At the IAA in Hannover, Volvo Trucks presented a product program that in just two years has been completely renewed. Innovations like Volvo Dynamic Steering, Individual Front Suspension, Connected Services and, most recently, I-Shift Dual Clutch lift operator productivity and uptime to a new level.
“Through a series of innovative solutions, we have in a short time radically improved the driver’s ability to do a first class job. The latest example is the new I-Shift Dual Clutch transmission, which was first presented to a larger audience here at IAA,” says Claes Nilsson, President Volvo Trucks.
Volvo I-Shift Dual Clutch is the world’s first dual clutch transmission for series-produced heavy vehicles. The technology makes it possible to change gears without interruption in power. The torque is maintained and the truck does not lose momentum during gear changes.
“The heavier the transport, the tougher the driving, and the more gear changes you make, the more you gain from driving with I-Shift Dual Clutch. It also becomes easier to follow the flow of traffic and provides more relaxed and safer driving,” says Astrid Drewsen, Product Manager – Powertrain, at Volvo Trucks.
Volvo Dynamic Steering is another innovation that is now world-famous, thanks to “The Epic Split”. The award-winning movie with Jean Claude Van Damme has so far been viewed over 75 million times on YouTube. Volvo Dynamic Steering makes it possible to control the truck with very high precision. The system also eliminates vibrations in the steering wheel that might otherwise occur if the road surface is uneven. Because the truck is so easy to steer, the driver can relax and is at a lower risk of occupational injuries.
Two of the technical solutions that most affected the handling of Volvo’s new truck are the independent front suspension and rack and pinion steering. They were introduced in the new Volvo FH in 2012, and together offer a major improvement in the truck’s cornering ability and directional stability.
In addition to operator productivity, Volvo Trucks also focuses heavily on vehicle availability. For example, customers who sign a Volvo Gold Contract are guaranteed maximum uptime. Behind the promise, there is in addition a wide network of workshops and a variety of services, yet also one more technological innovation – Telematics Gateway. This enables the workshop, via telematics, to monitor the truck at a distance, to see exactly how different parts wear and to adapt maintenance and repairs thereafter in order to minimise the risk of unplanned downtime.
A common feature of Volvo Trucks’ innovations in recent years is that they are launched using humour and excitement. The films The Ballerina Stunt, The Epic Split and The Hamster Stunt have all been great successes. For the launch of the I-Shift Dual Clutch, Volvo has developed yet another new film – The Casino – where a shimmering Volvo FH enters the red carpet at a gala evening at the Casino San Remo in Italy.
“The technology in the I-Shift Dual Clutch is similar to that found in many luxury sports cars. To place our premium truck in such an elegant setting as a casino – a classic venue for sports cars – seemed like an obvious choice,” says Per Nilsson, PR Director at Volvo Trucks.
I-Shift Dual Clutch Facts
• I-Shift Dual Clutch can basically be described as two gearboxes linked together. When one gear is engaged in the first gearbox, the next gear is preselected in the second gearbox. During gear changing, the clutch connected to the first gearbox is disconnected at the same instant as the second clutch is engaged, so gear changes take place without any interruption in power delivery. • I-Shift Dual Clutch is based on the I-Shift transmission. Despite its many new components the new gearbox is just 12 cm longer than a regular I-Shift unit. • I-Shift Dual Clutch changes gear without any disruption to power delivery. When driving in conditions where it is more optimal for the transmission to skip a few gears, the transmission changes gear just like a regular I-Shift unit. • I-Shift Dual Clutch can change gears without any interruption in power delivery, with the exception of the range-change, which takes place when shifting from 6th to 7th gear. • Smooth, gentle gear changes cut wear on the driveline and the rest of the vehicle. • Fuel consumption with I-Shift Dual Clutch is the same as with regular I-Shift. • I-Shift Dual Clutch is available on the new Volvo FH as an alternative to I-Shift and manual transmission. |
