Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/667099
36 commercial carrier journal | april 2016 T E S T D R I V E : I S U Z U N R R A HEAVENLY HEAVIER HAULER Isuzu's Class 5 NRR marries brawn, clean design BY JASON CANNON I suzu's trucks are known for their practicality, but there's plenty of brawn behind the minimalistic design. Consider the NRR – the Class 5 heavyweight in Isuzu's commercial lineup. With a GVWR of 19,500 pounds, the NRR is the beefiest of the company's cabovers, and with capability to accom- modate a 24-foot body and a payload allowance of nearly 13,000 pounds, it's also one of the largest. The NRR comes standard with a 5.2-liter diesel engine that I found highly responsive on a recent 200-mile-plus test drive up and around the California coast. Even with that engine pumping out 215 horsepower and 452 foot-pounds of torque directly beneath my seat, cab noise was minimal. The only time it was obvi- ous that Isuzu's largest diesel powerplant was under the hood was when the truck was at idle. At highway speeds, you'll find more noise in many sedans and SUVs. Isuzu matched the I4HK1-TC tur- bocharged diesel with an Aisin 6-speed transmission with double overdrive that also features lockup on second through sixth gears. A limited slip differential is optional. Riding on 19.5-inch tires, the NRR fea- tures a turning radius of 46.5 degrees, which made the 176-inch wheelbase unit feel smaller as we navigated crowded surface streets. The NRR is available in six wheelbases up to 212 inches in case you need to pack in a load. Steering was comfortable and tighter than what you would expect from a "box truck." The NRR comes with full tilt and telescopic steering and a Multi-Informa- tion Driver Display screen mounted in the instrument cluster. If you're looking for heavier hauling capabilities but still need an urban traffic fighter, Isuzu's NRR will do the job. With a GVWR of 19,500 pounds, the Class 5 NRR is the beefiest of Isuzu's cabovers. NACFE report weighs trailer aero device pros, cons T he latest Confidence Report released last month by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency and Carbon War Room explores the benefits and challenges of a variety of trailer aerodynamic devices. According to the report, the per-vehicle fuel economy benefit of trailer aerodynamic devices can be high, ranging from 1 per- cent to more than 10 percent depending on the devices chosen. Most fleets are choosing a combination of technologies to deal with reducing the aerodynamic drag in one or more key areas of the trailer: the gap, the underbody and the rear. Trailer aerodynamic devices are designed to improve fuel efficiency by reducing drag so that it takes less fuel to move down the road, especially at higher speeds. While many aero- dynamic devices for trailers have been around for years, the upcoming Phase 2 greenhouse gas emissions standards will encourage trailer manufacturers and fleets to invest in the devices for their trailers. "Fleets have moved from asking why they need aerodynamic devices on their trailers to determining when and how they will add them," said Mike Roeth, NACFE executive director. NACFE's latest Confidence Report details devices for improving the aerodynamics of the gap, underbody and the rear, as well as more novel options such as vortex genera- tors, wheel covers and mudflaps. The report describes each device's challenges such as durability, deployment, trail- er-to-tractor ratios limiting miles, a split incentive due to buyers of the aerodynamic devices not always buying the fuel, the ability to measure the fuel savings and others. The study team found that trailer aerodynamic technologies and strategies are constantly and rapidly evolving. The options detailed in the report all are available on the market today, and most are mature with a track record of functionality, though they may be more or less economical depending on the specifics of a fleet's operations. "Every trailer will benefit from improvements in aerodynam- ics, but there are no one-size-fits-all solutions," said Rick Mihelic, NACFE program manager. "This report reduces the confusion and explains the combinations that make sense for fleets." – CCJ Staff The per-vehicle fuel economy benefit of trailer aerodynamic devices can range from 1 percent to more than 10 percent.