Volvo has confirmed it will begin sales of electric trucks in Europe in 2019, with the first units being put into operation with selected reference customers later this year. As well as reducing CO2 emissions, Volvo sees the introduction of electric vehicles as an opportunity to reduce the number of trucks operating in peak hours.
Two of Exol’s new antifreeze products now fully comply with the latest Volvo coolant specifications for heavy-duty diesel engines found in HGVs, buses, coaches, plant and marine applications.
Volvo Buses and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore have signed a cooperation agreement on a research and development programme for autonomous electric 12-metre buses. For Volvo Group this will be the first autonomous application in public transportation. Volvo Group has also presented an autonomous, battery-electric, load carrier.
Valeo Service has released 24 new references for major Volvo car applications since February 2017. Those new Lighting Systems references feature applications for the popular XC 90 models.
Supporting Valeo Service ‘We Care 4 You – Trust the Specialist’ strategy, Valeo Lighting Systems is constantly enriching its scope of products and extending its portfolio to many car applications over the world.
The Pirelli P Zero, Winter Sottozero 3 and Scorpion Zero All Season have gained original equipment approval on several European vehicle models. With these approvals, specifically-marked OE tyres now account for 50.5 per cent of Pirelli’s entire portfolio.
Volvo could be set to ditch diesel engine technology for its cars within the next five years. Chief executive of the Swedish VM, Hakan Samuelsson said the cost of making diesel more emissions friendly could mean the brand’s current generation of diesel engines, introduced in 2013, could be the last.
A Swedish waste and recycling company has begun trials of a fully autonomous dustbin lorry, which it claims will increase the safety and environmental benefits of weekly waste collections. The truck, which is being tested in Gothenburg by waste and recycling operator Renova, attains autonomy by first being driven on a refuse collection route manually and then ‘remembering’ the route.
Exol Lubricants has introduced Optima Vimax VC 0W-20 to its wide range of oils, with the new addition covering a high number of the latest petrol and diesel Volvo vehicles. The fully synthetic engine oil provides significant fuel saving benefits and possesses extremely low temperature characteristics, enabling the oil to circulate quickly even in the most demanding cold start conditions.
Volvo Trucks vehicle “The Iron Knight” has broken two world speed records for trucks on Goodyear tyres. The company’s rubber helped the 4.5 tonne, 2,400 horsepower truck achieve an average speed of 169.09 km/h (105 mph) in a time of 21.29 seconds, over 1,000 meters from a standing start. The Iron Knight also beat the record for the 500 metre distance, at 131.29 km/h (81.6 mph) in 13.71 seconds from a standing start. During the record runs The Iron Knight reached a top speed of 276 km/h (171.5 mph).
With support from the Swedish Energy Agency, Volvo Trucks has developed a new vehicle for evaluation purposes, the Volvo Concept Truck. It is the result of a five-year research project aimed at creating more energy-efficient vehicles. Volvo Trucks claims the concept vehicle cuts fuel consumption by more than 30 per cent through a 40 per cent improvement in aerodynamic efficiency and the use of low rolling resistance tyres. These tyres – prototype tyres, of course – have been provided by official project tyre supplier Continental. Size 315/70 R22.5 tyres were selected for both the steer and drive axles, while the concept truck’s trailer is equipped with 385/55 R22.5 tyres.
On 3 May Volvo Cars announced that it is planning an autonomous driving (AD) trial in the UK next year. The company said it is pioneering the development of AD systems globally as part of its commitment that no one will be seriously injured or killed in a new Volvo by the year 2020.
The latest version of the Volvo XC90 was launched last June, and Pirelli now reports that it is supplying tyres for original equipment fitment on the SUV. The Pirelli Scorpion Verde has been homologated for OE supply in sizes 275/40 R21 107 Y XL (front axle) and 235/55 R19 105 V XL (rear axle).
The beginning of the year signals the start of a busy period in most lines of work, and My Car Check Trade states that car dealerships are no different. Head of valuation services, Gavin Amos, states: “Dealerships are hives of activity in January as, with Christmas over, consumers turn their attention to looking for a new car. Footfall always increases dramatically at this time of year and retailers will have taken advantage of the December lull to stock up in readiness.
The Uniwheels Germany factory in Werdohl delivers alloy wheels to a number of Volvo models, including the XC60, XC70 and XC90. This supply has been acknowledged the car maker; at a ceremony held in Sweden at the end of last year, Uniwheels Germany received a 2014 Volvo Quality Through Excellence Award (VQE Award). The company says it obtained this prestigious award by achieving the maximum score in all 12 relevant criteria categories.
Goodyear’s latest OTR tyre, the RT-5D, has celebrated its original equipment debut with Volvo. The Swedish firm is fitting its L350F wheel loader with the level 250 (L5) severe service radial in size 875/65 R33. The RT-5D is also currently available in a 29.5R25 size, with further sizes to follow.
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.