Volvo has revealed its latest fuel saving Aero range for the Australian market, announcing the new ICE variant trucks will be built here in Australia at its Wacol manufacturing plant in Brisbane from mid-2025 after order books open for the new trucks open next month (December 2024).
The new FH Aero range debuted in Europe earlier this year 2024 with Volvo claiming European testing has delivered efficiency improvements of up to 5 per cent.
Volvo has revealed the FH Aero will be available in Australia with a choice of 13-litre and 17-litre Euro 6 ICE powerplants as well as Volvo’s heavy duty electric driveline.
The company suggests that the ultimate fuel saver will be its FH-Aero in I-Save guise, featuring a turbo-compound powerplant which is rated at 500hp with an impressive 2800Nm of torque.
Volvo added that the proven 13-litre 540 also remains an option for Aero as does the new D17 powerplant in ratings from 600hp and 3000Nm up to 700hp and 3400Nm.
The company said that the Aero cab options span sleeper, Globetrotter XL and Globetrotter XXL options and the trucks will also feature Volvo’s newly launched Camera Monitor System (CMS) which will also be also standard equipment on FH Aero. This follows the MirrorCam system pioneered by Daimler Truck several years ago.
Volvo says that its CMS features a zoom out function, automatic panning that tracks the rear of the vehicle while negotiating intersections, fixed reverse panning and an infra-red mode for low light conditions, with the company claiming its CMS drastically improves the driver’s field of view around the truck.
It says that the system’s camera lenses are heated and will automatically activate depending on the outside temperature to ensure a clear view in all weather conditions.
According to Volvo Trucks Australia’s vice president, Tom Chapman, the company is super excited to be launching the Aero range here in Australia.
“This truck represents a critical step along the path to sustainable transport as well as lowering running costs for operators along the way,” Chapman said.
“The drive experience of this vehicle is nothing short of astonishing, the performance of our new generation I-Shift transmission coupled with our refined Euro 6 engine range or our powerful electric drivetrain will find no complaints from drivers,” he added.
Volvo said that aerodynamic improvements have been achieved by extending the front of the existing FH cab by 240mm, which its says allows for a smoother more rounded frontal area to reduce drag and energy consumption whilst remaining within the 26-metre B-double envelope.
“The range of powerplant options allows operators to tailor their Aero perfectly for their application.” “From our I-Save engine to our fantastic new D17 powerhouse we can choose to gear this truck for maximum line haul efficiency,” Chapman said.
“This is a remarkably smooth and quiet vehicle to drive, however safety, as always is paramount for us, with added features like *Pilot Assist and Front Short Range Assist for detecting vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians which are available across the Volvo heavy duty range,” Chapman continued.
