MVT Solutions (MVTS) provides fuel economy testing to help fleets make informed purchasing decisions on fuel economy products. Most recently, MVTS measured fuel savings with Eco Cap aerodynamic wheel covers from Eco Flaps.
"MVT Solutions has given us the ability to quantify the savings carriers can expect from Eco Caps," said Asa Hazelwood, director of sales at Eco Flaps. "These are reliable, real-world results that our customers can use to make confident purchasing decisions. The MVTS team was critical in helping our design be even more aerodynamic and in providing manufacturers access to instant feedback."
Eco Caps are an aerodynamic wheel cover from the Eco Flaps company - the creator of the aerodynamic mud flap, Eco Flaps. Using its certified testing process, MVTS included both Eco Cap aerodynamic wheel caps and Eco Flap aerodynamic mud flaps to determine total fuel efficiency. The test procedure included a standard 65 mph test at 45,000 pounds gross vehicle weight using International LT tractors and a 2020 Hyundai 53-foot dry van trailer with trailer skirts.
MVTS Certified testing determined that the combination of the two products saved 1.27 gallons per 1,000 mile, or 1.18%. Previous testing of the Eco Flaps in 2016 by MVTS showed a fuel savings of 0.86 gallons per 1,000 miles, or 0.79%, which indicates the Eco Cap wheel caps provide additional fuel savings.
The Eco Caps weigh only 1.8 pounds each and are made of nylon 6-6, the same material used for the Eco Flap aerodynamic mud flaps. This material is well proven as extremely durable and resistant to extreme road and weather conditions. Another benefit of Eco Caps is that they can be installed or removed in seconds without the use of tools.
"MVTS has conducted many tests on Eco Flaps aerodynamic mud flaps and always sees a good ROI," said Daryl Bear, lead engineer and COO of MVTS. "Their newest technology, the Eco Cap wheel cover, shows a lot of promise as well. In addition to the fuel savings, the caps can be installed or removed in seconds, which makes them a simple solution for fuel savings."
