Korea triumphs in Volvo’s Asia-Nordic Challenge
Kim Dogyun from Korea has won Volvo Trucks’ first ever Asia-Nordic Challenge recently, having outperformed Norway’s Thor Asbjørn Vigeland Larsen in fuel-efficient driving, in what was essentially a battle between Volvo Truck’s most fuel-efficient drivers in Asia and the Nordic region.
The competition originally started with as many as 1,500 drivers from China, Korea, Malaysia and Thailand, who entered local Fuelwatch competitions throughout 2010. From these Kim Dogyun from Korea emerged to overcome four other Asian finalists to become Volvo’s inaugural Asia Fuelwatch champion.
In a similar competition in April this year Thor Asbjørn Vigeland Larsen from Norway won the Nordic Super Eco Driver competition for 2010, against finalists from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. The national finals in the four countries originally started in 2009 with 1,400 entrants, leading up to the Nordic final this year.
It was decided to pit each of these worthy champions against each other in an Asia-Nordic challenge and last week ‘battle’ commenced.
The champions each drove a seven-kilometre course in a Volvo FH-460 4x2 tractor with a 13.6m semitrailer, with a total weight of 40 tonnes.
Kim Dogyun's fuel consumption was 2.43 litres whilst Thor Asbjørn Vigeland Larsen came very close with 2.48 litres - a difference of only one tenth of a litre ! The closely-fought contest was a great exhibition of their eco driving skills and provided an opportunity to bring the two champions together and demonstrate Volvo Truck's commitment to fuel efficiency and environmental care.
"Through everything I have learnt during Fuelwatch competitions, I have been able to significantly improve the profitability of my business. I'm also proud to have the possibility to help raise awareness of environmental care," says Kim Dogyun.
"I'm happy for Kim Dogyun. He has travelled a long way to be here so I'm glad he can return home victorious," says Thor Asbjørn Vigeland Larsen.
The purpose of Volvo Truck's Fuelwatch programme is to promote both the financial and environmental advantages of reducing fuel consumption. Fuelwatch competitions aim to acknowledge and reward drivers, who are central to minimising fuel consumption and reducing CO2-emissions.
