Took the V8 FUSO for a spin
- Thread starter lanceatm
- Start date
lanceatm
Founder and CEO of EarthCruiser
Chevy commercial V8 ( close spec to what UPS delivery trucks use) too early for any real fuel numbers yet they tell me. In testing they got between 8 - 11 MPG .
Fuso will not build them as 4WD, FG fills that role.
The one pictured is for our evaluation.
https://www.mitfuso.com/en-us/models/fe140-gas
lanceatm
Founder and CEO of EarthCruiser
The nuts and bolts are fairly straight forward (Allison have been excellent to deal with as has Chevy and Dana) , it is the legal stuff and warranty that take all the fun out of it.
lanceatm
Founder and CEO of EarthCruiser
Understood.
The biggest legal issue is the EPA change to final drive ratio means the truck is out of compliance as tested by the manufacturer. Brake and lane change testes are simple and cheap compared to dealing with the EPA.
Lance would likely be sold that truck as an incomplete vehicle and become, if he is not already, a licensed upfitter. That truck is then re-sold as an RV or a reefer truck or whatever the upfitter calls it.
The changes that are made by the upfitter or body builder cannot adversely affect emission equipment, crash-worthiness, etc. As I understand it, the end user, is basically purchasing an "Earthcruiser XD" or whatever they decide to call it and THAT is the complete vehicle, not the vehicle that was purchased from the dealer as a chassis cab.
It may not be exactly the same as a chassis purchased for ambulance construction, etc., but installing an NV263 transfer case from a 2500 Silverado and a DynaTrac D60, would necessitate crash and emissions testing for the truck in that exact configuration.
A possible work around would be to sell the truck complete in 2WD, then have a "third party" perform the 4x4 conversion, post registration. This third party would conveniently be located right down the street so the customer is not inconvenienced by travelling a long distance to have work performed on their newly delivered EC
I am aware of several "kit car" companies that sell $100K cars in the US, without an engine and trans. Those are installed by the aforementioned third party.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - buy a (cheaper) used truck, toss the awful PZ motor and Duonic trans, and swap in your favourite LS series crate engine, all without EPA interference.
The changes that are made by the upfitter or body builder cannot adversely affect emission equipment, crash-worthiness, etc. As I understand it, the end user, is basically purchasing an "Earthcruiser XD" or whatever they decide to call it and THAT is the complete vehicle, not the vehicle that was purchased from the dealer as a chassis cab.
It may not be exactly the same as a chassis purchased for ambulance construction, etc., but installing an NV263 transfer case from a 2500 Silverado and a DynaTrac D60, would necessitate crash and emissions testing for the truck in that exact configuration.
A possible work around would be to sell the truck complete in 2WD, then have a "third party" perform the 4x4 conversion, post registration. This third party would conveniently be located right down the street so the customer is not inconvenienced by travelling a long distance to have work performed on their newly delivered EC
I am aware of several "kit car" companies that sell $100K cars in the US, without an engine and trans. Those are installed by the aforementioned third party.Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - buy a (cheaper) used truck, toss the awful PZ motor and Duonic trans, and swap in your favourite LS series crate engine, all without EPA interference.
superbuickguy
Explorer
I wonder if using a old-school-locking front axle could work around.... I'll have to look at the regs on Monday. The argument would be that because the axle is free-wheeling, its emission test would still be valid (to my knowledge, they do not test off-road configurations - meaning stuff only for use off-road)... I honestly don't know, but I'll have to look it up.
I don't think that free-wheeling or 4x4 capability is the issue. The fact that you have added a front axle, a transfer case, cross members, etc., means that weight/class have changed and that the vehicle is now noticeably different from when it was emissions tested and/or crash tested. Which front axle or transfer case you add, is likely, unimportant.
Lance, you mentioned that there are some improvements over the NPR gasser. I was under the impression (work truck show about a year ago) that MFTB was simply taking an FE and dropping a GM engine and trans between the rails. Is this not the case? Why would the R/P require a change?
Lance, you mentioned that there are some improvements over the NPR gasser. I was under the impression (work truck show about a year ago) that MFTB was simply taking an FE and dropping a GM engine and trans between the rails. Is this not the case? Why would the R/P require a change?
lanceatm
Founder and CEO of EarthCruiser
Just a quick note -
The V8 chassis is made in Portugal, not Kawasaki. They are not the same animal.
Mechanical fabrication and testing is easy enough for us to do, that is not the problem. Simply the rules to meet ALL emission standards ( including electric vehicles) are getting more teeth and it is the vehicle manufacturers among others who they will hold accountable, that will include any modifier or "up fitter" and owner of said vehicle.
My understanding is that the test can include Dyno, meaning that if a change to the gear ratios impact what that vehicle tested at ( in second gear for example) , some one might be in big trouble.
If you have not driven a new diesel auto FUSO do it, there was a reason they took them off the market and re released them in 2017. As a side note the "family" of engine used in Iveco - Fuso is showing up in Dodges ( there owned by Fiat) and Chevy. Simply the knowledge base for very efficient small diesel engines is growing.
The V8 chassis is made in Portugal, not Kawasaki. They are not the same animal.
Mechanical fabrication and testing is easy enough for us to do, that is not the problem. Simply the rules to meet ALL emission standards ( including electric vehicles) are getting more teeth and it is the vehicle manufacturers among others who they will hold accountable, that will include any modifier or "up fitter" and owner of said vehicle.
My understanding is that the test can include Dyno, meaning that if a change to the gear ratios impact what that vehicle tested at ( in second gear for example) , some one might be in big trouble.
If you have not driven a new diesel auto FUSO do it, there was a reason they took them off the market and re released them in 2017. As a side note the "family" of engine used in Iveco - Fuso is showing up in Dodges ( there owned by Fiat) and Chevy. Simply the knowledge base for very efficient small diesel engines is growing.