German trio sets new standard
Page 19
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The last attempt to set a pan-European truck standard was the Philips drawbar. Now three German manufacturers have devised a high-cube artic which they believe will take Europe by storm...
by Danny Coughlan • Three German manufacturers are jointly promoting a high-volume artic outfit which they believe will set the new European standard.
Mercedes-Benz, Schmitz Trailers and Continental Tyres predict that their MidiLiner concept rig, comprising a 2.8m internal and 1.05m coupling height on 275/70 R22.5 tyres, will account for up to 25% of Europe's entire articulated fleet by the end of the decade.
Specification
The new specification is driven by the Continent's 4m overall height limit, and by rising British demand for high-volume transport, most notably from within the motor industry Mercedes-Benz will begin series production of its existing Powerliner 2 low-height tractor range at Worth in September 1994. A Swiss contractor, NAW, currently converts standard chassis.
Schmitz already offers the necessary curtainsider and tilt designs from its Cargobull range; Continental offers 70%-aspect low profile tyres in steer, drive and trailer axle patterns throughout Europe.
The three companies concede that this concept—the first true Euro standard put forward since Philips' drawbar spec of the late 1980s—has drawbacks.
Continental and Mercedes cite reduced tyre life (approximately 4%) and greater sensitivity to incorrect inflation.
Mercedes recommends restricting power outputs to 328kW (440hp) on 70%-aspect ratio tyres. Even lower profiles should be restricted to 283kW (380hp), says M-B's director of marketing and engineering Norbert Veit. These figures equate to 1844 and 1838 models.
Tare weights
Tractive unit tare weights are unchanged, claims Veit, whereas Schmitz's Midiliner semi-trailer on 385/65 R22.5 tyres gains 180kg.
Load volume, however, is up to 96m3; nine more than the standard trailer with a 2.55m load and 12m coupling height on 315/80 R22.5 tyres.
The total package costs DM10,000 (L4,000) more than a standard 2+3 artic at current German market prices.
The three companies also pm: pose an even lower floor/100M3 standard spec called LowLiner. With a 3.0m internal loading height a 9351nrn coupling height is called for with 385/60-aspect tyres all round.
The design is complicated by the need for twin trailer tyres and in some cases a rising and/or opening roof.
This concept is unlikely to succeed unaltered in Britain with the 4.2m overall height limit, but a 3.0m internal height is possible by using a taller Midiliner body. Fleet interchangeability becomes a problem with older vehicles, too.
Nonetheless some British inter national fleets running accompanied trailers will find this spec useful, the three believe. And they say LowLiner will account for around 5% of the total UK/European artic fleet market by 2000.
The reason could lie in the fact that the LowLiner specification adds DM8,000 (L3,200) to the truck and DM10,000 (£4,000) to the cost of the trailer.