Why European Trucks Have More Horsepower Than The US

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Would you like to know why #semitrucks in Europe are equipped with such large #engines but not in the United States? Among these are the #volvo D16K with 750 horsepower and 3550 Newton meters, and the #scaniav8 with 770 horsepower and 3700 Newton meters. Meanwhile, engines in the U.S. have a maximum horsepower of 605 and a maximum torque of 2780 even though trucks are so much larger. The reason behind European #truck #engines being larger and more powerful than U.S. engines is several fold. Having said that, let us explore them.

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[tntfreddan]

The reason why Scania and Volvo make such powerful engines is because they aren't really intended for continental semi trucks. They were made with Swedish laws and conditions in mind. A Swedish truck+trailer's max carry weight is about the same as the max gross weight of a semi truck+trailer (40 tons). We usually load more on our 4-axle 30-pallet trailers alone than continental Europeans load on their 33-pallet semi trailers. And we also have a truck that can load around 13 tons more. Our dump trucks with full trailers usually load about 36-38 tons of gravel (net weight). To put that into perspective, a fully loaded American semi truck with trailer weighs 36 metric tons (gross weight).

[barrycrosby]

It's very rare to see engines above 500 hp in the UK as the weight limits of 44 tonnes and relatively flat geometry don't require power above this range

[teppotulppu]

I have nothing to add for this. But there is huge variety of trucks and axles and engine sizes in Europe.
Lot of baltics and middle europeans who drives max 44t do have 2 axle puller with 380-440 hp engines.
Northern there is even 5 axle in truck plus another 5 in trailer and max horsepowers.
And i think that in greece and italy there is big engines too, dont know their weights.

[andreifotache]

American trucks are usually specified with eaton 18 speed gearboxes that are limited to 3000Nm, wich is waaay les than the 3500Nm a 700hp truck puts out.

[norb]

Volvo and DAF do not share anything to do with engines....DAF along with Peterbilt and Kenworth are owned by PACCAR and all use MX engines

[rudolfjsem]

jeden z důvodů krátké kabiny je v tom, že v Americe se délka měří na návěs, ale v Evropě se měří včetně tahače

[BRNRACE]

Volvo and Mack are the same engines, the d16 Volvo is the same as the mp10 Mack, but Volvo wouldn’t let Mack uprate past 605 because they didn’t want the competition. Also torque is nothing more than rotation work. To say you don’t need horsepower is dumb, without the horsepower a diesel engine can’t produce torque at the same RPM range.

[xpost]

There are a lot of misinformation / wrong information in the video, specially concerning geography.... When pointing out so the comment are blocked from showing up in the public comment section. Not exactly something that favours your credibility.
4:04: are 27 countries on the continent..." Europe has 47 countries....
5:48: "....the US is much larger and has a greater area than Europe is significantly larger than the USA (Alaska and Hawaii included) ....
Europe: 10, 18 mill sq km USA (all 50 states): 9, 15 mill sq km is Europe is 1, 03 million sq km larger ...which is not exactly a small area.
The area that the truck drivers in the US drive around in concerning this video is the lower 48 (the continuous US ) ....and that will be even smaller.
Europe 10, 18 mill sq km USA 7, 65 mill sq Europe 2, 53 mill sq km larger.
7:18: "....American semi trucks drive longer " is that there are no distance in USA that can match distances ....in any direction in Europe.
1:13: " ...torque....which in Europe is measured in Nm..." ....well....the Nm is a measurement under the international standard, SI-system, and are used not only in Europe but internationally all over the world ...except in USA ...even if the US signed up on the standard.... The scientific section in US do however use SI-units.
There were also other statements that were wrong. In total this video is so poor researched it should just be deleted from YT.

[nzxt]

there is Scania and volvo models that actually have sleeper/living cabs living ect At least in the Nordic

[gregorizi]

Smaller semi with more power and torque is win in majority aspects.

[thegrschlotzky]

Pounds per foot makes no sense and is absolutely not a measurement of torque. It’s lb-ft not lb/ft.

[henryblanton]

OTR (Over the Road), also known as Long Haul Drivers who drive for Trucking Companies typically are “Paid” by the Mile. Very few are paid to wait at Shippers and Receivers (Free Labor) and all too often their Mileage “Pay” is less than Minimum Wage.
With Cheap Labor comes Under Powered Equipment that is Specifically set up for Improved Fuel Consumption no matter how much Time (Driver’s Under Paid Time) is Wasted.
How are European Truck Drivers Compensated?

[rich]

Generally heavy trucks are designed for a specific torque output at a given RPM. This allows you to drag a heavy load up a particular grade without bankrupting yourself at the fuel pump. The more you let the engine rev, the more horsepower you make (hp=(torque*RPM)/5252 RPM) fuel that you consume. Make a shit load of torque with a low revving under square engine you still get the load up the hill, but cut the fuel usage. Plus lower RPMs also have less effect on driver fatigue.

[thezaethundermaker]

Totally confused by this video, why European truck engines are bigger than the engines in the US, the video has definitely not answered that question! 😐

[vloradinamo]

MOTORRAT V8 SUPER, MOTORRA MONOBLLOK 6, ZERO PAREA V8 SUPER

[wun]

What's the average HP in most European trucks? The used market is full of weaker trucks than the US ones.

[destructoidx]

i highly doubt any european can out pull a cummins or cat, nor has ever pulled over 1 million pounds