Volvo Penta has brought its on-highway start/stop function to its off-highway industrial engines.
Don't stop me now! Image: Volvo |
In an unusual step for the off-highway engine sector, automotive manufacturer Volvo is set to introduce its latest start/stop technology to its industrial engine range s but Volvo by the end of 2013.
The company has already fitted the fuel and emissions-saving technology to its road vehicles, but faced different challenges in the off-highway sector:
- Industrial vehicles may pause their activity more frequently. If the start/stop function is activated too frequently, damage could be done to the engine's components and parts leading to faster wear and tear and therefore greater costs.
- The function can only be safely activated under certain conditions - for example, there may be potential dangers to the engine being switched off while the vehicle is in the middle of a heavy lifting.
However, it would appear that Volvo has overcome the challenges to launch the new off-highway technology. It claims that, depending on how much idling an operator requires from the vehicle, the feature can save between 5% and 15% in fuel costs. Idling reduces on-site noise and emissions because, while the engine is turned off, the engine's after-treatment system is still warm so that it can burn exhaust fumes more efficiently.