Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. (FCCC) has introduced two new powertrain features for the diesel walk-in van market, the Vehicle Acceleration Rate Management System (VARMS) and the Load-Based Shift Scheduling (LBSS), which the company said improves fuel economy by up to 8%.

Working with Cummins, FCCC tested VARMS for use with an Allison 1000/2000 Series transmission. According to the company, the system is engaged at low speeds to discourage fast starts, improving fuel economy and tire life, and disengages automatically to meet the operational requirements of normal driving conditions.

FCCC also worked with Allison to validate the LBSS, which selects the appropriate shift schedule for whatever task is at hand, automatically switching between performance-based shifting and economy mode.

“Our goal was to maximize fuel economy without sacrificing needed performance,” said Jonathan Randall, director of sales & marketing for FCCC. “FCCC is committed to bringing new products to market that significantly contribute to our customers' ROI by reducing their operating expenses.”
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