Don-Bur Manufacture 3,000th Teardrop
A major blue-chip retailer has acquired 37 Teardrop™ trailers, which could reduce their fuel consumption by up to 7%, giving them payback on their investment in under two years. CO2 emissions are calculated to drop by approximately 10%.
The new 13.6m long aerodynamic trailers have an overall height of just 4.2m (13’9” ½) but still retain a similar internal cubic capacity to that of their standard, flat-roofed counterparts.
Rear aperture height was also a challenge. Richard Owens, Marketing Manager for Don-Bur comments “The Teardrop™ ideal has a low roof height at the back. Limiting overall height to 4.2m would normally have reduced the rear aperture, but by tapering the chassis, we’ve managed to create a 2.2m high opening.”
The streamlined tandem axle box van trailers are plated at 36T GVW and will operate from DC-to-DC and DC-to-store carrying high quality department goods. To unload at store, they have been specified with a 1500kgs tuckaway tail-lift which incorporates side safety gates.
Number 31 of the batch of 37 was the 3,000th Teardrop™ designed and manufactured by Don-Bur since the iconic shape was launched in 2007. It is calculated that, for the 158 companies that now operate Teardrops, they cumulatively account for over half a billion miles travelled. At an average fuel saving of 11.3%, this equates to a combined diesel saving of £28.5 million and a CO2 reduction of 68,000 tonnes of CO2†.
Don-Bur is currently developing the Teardrop™ MKIII, which has a CD value of just 0.402. Its long-awaited launch is expected in 2013.
† Figures based on 80,000 miles per annum. One billion defined as one thousand million.
| Year | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity | 153 | 97 | 278 | 512 | 962 | 1045 | 3047 |
| MPA | 12,240,000 | 12,240,000 | 12,240,000 | 12,240,000 | 12,240,000 | 12,240,000 | 73,440,000 |
| MPA | 7,760,000 | 7,760,000 | 7,760,000 | 7,760,000 | 7,760,000 | 38,800,000 | |
| MPA | 22,240,000 | 22,240,000 | 22,240,000 | 22,240,000 | 88,960,000 | ||
| MPA | 40,960,000 | 40,960,000 | 40,960,000 | 122,880,000 | |||
| MPA | 76,960,000 | 76,960,000 | 153,920,000 | ||||
| MPA | 83,600,000 | 83,600,000 | |||||
| Total MPA | 12,240,000 | 20,000,000 | 42,240,000 | 83,200,000 | 160,160,000 | 243,760,000 | 561,600,000 |
11.3% fuel saving quoted as an average of all independent operational fuel trials for box van Teardrop™ trailers in comparison to similarly specified trailers without a Teardrop™ roof design.
Calculation based on standard trailers running at 10mpg and equally specified Teardrop™ trailers travelling at 11.13mpg. Total litreage saved over cumulative mileage total is 25,920,811 ltrs. Costs based on average bulk diesel cost of 110 pence per litre. CO2 conversion based on 2.63kgs produced per litre. Actual cost saving is £28,512,892.21. Actual CO2 reduction is 68,171 tonnes.
Published: Mon 11 Mar 2013
Updated: Thu 11 Apr 2024
Author: Richard Owens
Published by: Don-Bur
