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Iveco Presents ECOSTRALIS: the ECOlogical and ECOnomical Heavy Commercial Vehicle - VIDEO ENHANCED


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TURIN - November 4, 2010: Following the success of the ECODAILY, Iveco presents the ECOSTRALIS to the market, extending the availability of the ECO logic and the strong points of the initiative created for the light range vehicles to the company’s flagship, the Stralis.

With the arrival of the ECOSTRALIS, Iveco has perfected its product offering and created a range of completely renewed heavy commercial vehicles with a perfect mix of economy and ecology.


Click PLAY to watch the ECOSTRALIS promo video

The ECOSTRALIS satisfies the market’s growing demand for mobility while also reducing the impact of road transport on the environment. As we all know, sustainability in the transport world is a strategic choice for Iveco, seeing innovation as the key to limiting environmental impact. Iveco’s commitment to the environment has proceeded hand in hand with technical innovation. The ECOSTRALIS is Iveco’s most important contribution to sustainable mobility, it is a vehicle that combines high technology, respect for the environment, productivity and efficiency in its low fuel consumption engines.

The new ECOSTRALIS has been optimised with regard to its engines, its aerodynamics and its electronic systems, and is a clear candidate for the most efficient and environmentally sustainable in its category.

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Advanced technology and driver comfort
With ECOSTRALIS Iveco puts itself once more in the position of the driver to offer a package of features and services to improve comfort and safety and to reduce consumption and improve productivity as well. This is achieved by:

• providing a comfortable and efficient driving environment;

• providing a sophisticated range of active safety systems to greatly reduce the risk of damage and injury;

• providing training courses to assist drivers develop a safer and more economical driving style;

• simplifying the work of road haulage operators by providing innovative telematic systems capable of monitoring the performance of and the route taken by each vehicle in a fleet, flagging excessive fuel consumption, optimising routes and minimising inefficiency and waiting times.

The result is a perfect mix of latest generation technology and attention to the needs of operators and drivers alike. And this clever mix is made even more effective by the provision of training courses to help drivers optimise their use of the advanced technology available with ECOSTRALIS.

ECOSTRALIS: the perfect formula that unites ECOnomy and ECOlogy
Sustainability is more than just an objective for Iveco: it is a way of doing business, the mindset that determines decisions on a daily basis.

In fact, sustainability is the very heart of Iveco culture, as demonstrated by Iveco’s promise to keep developing increasingly sustainable products and to:

• guarantee maximum productivity with minimum operating costs;

• minimise impact on the environment in which we live and work.

The ECOSTRALIS now brings these fundamental values to the heavy commercial vehicle segment, where they can be applied to both medium and long distance haulage.


Click PLAY to watch the ECOSTRALIS Fascination video

At the customers' side for the life of the vehicle
The ECOSTRALIS has been designed around the two key values on which Iveco builds its customer relations: efficiency and team spirit.

In particular, the ECOSTRALIS is made to achieve maximum efficiency and minimum running costs. Iveco is committed to fulfil this objective for the entire life of the vehicle, working together with the customer:

 at the moment of sale, by helping to identify the best match between vehicle configuration and mission and by offering finance solutions to suit every need and proposing extended warranties and service contracts to preserve the value of the vehicle over time and to keep it productive and economical to operate;

 whenever service is required, by placing the skill and knowledge of the entire Iveco service network at the disposal of the customer, with service availability guaranteed 24 hours a day, 12 months a year, to ensure immediate attention and shortest vehicle down time possible, assured of excellent results and high productivity.

Technical characteristics
All ECOSTRALIS engines have been optimised to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The ECOSTRALIS is a specific variant of the AS, AD and AT versions of the Stralis, equipped with the Cursor 10 engine from 420 cv to 460 cv. The engine availability will shortly be extended to include the Cursor 13 engines at 500CV. ECOSTRALIS engines conform to EEV standards, the most severe of all European standards, with a specific engine consumption map optimised to maintain low fuel consumption.

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The ECOSTRALIS is also equipped with EBS (Electronic Braking System). This system modulates braking action according to actual vehicle running weight (including the weight of the trailer or semi-trailer). ECOSTRALIS is equipped with a key operated ECO-switch that uses the vehicle weight information from the EBS system to limit engine torque according to the total vehicle weight, so maintaining overall performance in line with that of a fully laden vehicle. In this way fuel consumption is minimised during acceleration without affecting overall speed capability.

When the vehicle specification includes the Eurotronic transmission, the ECO-switch adjusts the gear change logic to allow only the fully automatic mode and to effect gear changes according to fuel economy criteria, so bringing further economy savings.

Recognising the important contribution of rolling resistance to the total, ECOSTRALIS is equipped with new technology tyres bringing significant reductions in rolling resistance. The new 305/70R22.5 tyres are matched with the 2.64:1 rear axle ratio to bring an ideal drive ratio optimised for economy and driveability.

Still on the subject of tyres and the importance of correct inflation pressures for economic and safe driving, ECOSTRALIS is equipped with TMPS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System). In the event of a loss of pressure in any one or more tyres, the driver receives a visual and an audible warning.

The aerodynamic design of the vehicle, in particular regarding heavy commercial vehicles, has a significant impact on fuel economy and performance. The new ECOSTRALIS, in order to minimise Cx and optimise aerodynamic efficiency is therefore equipped with a front spoiler and side deflectors.

