Volvo Trucks announced that its model-year 2014 engines will offer fuel efficiency improvements of 0.5% to 2% as a result of enhanced engine componentry.
 
“Volvo trucks equipped with 2014 engine technology will deliver substantial fuel efficiency benefits, while also providing the power and performance customers expect from a Volvo powertrain,” said Gӧran Nyberg, president of Volvo Trucks North American sales & marketing.
 
Improvements include reduced friction from smoother surfaces on pistons and cylinder liners, and a clutch mechanism that disengages the air compressor from the engine.
 
Also in ’14-model diesels are new seven-hole injectors for better fuel atomization and a more even distribution of fuel within the cylinder, he said. A new crankcase ventilation system removes more oil from blowby gases before they leave the engine and at the same time reduces backpressure for better performance.
 
Serviceability is improved by a new two-piece valve cover that reduces repair time and is easier to handle than previous covers, he said. Meanwhile, Volvo removed lead from the valve train of its 2014 engines to reduce its environmental impact.
 
The 2014 engine advances join previous improvements that raise fuel efficiency and save money for customers, Nyberg said. Better aerodynamics for Volvo VN model highway trucks include more streamlined mirror shrouds and arms, redesigned hood mirrors that also increase visibility, and additional ground effect features below the bumper and side fairings.
 
Volvo Trucks’ XE – exceptional efficiency – powertrain package, announced last year, boosts fuel economy by about 3% by lowering engine rpm at a vehicle’s cruise speed, a concept Volvo calls “downspeeding.”
 
Possible through the combination of Volvo’s I-Shift automated manual transmission and a Volvo engine with modified software, XE allows the engine to cruise about 200 rpm less than the average truck sold today.