At an event held today at the Bibliothéque Solvay in Brussels, Belgium, the Volvo Group presented its internally developed and unique hybrid solution for heavy vehicles such as trucks and buses.
Among other activities, the participants can see and test-drive a bus with hybrid drive and, in addition, the Volvo Group’s hybrid concept I-SAM (Integrated Starter Alternator Motor) is being presented in detail. I-SAM can provide fuel savings of up to 35% depending on use and driving conditions. The vehicle’s maintenance costs can also be reduced through less wear on the braking system. The Volvo Group is also developing hybrid technology for construction equipment such as wheel loaders, in which the fuel savings can be up to 50%.
“The increasing awareness regarding climates issues and the uncertainty regarding the supply of oil, with resulting increased fuel prices, makes our hybrid technology highly attractive for our customers as well as society as a whole,” says Jan-Eric Sundgren, responsible for public and environmental affairs in Volvo’s Group Executive Committee.
The Volvo Group is a leader in hybrid drive for heavy vehicles such as trucks and buses and in March last year presented a unique hybrid solution that has great potential of becoming commercially viable. Production of the first vehicles is expected to start in 2009.