Of course, the efficiency of any vehicle depends not only on its technical characteristics but also on the way it is managed and driven. That is why Iveco is proud to offer the “Blue&Me Fleet” telematics system, developed on the Fiat-Microsoft Blue&Me platform, in conjunction with Qualcomm, global leader in fleet management solutions,. Qualcomm’s telematics services are fully compatible with the on-board computer of the ECOSTRALIS, based on the “Blue&Me Fleet” platform, they provide operators with a wide range of real time data from all vehicles equipped with the necessary devices.

The on-board computer of the ECOSTRALIS is able to dialogue with the vehicle’s CANbus system and request data on parameters like fuel consumption, distance travelled, speed, total mileage, etc., linking this data with driver identity in order to provide precise information on the style and efficiency of all drivers in the fleet.

Data from the digital tachograph can also be downloaded remotely. This function allows fleet managers to log on to the tachograph from a remote location and download all the data they need without ever having to enter the vehicle. The “Blue&Me Fleet” on-board system transmits data to the Qualcomm infrastructure over the mobile phone network. Operators can access this information via the FleetVisor web portal, specially developed by Qualcomm, using a normal internet browser. A dedicated data integration service allows data from existing software systems to be imported.

In order to simplify the Blue&Me Fleet offer, Iveco has created three option packs:

• Base: remote download of driver and digital tachograph data, hands-free telephone and integration with ANS (Assistance Non Stop) – the Iveco Customer Service facility that responds to vehicle breakdown, where the precise geographic vehicle location and breakdown system error codes are transmitted directly to the Iveco ANS call-centre.

• Intermediate: base level plus telematic track and trace, contol of drivers’ hours and driver monitoring service according to pre-programmed kpi parameters.

• Advanced: intermediate level plus touch-screen for driver and back-office communication and vehicle ring fencing where the a warning is given to the back-office if the vehicle leaves a particular pre-established area.

Technical assistance
When it comes to technical assistance and service, ECOSTRALIS remains in constant touch with the team of Iveco mechanics responsible for its maintenance and repair.

The Blue&Me Fleet system on the ECOSTRALIS makes Iveco’s Assistance Non-Stop telephone service – available in all European countries and geared up to activate the nearest Iveco service centre – is now even simpler and quicker to use. It is not even necessary to make a phone call! Breakdown data can be transmitted directly to the Iveco operations centre along with the vehicle’s GPS position, so that the nearest authorised service centre can have a mechanic at the scene immediately.

Remaining on the subject of Customer Service, Iveco has developed a special support network for long range, international operators: Iveco Truck Station. This comprises of a specialist network consisting of 400 service centres around Europe, strategically located near busy road routes. Iveco Truck Service Stations are part of the process of perfecting Customer Service and Iveco has applied all the tools at its disposal to their development, from training to networking, diagnostics to teleservice.

The Iveco service network can read operating information from ECOSTRALIS vehicles (e.g. fuel consumption data) directly from the engine control unit and from the ECUs that control its other systems. All data can be transmitted over the GPRS network and can be accessed via a dedicated portal using any Internet browser. This allows access to and processing of data on the operation of a single vehicle or an entire fleet, quickly, reliably and extremely efficiently.

Blue&Me Fleet can also be integrated with a latest generation satellite navigation unit. The unit is dashboard-mounted, incorporates a 5.8” touch-screen and contains pre-loaded maps of all European countries.

Safety
Safety has been given the highest priority on the ECOSTRALIS and the new vehicle is equipped with some of the most advanced systems available. These include:

EBS (Electronic Braking System)
EBS is an electronic system that controls the braking functions of both tractor unit and semi-trailer, and integrates the functions of ABS (Antilock Braking System), ASR (Acceleration Slip Regulation) and EBL (Electronic Brake Limiter).

The system combines the effects of the engine brake and intarder, and controls both automatically to improve effectiveness and to minimise brake wear. Versions equipped with EBS have disc brakes on all axles.

ESP (Electronic Stability Program)
The ESP system operates in the event of a swerve to modulating engine power and selectively braking individual wheels with different intensities until a stable vehicle trajectory is re-established.

ESP is extremely effective during sudden changes in direction or correcting under-steer or over-steer as a result of miscalculating the line through a bend.

Hill Holder
Hill Holder is an auxiliary system that facilitates starting off up a slope. The system functions by stoping the vehicle rolling backwards for a second or two when the foot brake is released.

Hill Holder removes the risk from starting off on hills, avoiding the need to ride the clutch and also reduces tyre wear.

ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control)
Adaptive Cruise Control is an intelligent system that maintains a constant road speed selected by the driver., but is also able monitor the proximity to the vehicle in front.

If the event that the safety distance is not maintained, the system automatically activates the engine brake, the intarder and the service brake.

LDWS (Lane Departure Warning System)
The Lane Departure Warning System sounds a warning buzzer if the vehicle wanders across the lines delimiting the traffic lane without the driver having indicated his intention to do so.

The system is extremely effective in preventing accidents caused by distraction or tiredness.

Perfecting driving style
Iveco has decided to assist its customers in more ways than one. Owners and drivers of an ECOSTRALIS have the opportunity to attend economy driving courses to improve driving style and efficiency.

Iveco’s economy driving courses are practical events designed to improve driving skills and knowledge of the vehicle and to provide an advanced understanding of its technology, safety and energy saving systems.

Iveco has always been dedicated to the cause of reducing fuel consumption and respecting the environment. These economy driving courses make Iveco's extensive knowledge in economical driving available to all ECOSTRALIS owners and drivers.

The course starts with an in-depth presentation of the controls and systems in the cab and their correct use, then goes on to develop the ability of the driver by teaching techniques tailored for road safety and fuel economy.