EDITOR’S NOTE: Additional coverage from this event will be included later this week on TTNews.com and in the May 25 print edition of Transport Topics.
NEWPORT, R.I. — Executives with Volvo Trucks said model-year 2016 trucks will offer higher fuel economy through continued aerodynamic and powertrain adjustments.
“We are fine-tuning specifications to be more precise for dedicated routes and applications rather than the one-size-fits-all approach,” said Göran Nyberg, president of Volvo Trucks in North America.
Nyberg spoke at a series of events here and in Providence on May 14-15 during the North American stopover of the around-the-world Volvo Ocean Race.
He said customers can expect aerodynamic improvements from the roof and bumper offering up to a 3.5% benefit and air-flow tweaks under the hood providing up to an additional 2% gain.
The company attributed some of its gains to its ongoing SuperTruck work, which is targeted for completion in 2017
Volvo said it received its grant from the Department of Energy about 18 months later than other equipment manufacturers, including Daimler Trucks North America, which showcased its SuperTruck at this year’s Mid-America Trucking Show in March.
“We are meeting the same targets at less cost,” Nyberg said.
Nyberg touted the benefits of trailer tails, saying they could offer 9% gain in efficiency when “combined with the right tractor and skirt package.”
Predictive cruise control, which Nyberg said offers “new opportunities for energy management,” also has been a focus of the company's SuperTruck work.
By understanding the road ahead, the truck knows when to accelerate and “come out of a hill faster to get a bigger roll-off,” he said.
