Let’s face it, Trucking Nation, we all have something weird in our past! Maybe you went through a disco phase, or you rocked a mullet for a while. Heck, I had an afro myself at one point. But do you ever wonder what kind of weird trends the trucking industry has hidden in its past?
Over the decades, designers have tried to improve the art of trucking with extravagant designs aimed towards bringing trucking into the future. While rigs have gotten more efficient over the years, we’re not in the space age future these designers predicted!
Take a look at these weird-looking concept trucks from transportation’s past (and maybe the future)!
1964 GM Bison Concept Truck
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| (photo courtesy of Hemmings Daily) |
Chevrolet Turbo Titan III Concept Truck
Chevrolet designed the Turbo Titan III with a turbine engine, when gas was cheap and government regulation was light. Styled as the future of the transport industry, this truck had swing-up windows, three lens headlights, and a twin dial steering system. By the time the 70s rolled around, the costs and emissions were too high for this truck to take off.
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| (photo courtesy of Truck Trend Network) |
Steinwinter Supercargo 2040 Cab Under Concept
Designed to reduce aerodynamic drag and wind resistance, this strange looking rig resembles a skate more than a truck. Even though it had Recaro seats and less blind spots, handling issues plagued the vehicle and it proved unpopular with drivers.
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| (photo courtesy of franestan613 via Imgur) |
Mercedes Benz EXT 92 Concept Truck
At the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1992, Mercedes Benz premiered the EXT-92. Utilizing technologies from all transportation sectors, this concept truck had the drag of a car and enough features packed in to create quite a stir – like a fax and telephone system, kitchen with a microwave, and even a built-in coffee maker.
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| (photo courtesy of TrucksPlanet) |
Colani Spitzer Silo Concept Truck
You know when legendary Swiss-German designer Luigi Colani gets involved, the results are going to be eye-popping at least. Conceptualized during the 70s fuel crisis, this rig made a resurgence after the recent global fuel troubles.
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| (photo courtesy of Dark Roasted Blend) |
Walmart’s WAVE Concept
Designed by Walmart with Peterbilt, Great Dane Trailers, and Capstone Turbine, the WAVE stands for Walmart Advanced Vehicle Experience. This rig uses a turbine-powered hybrid drivetrain, and has a combustion engine that can run on diesel, natural gas, and biodiesel fuel. And while it’s not on the road yet, the WAVE allows designers to test new technologies and approaches.
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| (photo courtesy of Wired) |
While you aren’t hauling freight in the Bison or a Colani truck, your rig still needs to keep up with HVUT fees this year. If you have any questions about filing your 2290s, feel free to contact us by phone at 704.234.6005, by email at support@expresstrucktax.com, or with the live chat support from our website.