Did you know that tonneau covers, which have different types, including rollerlid, trifold and tarpaulin, can reduce the fuel consumption of your pickup in addition to protecting the load? Stay with us at Gadget News to check the effect of these coatings on the aerodynamics and performance of the car.
The history of the product that we know today as “tonneau cover” dates back to the early 20th century. This French word has several meanings, one of which is “barrel”. Are we talking about the barrel? In a way, yes. Of course, in this article, this term refers to the rear seat of the car. Many early cars in the early 20th century did not have a roof and the rear seat area, called a tonneau, was exposed to the elements. The Tono’s barrel shape helped protect the passengers and seats from dust and debris while the car was in motion.
Thus, car manufacturers decided to produce soft leather covers that are placed from one side of the car to the other. It also kept the open rear part safe from dirt and dust. In addition, these covers also prevented car owners from complaining and complaining that storms and rain might damage their new expensive cars. Before the advent of motor vehicles, tarpaulins were used to cover open spots in wagons and horse-drawn carriages. When the salt flats became hotbeds for speed records, drivers used leather, old sheets and canvas to make rudimentary covers to cover the open spaces of their cars. It happened that with the growth of the number of cars, the name of this model of covers was changed from Tarpaulin to Cover Tono.
The effect of tono coatings on fuel consumption
Now you can understand why such a cover is useful for the open space or the cargo area of pickup vehicles. In 2007, Motor Trend magazine conducted a remarkable experiment with three types of pickups. The results of this test showed that the ton cover improves fuel consumption. Of course, with a few points in mind.
The test included a Chevrolet Silverado, a Dodge Ram 1500 and a Ford F-150. All three of these pickups circled the track at a speed of 72 kilometers per hour. The Dodge fared best with the Hemi engine, improving fuel economy by 1.3 mpg. The Chevrolet was only able to improve by 0.5 miles per gallon, while the Ford had problems and was unable to participate in the test.
- Dodge Ram 1500 with Hemi engine: This vehicle’s fuel economy improved by 1.3 miles per gallon (mpg) with the Tono coating.
- Chevrolet Silverado: The fuel consumption improvement of this car was 0.5 mpg.
- Ford F-150: It was removed from the test due to technical problems.
Factors affecting the use of tone
The effect of using tono covers on fuel consumption is more evident at high speeds. The reason is that with increasing speed, air resistance (Drag) also increases. For example, at a speed of 72 km/h, air resistance accounts for 50% of the car’s power consumption, while at a speed of 96 km/h, this number reaches 75%. As a result, the tonneau cover reduces this resistance by improving the car’s aerodynamics.
In 2022, a test was conducted by Fast Lane Truck in which a Dodge Ram 1500 was tested on a 92 km route. The results indicated that the use of ton coating provides a slight improvement in the fuel consumption of this pickup; But he noted that this improvement is not always noticeable for all cars.
The opinion of experts in reducing fuel consumption
Ford design director Brad Richards stated in 2014 that the use of tonneau covers can help improve fuel economy. He explained that in the wind tunnel tests, the Tono cover prevented the creation of turbulent air currents in the cargo area of the car and reduced the air resistance. This is especially important at high speeds.
Types of tono cover
There are different types of tono coverings, including rollerlid, trifold and tarpaulin.
- Roller Lid It is said to be a cover that is hard and resistant and is often more secure to be placed in the car. Its function is that it can be rolled towards the front or back of the car and can be easily folded. This cover is made of resistant and waterproof material.
- Tri-Fold It is also light and portable and can be opened and closed easily. It also consists of three collapsible parts that fold and move forward. They are often made of hard or soft materials.
- Tarpaulin (Soft Covers) It is a cover that is generally made of tarpaulin or other fabrics resistant to water and weather conditions available in the market and is placed firmly on the load.
It should be noted that each type of coverage has its own advantages and disadvantages, and choosing the right type depends on the needs and budget of the consumer.
conclusion
In the end, it can be concluded that the use of ton covers, which include rollerlid, trifold and tarpaulin, in addition to security and load protection, can reduce car fuel consumption. However, the amount of this reduction depends on several factors such as the type of coating, vehicle aerodynamics and driving conditions. If your goal is to save fuel, choosing a hard and high-quality cover can be a good option.
Do you have experience using these covers? In your opinion, which type of cover is suitable for your car? Follow Gadget News for more information.
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