Volvo has unveiled it’s new FH heavy truck – expected to be released here in early to mid 2014.
Under development for nearly five years, national sales manager Clive Jones says the truck will be an important offering for the brand, with the current FH nearly 20 years old.
“This is a vital product – it lines up very well with New Zealand operations and we’d expect it to be able to grow market share in the 23-ton+ segment, as well as making up 50% of Volvo’s commercial sales as the current FH does.”
The European lineup sees a Euro 6 engine available – a first for the brand – although there are no set plans for its introduction here due to our unspecified timeline for Euro 6 emission rule introduction.
However, Jones does say there may be the opportunity to option this engine before the introduction of Euro 6, as the New Zealand specification list has not been finalised.
“Nearly every aspect of the truck has been carefully revised, and we expect it to raise the already high standard for which Volvo is known – further details will be available in the coming months.”
Innovations include Volvo I-Torque, a new driveline which delivers no less than 2800 Nm of torque from low engine revs, and a new dual-clutch version of the automated I-Shift transmission, dubbed the I-Shift 2. With this unit, Volvo Trucks is the first manufacturer to install a dual-clutch automated transmission in a heavy duty truck.
I-Torque reduces fuel consumption by up to 4%. Meanwhile I-See, a software package for the I-Shift transmission, stores information about hill gradients. Operating like an autopilot, the I-See and I-Shift systems take over gear changing to save fuel on slopes. Working together the I-Torque driveline, I-See and other fuel-saving components, such as a clutchable air compressor, help cut fuel consumption by up to 10%.
Superior handling is another focus of the new FH, with independent front suspension (IFS) a first for heavy trucks. IFS results in steadier, more stable progress on the road. It is also coupled with rack and pinion steering, which means that the wheels respond immediately – which in turn improves the feeling of control and road contact.
Significant enhancements have been made in terms of driver comfort and safety, and the truck is touted as the safest Volvo ever, featuring a wide range of technical systems that minimise accidents and a strong structure that protects the driver and other occupants on impact.
Many features and functions have been redesigned to provide maximum visibility and contribute to improved driver view and control. Among the new features are bigger windows, a redesigned instrument panel and slimmer rear-view mirrors, which all help reduce the risk of collisions.
The new Volvo has been tested over 1000 times in computer simulations as well as 20 times in full-scale tests.
