Volvo Trucks will showcase its full range of North American Class 8 models at the 2014 Mid-America Trucking Show, March 27 to 29 in Louisville, KY. Volvo’s indoor booth, no. 32125 in the North Hall of the Kentucky Exposition Center, includes 12 vehicles spanning regional haul, long haul, heavy haul and vocational segments of the Class 8 market.
“The innumerable intricacies that exist between various segments require continued development of application-specific vehicles and specifications. We’ve taken the same comprehensive approach with our alternative fuels strategy and work toward offering a range of engine and fuel options that consider operational and geographic needs and infrastructure realities,” says Göran Nyberg, President, Volvo Trucks North American Sales & Marketing. “Over the past three years, we’ve expanded our vehicle lineup with the launch of the VAH, tailored to the specific needs of autohaulers, and the VNX for heavy-haul operations. Our most recent introduction, the Optimized Series for regional applications, brings together features proven to improve cost of ownership. It’s an approach we’ll extend in other segments.”
Regional Haul
The Optimized Series models on display highlight fuel- and weight-saving specifications for regional tanker, bulk haul, refrigerated, dry van or flatbed applications.
Optimized Series Volvo VNM 200
- Volvo D11 engine – 405 hp, 1,550 lbs.-ft. of torque
- Volvo I-Shift AMT
- 6x2 tandem rear axle configuration with rear-tag axle
Optimized Series Volvo VNM 430 mid-roof
- Volvo D11 engine – 405 hp, 1,550 lbs.-ft. of torque
- Volvo I-Shift AMT
- 6x2 tandem rear axle configuration with rear-tag axle
Optimized Series Volvo VNL 630 mid-roof
- Volvo D13 engine – 425 hp Eco-Torque, 1,750 to 1,450 lbs.-ft. of torque
- Volvo I-Shift AMT
- 6x2 tandem rear axle configuration with rear-tag axle
Long-Haul
Volvo VNL 780
- Volvo D13 engine – 425 hp Eco-Torque, 1,750 to 1,550 lbs.-ft. of torque
- Volvo I-Shift AMT
Volvo VNL 730
Volvo VNL 670
- Volvo D13 engine – 500 hp Eco-Torque, 1,750 to 1,550 lbs.-ft. of torque
- Volvo I-Shift AMT
Heavy-Haul
Introduced at the 2013 Mid-America Trucking Show, the powerful Volvo VNX was developed for applications up to 225,000 lbs., like long combination vehicles, heavy equipment hauling and specialized loads.
Volvo VNX
- Volvo D16, 600 hp, 2,050 lbs.-ft. of torque
- Volvo I-Shift AMT
Alternative Fuels
Volvo VNM and VNL models are available with spark-ignited gas engines powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG), depending on specification. While spark-ignited engines are meeting near-term market demand, Volvo is also developing a proprietary compression ignition LNG engine and an engine fuelled by dimethyl ether (DME), made from natural gas or a variety of domestic sources. Both engines are part of Volvo’s long-term “Blue Power” alternative fuels strategy to address future demand as it eventually grows within the broader heavy-duty market.
Volvo VNL 300 CNG
- Cummins Westport ISX12 G – 400 hp, 1,450 lbs.-ft. of torque
- 10-speed Eaton Fuller
Volvo VNL 300 LNG
- Volvo D13-LNG – 455 hpr Eco-Torque, 1,750 to 1,550 lbs.-ft. of torque
- Volvo I-Shift AMT
Volvo VNL 300 DME
- Volvo D13-DME – 435 hp, 1,650 lbs.-ft. of torque
- Volvo I-Shift AMT
Vocational
Tough and nimble, the Volvo VHD serves a wide range of vocational segments like construction, refuse and municipalities. The Volvo VAH auto hauler model serves a relatively limited but vital segment of the market responsible for passenger vehicle transport.
Volvo VHD 200 Axle Forward
- Volvo D13 engine – 500 hp Eco-Torque, 1,850 to 1,650 lbs.-ft. of torque
- Volvo I-Shift AMT
- Aluminum dump body
Volvo VAH 430
- Volvo D13 engine – 455 hp Eco-Torque, 1,750 to 1,550 lbs.-ft. of torque
- Volvo I-Shift AMT
- Sleeper cab
- Lower chassis height and short bumper-to-back-of-cab dimensions maximize freight capacity