Fuel-Efficient, Technology-Loaded Mack Anthem Featured At Technology & Maintenance Council Annual Meeting
Mack Trucks pulled out all the stops when presented with an opportunity to showcase one of its Anthem trucks at the upcoming TMC (Technology & Maintenance Council) annual meeting, taking place from September 12 to 16 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Anthem Mack is sending to the conference is a 70-inch stand-up sleeper featuring the 13-liter Mack MP8HE efficiency package, Mack’s mDRIVE automated manual transmission, and Mack Predictive Cruise, among other high-end additions.
“Mack consistently seeks opportunities to improve our powertrain technology to improve a customer’s total cost of ownership,” says Mack Highway Product Manager Stu Russoli. “Our customers require a truck that offers outstanding fuel efficiency benefits improving their ROI, and the Anthem paired with the Mack MP8HE+ efficiency package provides just that.”
Turning Waste Into Mechanical Energy
One big component of the HE+ fuel efficiency package, Mack’s Energy Recovery Technology, captures the waste energy from the engine’s exhaust, and this captured energy is converted and delivered to the engine crankshaft as additional torque. On the revised MP8HE engine, Mack is also able to increase the compression ratio to 18:1, while also improving the turbocharger and wastegate to realize further efficiency gains. The demo model features a Mack MP8HE-445C, a 445-horsepower (332-kilowatt) engine with 1,860 pounds-foot (2,522 newton-meters) of torque.
Mack Command Steer
The Anthem going to TMC is also equipped with Mack Command Steer, Mack’s active steering technology. Command Steer adds an electric motor to the hydraulic steering system, and Mack says it reduces driver effort by as much as 85%, making it easier to steer and keep the truck on the desired path. Command Steer also suppresses road disturbances, such as potholes, by smoothing steering feedback.
“Driving a heavy-duty truck is demanding on the body and often requires the driver to ‘fight the wheel’ to maintain control,” Russoli says. “Command Steer helps mitigate the strain on the driver’s body while increasing driver productivity and safety.”
Source: Mack Trucks