The heavy transport by road is one of the sectors that the closer it is to know a true revolution. Prototypes such as the Freightliner Inspiration or the Future Truck 2025 from Mercedes we have already been taught how they could be trucks of the future, however, today Volvo introduces us to a truck quite revolutionary, the Volvo Concept Truck, a prototype that forgets the frills and huge deployments of the technology to get that a conventional truck to be able to reduce their consumption by more than 30%.
Volvo have focused on eliminating energy losses, and thus have been able to reduce more than a 30% consumption
Volvo Trucks and the Energy Agency in Sweden have presented the result of a 5 year project investigating the improvement in energy efficiency in trucks for medium and long distance. The project had as a goal to achieve improvements in efficiency of between 30% and 50%, but best of all is that this project was based on improvements that can be implemented in the short term, with minimal modifications and at low cost. The result couldn’t be better and is that this truck has been optimized to exceed the 30% reductions in consumption.
The problem of current trucks is not so much in the efficiency of their mechanical turbo, but in the many energy losses that are suffering. In this way, and although looking at a long-term future-driving autonomous can be a good tool to reduce consumption, the reality is that there are aspects such as the reduction of the rolling resistance, weight reduction and especially the improvement of the aerodynamic, which may be the subject of major improvements by offering substantial reductions in fuel consumption. This research focus based on the reduction of energy losses since the exploded Renault with the Renault Future Lab 2, and it is certain that the results were just as promising.
Volvo point out that this prototype truck called the Volvo Concept Truck is based on a Volvo FH420 with engine Volvo D13 Euro 6. The main improvements have been a few new Continental tires, low friction coefficient, a improved aerodynamics in a 40% thanks to the use of deflectors, fairings and reduction of turbulence in the rear area and the decrease the overall weight by 2,000 kg thanks to the use of composite materials in substitution for steel.
Source: Volvo Trucks