Sector: Light truck GVW: 12 –18 tonnes Engines: 5.1  and 7.7 litres Power range: 210 – 280hp

The lengths that CEOs will go to in order to shine a light on new vehicles is on the up and it’s those supposedly sober Swedes who are raising the bar. It was no less than Claes Nilsson, president of Volvo Trucks, applauded as he was hoisted aloft over Gothenburg harbour, standing on the front bumper of a vertical Volvo FMX eight-wheel tipper – and all to demonstrate his confidence in the strength of the product. The movie clip, ‘The Hook’, is on its way to over two million YouTube hits.

Range

In normal times, the renewal of the entire Volvo truck range would be a remarkable affair, but as most other major truck makers have done the same thing – ahead of the Euro 6 deadline – it’s become commonplace.

The Volvo range may top out with the thundering 750hp FH long-hauler, but there are smaller models that will be quietly working away on our high streets. Volvo’s FL light truck, in the 12-18 tonne bracket, is the staple of urban distribution. Any innovations will affect many light transport operators and thousands of drivers.

The FL now packs Volvo’s 5.1-litre, four-cylinder D5 diesel at Euro 6, and offers power and torque outputs of 240hp/900Nm or 210hp/800Nm. The new FL comes with the improved, optional ‘Gold Service’ contract maintenance package, which uses remote diagnosis, connecting the truck to the workshop.

The system can follow vehicle usage and monitor the wear and tear of components. The aim is to ensure that the truck is serviced only and exactly when needed – and that maintenance is carried out when the vehicle is not in use.

“By remotely keeping an eye on how the truck is used and the wear rates of the various components, we aim to prevent small issues from growing into unexpected standstills,” explains Jarkko Aine, transport solutions expert at Volvo Trucks. 

Lightweight

As for the truck itself, it attains Euro 6 with a combination of SCR (selective catalytic reduction) using AdBlue liquid additive, a DPF (diesel particulate filter) and cooled EGR (exhaust gas recirculation). A manual six-speed gearbox is standard, with the I-Synch six-speed AMT – baby brother to I-Shift – as an option, and it now offers a lightweight 12-tonne version. This claims the most powerful engine in its segment and, on Volvo’s weighbridge at least, its chassis is 500kg lighter than a corresponding truck with a six-cylinder engine.

“The new 12-tonner is a sharp contender in the largest medium-duty segment. The truck is lighter, lower and more competitively priced than the current model. It increases customer productivity and efficiency at the same time as it offers the driver better working conditions,” says Tobias Bergman, product manager distribution and refuse segment, Volvo Trucks.

The drive

At one of Volvo’s many test tracks a course was laid out to replicate the urban distribution scenario the FL will meet. It included ‘truck town’, an assortment of 20’ and 40’ containers laid out in street style. Artificial maybe, but it did enough to show how easy the truck is to manoeuvre in town. A quiet cab, an automated gearbox, simple engine brake, and (with 17.5” wheels) our FL512 had the lowest entry step to a light distribution cab we’ve seen. All good news for the driver.

Verdict

A light chassis, telematics-linked contract maintenance to maximise uptime, good manoeuvrability and a quiet cab look like a recipe for success.