NEW ORLEANS—Mesilla Valley Transportation Solutions, a trucking industry fuel economy testing, design, and development services company, announced test results for FlowBelow’s AeroFender during the American Trucking Associations Technology & Maintenance Council show. AeroFender is a replacement for OEM quarter fenders. Tests conducted in November 2023 showed that the technology resulted in a fuel savings of 1.49 gallons per 1,000 miles (1.44%).
The testing showed that AeroFender could save fleets 187 gallons of fuel per year and save 1.9 metric tons of CO2, equivalent to the amount of CO2 processed by 87 trees annually. These calculations are based on 125,000 miles annually.
“This isn’t the first meaningful track test performed on the AeroFender,” said Josh Butler, president and CTO at FlowBelow. “McLane Company’s positive test results influenced them to begin outfitting their food service and grocery fleets with the AeroFender in early 2021. Years of field testing and another successful fuel test on the MVT Solutions track have driven us to make the product widely available.”
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Tests were conducted on 2023 Volvo VNL 6x2 diesel-powered day cabs with Volvo D13N-405 engines and ATF2612F 12-speed transmissions. The trailers were 53-foot Strick dry vans, and the gross vehicle weight was about 45,000 lb.
“The FlowBelow AeroFender has proven to be a great fuel-saving product on day cab tractors when added to FlowBelow’s trademark Tractor AeroKit, which has been in trucking for a decade,” says Daryl Bear, lead engineer and COO of MVT Solutions. “A bonus to the AeroFender is that fleets can subtract the cost of the OEM quarter fender they are currently spec’ing, which reduces the purchase cost and improves the ROI of the AeroFender even more.”
The FlowBelow AeroFender was on display at Booth #4031 at TMC. FlowBelow is a Texas-based aerodynamic technology company. MVTS has previously tested FlowBelow tractor and trailer wheel covers and the Tractor AeroKit and found that both technologies lead to significant fuel savings.
This article was originally published on FleetOwner.com.
