alt Hacker NewsJudging by the images only, those are all the ones I called "European" trucks though, the American ones are much longer. Is that also regulated so European trucks aren't allowed in the US and American ones aren't allowed in Europe? Because here in Europe it's really uncommon to see the US ones, and I'm guessing it's the opposite in the US?
One of them must be better aerodynamically though, must'n it?
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mikkupikku • yesterday at 12:14 PM
Is shipping either design of large truck across the ocean even feasible? I'm thinking they might be too tall for standard car carrier ships, but IDK.
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bluGill • yesterday at 12:10 PM
American designs are aerodynamically better. they are potenitilly safer (crumple zone) though I haven't seen any safety studies.
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Europe has length limits on the entire thing, so US trucks would require shorter trailers, which nobody really wants. Euro trucks also have significantly smaller turning radii, which makes navigating european cities and country roads… feasible.
Furthermore Europe has relatively strict speed limits on trucks, which makes aero something of a lesser factor since drag grows to the square of speed: european trucks at european speeds have a pretty significantly higher efficiency than US trucks at US speeds.