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DoE SuperTruck Program

Technology and System Level Demonstration of Highly 

Efficient and Clean, Diesel Powered Class 8 Trucks

Principal Investigator: David Koeberlein (Cummins)

Presenter: Kenneth Damon, P.E.

Peterbilt Motors Company

Project ID: ARRAVT081

19 June 2014

This presentation does not contain any proprietary, confidential, or otherwise restricted information
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Relevance - Program Objectives

(DoE Vehicle Technologies Goals)

Objective 1: Engine system demonstration of 50% or greater BTE in a test 

cell at an operating condition indicative of a vehicle traveling on a level 

road at 65 mph.

Objective 2

a: Tractor-trailer vehicle demonstration of 50% or greater freight 

efficiency improvement (freight-ton-miles per gallon) over a 

defined drive cycle utilizing the engine developed in Objective 1.

b: Tractor-trailer vehicle demonstration of 68% freight efficiency 

improvement (freight-ton-miles per gallon) over a defined 24 hour 

duty cycle (above drive cycle + extended idle) representative of 

real world, line haul applications. 

Objective 3: Technology scoping and demonstration of a 55% BTE engine 

system. Engine tests, component technologies, and model/analysis will 

be developed to a sufficient level to validate 55% BTE.

Baseline Vehicle and Engine: 2009 Peterbilt 386 Tractor 

and Cummins 15L ISX Engine
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Relevance - American Recovery and Reinvestment 

Act (ARRA) Goals

• Create and/or Retain Jobs 

• Spur Economic Activity

– Greater Than $72.6M Total Spend To Date 

• Goals Align With VT Multi-year Program Plan 2011-2015 

– Advanced Combustion Engine R&D (ACE R&D): 

• 50% HD Engine Thermal Efficiency By 2015 (Ref: VT MYPP 2.3.1) 

– Vehicle And Systems Simulation And Testing (VSST): 

• Freight Efficiency Improvement of 50% by 2015 (Ref: VT MYPP 1.1) 

• Invest In Long Term Economic Growth

– Commercial Viability Assessment 

– Adopt Technologies into Product Plans to Meet GHG and CO2 Regs

Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Full Time

Equivalent

75.5 85 60 46 17

States: Indiana, Texas, Michigan, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Mass, California

Projections
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Response to 2013 AMR 

Reviewer Comments

• Long list of suppliers was 

misleading

– List partners supported as 

subcontractors to the 

program 

Addressed in Slides 5 & 12

• Be sure to include 

detailed plans on battery 

sizing and durability

Addressed in Slide 10

2013 Reviewer Scorecard
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Collaborations - Peterbilt Participants

• Sub-contractors

– Eaton – Transmissions

– Delphi – Solid Oxide Fuel Cell 

• New Supplier in 2013 (Not Sub-contracted)

– Corvus Energy – Lithium Ion APU

• OEM (Not Sub-contracted)

– Utility Trailer Manufacturing

• End User

– US Xpress
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Overview - Schedule and Budget

Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1

50% or Greater BTE Engine

Demonstration

Vehicle Demonstration of 50% or

Greater Freight Efficiency Improvement

Phase 1 Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 4

Objective 2a - Drive Cycle Vehicle Demo.

Objective 1 – Engine Demo.

2010 2011 2012 2013

Vehicle Demonstration of 68.5% or

Greater Freight Efficiency Improvement

Objective 2b – 24 hour Duty 

Cycle Vehicle Demon.

55% BTE Engine Demonstration

Objective 3 – 55% BTE Engine

Program Close-Out

Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1

50% or Greater BTE Engine

Demonstration

Vehicle Demonstration of 50% or

Greater Freight Efficiency Improvement

Phase 1 Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 4

Objective 2a - Drive Cycle Vehicle Demo.

Objective 1 – Engine Demo.

2010 2011 2012 2013

Vehicle Demonstration of 68.5% or

Greater Freight Efficiency Improvement

Objective 2b – 24 hour Duty 

Cycle Vehicle Demon.

