider vehicle emissions which purported to show that gliders were less polluting than non-glider vehicles. But that “independent” study was bought and paid for by none other than Fitzgerald. “It is important to note that the study, run by Tennessee Tech University, has been criticized by experts for its poor and shoddy quality and has provoked serious ethical questions about the university’s academic independence and its cozy relationship with Fitzgerald,” he said. On the other side, glider builder and trucker Farrell “Dale” Clark Jr., president of D & B Trucks, said he fully supported the proposal, and he referenced the Fitzgerald-funded study. Clark stressed that the only new parts in a glider kit are the cab and the hood; the remaining parts of the truck are all used parts. He also noted an environmental benefit to the pro-glider case: “We really should be thanking our glider builders. We should be encouraging every trucker in this country to use a glider, or should I say a ‘recycled truck,’” Clark said. “This is exactly what we do in our business. We recycle old trucks, not only do we create hundreds of jobs, we save our trucking industry thousands of dollars.” Tennessee Tech later informed EPA that the agency should not use the university's study on glider kits in developing federal emissions regulations, and that the school was pursuing a peer review of the report and investigating claims of research misconduct.

Report: EPA won’t enforce glider emissions limits until end of next year James Jaillet, Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / July 9, 2018 The U.S. EPA has said it will not enforce Obama-era emissions restrictions placed on glider kit manufacturers at least through the end of next year, giving glider kit builders like Fitzgerald Glider Kits a substantial victory in their fight against the regulations.Manufacturers like Fitzgerald will be limited in 2018 and 2019 to producing the number of vehicles they produced in 2017, which is well above the 300-a-year cap. Starting this year, glider kit manufacturers were limited to building 300 trucks a year that did not comply with the Phase 2 emissions regulations, finalized by the EPA in 2016. The EPA has a rule in the works to permanently repeal the glider-specific portions of the Phase 2 emissions standards, but the rule has not yet been made final, leaving glider kit builders caught in a regulatory limbo. The EPA proposed the rule in November 2017, just over a month before the 300-truck cap was slated to take effect, leaving the agency little time to finalize the repeal before Phase 2’s January 1 effective date. However, an EPA spokesperson has told CCJ the agency is “exercising its enforcement discretion” this year and next year and will not hold glider kit makers to the 300-a-year cap. Fitzgerald Glider Kits, the country’s largest builder of gliders, and others have fought the regs since they were proposed in 2015, arguing they would kill the glider kit industry. Demand for glider trucks, which are new truck bodies equipped with older, remanufactured engines and transmissions, has soared over the past decade, since they’re equipped with engines that do not use exhaust gas recirculation and do not require exhaust after-treatment. They’re also cheaper than new trucks. The 300-truck cap was meant to offer fleets and owner-operators an exemption from the regs, so that truck owners who wanted to equip glider kits with older engines could do so. But for builders who assemble and sell thousands of trucks a year, like Fitzgerald, the regs would have caused them to dramatically alter their businesses to stay alive. Receptive to these concerns, EPA under President Trump sought to overturn portions of the Phase 2 regulations that applied to glider kit makers. The move has been fought by major truck OEs like Volvo, Cummins and Daimler.

