From Stavanger, which serves as the base for the Norwegian offshore industry, drills, pipes and other materials are distributed to the various oil-fields. It's an industry that the veteran haulage operator has been serving for almost 30 years now. In order to shorten transport times, much of the cargo is hauled on the coastal roads before being shipped out to the oil rigs.
"The reason why we chose the FH16 700 is that we haul loads of up to 50 tonnes. The roads are often narrow and there may be kilometre-long gradients of between 6 and 10 percent, so you can never really have too much power," says Tore Aase, owner of haulage company Spesial og Tungtransport AS, located in Förde 170 kilometres north of Bergen on the Norwegian west coast.
Despite the truck's 700 horsepower and torque of 3,150 Nm at 2,650 r/min, this has not had a negative impact on fuel consumption. Quite the contrary.
"I save about 5 litres per 100 kilometres compared with my previous truck," reveals Tore Aase.
What is more, Volvo's product development engineers have succeeded in cutting nitrogen oxide emissions by 40 percent, thus meeting the Euro 5 emissions requirements.
Tore contributed his own ideas to the design and construction of the trailer. One example is the specially designed storage compartments in the trailer and the light unit set into the wind deflector panel on the trailer's roof.
However, Tore's smartest idea is probably the light unit set into the wind deflector panels on the front wings.
"When we are hauling long and wide cargoes, we sometimes find that cars want to cut in between the truck and its escort. It can be difficult to see our regular hazard warning lights. The light units integrated into the wind deflectors are clearly visible through the car's side window. The driver is thus alerted and understands that it is not a good idea to force his way in," explains Tore.
One major - and highly appreciated - surprise with the new truck is the cornering lights that illuminate the edge of the road when turning.
"When you slow down and turn, the powerful lights help a lot. I get far better visibility and considerably increased safety," says Tore Aase.
Tore Aase spends almost 200 days a year in his truck cab so it is important that he feels at home behind the wheel. And his new truck has not disappointed him.
"It's like driving a car. It steers very precisely and you can control it with just two fingers on the wheel. And as for the I-Shift transmission - that's simply fantastic. I can't change gear as smoothly or quickly with a manual gearbox. Absolutely amazing," says Tore.
"When I return from a long trip, I don't need to lie down on the sofa to relax. I scarcely feel I've been driving a truck for an entire day."
Watch Tore Aase drive and listen to him talk about his Volvo FH16 700:
http://volvo.qbrick.com/index.aspx?cid=2&mode=3&mid=412
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The Volvo FH16 is certified for the new Europe-wide Euro 5 emissions requirements, which means that emissions of nitrogen oxide have been cut by more than 40 percent. In other words, the Volvo FH16 has become more powerful without compromising on the environment. In addition to the 700 horsepower version, the Volvo FH16 is also available with a choice of 540 or 600 horsepower.
- Diesel engine, displacement 16.1 litres
- 540, 600 or 700 hp
- Torque of 2,650, 2,800 and 3,150 Nm respectively
- Rigid or tractor
- Choice of three cabs - Sleeper cab, Globetrotter and Globetrotter XL
- Volvo's automated gearchanging system, I-Shift, is fitted as standard.
The most obvious change is the new exterior design that features a new grill, headlights and air-intake, for example, all clearly inspired by the Volvo FH. Simply put, this truck is built to look like a leader - strong, modern and efficient. New features, such as anti-slip steps, and interior trim enhancements further refine the truck's top-class comfort and safety, giving a sense that it is a continuously evolving leader and top-of-the-line distribution truck.
"It's a ‘complete' truck in every sense of the word," says Claes Nilsson, President Europe Division at Volvo Trucks. "With the updated Volvo FM, we want to further strengthen this truck's contribution to the segment and reinforce its position as the best truck for regional transport in its class. So much is already built into the Volvo FM in terms of comfort, safety and fuel efficiency, so it was more a matter of further fine-tuning, based on feedback we have received from customers."
The new release complements previous Volvo FM innovations, including the recently updated I-Shift gearbox and Volvo's recently introduced new engine range that offers more power from less fuel. According to Volvo, the 13-litre engine in combination with Volvo I-Shift reduces fuel consumption by up to three percent compared to the earlier version, while offering power output of up to 500 hp and torque peaks at 2500 Nm. The 11-litre engine gives customers high load capacity, while offering high performance and impressive fuel efficiency. Both the D13 and D11 engines are also available in variants tailored for the EEV (Enhanced Environmentally friendly Vehicle) norm.
The new version of the Volvo FM also gives customers more choices. For example, Volvo is introducing a full range of cab packages, from premium to basic. "The new cab packages give customers more choices and opportunities to optimise the truck to specific needs in terms of driver comfort and economy, for more productive and profitable operations," says Claes Nilsson.
