It's official: Tests show Freightliner Cascadia is more aerodynamic than similar Class 8s
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
The Freightliner Cascadia is officially more aerodynamic than other Class 8 commercial vehicles, according to Auto Research Center Inc (ARC), an independent aerodynamics research team based in Indianapolis IN used by vehicle manufacturers, NASCAR, and other racing teams.
ARC researchers compared the Cascadia with four other similarly spec'd Class 8 vehicles — the International ProStar, Kenworth T660, Peterbilt 386, and Volvo 780 — using Freightliner's state-of-the-art wind tunnel, built specifically for Class 8 vehicles.
Testing took place in June-July 2007. Researchers measured wind drag on the front, sides, and back of the tractor, as well as the front of the trailer. There was a tractor-trailer gap of 48 inches. The amount of drag for the Cascadia was consistently lower and better than competitors. The ProStar recorded 7.8 percent more drag than the Cascadia; the 780 showed 9.6 percent more drag; the T660 showed 18.8 percent more drag; and the 386 showed 22.9 percent more drag.
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