Volvo's hybrid heavy hauler to set new records

The world's fastest hybrid truck is pencilled in for a date at Wendover Airfield in Utah next month, to set three new land speed records.

And if or when the Volvo-built truck, known as 'Mean Green', posts new records for the standing 500-metre, the standing kilometre and the flying kilometre, it will be simply beating its previous records, set last year, with driver Boije Ovebrink at the helm.

“Technology and innovation are at the core of our business,” said Ron Huibers, president, Volvo Trucks North American Sales & Marketing. “’Mean Green’ is a prime example of Volvo’s technical capabilities and our continued focus on emerging technologies. Our engineers developed the world’s fastest hybrid truck utilising the same Volvo hybrid drive system powering hundreds of Volvo buses throughout the world... ”

The truck, which will need to top speeds of 260km/h at Wendover on April 27, is powered by a Volvo D16 engine and a modified 'I-Shift' automatic transmission, which interacts with the truck electrically driven hybrid system.

“The result is a lightning-speed boost from start-off without any of the customary diesel-engine delay,” said Ovebrink. “It's like a champagne cork, but without the sound effects. For the first couple of seconds the truck just makes a slight whistle until the diesel engine, which runs on renewable liquid rosin diesel, starts delivering with an explosive force.”

The truck produces 6779NM of torque, 1200Nm of that generated by the electric motor. To achieve the momentous speeds, the cab of the truck is an aero-modded 'North American VN cab'. At the rear, the final drive is 1.85:1. Following its run in Utah, the truck will go on a tour of North America, including a stop for the Volvo Ocean Race in Miami between May 17 and 20.

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