Designed to increase fuel efficiency via increased aerodynamics, Scania has unveiled its latest Streamline truck range, along a more advanced fleet management system.
According to Scania, the latest Streamline model, which is about five per cent more fuel efficient than the outgoing model,
features smoothened cab corners which no longer has air vents and external sun visors that were designed for better air flow.
Another area that has been updated to improve fuel economy is the gearbox. Called the Opticruise, the semi-automatic gearbox has several modes like ‘Ecocruise’ and ‘economy’ where the amount of lubricant needed in the gearbox varies, resulting in less friction and better fuel economy.
The Streamline’s rear axle has also been made lighter and more robust, making it suitable for Asian roads. A first for trucks is that the Streamline has LED rear lights, whose brightness increases safety and visibility.
Johan Ekberg, Scania’s sales director of South East Asia believes that the company will be able to sell between 20 to 50 units of the new Streamlines this year.
The Streamline aside, Scania has also introduced an advanced fleet management system which comprises GPS positioning, a logging and Communicator unit on each Scania vehicle, and a communication subscription and web-based office interface for more effective fleet management.
Since all new Scania trucks come with communicator units, its activation by Scania’s technical support will allow owners and operators to reap production-boosting benefits. It will show the vehicle’s location, engine condition and driving performance in real time.
According to Scania, the system will be implemented from the fourth quarter of 2013 and consists of three packages: Monitoring, Analysis plus the comprehensive Control. These packages will enable fleet operators to reduce fuel costs, monitor vehicle driving patterns and minimising downtime for the vehicle.
