OREANDA-NEWS. August 25, 2016. Some of the latest solutions – including reduced-weight air springs, fuel-saving tires, and a smaller diesel oxidation catalyst – will be on show at this year’s International Motor Show Commercial Vehicles (hall 17, stand A06/B11). The company will be showcasing a diverse, technologically sophisticated, single-source portfolio to attending manufacturers, forwarding agents, and fleet managers. In addition to the latest innovations, visitors will be able to see other, more familiar Continental technology such as the eHorizon sensor system, which saves almost one liter of fuel over 100 kilometers, and the ProViu Mirror digital side mirror set, which can help save up to 0.6 liters of fuel.

In 2007, the Member States of the European Union agreed to reduce primary energy consumption by 20% by 2020. Consequently, vehicle manufacturers have an interest in continuing to lower CO2 emissions.

Innovations developed by Continental – e.g. lightweight technologies and efficient exhaust-gas aftertreatment solutions – can help to meet this challenge. Fewer emissions, lower consumption, falling operating costs, increasing payloads, and stricter emissions regulations or exhaust standards such as EURO 6 are therefore constantly driving the development of innovations.

Lightweight plastic replaces steel and aluminum

Modern commercial vehicles and buses are subject to exacting demands when it comes to efficiency. To improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of goods transportation, payload capacity is to be increased in compliance with statutory limits on axle loads. Reducing the weight is not just about reducing fuel consumption and, in turn, decreasing operating costs, but also brings other advantages, too: For example, with the weight-reducing air spring family from Continental, forwarding agents can gain 12–15 kg of payload capacity per axle. With a service life of 400,000 km, CO2 emissions drop by 200 kg as a result. In comparison with conventional steel pistons, this means as much as 75% less weight thanks to the use of a special plastic.

More compact, more efficient, more cost-effective: close-coupled exhaust aftertreatment

At the International Motor Show Commercial Vehicles, Continental will be unveiling an innovative solution for close-coupled exhaust aftertreatment on heavy-duty commercial vehicles. By positioning the diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) near the engine, its volume can be reduced by approximately 30%. At the same time, use of the newly developed catalyst substrate in a CS design (Crossversal Structure) enables a further 20% decrease the amount of materials used and the weight of the DOC. In addition, the diminished heat loss and high conversion efficiency of the innovative CS cell structure will help to meet future nitrogen oxide emission limits, such as the CARB 2023 regulation (CARB: California Air Resources Board) in the U.S.A. Due to the higher working temperature in the DOC, the subsequent injection of urea solution can begin sooner. In addition to the DOC, the solution showcased in Hanover will include the urea metering system integrated in the tank, the SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) controller and the metallic catalyst substrate for 100% evaporation of the urea solution.

EU "A" label grade: the new Conti EfficientPro fuel-saving tires

At the commercial vehicle exhibition, Continental will be introducing its new Conti EfficientPro line of tires for the steering and drive axles. These tires, featuring optimized rolling resistance, have been developed specially for long-distance transport on freeways.

In developing the Conti EfficientPro, Continental has built upon tried-and-tested technologies already used in the EcoPlus tire series. Thanks to special rubber compounds for the multi-ply structure of the tread and optimized rolling properties, the rolling resistance of the Conti EfficientPro has been reduced even further. Compared with the Conti EcoPlus tire, a 40-metric-ton semi-trailer truck fitted with Conti EfficientPro tires on the steering and drive axles achieves additional fuel savings of up to 0.64 liters over 100 kilometers. Over an annual distance covered of 120,000 kilometers, this equates to a reduction in CO2 emissions of more than two metric tons per year.

The Conti EfficientPro tires for both the steering axle and the drive axle achieve EU label grade "A," indicating the highest level of fuel efficiency, on account of their low rolling resistance.

1Figure determined on the following basis: 350 kW truck, 40-metric-ton gross vehicle weight, Euro 6 exhaust standard, automated manual transmission on a freeway with varying elevation and road curvature at a typical speed of 85 km/h.