Our 25.25 m (82’10”) long EcoCombis come in multiple forms, the set-up of this mobile panorama is called a B-Double. The tractor is a 2020 Volvo FH 4×2 with a 510 hp engine, I’d say it’s towing a field of red leaf lettuce. The Volvo’s drive axle has dual wheels, whereas the seven other axles roll on super singles.
Regarding extra long and heavy big rigs, the so-called Super EcoCombis are being field tested right now. Their maximum overall length is 32 m (104’12”), with a GVM rating of 72 metric tons (158,733 lbs). In practice, the tractor unit is towing two, standard sized semi-trailers. The second semi-trailer is coupled to a converter dolly. (photo courtesy of trailertotaal.nl)
The idea behind these warehouses-on-wheels: a further reduction of CO2 emissions, combined with an efficiency improvement. In Europe, some countries have already legalized the Super EcoCombi. A minimum of 10 hp per metric ton vehicle weight is no problem for both Scania and Volvo, as we speak.
Can’t wait to parallel park the bottom one.
How heavy is a load of lettuce? My former boss wouldn’t touch single tires for his 40′ dump trailers hauling 25 tons, though the nearest fleet doing the same did on all theirs.
The axle load rating with super singles is the same as with dual wheels. A non-drive axle is max. 10 metric tons axle load, that includes the truck’s/tractor’s steering axle. A drive axle is good for 11.5 metric tons. A factory tandem is rated at 19 metric tons (this also applies to a drive axle combined with a pusher or tag axle).
Super singles have become the norm on trailers and semi-trailers. Earth moving, brick haulers and concrete mixers included. Tankers and dry bulk 100% super-single-score, since many years.
The P. van Osch company (the owner of the rig) grows a variety of vegetables and transports their own products, they also haul vegetables from other growers.
Keep us update, please! In The U.S. these combinations with shorter trailers, when leaving expressways, usually have to uncouple one trailer at a waystation and leave it there for another truck to haul it. The alternate is a warehouse within a short distance from the highway exit. These drivers need much skill and planning as they drive. Now, if we can educate automobile drivers not to be idiots around these transportation marvels!
EcoCombis, let alone Super EcoCombis, are only allowed to drive on the main roads. Extra training is required, so is at least five years of experience in driving a standard-sized combination vehicle on a professional base.
Wow! Are there (unpermitted) doubles like this used in any US applications? I see big triples in other states (not California where I am) but this seems unwieldy not to mention 150K GCW would be sketchy at highway speeds in Western mountains. But the Eco aspect makes sense. When I see flocks of Amazon vans on the highway coming to or from a warehouse way outside town, I think that bigger trucks with smaller in-town distribution centers would make a lot of sense. Maybe a moot point as they electrify.
Nah. Those ridiculous heaps shouldn’t exist, period. If you like to store your ware stock in public space, be at least decent enough to do it on a separate network, not blocking the way of everybody. There used to be a century old solutuon for that, shunned and out priced for no other than political reasons, especially in Germany.
First photo: I picture the Road Runner disappearing into this field, while Wile E. Coyote only slams into the side of a trailer.
I can see that happening. A low flying drone, another thing that could slam right into the trailer’s side.
The field-on-wheels brings to mind two photos. One of my own, and one of concrete trucks we have here in Vancouver:
Thanks for some concrete examples, your own photo included.
I like the four-axle Kenworth. I assume that’s a stinger axle (as mentioned by ScoutDude, a while ago) at its rear side, swang upwards?
Close coupled twin steer axles ours are setup with the 2nd steer behind the cab
8×4 and 10×4 here. It must have been many years ago since I saw a 6×4 concrete mixer truck, which was the standard of yore.
I wonder if the doubles and triples in the USA have lost favor.
The container market doesn’t seem to do hardly any doubles.
53′ trailers, nearly the same capacity as doubles and no restrictions.
The other item was the collapse of the large trucking companies.
You do see them, just don’t seem to be as many as in the past.
Youd never try that econocombi rig here at least not with a single screw prime mover traction on hills rules that out and there are far too many tight turns youd never get around in your own lane even 25metre long Btrains have problems on some highways 3 metre wide lanes and 2.5 metre wide trucks, not much wriggle room and the opposing traffic is a broken white line away to your right also 2.5 wide & 50 tonnes @ 90 kph,
It gets scary when you come around a corner at 90 and the first thing you notice is a truck across the centreline coming at you or a car overtaking a truck heading at you theres nowhere to go except the grass on the verge stopping isnt an option even with EBS,ABS, and coded air brake sytems and 30+ tyres on the ground.
Flat land and a mild climate (winters), combined with an excellent pavement quality, so a tractor or truck with one drive axle will do just fine here. Even with 60 and 72 metric tons GVM.
Both Volvo and Scania offer 4×2 tractor units with their most powerful engines, 750 and 770 hp, respectively. MAN and Benz go beyond the 600 hp mark. DAF, Renault and Iveco stay within the 500 to 600 hp range for their most powerful models.