Michelin North America, Inc., has launched Michelin Energy Guard, a SmartWay-verified aerodynamic trailer solution kit, for use on 53-foot dry-van truckload, refrigerated-truck load and other long-haul and super-regional applications.

Michelin Energy Guard consists of a trailer skirt, trailer-end fairings, aerodynamic mud flaps and a wake reducer. The integrated kit eliminates the need for “boat tails” or combining elements from various vendors. With the biggest drag on fuel efficiency occurring at 65 mph, fleets and owner-operators look for aerodynamic solutions that cut fuel costs but do not increase maintenance costs or require driver attention and costly repairs, Michelin says.

After third-party fuel testing, Mesilla Valley Transportation Solutions (MVT Solutions) found that the Energy Guard aerodynamic solution provided:

• 10 gallons in fuel savings every 1,000 miles, or 8.75% fuel savings
• $3,972 in fuel saved annually per vehicle

“Michelin looked to MVT Solutions to provide accurate, 21st-century fuel testing of our Michelin Energy Guard aerodynamic kit to prove the fuel savings achieved by this offer,” said Calvin Bradley, technical lead of services and solutions, Michelin North America. “Coupled with the fact that the kit requires no maintenance costs or driver hassles like some other systems, it can still save up to 60 gallons of fuel for fleets running coast to coast and back.”