Silver Eagle Manufacturing Co. announced that its mid-length skirt has been certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a SmartWay Aerodynamic Product, providing fuel savings for long-haul trucks that have the product installed on their trailers.
“We are thrilled to have our first SmartWay Certification,” says Jay Wilson, president and chief executive officer of Portland, Ore.-based Silver Eagle. “This is the first in a large offering of innovative aerodynamic products we will be launching throughout the remainder of 2009 and 2010 to help long-haul truckers save on fuel costs and gain a quick return on investment.”
Silver Eagle says its side skirts mount easily to the underside of the trailer and offer a proprietary dual-walled design that reduces aerodynamic drag significantly to increase fuel economy. The SmartWay designation makes these skirts compliant with the California Air Resources Board legislation requiring 53-foot van trailers operating in California to install aerodynamic devices. All 2011 model-year trailers will be required to comply by January 2010, and all other model years by the end of 2012.
SmartWay certification is based on a comprehensive set of fuel savings specifications for Class 8 long-haul trucks. By 2012, the initiative aims to reduce as much as 66 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and up to 200,000 tons of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions per year, as well as a targeted fuel savings of up to 150 million barrels of oil annually.
