Unmatched in fuel economy, safety and ease of operation
In the highly competitive heavy commercial vehicle market, the manufacturers go all out to give value addition to their product with extra special features to differentiate themselves from the rivals in the field and to have an edge over them. Ultimately, these special features enhance profitability by way of increasing the km per litre and reducing the maintenance cost. Volvo is leading the way with its modern “I-Shift Technology” incorporated in commercial vehicles. Having the right ratio for the right speed at the right time is what the I-Shift transmission technology is all about.
By continuously monitoring the road gradient, vehicle speed, acceleration, the torque demanded by the particular road, weight, rolling and air resistance, the I-Shift can instantly predict and select the most appropriate ratio for efficient utilization of the engine. In short, it knows when and where a shift would be beneficial.
The I-Shift transmission technology has set a new transmission standard that increases the fuel economy, safety and ease of operation. It is termed automated manual transmission which delivers increased level of productivity with maximized driver comfort, safety, payload capacity and increased km per litre.
I-Shift can be customised in order to meet the specific demand of the vehicle depending on the operational requirement.
What I-Shift mechanism does
I-Shift continuously monitors the gradient, acceleration, vehicle speed, rolling resistance, air resistance, weight and torque demand. With the help of the grade sensor, it reads the steep and how it is going to change. For the next rolling 30 second period, the I-Shift predicts and selects most appropriate engine parameters for efficient utilization of the engine. I-Shift continuously predicts and selects the most efficient utilization of the engine over the next rolling 30-second period.
Basic family
• Basic
• Enhanced basic
• Fuel economy
In the Basic design there is no manual shift buttons on the Gear shift knob and no option available for Economy / Performance selection (E/P).
Premium family
• Performance
• Comprehensive
Option available on the gear lever which enables the driver select between Economy and Performance operating modes. Also manual up down shift is possible by means of the shift button on the handle.
Technical superiority
I-Shift enables the driver to shift the gear so as to get more fuel efficiency and in turn reduces the fuel cost. The smooth gear shifting on the other hand reduces the stress on the drive line and tires and hence increases the life span of the drive units and reduces the maintenance cost. Due to its light weight, which facilitates increase in pay load, you still can maintain the specified GVW.
No driver intervention is needed because the I-Shift always selects the right gear. This level of ease helps with driver retention, and reduces the time it takes for the driver to make a profit on the road. Easier operation means less fatigue / stress on drivers. I-Shift reduces fatigue and improves concentration. This allows drivers to give full attention to manoeuvring the vehicles.
The high torque rating of the I-Shift allows for unlimited engine power and torque upgradability, since all engine rating shares the same HW within each engine size. This makes it easy to adapt to changing route performance requirements and can easily be upgraded for the variable performance required by the second owner.
The I-Shift is designed by keeping the top priority as fuel consumption. By virtue of its technological innovations the I-Shift enhances the fuel efficiency and hence reduces the fuel cost. A few of these innovations are given below. The microprocessor intelligence system installed in the I-Shift technology increases the time the engine runs in the “sweet spot”, i.e., ideal condition, which leads to increased km per litre.
The Eco-Roll feature utilises the kinetic energy, namely, the vehicle motion, to move the truck on the non-flat terrain efficiently and saving fuel cost up to two per cent. The Eco-Roll allows transmission to disengage the engine in certain situations such as moderate hills. The vehicle will roll out longer, delaying the need to engage the transmission to the engine, resulting in fuel saving without compromising on safety part.
The I-Shift lube oil pump enables lubricants to pass through the drilled passages precisely where it is required after proper filtration. This results in enhanced life and improved performance. The option of direct drive in the I-Shift mechanism, the output shaft is directly linked to the input shaft, thereby eliminating power loss due to frictions. This results in saving in fuel cost up to 1.5 per cent and up to 3-4 hp as compared to over-drive transmission.
Based on the requirement the driver can select between the Economy and Performance mode. In the Economy mode, the transmission and engine parameters are selected in such a way that the combination maximizes fuel efficiency. Accordingly, in the Performance mode, importance is attached to maximum gradeability.
There are four programmable settings to match the way you operate.
Kick down: The I-Shift kick down pedal, included in certain feature packages, is programmed to maximize acceleration. There are three customer programmable K-D settings.
Engine brake performance mode: When we activate the engine brake performance mode, it selects a gear that maximises retardation. This is being operated by a multifunction switch that controls engine brake, brake cruise and engine brake activation speed during cruising.
Idle driving mode: This is a valuable “cruise control” enhancement for driving slowly (in a congested area for example). Idle driving allows the engine to operate at idle speed without cycling the clutch or using the accelerator pedal for best fuel economy. The driver adjusts the speed by selecting the gear that best suits the movement of the traffic. This is especially useful when backing a trailer. The idle governor adjusts the torque to maintain idle speed (and constant vehicle speed) even if the engine load varies.
Up to four reverse gear: Options are available with the I-Shift to have two reverse gear operations. The driver can activate high reverse gear as per his requirements.