MVTS test reveals Ex-Guard XG-125G3 and Ex-Guard XG-150G3 have little impact on fuel economy.
October 28, 2024 (Las Cruces, NM) – MVT Solutions (MVTS), a provider of breakthrough fuel economy testing and design and development services for the trucking industry, today announced that the Ex-Guard XG-125G3 and the Ex-Guard XG-150G3 grille guards had only a minimal impact on fuel economy, of only -0.31 gal/1000 miles (-0.32%) and -0.40% gal/1000 miles (-0.41%).
“Ex-Guard has proven again that our guards are undeniably a net positive for fleets when considering how to reduce front end damage with a smaller fuel economy footprint,” said Jeremy Drever, Director of Engineering at Ex-Guard.
“The improvements in fuel efficiency compared to previous models of our largest and best protecting Ex-Guard model, the XG-150, really underline how serious we are in making Ex-Guard a staple for every fleet and every truck,” he noted. “Combining the 80% decrease in towable accidents many of our customers have seen, along with this lower impact on fuel economy, the financial benefits are easily recognized and the overall environmental impact can be better than not running guards at all.”
The MVTS tests were conducted on a 2024 Freightliner Cascadia powered by a DD 15 engine and a DT12-1750-DHE Efficiency On-Highway 12-speed transmission, with a 53-foot refrigerated trailer. The gross vehicle weight was 46,000 lbs. Testing was conducted at 65 MPH steady-state speed on a private track in Texas.
“These two grille guards had very little impact on fuel economy,” says Daryl Bear, lead engineer and chief operating officer of MVT Solutions. Using the XG-125G3 test results of -0.31 gal/1000 miles will result in an additional fuel expense of only about $164 a year, while the XG-150G3 with test results of -0.40 gal/1000 miles will result in an additional fuel expense of only about $211 a year. Fleets need to evaluate this cost against the cost of repairing a vehicle with front end damage.” Financial values are based on 125,000 miles traveled annually and a fuel price of $4.214, which was the average retail price of diesel fuel in the USA in 2023.
The full report will be available soon at m-v-t-s.com.
About MVT Solutions
MVT Solutions, a subsidiary of Mesilla Valley Transportation, provides fuel economy testing based on race car engineering. This high-tech testing methodology can obtain accuracy up to 0.25% and accounts for such variables as wind, driver behavior and duty cycle. With over 1,000 fuel economy tests conducted to date, the company’s proven approach provides highly reliable and consistent data that enables trucking companies to make more informed choices and manufacturers to design and develop products backed by accurate fuel efficiency information that customers trust. MVT Solutions also provides consulting services to fleets looking to implement the right fuel-savings technologies for their operations. MVT Solutions was founded in 2016 and is based in Las Cruces, New Mexico. To learn more about MVT Solutions and for the latest in fuel efficiency news, visit www.m-v-t-s.com.