Trucking using less fuel

Mercedes Benz put their new trucks through their paces in an attempt to reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.

Two Actros heavy trucks were driven 10,000 kilometres, one on a test circuit in southern Italy and one in normal traffic on Italian roads.

The aim was to monitor the impact of the trucks on the environment under ideal conditions and also on the roads to see how traffic, weather and driver behaviour influence fuel consumption.

The truck driven on the test circuit proportionally consumed one litre of fuel per 100 kilometres, and emitted around 20 grams of CO2 per ton-kilometre.

Joanna Partridge reports.