European premiere for Volvo’s comprehensive new truck range

The international truck show in Hannover on 21st-28th September 2006 marks the premiere showing of Volvo’s entirely new truck range to a wider public. It is a product renewal programme that was implemented in less than ten months and has resulted in one of the most modern product ranges in the truck industry.

The Volvo stand shows applications from the entire range, a total of five new models covering everything from the medium duty segment to the true heavyweights for long-haul duties.

In addition to the new product range, Volvo will focus at the show on the environment and good fuel economy. Volvo’s new truck models already meet the emission requirements that come into force in Europe in 2009 (Euro 5) with the help of SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) technology. Compared with today’s Euro 3 emission standard - which remains in force until 1st October this year - the new standard cuts emissions of particulates by about 80 per cent, while at the same time halving nitrogen oxide emissions. Nonetheless, more must be done to achieve sustainable development in the transport industry, both out of consideration to the environment and because of rising fuel costs. The Volvo stand will show several solutions that can help further reduce the environmental impact of road haulage in both the shorter and longer terms.

Hybrid power – competitive technology

One of the main attractions on the Volvo stand is a hybrid engine that demonstrates the hybrid technology that the Volvo Group has developed for heavy vehicles. It is a so-called parallel hybrid system, a combination of electric and diesel power, where both the electric motor and the diesel engine, a D7 unit, can work independently of one another. This solution harnesses braking energy and is therefore particularly suitable for city operations that feature repeated stops and starts. Tests show that fuel savings of up to 35% are possible with this system, which in turn means far lower exhaust emissions and noise levels.

What is more, the diesel engine can run on renewable biofuel, making operation entirely carbon dioxide-neutral. The technology is undergoing advanced development and is currently being tested in trucks, and Volvo feels it will be possible to launch hybrid trucks on the market within a few years.

Fuelwatch – short-term measures for cutting fuel consumption

Fuelwatch is Volvo’s collective term for a number of measures that a haulage company can adopt to reduce fuel consumption and thus fuel costs. Rising oil prices account for a steadily increasing portion of the haulage company’s total operating costs. The Volvo stand gives visitors the opportunity to take a closer look at the measures that are included in Fuelwatch, such as Tyre Pressure Monitoring, which keeps a constant watch on tyre inflation and alerts the driver if pressure is incorrect, or aerodynamic equipment for the truck that can reduce air drag by ten to twenty percent.

Another efficient method of reducing fuel consumption is to train drivers in good driving techniques. Volvo has developed a number of driver training packages that put the focus on fuel economy and safety. Information about the various driver training packages can be seen on the Volvo stand.

Field tests are currently under way within the Fuelwatch framework with haulage firms in Germany. The results so far are shown on the Volvo stand.

New version of Dynafleet with comprehensive packages and extended functionality

Volvo’s Dynafleet transport information system is being introduced in a new version at the show. The new hardware features extended functionality that streamlines the driver’s administrative work, not least by utilising the Internet and connecting to external units such as a laptop computer. The system is available in three packages: Perform, which contains driver and vehicle information, Perform & Locate which in addition features transport administration and tracking, and Operate which gives the driver and transport office the possibility of communicating with one another. At the show there is a Dynafleet module where the system can be tested.

Comprehensive product range on offer

The Volvo stand shows applications for the entire model range:

The new Volvo FH16 – launched in February with a new 660 hp engine, I-Shift and the powerful VEB+ auxiliary brake, making this the market’s most powerful truck for commercial operations. It is on show as a tractor with a Globetrotter cab.

The new-generation Volvo FH and Volvo FM, which were launched last September, with a choice between the new 13-litre engine and an upgraded 9-litre engine, as well as VEB+. The Volvo FH, the durable long-haul truck, is shown in two versions – as a rigid and as a tractor, with 440 and 480 hp respectively. The Volvo FM, the versatile specialist, is shown in a variety of versions including a refuse truck with I-Shift powered by a 13-litre 440 hp engine.

The Volvo FE, which was launched in June, is a lighter truck in the heavier segment and thus slips into the segment just below the Volvo FM. The wide chassis range is optimised for applications such as regional distribution and lighter construction duties, and is on display at the show as a tipper with a crane.

Finally the new Volvo FL, which was also launched in June, fits into the medium segment with its 12-18 tonne weight class, and is optimised for local distribution or other duties in the urban environment. It is somewhat slimmer than the Volvo FE, which makes it easier to manoeuvre on congested city streets.

Turnkey transport solution at a fixed low cost

The new Volvo FL will be shown as a Volvo FL Citipro, a complete 12-tonne Volvo FL with van body and tail lift, ready for work straight from the factory. This means in practice that the delivery lead time from order to finished truck is halved. The aim is to be able to offer companies that work with local distribution a turnkey transport solution at a fixed low cost. The truck has space for 16 Euro pallets or 5000 kg of payload.

Comprehensive peripheral services make up a complete business offer

It is not sufficient to build first-class trucks in order to be a leading company in the truck industry. Today’s purchaser also expects that the company that delivers the truck should contribute to the customer’s profitability. Volvo offers its European customers a wide selection of services aimed at helping them do better business. At IAA, Volvo is presenting its pan-European comprehensive range of peripheral services that, together with the products themselves, offer haulage firms a complete business solution. The range encompasses features such as financing and insurance alternatives, advantageous servicing contracts, express service without prior appointments, tyre service and the possibility of renting trucks for a shorter or longer period of time.

Volvo VT with a new cab for the North American prestige class

At its outdoor site, Volvo is displaying its flagship for the North American market, the 16-litre Volvo VT880.