Get FinancingPACCAR Automated Transmission To Become Standard On Certain Kenworth T680s
It used to be that the main focus for truck manufacturers was on pure power. There was this race to see who would build the truck that could tow the most cargo for the longest distance. And while power is certainly still important, the attention has now turned to fuel efficiency and driver comfort.
Kenworth is continuing its travels down that path with the recent announcement that the 12-speed PACCAR Automated Transmission will now come standard in the company’s on-highway T680 truck, but more specifically on the line-haul and regional-haul models, starting in January of 2018. This move also means that the right-hand, column-mounted shifter will also come standard, which is another move toward improving drive comfort.
Bringing It All Together
This latest move is the last in a series of changes made to the Kenworth T680, which now fully fits into PACCAR’s proprietary standards with its powertrain, transmission, and tandem real axle. All of these systems together help give the T680 better fuel efficiency as well as better overall performance and weight distribution while hauling cargo. Kenworth points out that 70% of its line-haul customers bought automated transmissions and the company expects more to come in the future.
Performance Meets Comfort
In addition to being more fuel efficient, the new PACCAR Automated Transmission offers up to 510 horsepower and 1,850 pound-foot (2508 newton meter) of torque while being up to 105 pounds (48 kilograms) lighter than other transmissions. This means that you have more weight to work with when filling up the cargo hold. Some of the other highlights in terms of performance are the 750,000-mile (1.2 million-kilometer) oil change interval, the maintenance-free clutch, and a fluid pressure detections system, among others.
But again it all goes back to making the truck easier and more comfortable to drive. With the gear selection and engine brake controls in the same place, it puts the driver in a more ergonomic position, which in tune helps improve productivity. It’s designed so that the operator has everything he needs within reach while hauling loads from one place to another.
Kenworth T680
The Kenworth T680 is the company’s flagship on-highway truck, and the new PACCAR Automated Transmission is the latest in a long line of innovations for the vehicle. The truck body itself is already designed for maximum aerodynamics, which helps with fuel efficiency and performance. Plus, it comes with quite a few driver assistance technologies, like predictive cruise control and adaptive cruise control for example, all of which are designed to give the operator more information to work with while rolling down the road.
Source: PACCAR