2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:41
The first fastest truck in the world was a steam-powered prototype created by Mercedes founder Benz. At that time, the car swept past the extras with lightning speed, enveloping them in clouds of steam, so much so that they did not have time to record a record speed indicator. They did not attach much importance to this, since it was believed that the main purpose of trucks was to transport materials and goods to the right place from the required point. They were treated exclusively as heavyweights, leaving the right to records to aircraft and racing machines.
Phoenix
Before you decide on the fastest truck in the world, it is worth noting that races on large cars were held regularly. The main purpose of such races is to entertain the public with clumsy maneuvers and a powerful roar of engines. Not many dared to set speed records on such units.
For example, race car driver Carl Heep (after retirement) and his friend Robert Slagle still planned to create the fastest truck in the world. The designers began to prepare for testing a prototype in 1987. Costsnote that the car was built by colleagues with their own hands, equipped with a diesel power plant. The weight of the equipment is 8.5 tons, the length is over nine meters.
The unit was named UDT, the race was decided to be held at the bottom of a dried-up lake in the vicinity of the city of Bonneville. The first record was 254 km/h. The car got its nickname "Phoenix" (Phoenix) for a series of unsuccessful starts, during which it broke down and burned. The photo of the car is presented above.
Following records
Despite all the risks, the designers did not give up and revived the car "from the ashes". It happened that the engine flared up and the special parachute did not slow down, nevertheless, a number of records were set:
- 1992 - 341 km / h under the control of the pilot Slagle.
- 2000 - Heep hit 371.6 kph on the Phoenix.
- 2001 - another speed record set in Toronto - 403.8 km/h.
The world's fastest Volvo truck
In this category, the Swedish company presents a car from the "hybrids" segment. The name of the car is Mean Green. When designing this equipment, the most innovative and advanced technologies in the industry of combined plants were introduced. Under the hood of the original vehicle is a kit consisting of an electric motor and a diesel engine. At one kilometer, the car is able to accelerate to 153 km / h. The record figure is 236 km / h. Such impressive performance is achieved thanks to the total power of the power plants, which is 2100 horsepower.
Features
Volvo's management is convinced that the automotive future is closely connected with hybrid technologies. Individual electric traction is unlikely, and the combination of two different types of effort allows you to optimize speed, power and economic performance. So far, the Mean Green version is produced in single copies. However, if the Swedish company puts such modifications on stream, it will be a global breakthrough for the entire automotive industry.
Scania
Scania is one of the recognized leaders in the automotive industry. It produces the fastest truck in the world among serial models under the R-730 index. The machine was developed taking into account the use at high and constant loads. The cab of the car is designed to withstand severe mechanical and vibration effects. In addition, Scania has improved handling, upgraded suspension, allowing you to overcome serious off-road conditions.
Characteristics of the power unit:
- Working volume - 16.4 liters.
- Torque - 3500 Nm.
- The mass of the road train in total is 40 tons.
- Speed threshold - 200 km/h.
Shockwave
This one of the fastest trucks in the world (photo below) has surpassed several times the achievements of the cars considered before. The unique record holder was created on the basis of the Peterbilt-359 tractor, which was popular in the 80s. Naturally, there werecardinal improvements that left almost no trace of the original. The chief designer of this unit is former racer Less Shockley. Under his leadership, a whole group of specialists was assembled, whose goal is to create the fastest truck in the world.
Original vehicles are powered by three Pratt & Whitney J3448 jet engines mounted on a 260-inch base. It is worth noting that these engines were used for military aviation. Power and traction figures are designed for speeds up to 400 meters in 6.6 seconds. Each "engine" has a power of 12 thousand "horses". The mass of the car is almost seven tons. The record speed of the car is 600 km/h. The use of a jet giant is purely entertainment purposes and competitions in various speed parameters. "Shockwave" competed even with aircraft. Nevertheless, there was a competitor who broke this record as well.
Hawaiian Eagle: World's fastest truck
Under such an original name, the most reactive car among trucks performs at the races. The project was created on the basis of fire equipment, has a rather unusual exterior, shocking the audience already at the acceleration stage. This unique vehicle is a radically modernized version of the 1940 fire truck. After decommissioning, the equipment was sent to a well-deserved rest. However, in 1995, someone Shanon Seidel enthusiastically decided to buy an “older” car and make a rocket on wheels out of it. Reconstruction of the car took three years. As a result, from the basis of almostnothing left. Instead of water tanks, jet power plants developed by Rolls-Royce appeared.
Despite the fact that only two engines were installed, the Hawaiian Eagle managed to defeat its main competitor. A special parachute was used as the main brake, since not a single operating system could slow down a multi-ton machine at sky-high speed. The current world record for the fastest truck in the world, which is the furthest away from the original Ford fire truck, is 655 km/h. So far no one has been able to exceed this figure. However, in this area, everything can change at any moment, it remains only to wait for original ideas and their implementation into reality.
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