Well, Truckers tend to add-on things that reduce Cd:
Chrome air cleaners, 4" stacks, lighting accessories. Older, less aerodynamic designs like the Peterbilt classics are popular, but the "hanging fruit" is excessive "but manly
"
Super-aero
looking designs won't nearly be accepted by the trucking community let alone the car-driving public.
But the new Kenworth T660 looks promising:
Product Brochure. I think the aero mods look pretty cool.
Trailers -- well, first -- a fairing is a good first step: something adjustable, since the rear axle set often requires fore-aft movement for proper load distribution:
Next, the whole rig can save rolling resistance with single instead of dual wheelsets:
Green Car Congress Says...
Quote:
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Replacing the standard two thinner tires per wheel with a single wide-base tire improves the fuel efficiency of heavy-duty tractor-trailer trucks and allows them to be made to run with more stability, according to studies by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
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A lot can be done -- but money is super-tight with the independents right now. Large firms may be able to pull it off if they commit to it. Wal-Mart (shiver) is at the forefront of their fleet saving diesel -- bottom line stuff, IMO.
RH77
EDIT: I agree Andrew, rail is by far the most efficient. My Pops is a retired Railroad Engineer, so that has pretty much been a standing fact in the family forever. But, the rail companies focus on monopolizing markets, and being late in the game to emissions reduction. Intermodal is a growing trend -- seems efficient and engages all forms of transport.