55% BTE Engine Demonstration

Objective 3 – 55% BTE Engine

Program Close-Out

4-1/2 Year Program: April 2010 to Sept 2014 

Budget

DoE Share: $38.8M (49%) 

DOE Spend To-Date: $36M

Contractor Share: $40.3M (51%)
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1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q 1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q 1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q

2010 2011 2012

1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q

2013

Overview - DoE SuperTruck Program

WHR System Calibration

50% BTE Engine Demonstration

68% Freight Efficiency Demo

Model 587 Mule Build

Cummins Hardware Devo and Lab Testing

Set Duty Cycle and Baseline Testing

Funding Approval

System and Fuel Economy Testing

50% Freight Efficiency Demo

Baseline Truck Model 386

Mule Definition and Design

Integrated Tractor-Trailer CFD Analysis

Demo 1 Demo 2

USX Driver Feedback

Model 579 Demo 2 Build 

Model 587 Demo 1 Build 
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Overview - Program Barriers

• Underhood Cooling with Waste Heat Recovery

• Vehicle and Engine System Weight Reduction 

• Engine Downspeed (Reduced Engine Speed)

– Powertrain Components

– Vibration/Customer Acceptance

• Vehicle and Powertrain Communication Speed

• Trailer Aero Devices That Meet Operational 

 Requirements

• Alternate Power Unit – Technology Change
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Technical Progress - Program Barriers

Alternate Power Unit

• Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC)

– Integrated into Demo 1 (Aug 2012)

– Functionality Verified (Dec 2012)

– Development Challenges

• Warm Up Time

• Peak Power

• Efficiency

• Weight

– Delphi Put Development on Hold (Jan 2013)

– Demo 2 Options: 

• Use Demo 1 Level SOFC

• Choose Another Technology

– Request to Pursue Alternate Technology 

Approved By DOE Feb 2013
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Technical Progress - Program Barriers

Alternate Power Unit

• Lithium Ion APU

– (4) Li Ion Pack + Start Battery

– 240a Alternator

– 13.2 kW-h Capacity

– 12.2 kW-h Load Profile

– 400lb Battery, Structure, and 

Cables

– 6hr Highway Re-charge

– Capable Development

 Level System

A

S

Truck Battery

Hotel

eHVAC

Alt

In

v

PDM

CAN-Buss

CAN-Buss

A
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Technical Progress

Model 579 Demo 2

Cummins 15L High 

Efficiency ISX Engine

Advanced Formula 

Aftertreatment

Cab and Trailer Aero 

Components GPS Cruise 

Control

Advanced Super 

Single Tires

180o Trailer Tandem 

Service Door

Pneumatically 

Retractable Trailer 

Skirts

Waste Heat 

Recovery System

High Efficiency 

Cooling Package

High Speed 

Routers
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Collaboration

Ceramic Brake Drums

Cooling Package and 

Heat Exchangers

Power 

Distribution Alum Hybrid 

Driveshaft

Light Steer Axle and 

Trailer Tandem

Integrated Air 

6x2 Rear Tandem Suspension Bags

w/ eTrac

Magnesium 

Crossmembers

Variable Gage 

Steel Frame Rails

Downspeed-enabling 

Transmission

Route Display 

Li Ion Start 

Batt & APU

Advanced Light 

Wheels

Alum 5th Wheel
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Objective 2b: 24 hr Duty Cycle Testing 

Technical Progress

Start of Testing: Dec 2013
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• Identical 12.2 kW-hr Load over 10 Hours

• Baseline Supported with Engine Idling

• Demo 2 Supported with Lithium Ion Batteries

Objective 2b: 24 hr Duty Cycle Testing 

Technical Progress

Hotel Cycle/Battery Conditioning

10 hrs

Watts
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GVW

(lb)

Freight

(lb)

MPG 

(Range)

(Avg) FTMPG

Improvement

(Avg) MPG

Improvement

579 Demo 2 65k 32,576 9.4-9.5

+1305 86% 75%

Objective 2b: 24 hr Duty Cycle Results

Technical Accomplishment (Dec 2013)

Temp Min/Avg/Max: 30/46/70oF Goal: 68%

Wind Avg/Max Gust: 14/28 mph
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Testing Beyond Scope

Demo 2 vs. Baseline - Drive Cycle Route

Technical Accomplishment

(Demo 1: 61%)

GVW

(lb)

Freight

(lb)

(Avg) FTMPG

Improvement

(Avg) MPG

Improvement

579 Demo 2 65k 32,576

+1305

76% 66%

Temp Min/Avg/Max: 22/36/52oF

Wind Avg/Max Gust: 13/33 mph

(Demo 1: 61%) (Demo 1: 54%)
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Technical Accomplishment 

Freight Efficiency Status
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Testing Beyond Scope

