Volvo Trucks is now launching improvements on its FM, FMX, FH and FH16 model range. Increased fuel efficiency on the engine along with new aerodynamic improvements on cab and chassis can reduce fuel costs by up to five per cent.

Fuel costs are a key issue for hauliers with heavy workloads. To address this, Volvo Trucks has a dedicated fuel focus, where potential areas for improvement are continuously identified and integrated in product development. The latest improvements have now been introduced on updated engines which comply with the Euro-6 Step C regulation and aerodynamic optimisations made on the Volvo FH cab, with some weight optimisations on the chassis.

On the engine a number of changes have been made mainly on the D11 and D13 engines, such as low-friction pistons, an all-new improved turbo, a higher compression ratio, an enhanced camshaft and software updates, which contribute to the fuel reduction. Among the measures that will improve the aerodynamics and reduce air resistance include re-designed front spoiler, air deflectors, mudguards and a tighter wheel housing on FH models.

“Since fuel accounts for a third of hauliers’ costs, every drop counts. We are constantly working on improving the fuel efficiency of our vehicles. It is a philosophy of utilising every possible improvement and optimisation, small and big. With these latest updates on the engines and the aerodynamics, drivers receive an even more efficient truck with the excellent performance of the Volvo Trucks and further improved fuel efficiency, meaning more money saved for the operator. These are a number of small improvements that can ultimately lead to significant savings,” says Claes Nilsson, President of Volvo Trucks.

How much fuel these improvements can save will depend on the truck specification and application. For a Volvo FH driving long-distance transport, combined optimisations can improve fuel consumption by up to 3 per cent. In severe applications, such as timber transport, a fuel saving of up to 4 per cent can be realised when the truck is combined with Volvo Trucks newly-introduced I-Shift automated transmission with crawler gears and the new liftable tandem axle. The unique advantage of excellent startability combined with a suitable rear axle ratio that optimises engine revs at high speeds when carrying heavy loads, and lifting the tandem axle when not fully loaded, will result in lower fuel consumption on highways.

Volvo Trucks

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