Eco Flaps, a Tennessee-based manufacturer of Eco Flaps aerodynamic splash guards, announced that the fuel saving benefits of its product have been verified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) SmartWay program.
EPA SmartWay-verified technologies receive verification only after they are rigorously tested to demonstrate their ability to save fuel and reduce emissions on heavy duty trucks, the company said. Eco Flaps hired Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in Bishop, TX, to conduct SmartWay verification testing using the EPA testing protocol. The SwRI test results revealed that a single pair of Eco Flaps mounted on a 53-foot dry van trailer saved 1.25 percent more fuel than the same trailer mounted with traditional mud flaps.
“We are excited by the EPA’s findings that Eco Flaps reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions,” said Russell Stubbs, CEO of Eco Flaps. “The results confirmed what we and our customers already know: Eco Flaps lower costs on fuel and maintenance while benefitting the environment.”
The key to Eco Flaps’ fuel saving benefits is the patented airflow design, which reduces the drag and inefficiency that a traditional mud flap normally would create. This venting pattern also drastically reduces road spray hazards by directing water to the ground instead of into a passing or trailing motorist’s line of sight, the company added. Eco Flaps are made of a high density nylon polymer, making them resistant to breakage in situations where a regular rubber or plastic mud flap would fail. The company noted it also backs them with a two-year manufacturer’s warranty.