Demo 2 vs. Demo 1 - Drive Cycle Route

Technical Accomplishment

GVW Run 1 Run 2

579 Demo 2 65k 9.9 10.7

587 Demo 1 65K 8.9 10.1

Temp Min/Avg/Max: 38/47/53oF

Wind Avg/Max Gust: 6 mph/steady
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Testing Beyond Scope

Technical Accomplishment

Demo 2 Tractor w/ Demo 2 Trailer

80K GVW 10.4

Peak MPG

9.4 Demo 2 Tractor w/ Trailer Skirts

65K GVW

Demo 2 Tractor w/ Demo 2 Trailer

32.5K GVW (Empty Trailer) 12.7

Temp Min/Avg/Max: 55/68/77oF Wind Avg/Gust: 9/18 mph

Temp Min/Avg/Max: 49/56/64oF Wind Avg/Gust: 6.5 mph/steady

Temp Min/Avg/Max: 54/63/68oF Wind Avg/Gust: 23/40 mph
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Aerodynamic Improvements –

Technical Progress

Configurations

Demo 2 - 24% Target

Demo 1 - 14% Target

Baseline

Demo 1 – 18.1%

Freight Efficiency Improvement

Demo 2 – 24.3%

Demo 2 Progress 

Since Last Review 

Target Exceeded
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-3000

-2000

-1000

0

1000

2000

3000

WHR/2010

Emissions

Aero

Devices

Idle

Systems

Onboard

Fuel

Truck

Savings

Trailer

Savings

Net Weight

Difference

Demo 2 Truck/Trailer Weight

Technical Progress

Baseline

Pounds

1305 lb Bonus Freight
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Driver Acceptance

Collaboration

• US Xpress Drive Event, Demo 1

– Mar 21, 2013

– Irving, TX to Laredo, TX 

 (950 mile round trip)

– Commercial Freight

– US Xpress Drivers

• Feature/Functional Evaluation

– Loading/Unloading Aero Trailer

– Drivability

• Very Positive Event

• Critical and Valuable Feedback
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Driver Acceptance

Collaboration/Technical Progress

Service Access Retractable Skirt

Added Trailer Features for Demo 2
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Promoting the DOE Program

Technical Progress
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White House Press Event

February 18, 2014

Technical Accomplishment

Safeway Distribution Center

Upper Marlboro, MD
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Energy Secretary 

Dr. Ernest Moniz

Asst. Energy Secretary 

Dr. David Danielson

Department of Energy

February 19, 2014

Technical Accomplishment
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Mid-America Truck Show

March 27-29, 2014

Technical Accomplishment/Collaboration
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• March 2013 to March 2014 – Technical Accomplishments

√ Demonstrated 86% freight efficiency improvement (Objective 2b – 24hr)

√75% fuel economy increase

√ Demonstrated 76% freight efficiency improvement (Objective 2a – Drive)

√66% fuel economy increase

√ Demonstrated Li-Ion Battery & SOFC capability

√ Completed wind tunnel and vehicle testing of Waste Heat Recovery

√ Validated an advanced transmission efficiency model

√ Path-to-Target analysis for a 55% thermal efficient engine

√ Demonstrated 49.4% BTE in engine only (Objective 3)

• March 2014 to September 2014 – Future Work

• 55% BTE path to target roll-up analysis (Objective 3)

• Final Report and Commercial Development

Milestones and Technical Accomplishments
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Summary

• Program remains on schedule

• Meeting the ARRA and DoE VT MYPP goals

• Demonstrated a 50+% BTE engine system (Objective 1)

• Demonstrated a 70+% vehicle freight efficiency gains (Objective 2a & 2b)

• Analytical roadmaps updated with experimental component data

• Built and tested sub-systems

• Cummins Waste Heat Recovery vehicle testing (Objective 2a)

• Advanced transmission dynamometer and vehicle test (Objective 2a)

• Solid Oxide Fuel Cell APU in lab and vehicle tests (Objective 2b)

• Li-Ion battery APU (Objective 2b)

• Tractor-Trailer aerodynamic aids (Objective 2a)

• Developed framework and analysis for 55% thermal efficiency

• Completed analytical roadmaps for both diesel and dual fuel approaches

• Completing targeted engine tests to validate roadmaps

• Developed working relationship with excellent vehicle and engine system 

delivery partners
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68%

50%

FTE Deliverables On Track

Technical Accomplishment

61%

Demo 1

Demo 2

86%