translated from Spanish: Trucks and their uses: specialized power

Anyone who has been lucky enough to travel our country from north to south has been able to realize the enormous diversity of landscapes, resources and places that define the national territory. For more expert eyes, there is the detection of the differences that are observed between the trucks, the vehicles that move more than 95% of the load in Chile. The truth is that each geographical region, the resources found in it and the challenges of the relief of each area, largely define the technical characteristics of the trucks that travel the national roads. From the desert north, to the southern fjords, the coast and the mountain range, they are key to knowing which trucks should be used in our country. So, for example, it is clear that for the north of the country, with great distances between cities, steep slopes and few places of assistance, trucks facing these conditions must have greater power; while to the south, with a flatter topography, more cities and shorter distances between urban centers, it is possible to operate with smaller trucks. Julio Torres, manager of Volkswagen Trucks and Buses Chile, explains the conceptual bases: “First, it is important to understand that when we talk about power, we talk about force by speed, that is, how the engine exerts a certain force in a unit of time. This is very relevant to know which engines/powers are the most efficient for various tasks and that is why at Volkswagen we offer a wide offer to respond effectively to the needs of the market”. From physics and engineering, the use of a truck will be key to choosing the best combination of engine, power, torque and transmission, in addition to rolling components, to determine the exact equation to fulfill a mission well, efficiently. FROM THEORY TO PRACTICEDifferences in how power values are configured in trucks is evident when reviewing the line-up of a brand, where each product has features that make it suitable for a particular application. Torres, from Volkswagen comments: “High power is required in the vehicles of work, sector in which it is necessary to transport more loads and in uneven and rough terrain, so that engines of higher power are required to be able to achieve the performance optimal, efficient and cost-effective. Within our range, we have the Volkswagen Constellation 26.280 6×4, 31,330 6×4 and our new product, the Super Robusto Volkswagen Constellation 32.360 6×4 with 360 Hp, which has everything to conquer any terrain,” he said. Other applications where the deployment of vehicle power is greatest are mining and special or oversized transport, where some trucks far exceed 500 horsepower, with twists close to 2,000 Nm. These are specific end-to-end applications, such as very large load transfers in multiple trailers. It is done slowly for safety, but requires a lot of power to move huge moles with high efficiency.” In the case of trucks with the most power of our range, its application ranges from transporting goods over long distances as well as in extreme activities such as mining and construction. For this we have trucks with engine of 6.5 liters and 250 hp as is the case of the new model 1825 charge that has been recently introduced in the market. We also have the 1922 and 2544 tract trucks that are equipped with 12-litre Cummins engines and automated ZF (Traxon) box with powers up to 440 HP and 2,200 Nm”, says Cristian Alonso, Foton truck manager for Andes Motor. On the other hand, in urban or medium-distance distribution segments, power deployment is not a priority. Julio Torres de Volkswagen explains: “Our renovated Volkswagen Constellation 19,330 4×2 (330 hp), 25,360 6×2 (360 hp) 26,390 6×4 (390 hp) and 26,420 (420 hp) tracts offer high levels of fuel efficiency thanks to the associated technology and the combination of its various transmissions. Add to these our Constellation 17.280 and 24.280 (280 Hp) and 17,330 (330 Hp), which are an attractive alternative for long and medium distance distribution and transport.” In the same vein, Alonso, of Foton comments: “light and medium trucks use engines ranging from 2.8 to 4.5 liters and their main application is logistics and distribution, mainly used by the industry for short and medium-sized delivery Distance. Foton trucks feature front-line components such as Cummins engines and ZF gearboxes, as well as a high-end safety and comfort standard to provide high driver protection and peace of mind. owner.”

Original source in Spanish