Trojan trucks join ALE fleet

Heavy lift and transport specialist ALE in the UK has unveiled new additions to its transport fleet in the form of a pair of Trojan truck tractors.

The new model, designed and manufactured by ALE engineers, was designed to pull as much as 300 tonnes on a 14 per cent gradient. In addition, multiple tractor units can be linked in a command and drone convoy. The 8 x 8 Trojan truck has synchronised steering, braking, electrics, engine and transmission, to ensure a correctly matched engine speed and gear ratio for the torque requirement. Other features of the new truck include reduced emissions and fuel savings up to 40 % compared to previous models, a spokesperson said.

The Trojan truck weighs 72 tonnes and has a maximum road speed of 48 miles per hour. It is powered by a 700 hp (515 kW) Volvo Penta six cylinder inline Euro 5 diesel engine and Allison transmission.

Gary Butler, ALE project manager and designer of the Trojan truck said, “We wanted to replace our current fleet of trucks with a specification that improved on vehicle performance, capability and fuel efficiency but there was no other truck on the market that delivered this. We therefore designed our own, based on our specific requirements, which included computer synchronisation, future-proof electronics, automatic gear change, ABS, transmission retardation, a good footprint for power and torque, and a stainless steel cab.

“Through the custom drive and transmissions, we are now able to deliver the required power to move abnormal loads more efficiently, more smoothly and in a more environmentally friendly way. It was very much a team effort and without the hard work from everyone involved, the truck could not have been created,” Butler continued.

ALE has produced two of these vehicles and a further four are currently in production. They will be used by ALE for a number of power industry applications in the UK and United Arab Emirates.