Volvo Trucks offers i-Shift AMT gearbox options on new truck range, eyes mining sector

Volvo Trucks’ fourth-generation i-Shift automated gearbox technology will be offered as an on option on its new truck range, said Philippe Divry, president, Volvo India, at the launch of the new range that includes a tipper and two trailers in Bangalore.

The i-Shift AMT is Volvo’s global technology, now in its fourth generation, that has been a success in the US. The company will offer it particularly for the mining sector which will make it easy to drive under tough conditions, the company said.

In addition, the company’s tipper will offer a host of new features including a parking brake on the dashboard which comes on automatically if the engine strops, said Rama Rao AS, senior VP (sales marketing and aftermarket), Volvo Trucks. He said the i-Shift will increase productivity and uptime for those who choose to buy the product. Those who choose the i-Shift option will have to pay a premium in the price estimated at five percent more than a truck without the automated gearbox.

The new range replaces the old ‘classic’ range that has been sold out and will be available with the i-Shift option from January 2015. While the FMX tipper is for the mining and construction sector, the FM and FH trailers have been made more robust with increased load capacity in the latter by 33 percent to 200 tonnes and an increased horsepower in the FM 6X4 tractor from 400 to 440 tonnes. It comes with a 125-tonne puller. The FM will also have a Euro 4-compliant 6X4 rigid variant with 420 HP and i-Shift for special applications. The FMX was first launched in the EU in 2013 and has done duty in South America, the Middle East and Asia. The FH 520 was the national truck of the year in 2014.

In addition, Volvo will offer its Dynafleet telematics as standard on all the new trucks.

The new range also sports Volvo Trucks’ new look with the logo now placed closer to the vehicle’s windshield that will enable better visibility.

Vinod Aggrawal, CEO of VE Commercial Vehicles,  said that after a tough, recessionary period, the country’s commercial vehicle sector is seeing an uptick. It hopes to tap the increasing uptick in the heavy duty segment for the current calendar year. Giving some numbers, Aggrawal said the HD segment saw sales of 241,000 units in 2011, dipping to 131,000 units in 2013 and is expected to growth by about 10 percent in 2014.

In the premium truck market, worth 1,500 trucks, Volvo’s share as gone up to 68 percent from 63 percent in the previous year.

In addition, Aggrawal added that the government’s decision to increase the mining of coal from 700 million tones at present to 1 billion tonnes in 3-4 years spells good news for the truck sector. Volvo Trucks assembles its trucks at its Hosakote plant. While the company imports the engine and gearbox, it sources the cab body locally.

Meanwhile, the top brass at Volvo has welcomed the government’s decision to de-regulate prices of diesel. The company’s bulk buying customers who buy their requirements from government fuel depots are already reaping the benefits.