According to the relevant regulations, the total length of tractor + semi-trailer in China shall not exceed a maximum of 17.5m, the standard length is generally 10m, 11m, 13m, 14.6m, 16m. The European regulations for semi-trailer length limits are similar, generally the most common is the maximum length of tractor + semi-trailer combination shall not exceed 16.5m, but this limit will be changed from 31 May.
According to foreign media reports, the UK began working on new legislation on 10 May after an 11-year pilot project on longer trailer configurations, allowing longer semi-trailers to be put into operation on UK roads from 31 May and giving the green light for such models.
According to the information, the maximum combined length of this extended trailer is approximately 15.65m and, when connected to a tractor, the maximum combined length is approximately 18.55m, which is 2.05m longer than before. Its most obvious advantage is the increase in volume, which is around 15% higher than that of a conventional trailer.
In order to ensure the flexibility of this model and to prevent it from affecting traffic safety when turning or turning around, the regulations also require that at least one of the three axles on the trailer must be steered, in line with EU Regulation 96/53/EC, which stipulates that any vehicle and trailer combination must be able to turn within a circle with an outer radius of 12.5m and an inner radius of 5.3m.
However, although the length limits have been further liberalised, the weight limits have not been changed and lengthened trailers are still required to operate within the UK's current gross vehicle weight limit of 44t. This means that the maximum gross weight limit remains at 44t.
In this way, the application scenario for such extended trailers is positioned - after all, the increased length of the trailer increases the unladen deadweight and, with the same GVW limit, has a detrimental effect on its maximum payload weight. Compared to general cargo, this model is more suitable for transporting lightly thrown goods, such as express transit and pallet transport.
Due to its larger single transport square volume, it can reduce the frequency of transport and lower the total mileage when transporting the same volume of goods. Relevant data shows that this lengthened trailer can reduce the total mileage by about 8% compared to a standard trailer, and every 12 runs can reduce one standard trailer on the road, which is of greater significance for reducing pollutant emissions, mitigating and avoiding the risk of congestion and collision, saving fuel consumption and improving environmental efficiency with greater significance. It is thus clear that the greatest purpose of this extended trailer is to be green, environmentally friendly and efficient.
For the Chinese market, does this kind of semi-trailer meet the demand? In other words, will the Chinese market introduce this type of model?
In fact, whether any model meets the national conditions requires consideration of various factors such as road infrastructure, road network traffic density, personnel safety awareness and driver training.
Longer semi-trailers are longer and driving on the road will make it more difficult for smaller vehicles to overtake and more difficult than normal semi-trailers to turn or turn around on narrow roads. In addition to strict screening of drivers, the technical configuration of the vehicles themselves must also be strictly up to standard.
In addition, China's road network is more complex, traffic conditions are more congested, like the southwest road is narrower, not suitable for vehicles of excessive length, the majority of highway entrances and exits or roundabouts, curves, etc. can not meet the transport needs of lengthened semi-trailer, service areas or gas stations can not provide suitable parking spaces, but also does not meet the GB1589 semi-trailer length limit.
It is worth noting that whether it is green, environmental protection or high efficiency, are the international and domestic vehicle market development of the general theme, the emergence of new models no longer like before to meet the transport needs of goods can, but also to enhance the technical content, in line with the standardization, modularization of the general trend. Luen axles were established more than twenty years ago, always focus on the development and manufacture of trailer axles, its American axles, German axles, low flatbed axles, three lines of six axles, eccentric axles, caravan axles, electromagnetic axles and other series of rich, according to customer requirements to provide customized services, super cost-effective, to help owners reduce comprehensive vehicle costs, to achieve energy saving and emission reduction.
