The Anglo-Dutch oil major Shell has announced that the successor to its hyper-efficient Starship truck will cross the United States in May. The vehicle has been designed to demonstrate how the energy use of heavy goods vehicles can be reduced using technologies that are already available.
The Starship 2.0 uses a new drivetrain and various other advanced technologies to improve fuel efficiency and reduce drag, such as a hyper-aerodynamic cab made from carbon fiber and an automatic tire inflation system to ensure fuel efficiency, along with a solar array capable of supplying up to 5,000 watts for electrical operations. The vehicle will also be using Shell’s advanced commercial vehicle oil products in the engine and transmission.
The vehicle will be driven from San Diego, California to Jacksonville, Florida, during which its fuel economy and freight tonne efficiency will be measured by a system of on-board telematics and verified by an independent third party.
The Global Marketing Manager for the haulage sector at Shell Lubricants, Jeff Priborsky, said that the technology used in Shell Starship 2.0 has:
“Advanced since its inception and is built to stimulate discussion and drive the conversation around trucking efficiency and carbon reduction. We have taken a number of technologies and have drawn them together in a single design with a holistic, connected approach that is crafted to optimize performance and efficiency.”
Technology Manager Robert Mainwaring, meanwhile, said that being able to test the vehicle under various operating conditions and roads would help ensure the various technologies all work well with each other.
