Oklahoma-built truck to get 37mpg
Let us introduce the Tiger Champ. One of the truck models gets 37 mpg with a three-cylinder diesel engine from Caterpillar. The design is Chinese, by Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., but it's assembled in Oklahoma by Tiger Truck LLC and available at 70 dealerships nationwide. The only problem is that the truck is really, really slow and it does not meet federal safety standards, so it must be off-highways in most states, although it can run everywhere in the Sooner State.
Two options are available: a small Tiger Star with an gas I-4 engine (available with E85 compatibility) able to carry 1,700 pounds. But the Champ outdoes the Star with a diesel I-4 which is rated at 37mpg, and can carry up to 3,780 pounds of weight (32 mpg for the gas version). Tiger can produce about 35 trucks a day at its plant altough currently they are only turning out about 5 trucks per day.
[Source: Automotive News (subs. req'd)]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
meme 7:22PM (7/21/2008)
" The design is Chinese, by Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., but it's assembled in Oklahoma by Tiger Truck LLC"
If you listen really closely, you can hear Lou Dobbs' head exploding.
In other news from Bizarro World...
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bigbenaugust 11:27PM (7/21/2008)
I think my department needs to replace its golf cart! If I could rock-crawl like that around campus... yes.
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organic 3:11AM (7/22/2008)
This is the same "base" the Dymac brand Electric Mini Truck built from. All the wiring in the Dymac is for ICE. The electric part of the drive is just hacked in. The key even will spark if you turn it to far and try to "start" it.
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catherine 2:34AM (7/22/2008)
This is so weird ,I just saw one of these yesterday parked next to the road . It seemed to have a sign on it for sale. This would actually be a very practical vehicle in a number of applications ,but the one that jumps out is any type of "campus" like a military base (which have very slow speed limits that are enforced with Batman like force) and college campuses which don't want tuition paying students to get run over by maintenance guys who aren't paying enough attention cuz they're talking on their cell phones.
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Jeffro 8:31AM (7/22/2008)
Having used the I3 CAT diesel in Cub Cadet ATVs, I can tell you it is very torquey. LOUD though.
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wildgoosechase73 9:31PM (7/22/2008)
Too bad it's not highway legal or even close to crash worthy
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