Alcoa has introduced the new LvL One wide base wheel, a lighter weight wide-base option

. The 14-inch LvL One weighs 62 pounds, which is 8 pounds less than traditional aluminum wheel options, the company says.

According to the company, long-haul operators running on steel wheels can save 1,344 pounds in rig weight by converting to the new wheels, while also saving fuel as high as 7 percent.

"The new wide base wheel provides an unequalled combination of strength and light weight," said Tim Myers, president of Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products. "For the vast majority of long-haul fleets already running on aluminum, that means more payload per trip, less fuel, or a profitable combination of both."

Alcoa says the wheel is also six times brighter than other wheels in its class, with a 50-brightness rating. The wheel is also outfitted with Alcoa's Dura-Bright Surface Treatment, which keeps wheels bright without polishing.

Fleets can use Alcoa's new online web tool, CalcuLighter, to find out how money it would save.

More info: www.alcoawheels.com