Freightliner Trucks launched the Cascadia – a new Class 8 truck for on-highway applications.
Built from an entirely new platform, the Cascadia delivers significant fuel savings and is designed based on the Run Smart philosophy to be the most productive, efficient and drivable truck on the market, the company said. With its new styling, a quieter and more comfortable cab and ergonomic controls, the Cascadia was constructed with driver comfort and improved operating ratios in mind.
The Cascadia offers a 3 percent improvement in fuel economy over previous models. To achieve this, more than 1 million engineering hours, including 2,500 hours in Freightliner’s full-scale wind tunnel went into its development. It is the first truck built and engineered using Freightliner’s wind tunnel, the company said.
The Cascadia was designed to accept EPA ’07 emission engines and adapt with little change to the new EPA ’10 standards. Its expandable DaimlerChrysler-engineered electronic platform can accommodate the technology, the company said. Plus, the Cascadia was built to be optimized with the all-new EPA ’10-ready Detroit Diesel heavy-duty engine family, the first of which will debut later this year. Known within DaimlerChrysler as the Heavy-duty Engine Platform, this engine family will be used in Truck Group vehicles worldwide, following its launch in Freightliner vehicles.
Freightliner said it initiated an extensive study of its key customers’ needs and issues to evaluate product improvements. Numerous fleet owners and owner-operators provided detailed feedback about everything from cost-saving features to comfort options and aesthetic attributes.
Other fuel-saving features on the Cascadia include a fully integrated, battery-powered auxiliary HVAC system and an engine cooling system that minimizes engine fan and air-conditioning compressor on-time.
The truck also was designed to maximize payload. The aluminum cab boasts a significant weight savings over steel, and the hood, bumper and quarter fenders are lighter than comparable models. These improvements enable operators to haul more freight.
Improved diagnostics, an HVAC system designed to reduce repair frequency, and breakaway side extenders are features designed to keep the Cascadia on the road and out of the shop. Other ease-of-maintenance features include a roped-in windshield that can be changed in minutes, extended life headlamp bulbs, and easy access to the engine and accessory components mounted to it.
The Cascadia is designed for drivers who want a comfortable heavy-duty truck that surrounds them with productivity- enhancing features, the company said. When developing the Cascadia, Freightliner engineers studied the needs of drivers and how they operate their vehicles. This feedback was the basis for design features like a wider cab with automotive styling, ergonomic controls, and extensive lighting and storage space to make the cab more comfortable and livable.
The Cascadia also provides a more peaceful work environment. With double door and window seals, improved engine and cab mounts, additional insulation and a hydraulic clutch, the cab offers reduced vibration and significantly less road noise, the company said.
It features larger seats, larger door openings for easy entry and egress, more head and belly room, and easier-to-use switches and climate controls. Steering wheel controls, including the compression brake activation, allow drivers to be more comfortable and improve safety, the company said.
Maneuverability and handling are two more driver-friendly features.
Freightliner said the truck’s rack and pinion steering system is the first system of its kind installed on Class 8 trucks. Rack and pinion improves durability through lower system pressure and temperature, provides quicker steering response and reduces steering effort. It eliminates bump steer, and roll steer is significantly reduced, which reduces driver fatigue. Rack and pinion also offers a 45-pound weight savings, the company said.
Redesigned mirrors, mounted on both the doors and the fender, offer aerodynamic benefits as well as improved visibility, the company said. A larger windshield also provides better upward sight lines.
Some popular specs include: GVWRs of 35,000 to 71,000 lbs. with a GCWR of 92,000 lbs.; Detroit Diesel Series 60 engine, 455 HP is standard and an MBE 4000 with ratings of 370 to 450 HP and Caterpillar C15 with ratings from 435 to 550 HP are available options; Eaton Fuller manual transmission is standard and UltraShift and AutoShift transmissions are available options; standard front taperleaf suspension rated at 12,000 lbs. and optional spring suspension rated at 14,600 lbs.; standard rear AirLiner suspension rated at 40,000 lbs. and optional AirLiner suspension rated at 21,000 lbs.
The Cascadia is available for order in mid-May, with trucks rolling off production lines in August 2007.
For more information, visit http://www.freightlinertrucks.com/.
