Volvo Trucks in North America today introduced powertrain enhancements and advanced aerodynamics for its VN highway series aimed at delivering an eight percent improvement in fuel efficiency over EPA 2007 engines – with additional gains possible through the use of new fleet management and driver development tools. The company also introduced new interior features designed to increase comfort and productivity, giving customers additional tools for reducing costs and attracting and retaining drivers. The announcements were made at the 2011 Mid-America Trucking Show.
“Volvo Trucks continues to aggressively target areas to help lower our customers’ operating costs,” said Ron Huibers, Volvo Trucks senior vice president, sales and marketing. “Labor and fuel are the top expenses across the industry and the situation doesn’t appear to be changing. Analysts predict a large driver shortage and diesel prices continue to rise, but we’re confident our product enhancements will help fleets attract and retain drivers and further our position as fuel efficiency leaders.”
Building on the already strong fuel efficiency delivered by Volvo Trucks’ EPA 2010 solution with No Regen SCR technology, Volvo introduced a new 455 horsepower and 1,550/1,750 lb-ft. torque rating for the Volvo D13 engine. The new rating complements Volvo Trucks’ existing Eco-Torque and Dual-Torque ratings of 405, 425, 475, and 500 horsepower, designed to maximize fuel economy by providing a driver-intuitive, easy-to-use algorithm that rewards fuel-efficient driving and encourages low-rpm engine operation.
“Eco-Torque and Dual Torque ratings take advantage of high-torque-rise engine curves and take effect in the top two gears, where drivers in line-haul operations spend as much as 95 percent of their driving time,” said Ed Saxman, Volvo Trucks’ drivetrain product manager. “On demand, engine torque will increase by 200 lb-ft – even 300 lb-ft in the case of the 425 horsepower engine – to allow the vehicle to remain in top gear on most grades. Eco-Torque ratings allow full performance and fuel economy in the remaining gears, while Dual-Torque ratings are available to allow lower-rated transmissions to be used.”
Volvo Trucks also offers the Eco-Torque ratings on both its D11 and D16 engines.
Customers can also now achieve fuel savings through Volvo Trucks’ new Mass Based Variable Torque software that senses the gross combination weight of the truck and adjusts the engine’s torque when the truck is lightly loaded. The software’s adjustments improve overall fuel efficiency while still delivering excellent performance under all conditions.
New exterior components in the Fuel Enhancement package offered on 2011 Volvo VN model trucks include redesigned mirror heads with aerodynamic shrouds and arms, redesigned hood mirrors that also increase visibility, new bumper and side fairings, and a newly designed bug deflector that reduces fuel efficiency degradation compared to aftermarket devices. Volvo Trucks’ VN daycab models also now offer a more aerodynamic roof fairing and sun visor.
“The Fuel Enhancement package allows customers to optimize airflow around the cab, eliminating turbulence during the transfer of air to the trailer and improving fuel efficiency,” Volvo Trucks product manager Frank Bio said.
Driver performance is a significant component of the fuel efficiency equation, so Volvo Trucks is also offering a new fuel management tool through Volvo Link that provides weekly reports with driver and vehicle data. The fuel management tool also allows fleets to compare their results against similar fleets so they can benchmark their performance. Volvo also rolled out an online driver development program – http://www.edrivertraining.com/ – focused on equipping drivers with technical knowledge about their Volvo truck, information about Volvo’s active safety features, and techniques for maximizing the fuel efficiency performance of their Volvo.
Also new for 2011 are three redesigned interior options and ten new seat coverings, aimed at increasing comfort and productivity – and attracting and retaining drivers.
“Professional drivers use their truck as a living space, to work, cook, eat, sleep and socialize, so we want to provide contemporary designs that are functional and create a relaxing environment,” Bio said. “We gave each trim level a complete overhaul and introduced a softer color pallet with contrasting, multidimensional fabrics to complement our ergonomic cab design.”
Volvo Trucks’ VN model is now available with new aerodynamic components (top) to improve fuel efficiency and three new interior trim packages (bottom) to enhance the driver environment.
Volvo Trucks North America’s operations and products are guided by the company’s three core values: Quality, Safety and Environmental Care. The Volvo VN and VHD trucks are assembled in the United States at the New River Valley Plant in Dublin, Virginia, while Volvo engines for North America are assembled in Hagerstown, Maryland. Both plants are certified to ISO14001 environmental and ISO9001 quality standards.
Volvo Trucks North America is part of the Volvo Group, one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks, buses and construction equipment, drive systems for marine and industrial applications, aerospace components and services, and one of the world's leading producers of heavy-diesel engines (9-16 liter). The Group also provides complete solutions for financing and service. The Volvo Group, which employs more than 90,000 people, has production facilities in 19 countries and sells their products in more than 180 markets. Volvo Group sales for 2010 amounted to $36.7 billion. The Volvo Group is a publicly-held company headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Shares are listed on Nasdaq OMX Nordic Exchange and are traded OTC in the U.S.
March 31, 2011
For further information, please contact Brandon Borgna, Volvo Trucks North America, phone 336-393-2143, email brandon.borgna@volvo.com