EcoGeneration – aerodynamic vehicle body for greater sustainability in freight transport

January 2021 – Rethinking sustainability – this is the motto of Schmitz Cargobull’s new EcoGeneration vehicle concept. The sustainable trailer concept with three versions, EcoFIX, EcoFLEX and EcoVARIOS, is a further contribution from Schmitz Cargobull to greater fuel savings and CO2 reduction for road freight transport. 

Continuing its tradition as an innovative market leader, Schmitz Cargobull has developed an aerodynamic body for the S.CS curtainsider semi-trailer, which enables fuel savings of up to 5%. This issue is more important than ever for companies in view of the CO2 levy introduced this year. Fuel costs and the CO2 footprint can be significantly reduced to effectively save money. As of 1 January 2021, the new CO2 tax means that companies have to pay €25/tonne on CO2 produced when they consume diesel and petrol, heating oil and natural gas. The price will rise successively towards a price corridor of €55 – 65 from 2026.

“If only 50% of all journeys are made in ‘aerodynamic’ mode and 50% in ‘volume’ mode, without the body lowered, the EcoFlex achieves conservatively calculated savings of €7,700 for 1 million km or more than €900 per year. The environmental burden is reduced by 2.3 tonnes of CO2 per year,” explains CEO Andreas Schmitz.

Boris Billich, Sales Director of Schmitz Cargobull, sums up the advantages: “The EcoGeneration concept is both good for the environment and also reduces costs for the transport industry. We assume that this vehicle concept will also be eligible for subsidisation under the German federal government’s climate protection program as part of the fleet replacement program.”

The lifting rear section concept of the new EcoGeneration gives the trailer an aerodynamic shape and reduces aerodynamic drag. It can be easily raised if the trailer needs to be loaded up to the roof. This concept offers potentially high savings without additional expenses, especially when transporting heavy goods. All of this without significantly changing the trailer functions, transport performance and the familiar handling. The increased efficiency and effectiveness of the aerodynamic body in providing excellent sustainability through maximum fuel savings does not come at the cost of expensive, easily damaged attachments.

Schmitz Cargobull offers three different versions of the EcoGeneration.

The EcoFIX body is the ideal solution for transporting horizontal, flat and heavy goods, such as steel and paper rolls. With its reduced weight and fixed rear, the vehicle offers an overall front height of four metres. Equipped with the right tarpaulin design, the payload-optimised vehicle represents a fuel-saving alternative thanks to its reduced weight and aerodynamic design.

The EcoFLEX features a flexibly lowerable tail end. At maximum extension, it has a total height of four metres at the front and rear. At the same time, the curtain height adjusts to match the body with the option of flexibly raising the rear when the full loading volume is mood. The resulting aerodynamic shape can optimise fuel savings. This body is ideal for general cargo and beverage transport.

The EcoVARIOS is an excellent option for high-volume transports and the automotive industry when transporting three stacked pallet cages, for example. Both the front and rear sections of the body can be flexibly adjusted. This variant offers an interior height of three metres and a total height of four metres. This trailer provides fuel savings when the entire interior height of three metres is not required.

The height of the EcoFLEX and EcoVARIOS variants can be easily and rapidly adjusted in the same way as the well-known and established VARIOS body system. The roof is raised manually using a hydro-pneumatic pump while the height is adjusted via the stanchions. No further aids are required to change the height. One person can make the adjustments on their own, and the whole process takes approximately 10 minutes including moving the tarpaulin and adjusting it to the new height. Furthermore, the additional time is completely negligible when making the adjustments during the loading process.

Depending on the specific transport task, the Eco body can be equipped with the standard tarpaulin or the POWER CURTAIN tarpaulin. The EcoGeneration vehicles are an ideal solution in combination with the POWER CURTAIN, which does not require any slats. This further reduces the overall weight and contributes.

to higher fuel savings. The system impresses with its simple and safe handling and saves time during day-to-day transport tasks.

Like the standard versions, the Eco body complies with all current certificates, as the body features the same technology as the standard trailers. The basis remains the renowned MODULOS chassis, which enables flexible body designs thanks to its modular concept. The Eco body can also be combined with the X-LIGHT chassis for a particularly low unladen weight. Naturally, the Eco vehicles continue to offer the classic product characteristics of the chassis, such as robustness, corrosion protection and a 10-year warranty against rusting through. All EcoGeneration vehicles are also equipped with Schmitz Cargobull’s own TrailerConnect® CTU trailer telematics system as standard. This offers the same functions as with standard trailers.

When loading and unloading, there are no other special features in comparison to other day-to-day transport operations. All of the Eco variants are suitable for both rear and side loading. Load securing, loading and unloading can be carried out as usual without any additional work.

The first vehicles with the new aerodynamic body have already been produced and are undergoing field testing in cooperation with a transport company. Sales will start before the end of January and series production will commence in the second quarter of 2021.