Mack Trucks recently launched a fuel savings calculator on its website, www.macktrucks.com, to clearly show fleet owners and owner-operators how much fuel savings could be realized if their trucks were spec’d with the next-generation Mack MP8HE+ powertrain package.
The fuel savings calculator allows Mack website visitors to select fleet size, number of trucks in their fleet and the average cost per gallon of diesel fuel. The information is used to calculate the average amount a customer could save over one, three or five years with the Mack MP8HE+ powertrain package.
“Mack Trucks is committed to finding ways to increase the fuel efficiency of our engines and truck models, and we recognize that fuel costs are one of our customers’ largest expenses,” said John Walsh, Mack vice president of marketing. “The fuel savings calculator is simple to use and really shows customers the benefits of the MP8HE+ powertrain package and how it could decrease their total cost of ownership.”
Mack announced in October that the next-generation version of its 13-liter MP8HE engine improved fuel efficiency by up to 3% when compared with the former MP8HE engine. Mack Anthem models equipped with the new extended chassis fairings and the HE+ powertrain package – which includes the revised MP8HE engine – now deliver up to a 13% improvement in fuel efficiency compared with baseline Anthem models.
The savings are in part attributed to the next-generation MP8HE engine which uses Mack Energy Recovery Technology. This captures waste energy from the engine’s exhaust and converts it back to mechanical energy delivered to the engine crankshaft as additional torque. Mack engineers designed an updated wave piston to help evenly distribute the air-fuel mixture within the cylinder to burn fuel more completely and consistently than other piston designs. Further fuel efficiency gains resulted from increasing the MP8HE’s compression ratio from 17:1 to 18:1 and the addition of an improved wategate and turbocharger.
“Mack enhanced its MP8HE engine to improve the fuel efficiency benefits and find additional opportunities for customers to save money,” said Stu Russoli, Mack highway product manager. “The MP8HE engine, with its unique design and proven Mack Energy Recover Technology, improves the efficiency of the already aerodynamic Mack Anthem.”
Included in the Mack MP8HE+ powertrain package are the MP8HE engine, Mack mDRIVE automated manual transmission, Mack Predictive Cruise and multiple aerodynamic enhancements. The HE+ package can also be combined with Mack’s all-new extended chassis fairings, which smooths airflow around the rear axles to deliver an additional 0.5% improvement in fuel efficiency.
As part of the campaign, Mack tied in #Mackonomics, a test drive of the Mack Anthem model equipped with the HE+ package by customers Jamie Hagen, owner of Stratford, S.D.-based Hell Bent Xpress LLC, and Joel Morrow, senor driver and vice president for fleet equipment procurement at Ploger Transportation, based in Norwalk, Ohio.
Hagen, a bulk hauler, and Morrow, who hauls general freight, capture vehicle performance data and post the results to social media using #Mackonomics.
Mack Trucks also announced that its driver-activated MackOver The Air (OTA) updates feature is now standard on the Mack Anthem, Pinnacle and Granite models, enabling customers to implement software updates themselves at a time when it’s most convenient for them.
The driver download activation feature is factory-equipped on models built beginning Nov. 30, 2020, at Lehigh Valley Operations, in Macungie, Pa., where all Mack Class 8 models for North America and export are assembled. Software retrofits for 2019 Model Year and later Anthem, Pinnacle and Granite models also are available.
“Mack continually looks for new ways to develop solutions that help improve our customers’ total cost of ownership,” said David Pardue, vice president of connected vehicle and contract services for Mack Trucks. “Driver-activated Mack Over The Air updates, the next evolution in remote programming, allows flexibility, along with the ability for customers to initiate software updates and the setting of vehicle parameters when it’s most suitable to their schedules.”
Mack Trucks, www.macktrucks.com.