New FH is
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in a class of its own, claims Volvo
By David Wilcox VOLVO HAS claimed its new FH tractor unit, oficially launched yesterday (5 September) in Gothenburg, Sweden, redeines what a premium truck can offer.
The manufacturer said much of the work on its new lagship has been focused on boosting fuel economy and improving a driver’s working environment.
Compared with the current FH, the new model will be more economical and safer. It has more interior space for the driver and provides better visibility.
Crucially, Volvo has ditched the current model’s widely criticised raked windscreen. Reducing windscreen rake creates an extra cubic metre of cab space, according to Volvo. One third of this has been given over to more storage.
The cab, reckoned to be stronger than ever, has better noise insulation, new interior lighting and a more comfortable bed and seat.
A bigger glazing area improves visibility, while slimmer mirrors obscure less of the view at junctions.
The new FH should also handle better, thanks largely to the option of independent front suspension. New telemetry will allow workshops to monitor wear on some key components without seeing the vehicle. Production of the new FH starts next spring, but early indications ahead of the oficial launch suggest that initially it will be available with Euro-5 engines only. Production of Euro-6 engines is scheduled to begin in autumn next year, just before the Euro-6 emissions limit becomes mandatory for new vehicles on 31 December.
However, Volvo has already announced that one Euro-6 engine will go into production next spring. This is the 460hp version of the 12.8-litre D13 engine, which will use an EGR/SCR combination to comply with Euro-6’s NOx limit. Fuel consumption could be up to 10% better than the current model. Most of this claimed improvement comes from just two sources: irst, there is I-See forward-looking cruise control. Instead of using 3D mapping, I-See uses the gradient sensor in the I-Shift gearbox control. When a truck encounters a hill for the irst time, I-See records the rate of gradient change, plus the location of the hill as determined by the GPS system. Next time the truck approaches the same hill, this data is used to manage the truck’s control strategy, provided cruise control is used. The other major source of fuel saving is a new I-Torque function, reckoned to be capable of cutting consumption by up to 4%. This is part of the Euro-6 driveline – however, no further details were available ahead of the FH’s launch.
Volvo Trucks president Claes Nilsson claimed the FH will attract the best drivers. “That is why the new Volvo FH should increase an operator’s proit.” n l The all-new FH will be on show at Commercial Motor Live (3-4 October) at Millbrook Proving Ground. Book your ticket now at commercialmotorlive.com to avoid any disappointment.