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Front
Both the upper and lower parts of the front are inspired by the form and lines of the Volvo FH series, gently modified to suit the shorter front of the FM.
Headlamps
The Volvo FM now features the updated and improved headlights that were recently introduced on the FH model. The headlamps are divided into 2 separate units; the spot and fog lamp is a separate unit positioned below the headlight. The headlamp lens is made of plastic instead of glass to make it more resistant to stone chipping.
Lower headlamp unit
Foglights and auxiliary lights or alternatively cornering lights are integrated. The Static Corner Light can be used to illuminate a wider area of the road in the direction the turn.
New turn indicator
The new turning indicator uses modern LED technology for improved function and a longer service lifetime.
Working lights
Different levels of working/reverse lights are available as an option as well as preparations to secure short lead-times and quality when mounted after delivery.
Air intake
The new air intake provides the engine with cleaner air. Its position gives improved visibility of the rear when reversing. It is now available on all cab versions, including the Day cab.
ACC sensor installation
The adaption for the ACC sensor installation in the lower grill has been modified for improved functionality.
Front footsteps
The front footsteps for cleaning the windscreen have been redesigned, while also incorporating the earlier foldable extension concept. The improved anti-slip function is integrated with the steel structure.
Volvo iron mark
The Volvo iron mark is larger, making a proud and bold statement.
Fuel tanks
New larger steel fuel tanks are introduced as an option that offer almost the same ground clearance as current tanks.
Interior
New colours for upholstery and curtains in the cab, matching the standard FH range.
Interior accessories
Three new interior accessories contribute to improved driver comfort:
- a table with dedicated space for cups and pens, including a spacious storage place inside the table.
- a practical storage box with two sections for storage of e.g. helmet, thermos, writing pad and gloves.
- a paper holder in water-resistant fabric. To be fitted on the clothes hanger at an angle behind the driver seat.
"We were the world's first truck manufacturer to provide an environmental product declaration, and almost ten years later we are still the only vehicle manufacturer in the world to offer customers this type of information," says Lars Mårtensson, Environmental Director at Volvo Trucks.
The environmental product declaration was first introduced back in 2001 in connection with the launch of Volvo's new FH and FM series trucks. Since then, the service has undergone continuous development with the help of better know-how and new data.
Now it is time to offer lifecycle analysis of the FE and FL trucks too. With this move, the entire model range in Europe will come with an environmental product declaration.
"Demand for detailed information about our trucks' climate and environmental footprint has increased in recent years. We have made the data easily accessible via an interactive service available on our website," says Mårtensson.
Naturally, environmental concerns are at the top of the agenda in Volvo Trucks' contacts with its major global customers.
"Environmental issues are an increasingly important factor in our customers' business dealings with haulage purchasers. With the EPD tool, they can calculate the total environmental footprint for a given transport assignment and also clearly show what is covered," says Anna Sjölin, Global Key Account Manager at Volvo Trucks. She adds:
"Customers can also use the EPD tool to verify their own environmental targets. Our largest customers, such as DHL, have highly ambitious targets for reducing their climate footprint. The environmental product declaration can help them choose the right measures and ensure the required effect is achieved."
Volvo Trucks' environmental product declaration takes into account the truck's overall environmental footprint throughout its lifecycle. It was developed in close collaboration with environmental experts at Volvo Technology. This lifecycle analysis is divided into five sections: materials and production, fuel, exhaust emissions, maintenance and end-of-life treatment, i.e. recycling.
More than 90 percent of the truck's environmental impact occurs during actual vehicle use.
"Our data on total environmental impact is important to the people developing next generation Volvo trucks. The information serves as a guideline for all our engineers, for instance when they work on alternative fuels and hybrid technology," says Lars Mårtensson.
Long distance haulage for the future: long rigs, controlled by autopilot, driven non-stop in nose-to-tail convoys on green super-motorways linking the continents.
This is the vision of the future that generated the ideas behind the Volvo Concept Truck 2020 design concept. But will it really look like this in just ten years?
"That is the whole point," says Rikard Orell Design Director at Volvo Trucks. "Progress is getting ever faster. Because of this our vision for the future is not that far away. Much of the technology in the Volvo Concept Truck 2020 is already available, other technology needs to be developed. One needs to dare stride firmly into the debate, demonstrating what one can and will do. Just tinkering at the edges runs the risk of progress slipping away."
As road transport expands it must also become safer and more efficient. Volvo's design concept contains ideas about how that can be achieved. Some of these ideas can be integrated into production today, while others are there to arouse interest and start a discussion.
One of the more startling ideas is to link vehicles together wirelessly into long trains that rush across the continents at 90 km/h.