Thor Trucks to Launch New Entry in Battery-Electric Class 8 Market Transport Topics / July 9, 2018 Thor Trucks Inc., a startup not quite 2 years old, will manufacture electric-battery Class 8 trucks beginning next year, according to the Los Angeles-based company. At the same time, California has a new multimillion-dollar funding stream to proliferate such vehicles and encourage additional manufacturers to make them. Thor intends to market in 2019 the ET-1, a battery-electric Class 8 day cab that will have a 100-mile range and cost $150,000. Through savings — and not public subsidies — the truck will pay for itself in three to four years, according to the company, which also is exploring opportunities in China and Europe. Another Class 8 costing $250,000 with a 300-mile range is planned as part of Thor’s strategy of relying on contract manufacturing and alliances with existing suppliers instead of a factory of its own and vertical integration of key components. “We have established manufacturing agreements with two different manufacturing facilities in the Midwest, and that’s where we will be doing our series production,” Thor CEO and co-founder Dakota Semler said during a conference call hosted by investment firm Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. One of the agreements has been solidified; the other is in process, Semler said June 27 during the call. “And beyond that, there is obviously some engineering process that has to be done to integrate the trucks into those production lines,” he said. “But 2019 is very realistic to achieve our goals for production.” Thor is placing the majority of its focus on drayage, food and beverage delivery, and less-than-truckload fleets, Semler told Transport Topics. Meanwhile, Thor and other new manufacturers of alternative-power trucks stand to benefit from a portion of California’s $423 million share of the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust. The trust was established after VW’s use of software designed to cheat during emissions tests in 2.0- and 3.0-liter diesel vehicles, and funding is available to states where those cars ran. The California Air Resources Board announced it intends to use $90 million of California’s overall share to replace eligible Class 8 freight trucks and port drayage trucks with new zero-emission technologies. “While zero-emission Class 8 trucks are commercially available today, manufacturer diversity is limited. The focus of this funding is to support the market introduction of zero-emission trucks from a wide range of manufacturers that will be deploying trucks in the next five years,” according to the state’s plan. One industry executive said vast changes in trucking were at hand. “There are a lot of ideas coming out now that can help simplify the complexity in the marketplace,” said Gerry Mead, executive director of innovations for Phillips Industries. “When you look at electric trucks in general and you look at the operational cost for a trucking company, maintenance is a very large part of that, and you can lump in diesel fuel with that,” Mead said. “So if you have the ability to take a really large cost item and drastically cut it out of your [operation], obviously that improves your bottom line.” A Thor truck’s battery design is different in its layout and cooling process compared with most electric batteries, Thor co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Giordano Sordoni told TT. “These key engineering differences mean that Thor’s battery is one of the most energy-dense on the market, so much so that it is competitive on a shorthaul basis with diesel engines in terms of energy efficiency and cost,” Sordoni said. Thor is using cylindrical-shaped nickel, cobalt and manganese (NCM) batteries whose cost already is below $400 per kilowatt hour, Semler said. “The price tier that we have to get below, and we have a clear path to that, is $200 a kWh. The reality is there are very few people selling battery packs at that $200 kWh price range. So we have basically focused on trying to achieve that so that we could achieve a market-viable truck. And we expect to hit that in the early part of 2020.” Thor will warrant that its batteries operate for 2000 cycles, Semler said. “Two thousand cycles is just the period in which we warrant the pack to retain 80% of its original rated capacity.” Some fleets have agreed to purchase demonstration vehicles to use at Southern California ports. Drayage occurs in an area that is “pretty seeded with utility infrastructure so we don’t have too many issues there deploying charging systems,” Semler said. If needed, Thor will consult with fleets on the necessary charging infrastructure, which can run from $25,000 to $100,000, he said. “We all aim to be aggressive in this space in order to compete with diesel,” Semler said. All the traditional heavy-duty truck makers that sell in North America also are developing electrified vehicles in existing models. Plus Tesla Inc., and Nikola Motor Co. are readying new trucks for sale and tests, respectively, in 2019. Toyota Motor North America has a pilot project underway using a hydrogen-electric Class 8 truck at the Southern California ports. .

Transport Topics / July 9, 2018 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has suspended through the end of 2019 a cap on the number of glider kits that a single builder may produce, the agency told Transport Topics July 9. The move lifts the current annual cap of 300 glider kits per manufacturer, a limit instituted during the Obama administration which EPA has proposed to repeal. After reviewing comments on that proposal submitted by stakeholders, the agency determined additional evaluation is needed before a final decision is made, said Molly Block, an EPA spokeswoman. She added that EPA is exercising its enforcement discretion this year and for 2019 as it relates to manufacturers of glider kits. “Until a final rule can be completed to bring regulatory certainty to glider manufacturers, the agency is considering interim steps to reduce severe impacts on the industry,” Block said. She noted that one option the agency is considering is extending to Dec. 31, 2019 the compliance date for the 300-unit limit. In November 2017, the agency proposed to repeal certain emissions requirements for gliders. As Block put it, the repeal proposal “contemplated as alternatives or additional measures an extension of compliance deadlines, and raising the cap on the number of gliders allowed to be built by small manufacturers.” The agency’s move, first published July 6 in The New York Times, essentially would allow glider companies to sell more than 300 vehicles annually while the agency crafts its glider rule repeal. The agency’s former administrator, Scott Pruitt, announced his resignation on July 5. Deputy administrator Andrew Wheeler took on the role of acting chief. At the start of 2017, small manufacturers were limited to the number of gliders they built in their biggest production year between 2010 and 2014. In 2018, those manufacturers were limited to no more than 300 gliders. EPA’s 2016 Phase 2 heavy-truck greenhouse gas emissions rule includes the limits to the number of gliders with engines that predate current emissions regulations that can be built by a company annually. The rule also requires certain gliders to be certified as emissions-compliant for the model year they are built. .

The Powerliner......one of my favorite COEs. And again, in a certain sense, it doesn't look particularly old. .

I hope that you're able to store your truck indoors Paul.

In a certain sense, the 110P doesn't look particularly old. .