Volvo announces new 13-litre LNG truck engine
by Michael Ouellette
This follows the group’s previously announced compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered Volvo VNM and Volvo VNL model daycabs.
GÖTEBORG, Sweden—The Volvo Group will launch a 13-liter liquefied natural gas (LNG) heavy truck engine with high pressure diesel ignition technology for the North American market by 2014.
This follows the group’s previously announced compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered Volvo VNM and Volvo VNL model daycabs.
Also, look for upcoming DME (dimethyl ether) engines, which has the potential to become an attractive alternative for the North American market.
“Despite the near-term infrastructure questions regarding widespread adoption of natural gas as a heavy-duty truck fuel, it’s clear this segment will grow over the next several years,” said Ron Huibers, president of Volvo Trucks North American Sales & Marketing.
Through advanced high pressure diesel ignition technology—using trace amounts of diesel to ignite the natural gas—Volvo claims its LNG engine will deliver a 30 per cent fuel efficiency improvement as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 20 per cent compared with spark-ignition engines.
“Since we adopted Environmental Care as a core value in 1970s, the Volvo Group has dedicated the resources necessary to lead in alternative fuel technologies,” Huibers said. “We demonstrated in 2007 our ability to run vehicles on seven different fuels, and we continue to refine our work with a variety alternative fuels and drivelines. Our comprehensive strategy – including CNG, LNG, and potentially DME – means we’ll have a complete range of natural gas solutions as the infrastructure develops.”
The Volvo Group employs 115,000 people with production facilities in 20 countries and posted 2011 sales of about CAN$44.2 billion (310 billion Swedish Krona).
