Daimler owned subsidiary Detroit announced it can offer a new, fully integrated powertrain package that includes its DD15 engine, DT12 automated manual transmission and Detroit axles. This driveline package will be available for the Freightliner Cascadia Evolution in January next year and for the Wester Star 5700 later next year.
The powertrain package offers a new down-sped rating for the large six pot DD15 engine at 400hp and 2400 Nm of torque. The new rating allows the engine to turn at lower rpm regardless of road speed, which helps increase fuel efficiency while still delivering the rquired torque, Detroit says.
Along with this slower revving engine comes the DT12 transmission with so called Intelligent Powertrain Management that uses pre-loaded terrain maps and GPS to know the route ahead and automatically adjust transmission and engine functions. In Europes, a similar system of Daimler has been on the market now since one and a half year.
The DT12 also features what’s called eCoast, a technology specific to the DT12 that allows the engine to operate at idle of 500 rpm when road and driver inputs don’t require engine power to move the truck down the road. It also employs a “creep” mode, which improves low- speed maneuverability, Detroit says.
The company expects buyers to save five percent in fuel consumption compared to a similar truck with another driveline. Savings may rack up to even seven percent, Detroit says. Quotes are based on a driveline mounted in a Frieghtliner Cascadia truck. There are no expectations in fuel savings quoted with Western Star trucks.
The axles included in the integrated powertrain are a 6×2 configuration designed to work with the new 400hp DD15, but a 6×4 configuration is also available.
“We have an internal target of achieving 5 percent fuel economy (savings) every two years,” said Daimler Trucks North America marketing manager David Hames. “IDP is another 5 to 7 percent, depending on baseline, over Cascadia Evolution.”