// Commercial vehicles
gathers data to optimise and coordinate the route and fuel consumption. More importantly perhaps for the construction industry is the I-Shift which saw an optional crawler gear launch last year. The I-Shift reduces the risk of accidents by removing the possibility of common driver mistakes such as not engaging the engine brake when going downhill, not engaging the correct gear, or driving at a very high RPM. With I-Shift, all of these driving mistakes are avoided and the truck driver can focus on the road, become more fuel efficient and reduce the wear and tear of his clutch, gearbox and brake pads. Volvo also offers a specially optimised I-Shift for severe duty applications. This rugged version of the I-Shift automated manual transmission is engineered for a wide range of construction and oil field applications. The gears and the hardware in the severe-duty I-Shift have been hardened to withstand frequent shifting in rugged operational environ56
ments like the varied landscapes and topography found throughout the Middle East. The enhanced I-Shift gearbox now offers more efficiency for the Middle East. “The varied landscapes and topographies of the Middle East are some of the world’s most challenging when it comes to transport operations,” said Giovanni Bruno, VP, MEENA. “However, this is where Volvo Trucks excels, via our pioneering design and technology, we have a long and proud legacy in supporting our customers handle heavy loads even in challenging off-road terrain and harsh climate only found in the Middle East.” The new crawler gear technology was tested to its limits in the Port of Gothenberg in 2016 with a FH16 production model, the most powerful in the FH series, completing an astonishing challenge, pulling a 750t 40-trailer land train from standstill over 100 metres to demonstrate the remarkable capabilities of the gear-
// construction business news me // June 2017
box. The enhanced option for the I-Shift automatic gearbox can drive as slowly as 0.5-2 km/h and can start off from standstill while safely hauling 325t, a unique achievement for series-produced trucks with an automated gearbox. Embodying this commitment to innovation is the technology that has gone into developing the FH series not only making them robust and durable to withstand the variable road conditions and extreme climate of the Middle East, but also one of the safest, most comfortable and easiest models to drive, claims Volvo. Developed for tough environments, Volvo Automatic Traction Control, which is already used on Volvo’s articulated haulers, is now standard on the Volvo FMX frontwheel-drive trucks; 4x4, 6x6, 8x6, 10x6. The system offers drivers improved manoeuvrability and fleet owners the a dded benefits of lower fuel consumption and decreased wear and tear. The system ensures