"This will be possible when the transport sector's vision of green corridors becomes reality," says Rikard Orell. "Here heavy goods vehicles are separated from other traffic, driving in their own lanes, like a railway but without rails."
There are many advantages. Road safety increases, transport services require less space and wear on the roads decreases. Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions drop thanks to reduced drag when a truck is in the slipstream of the vehicle in front. In addition the driver can rest behind the wheel while the truck drives itself. If this is counted as idle time, transport times can be cut, deliveries will be made more quickly and drivers can get back to their families and friends earlier.
The driver is at the centre of Volvo's world. It goes without saying that a design concept from Volvo Trucks contains a great many ideas about the development of the driver environment. In the Volvo Concept Truck 2020 the driver environment is spacious, airy and free of disruption.
"We have replaced the traditional dashboard with a thin film panel on which information is tailored to suit the driver," says Rikard Orell. "The panel is operated like a touchpad, just like an iPhone. We have saved a lot of space that way."
Another space-saving idea is the sleek driver's seat with its thin, ventilated mesh backrest, more like a modern office chair than a traditional driver's seat. Behind the driver is a futon sofa which folds out into a wide, comfortable bed in the evening.
The lighting in the cab is divided into zones customised for the driver's various in-cab tasks, or for resting.
Around the driver are large areas of glass providing good visibility out of the vehicle and even into it. This benefits eye contact between the driver and other road users preventing accidents. Privacy screening and blackout in the evening are controlled electronically.
The design team also aimed for a sleek look for the exterior, reducing the perception of the vehicle's size. The LED headlamps and turn indicators are integrated into the front of the vehicle. The rear-view mirrors have been replaced by cameras that project their images onto the inside of the windscreen.
The lower section of the front of the vehicle features integrated collision protection projecting forwards about half a metre. This "nose" is gentler on oncoming cars in the event of a head-on collision, and has also been shown to improve aerodynamics.
"Because the nose is a safety function our starting point has been that it does not count as part of the maximum permitted vehicle length, just as rear-view mirrors today are outside the maximum permitted width," Rikard Orell points out.
Some things you just do not change. The Globetrotter sign on the roof is still there, but has been redesigned so that it harmonises with the lines of the vehicle and reduces drag. The driver can change the text on the sign from the instrument panel.
So work on the external design focuses largely on aerodynamics. But by how much is it really possible to reduce drag on a truck?
"We have come so far with the front of the vehicle that further changes to the basic shape provide only marginal improvements," says Rikard Orell. "However, a lot will happen when we start work on the design of the rear end of the vehicle. There is a great deal of untapped aerodynamic potential there."
​The transport company TNT Express has selected Scania as a supplier of long haulage trucks for its Asia Road Network (ARN) express service covering Southeast Asia. Scania’s strong presence in the region’s countries paved the way for this pioneering business.
The ARN currently links 6 countries and 127 cities across a distance of more than 7,650 kilometres.
“We are very excited to be involved in this very special project, which is seen as the first step towards realising borderless intra-ASEAN trade,” says Peter Sjöblom, Managing Director of Scania South East Asia. “The fact that TNT has decided to go with Scania in this deal reaffirms Scania’s position as the only manufacturer able to support cross-border operations in this region.”
“In selecting a suitable partner to support the equipment needs of the Asia Road Network, we took into account several critical factors including quality of the equipment, suitability to local environments, reliability, fuel efficiency and aftermarket support,” says David Stenberg, General Manager, Asia Road Network.
The trucks, all 380 hp Scania R-series, will be used to haul express parcels and freight from TNT’s main Regional Hub in Singapore through to its main hubs in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Bangkok, Thailand. Subsequently, additional vehicles will be deployed in the Indo-China region in the next phase of the partnership between TNT and Scania.
“The Scania R380 was chosen as the vehicle that best fits our requirements. The team from Scania showed a high level of flexibility and professionalism in their approach to developing a solution for our needs. Scania took the time to understand our vision for the ARN and worked with us to develop a unique solution, which is best in class in the region,” says David Stenberg.
These new trucks represent the future of road transport in the region. TNT and Scania have collaborated closely on the design features which are unique to this region. Compared to the older trucks, these new trucks have a 20 percent greater load capacity, yet are some three tonnes lighter, which contributes to lower wear and tear. This also translates to lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Safety and comfort for drivers were also strong considerations in choosing Scania over competitors.
“Not only did we exactly match the specification of the vehicle for TNT’s requirements,” says Alfons Reitsma, Senior Technical Product Manager for Scania South East Asia, “we were also able to ensure an extremely high uptime for the vehicles through a repair and maintenance programme that covers three countries.”