Freightliner’s Cascadia NG Sleeper
Freightliner says its has started production of additional features for the Cascadia natural gas powered tractor. It’s now available with a 48-in. sleeper cab and factory-installed compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel tanks. The Meritor WABCO OnGuard Collision Safety system is also now available on Cascadia NG-powered tractors spec’d with a manual transmission.
The truck was on display at last week’s Mid America Trucking Show (MATS) in Louisville, KY.
Equipped with the Cummins Westport ISX12 G heavy-duty natural gas engine, the tractor features a variety of CNG fuel-tank configurations, up to 190 diesel-gallon-equivalent (DGE) capacity with an anticipated fill range of about 1300 km or 800 miles.
Freightliner also announced several new options for the Cascadia and Cascadia Evolution at the show. They include the ParkSmart HVAC system combined with Optimized Idle. An integration of two systems, this new feature automatically starts the engine if both the main and auxiliary battery packs are depleted. Cab temperature is easily controlled and the idle system will monitor the battery voltage and oil temperature, starting the engine when necessary. Drivers who find themselves parked for more than eight hours will benefit from virtually unlimited ParkSmart time, Freightliner says.
There’s also a new yellow B-pillar grab handle, brightly colored to make it more visible at night, to make cab entry safer.
A new leaf-spring suspension rating of 12,500 lb is said to complement the Detroit front-axle offering and provide a smoother ride than a 13,300-lb suspension while also saving weight.
The new Bendix AD-9SI air dryer is now standard, said to be more than 40% lighter with an additional 25% increase in capacity over the current AD-IP dryer. It has a spin-on cartridge, enabling faster replacement.
LED flush-mounted back-of-cab lights produce bright and clean light, the company says, while drawing less amperage and lasting longer than incandescent lamps.
New daycab roof fairings, re-designed to optimize aerodynamics for non-Evolution models. The new roof deflector improves aerodynamics, resulting in up to a 3.7% increase in fuel economy, the company says.
The new bulb-out detection system automatically performs a check to determine if exterior lamps are functioning, and notifies drivers via an in-dash light if an exterior lamp fails to turn on.
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