Volvo Shows Off ’07 Engine Solution

GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN— Volvo Truck Corp. revealed how a newly designed diesel engine will meet upcoming EPA ’07 emissions regulations at a news conference held here at its headquarters last week.

Different version of the new engine will be engineered specifically for use in both Volvo Truck North America (VTNA) models and Mack Trucks Inc. models. Volvo Truck Corp. is the parent of VTNA. Mack Trucks is a seperate subsidiary of AB Volvo.

Anthony Greszler, vp-engineering of Volvo Powertrain Corp., which is charged with developing the new engine for both Volvo and Mack, stated that many options were researched before the company determined its exact ’07 solution.

Greszler said the technology selected to meet the stringent ’07 regs will include:

• A “high-efficiency” cooled EGR (CEGR) system with will provide NOx control
• A “catalyzed” DPF (diesel particulate filter) with active regeneration and an internal oxidation catalyst will provide particulate control
• Closed crankcase ventilation

  Describing Volvo’s overall approach to engine emissions as one of “technological evolution from ’02 to ‘10,” Greszler noted the EPA ’07 engine will be “facilitated” by low-sulfur diesel fuel.”

  Other key engine features Greszler relayed include:

• Advanced high-pressure fuel injection system capable of multiple injections per stroke
• Single-stage variable geometry turbocharger
• High-capacity cooling systems, fully integrated with each truck model
• DPF integrated with truck exhaust system
• Onboard diagnostics

  Greszler described the ’07 engine as a “high-performance EGR” unit that is expected to deliver fuel consumption “comparable” to current Volvo engines. He said the burning of low-sulfur fuel in the more combustion-efficient ’07 engine will “let us extend drain intervals for ’07.”

  According to Volvo, it has 35 trucks equipped with its ’07-compliant engines running as test vehicles in U.S. fleet operations. It also stated that its DPF experience includes 450 trucks that have clocked over 23 million miles in Europe so far.

  Blocks for the new powerplant will be cast at the Volvo foundry in Skovde (pronounced “shuff-da”), Sweden. Partially assembled engines will be shipped for final assembly at the Volvo Powertrain plant now being revamped in Hagerstown, MD. That plant has been building Mack engines since 1961.