“We make the Earth go round” - heavy-duty car drivers like to joke. There is a deal of truth in it. The whole world really relies on them every day. Their machines come in a variety of sizes, configurations and payloads, but all serve the same purpose - to reliably complete tasks regardless of temperature and weather conditions, often far from any infrastructure.
Auto builders have produced quite a few long-range heavyweights in recent years with the power to put even supercars to shame. Among them Scania and Volvo - their brainchildren have long been fighting for the title of the most powerful truck in the world. Both rivals have been making trucks for a long time, but the real battle began in 2009 when Volvo took the title with the 700bhp FH16. with. power. Scania responded immediately with the release of the R730, which was said to generate 30 hp. with. more. Volvo reclaimed the title shortly thereafter with the FH16 750, increasing its hp. with. up to 750.
The confrontation continues. But power isn't just about the horses under the hood. These are grandiose dimensions, incredible carrying capacity and fantastic endurance.
The most extreme trucks in the world
Tractor units, semi-trailers and road trains are ideal tools for logistics companies looking to maximize their efficiency. Supporting critical supply chains, some of these machines run on engines comparable to the hypertrophied units of Porsche, Lamborghini and McLarens. Only their weight prevents them from rushing along the roads at the speed of lightning - they move tens of tons over thousands of kilometers per trip.
But the most impressive technique is used in the mining industry. To call these trucks big and powerful is to say nothing. These are real monsters. The evolution of dump trucks has led to an increase in their size and strength to a truly staggering one. It's all about the pursuit of greater efficiency: when it comes to transporting raw materials in the mining industry, the more powerful and larger the dump truck, the more efficient the process.
The giant machines used to haul heavy ore out of the quarries weigh up to 500 tons and can carry almost the same amount of material in the back. If the Honda Fit has 117 hp. with., and Jaguar XF - 300, then at the disposal of these career monsters more than 3,000 liters. with. They are over 6 meters high (the driver can climb from his cab into an open window on the second floor of an ordinary building), and are about the same length as an adult humpback whale.
In this brief overview, we'll look at just a few of the top performance contenders ever in the trucking industry. They all strive for the title of the most powerful truck on the planet. The selection criteria are simple: height (from the ground to the highest point), the length and weight of the "body", the permissible weight of the cargo carried in the body and, finally, the engine (available power, estimated in hp).
1. Mining: BelAZ 75710
The coolest dump truck capable of moving 450 tons or more in one go.
The capacity of the fuel tank of the truck is 5.6 thousand liters. Rather, two diesel tanks, dividing equally. This amount of diesel fuel seems too huge, but in comparison with the weight of the machine itself and the operating consumption (5.6 tons of diesel fuel per 12-hour shift), this is just a trifle.
BelAZ has 32 cylinders from two power units and an engine compartment with a living room. The giant, capable of operating at temperatures from -50 to 50 degrees and at altitudes up to 5 km, is powered by a pair of 2330-horsepower V16s, coupled with several electric motors and a duo of 1700-kilowatt Siemens generators. If necessary, only one main engine can be active - under conditions of low loads, the machine becomes more economical, and if the second motor fails, it is able to independently reach the workshops. Naturally, such units need ample space, so their compartment is also enormous in size.
It is not surprising that the 75710 is striking in its external dimensions: 20 meters along, 10 across, and 8 up. If you park it in front of an apartment building, the top will reach the fourth floor - like 4 heavy pickup trucks stacked on top of each other.
The truck is designed for permanent work. Of the 24 hours a day, only 1 hour is allotted for "relaxation", and that one is for refueling. The manufacturer claims that the 75710 is capable of serving in this mode for an average of 15 years: the drivers are replaced, and the car is working. Running back and forth, it passes annually about 100 thousand km - in total for 10 years, almost a million km.
The approximate cost of such a handsome man is up to $ 6 million. The main reason for the high price is uniqueness. This BelAZ is not able to accept other types of chassis, transmissions, wheels and many other components due to its gigantic dimensions. Just imagine: one tire weighs 6 tons, and the pressure in it is over 710 thousand pascals (if you explain simply - when it explodes, a hole is formed in the ground, and the damage is compared with the explosion of 3 grenades). Almost every element of this monster is exceptional. However, miners note that for all its high cost of maintenance, such a truck is much cheaper than a pair of half-size analogs.
The 75710th, thanks to the extraordinary combined tractive power of diesel and electric motors, is able to move as much as it weighs itself: in normal mode 450 tons, at the limit - 500. It is even more impressive that this giant, weighing as much as 300 cars, is capable of running up to 65 km / h And the turning radius is compressed to less than 20 meters, so the machine is very maneuverable for a 20 meter colossus. In addition, the 75710 is capable of climbing slopes with an 18% incline. The figure seems to be insignificant, but even an ordinary cyclist finds it difficult to overcome such descents, and when a 450-ton colossus successfully copes with this, one will inevitably think about what supernatural power is hidden in it.
2. Mining conveyor Caterpillar 797F
Another ultra-class career hard worker, one of the strongest in the world. Launched 13 years ago, it is capable of simultaneously moving 400 tons of cargo - not much, but more compared to its predecessors 797B and 797 1st generation, whose lifting capacity was respectively limited to 380 and 360 tons. However, this does not prevent them from continuing to enjoy popularity, especially the 3370-strong 797B.
3. Terex MT-6300AC
Unveiled by American manufacturer Terex at MinEXPO 2008, this 14.6-meter truck weighs 660 tons and rises 8 meters above the ground. The giant is powered by a four-stroke twenty-cylinder diesel engine that supplies power to the electric motors on both sides of the rear axle via an electric generator.
With a nominal 3750 hp. with. and carrying up to 4 hundred tons of cargo, the off-road dump truck is capable of moving at a speed of 64 km / h. Its close relative, the Terex MT 5500 (360t / 2700hp), is also one of the most powerful mining trucks, and not only in the Terex range. Both have less powerful versions, designed to carry between 200 and 300 tons.
These trucks cost, depending on the options chosen by customers, from 4 to 5 million dollars per unit, but the manufacturer offers significant discounts when buying several at once. It should be noted that the Terex 6300AC is not the same as the Terex Titan, the legends about which live thanks to the Internet. The Titan was a one-of-a-kind mining truck built in the early 1970s when Terex was owned by General Motors. You can look at it today in Canada, in the Museum of British Columbia.
4. Liebherr TI 274
This 3000 hp mining dump truck. with. and with a lifting capacity of about 320 tons is not the only pride of the Liebherr Group. The 652-ton Liebherr T 282 B, for example, was also one of the best graduates of the company. Tall (7.4 meters) and long (14.5 m), it can move more cargo - up to 396 tons, although it has less power (2700 hp).
Even more impressive are the 15, 7-meter variations of the T282C / T284, carrying 400 tons of cargo with an average weight of 650-665 tons. In this they are assisted by 20-cylinder diesel super engines, producing up to 3750 hp. with. In addition to the heavy-duty units, Liebherr's own advanced electric drive systems are involved. If necessary, these colossus can be surprisingly nimble, developing over 60 km / h.
5. Komatsu 930E
Not far from the previous heroes, the 553-ton diesel off-road dump truck 930E - the pride of Komatsu America Corporation - has also gone. It also has many impressive abilities, including an impressive carrying capacity (320 tons) and power (2700-3500 hp).
There are other variants, such as the Komatsu 960E-1 and 960E-1K with four-stroke 18-cylinder V-type diesels. The standard power and movement speed of both reaches 3500 liters. with. and 60 km / h, respectively.
Such huge cars are difficult to steal, and hardly car hackers try to do it - the chase will be too noticeable.