According to GB1589, the main models of five-axle articulated trailers can be divided into 4 * 2+3, 6 * 2+2 and 6 * 4+2. In the freight industry, especially in the fields of commercial supermarkets, express, express, etc., the five-axle vehicles that are widely used are still 6 * 4+2 and 4 * 2+3.

Among them, 6 * 4+2 refers to 3-axle tractor (4 drive wheels)+2-axle semi-trailer, and 4 * 2+3 refers to 2-axle tractor (2 drive wheels)+3-axle semi-trailer.

According to the policy of high-speed toll by axle, these two types of vehicles belong to five-axle vehicles, and the toll collection standard is the same, which is applicable to high-speed long-distance transportation.

However, in practical applications, there are some differences between the two models in terms of fuel consumption, flexibility, chassis configuration, driving experience, driving stability, etc., which also leads to differences in the application fields of the two models. For example, the commercial express industry prefers to choose 6 * 4+2 models, while the e-commerce express industry prefers 4 * 2+3 models.

The reasons are as follows:

1. Total mass limit of vehicle+cargo 4 * 2+3 ＜ 6 * 4+2 ≈ 1t

The total weight limit of 4 * 2+3 model, namely 4 * 2 tractor+three-axle semi-trailer, is 42t, and that of 6 * 4+2 model, namely 6 * 4 tractor+two-axle semi-trailer, is 43t, with a difference of 1t. If it is placed in the field of light dumping, it can accommodate more goods.

2. Vehicle dead weight 4 * 2+3 ＜ 6 * 4+2 ≈ 1.5t-2t

From the vehicle model announcement, with the same power chain, the curb weight of 4 * 2 tractor is about 6t-7t, and that of 6 * 4 tractor is about 9t-10t, with a difference of 2t or 3t; The weight difference between three-axle semi-trailer and two-axle semi-trailer of the same length and material is about 0.5t-1t.

3. Fuel economy 4 * 2+3 ＜ 6 * 4+2 ≈ 2-4L/100km

If the two vehicles are also in the plain high-speed condition, the power chain data of the two vehicles are basically the same. Under this condition, 4 * 2 is less than 6 * 4 in a group of driving wheels, transmission shafts and various planetary gear parts, and the power only needs to be transmitted to a group of transmission shafts to drive the vehicle, obviously less fuel consumption.

According to some car owners, the fuel consumption gap between the two can reach 2-4L/100km, and calculated at 7.3 yuan/L, about 14.6 yuan - 29.2 yuan can be saved by running 100km.

Some car owners may ask: If the number of drive shafts is the same for a 6 * 2 tractor compared with a 4 * 2 tractor, which one consumes less fuel? The answer is still the 4 * 2 model, because even if the number of driving wheels is the same, 6 * 2 has more than one group of wheels, the contact area between the tire and the road surface will increase, the rolling resistance will also increase accordingly, and the fuel consumption will naturally increase, but it is not as obvious as 4 * 2 and 6 * 4.

4. Cargo volume 4 * 2+3 ＞ 6 * 4+2

According to the provisions of the new version of GB1589, the length limit of the five-axle model should not exceed 17.1m. If the owner wants to pursue greater loading space, in addition to reducing the height of the cargo compartment and expanding the internal volume of the cargo compartment, he can also choose a tractor with shorter length to achieve more design redundancy and obtain higher volume. From this perspective, 4 * 2 has an advantage over 6 * 2.

5. Operation flexibility 4 * 2 ＞ 6 * 4

According to the feedback of some car owners, 4 * 2 is more flexible than 6 * 4, especially in the platform operation of the freight yard or narrow freight yard, 6 * 4 often needs to turn several times more than 4 * 2 to correct the parking.

6. Axle load distribution 4 * 2+3 ＞ 6 * 4+2

Compared with the two-axle semi-trailer, the three-axle semi-trailer has one more axle, which means that it can carry higher weight of goods. On the premise of the same supporting bridge, the weight distribution of goods is also more uniform, which can improve the driving stability of the vehicle to a certain extent.

7. Driving capacity 4 * 2+3 ＜ 6 * 4+2

If the road condition of vehicle transportation involves non-paved roads such as national roads, provincial roads and even remote mountain roads in addition to high speed, it requires better driving capacity of the vehicle. In this case, the advantage of 6 * 4 is obvious. A group of drive wheels and drive shafts can better distribute vehicle power, provide stronger driving force and ensure driving safety.

8. Driving experience 4 * 2+3 ＜ 6 * 4+2

As the 6 * 4 tractor is longer, it can better absorb and alleviate the bumps and vibrations from the road to a certain extent. It is more stable at high speed, has better driving experience, and has more advantages in cargo damage control.

9. Use flexibility 4 * 2+3 ＜ 6 * 4+2

This should be distinguished from operational flexibility, mainly for logistics enterprises. 6 * 4 tractors can not only tow two-axle semi-trailers, but also be connected with three-axle semi-trailers, which can meet the transportation needs of different types and different weights of goods.

Under the prevailing trend of lightweight at present, many express enterprises have begun to gradually replace 6 * 4 with 4 * 2 according to the differences in transportation routes and operating conditions. Which of these two models is more practical? In the same sentence, what is suitable for your own use needs is the best. When choosing a car, owners should not blindly follow the trend. They should analyze it according to the actual application scenario, and comprehensively evaluate the operating cost, operation and maintenance cost, goods type, transportation conditions, transportation requirements and other conditions.