THE BIGGEST MAUT killer at the IAA in Hanover was an ultra lightweight van trailer designed to avoid the MAUT or road tolls that will be imposed on any vehicles weighing over 12 metric tonnes (26,460 lb). The 45-ft MAUT-free van trailer weighs only 3,150 kg (6,930 lb). With a lightweight tractor weighing, for example, 4200 kg (9,240 lb) the payload would be 4640 kg (10,200 lb). Even lighter tractors would bring the payload to near 11,000 lb.
The low trailer weight starts with a very lightweight frame including longitudinal sills and crossmembers of steel. A single axle with wide-track air springs carries dual wheels and 215/75R 17.5 tires. The body has sidewalls 30 mm (1.18") thick, sandwich construction of glass fiber and foam. The panels weigh 6 kg per square meter (1.23 lb per sq ft). The roof is of translucent fiberglass. The light metal rear doors are in a galvanized steel frame. The floor will support 800 kg (1,760 lb) wheel loads.
The manufacturer is Spier Fahrzeugwerk of Steinheim, a firm that dates to 1872. It has a long history of innovation and manufacturing all types of truck bodies and trailers from small walk-in vans to the largest truck trailers. Spier GmbH & Co Fahrzeugwerk KG, Schorlemer Strasse 1, D-32893 Steinheim, Germany.