Fuel efficiency, productivity and profitability hot topics for fleet customers ; putting Volvo’s EPA 2010 engines in the spotlight at a Volvo Trucks 360 event held in Dublin, Va. earlier this month.
More than 100 participants from around the U.S. and Canada attended the event, held at the Volvo Trucks New River Valley assembly plant and designed to give customers insight into current Volvo technologies and operations.
“Our 360 event gives us the chance to listen to customers, answer their questions and show what we are doing with our EPA10 engines, as well as with other technologies and business solutions,” said Ron Huibers, senior vice president, sales and marketing, Volvo Trucks North America. “As we focused on efficiency, productivity and profitability, it became clear that Volvo’s EPA10 engines in particular are generating tremendous interest within the industry.”
The marketplace has had a year to get familiar with the Volvo EPA’10 engines, and the early adopters have become fans.
“The Volvo EPA10 solution meets the most stringent emissions standard in the world,” said Huibers. “Just as importantly, our engines are meeting and exceeding the customer expectations, particularly when it comes to fuel efficiency and performance.”
Volvo’s EPA10 engines, with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR), deliver near-zero emissions and provide up to a 5 percent fuel efficiency improvement over EPA 2007 engines.
The Volvo engines were the first certified to the EPA10 standards, and the company began filling orders last fall. As of July, orders for Class 8 trucks equipped with EPA‘10 certified Volvo Group engines – which include the Volvo D11, D13, and D16 –surpassed the 10,000 mark. Order intake has since continued to be strong, in line with high customer demand.
“What we’re hearing from the industry is that Volvo has the best solution for 2010,” said Patrick Collignon, plant manager for Volvo Truck’s New River Valley facility. “And that buzz is translating into orders.”
Participants in the Volvo 360 event were able to tour the New River Valley plant, get a behind-the-scenes look at the production processes being employed there, and see how the Volvo EPA10 engines are integrated into the design and operation of the company’s trucks.
During ride-and-drive sessions as well as break-out groups, participants also had opportunities to learn about other Volvo technologies and services designed to improve productivity and safety, including the Volvo I-Shift transmission. The Volvo I-Shift is a 12-speed, two-pedal automated transmission that integrates seamlessly with all Volvo engines. Using microprocessors, it continuously monitors changes in grade, vehicle speed, acceleration, torque demand, weight and air resistance. With the engine and transmission in constant communication, I-Shift automatically selects the best gear.
“I-Shift allows every driver to be a fuel-efficiency expert, reducing cost and putting less stress on the driveline,” said Huibers. “When I-Shift is combined with Volvo’s new EPA10 engines, customers are seeing even more significant fuel savings.”
