Mack/USAF Hybrid Truck Rides on Goodyear Mixed-Service Tires

AKRON, Ohio, Oct. 6, 2005 -- A prototype hybrid U.S. Air Force aircraft refueler truck built on a Mack Truck chassis features a new mixed-service tire from The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company .

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Goodyear Unisteel G287 MSA tires (315/80R22.5) are mounted in the steer position on the 6,000-gallon refueler. Mack Trucks Inc. and the U.S. Air Force Advanced Power Technology Office developed the hybrid diesel-electric truck. Eight Goodyear Unisteel G286 tires (12R22.5) are mounted on the vehicle's rear drive axles.

Mack Truck officials said an electric motor assists the diesel engine in accelerating and regenerates electricity during braking. Besides improved fuel economy, the technology offers reduced emissions and noise, longer brake system service intervals and lower overall operating costs.

The vehicle is referred to as a mild hybrid. The goal is to develop a full hybrid system that powers a heavy-duty truck with electric motors solely, Mack said.

A likely commercial use for full hybrid technology is on Mack refuse haulers, which dominate in North America with more than 70 percent share of the segment, Mack said.

Goodyear's mixed-service tires are designed for diverse applications, including the refuse and sanitation industry, according to Donn Kramer, director of Goodyear commercial tire marketing. For example, the G287 MSA tire is for trucks that travel mainly on highway and about 20 percent off road. The robust G288 MSA spends about 80 percent off road and the remainder on pavement.

The majority of the hybrid development work is being performed at Volvo Powertrain North America, supplier of Mack Trucks engines. Mack is a member of the Volvo Group, headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Goodyear, a global supplier of commercial tires to the Volvo Group, this year introduced its mixed-service tires and revolutionary DuraSeal technology at a Mack Trucks customer and media event in Las Vegas. DuraSeal instantly seals punctures up to 1/4-inch in a tire's tread area.

Goodyear commercial tire systems offer complete products and services to the trucking industry, including a full range of original equipment and replacement tires. In addition, the company's cradle-to-grave tire and service network includes retreading, tire management tools and business solutions for tomorrow's trucking fleets. For more information on Goodyear's line of commercial tires, go to http://www.goodyear.com/truck.

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