The Volvo Group works to reduce the environmental impact of our products and develops more efficient solutions for our customers, thus creating value and at the same time contributing to a sustainable society. Innovative solutions and breakthrough vehicle technology is the result of a systematic approach to environmentally-enhanced product development.
Research and development (R&D) at the Volvo Group relies on multidisciplines. By coordinating R&D initiatives, as well as general processes and tools, substantial economies of scale are achieved. About 50% of the Volvo Group’s R&D is conducted in Sweden, with the remainder distributed between locations in France, US, Brazil and Japan.
We are involved in a comprehensive series of cooperative ventures with authorities, research bodies and academic institutions to advance the technologies needed for future product development.
The Volvo Group’s product development is affected by changes in society, legislation and the needs of customers as well as new technology.
We are a driving force in the industry within the areas of environment and energy efficiency. Lower fuel consumption provides dual benefits – less impact on the environment and lower costs for customers. We have three parallel approaches for environmentally-enhanced product development:
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Approximately 90% of the environmental impact results from the use of the products. Consequently, our main focus is on reducing the environmental impact of products in use.
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Each new product from the Volvo Group should have less environmental impact than the product it replaces. We use Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) to map a product’s environmental impact in order to make informed decisions in the development process.
Findings from analyses indicate that approximately 90% of the environmental impact results from the use of the products. We therefore focus on reducing the environmental impact of products in use.
For many of our products we give customers an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), based on the results from the LCA. The purpose is to help customers better understand the environmental impact of the product, and help them to make more informed choices when choosing vehicles. The EPD is divided into three sections:
All new Volvo trucks customers in Europe have access to detailed lifecycle analysis of their vehicles’ environmental footprint. The analysis covers five sections; materials and production, fuel, exhaust emissions, maintenance and end-of-life treatment.
Volvo Truck is unique in offering customers this information. The information helps customers verify their performance in relation to their own environmental targets.
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The estimated fuel-saving potential for a standard truck will be 15% in 2020 compared with fuel consumption in 2005. This can be achieved by further improving the driveline, design, weight and tires.
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The most significant share of a vehicle's environmental impact occurs during the use phase, and this is largely attributed to fuel consumption and the use of crude oil and fuel production.
The estimated fuel-saving potential for a standard truck will be 15% in 2020 compared with fuel consumption in 2005. This can be achieved by further improving the driveline, design, weight and tires.
New technology can be used to achieve more significant savings. For instance, the use of a hybrid driveline may improve fuel savings by up to 37% for certain city bus operations.
The environmental impact of exhaust emissions, PM (Particulate Matter) and NOX (Nitrogen Oxides), is significant as regards the product’s impact on local air quality over its life cycle.
Authorities around the world are imposing increasingly stringent requirements on emissions of NOX and PM from road transport. The latest emission regulation in the EU is Euro V, which was introduced in October 2009.
The most recent regulation in the US, EPA 2010, became effective in 2010. The Volvo Group’s products sold on these markets comply with, or exceed, current product regulations. There is also an emission regulation for off-road products which affects Volvo Construction Equipment’s products as well as some of Volvo Penta’s products.
Volvo Construction Equipment was one of the first to offer products compliant with the Tier 4 Interim emission regulation in the US and Stage IIIB in Europe. Particulate matters are reduced by 90% in these new products.
We support the global harmonization of emission regulations when these are competitively- and technology-neutral.
The Volvo Group is working to meet the future Euro VI legislation, which will come into effect on January 1, 2014, in the EU. NOX and PM will be reduced by 97% from the level in the early 1990s for the coming Euro VI, thereby reaching very low levels.
| Emission regulations | ||
| Reduction in PM | Reduction in NOx | |
| Euro IV – reference Euro III | 80% | 30% |
| Euro V – reference Euro III | 80% | 60% |
| EPA 2007 – reference EPA 2002 | 40% | 80% |
| EPA 2010 – reference EPA 2002 | 80% | 90% |
The diesel engine represents the focus of the Volvo Group as it is currently the most efficient energy converter for commercial vehicles. Volvo Trucks and Mack Trucks were the first manufacturers to have their engines certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board as meeting EPA 2010 emissions regulation, which is currently the most stringent standard in the world.
The vehicles that meet the demanding requirements of EPA 2010 are equipped with both:
EGR lowers the amount of oxygen in the combustion chamber, which reduces combustion peak temperature and in doing so lowers the formation of NOX. With SCR technology, diesel exhaust fluid, a water solution of urea, is injected into the exhaust stream to convert NOX into harmless nitrogen and water vapor. It is necessary to use both techniques to achieve low emissions as well as high fuel efficiency in vehicles. This unique technology has proven fuel savings of up to 5% compared with the previous engine model.
Volvo Penta’s Inboard Performance System (IPS) is a propulsion system for high-performance boats. Forward-facing propellers have proven superior in terms of performance, driveability and not least – fuel consumption. By working in undistributed water, the propulsion efficiency is far greater than on conventional inboard systems. The fact that the propeller thrust is aimed horizontally means that all power drives the boat forward, a feature also utilized in the Volvo Penta Aquamatic sterndrive. Fuel consumption can be cut by up to 30% at cruising speed compared with conventional technologies. The IPS also enables the use of flat-surface hulls, which means that the boats can be designed for minimum resistance. The unique technology also makes the boat quieter while also improving performance and maneuvering characteristics.
Volvo Aero’s unique technologies are becoming increasingly important due to the focus on fuel economy and environmental issues in the aerospace industry. Lightweight structures have a major impact on fuel consumption and thus also on aircraft emissions. Lightweight structures, simulation and patented manufacturing methods cut development lead times, while simultaneously making engines quieter and reducing weight.
In 2011, Volvo Buses launched a new low-floor bus, the Volvo 7900. The new bus is lighter than its predecessor Volvo 7700, which is made of steel. With the body structure and roof made of aluminum, the weight has been significantly reduced by 550 kg resulting in lower fuel consumption. Another environmental benefit is that aluminum can be recycled by 90%.
In 2009, the Global Automotive Declarable Substance List (GADSL) was introduced as a basic requirement for the reduction of hazardous substances in product components. The GADSL list includes substances designated as prohibited and/or declarable within the industry and was originally drawn up in collaboration between global automotive manufacturers and subcontractors.
Substances present in parts and components are controlled through a system called Substrack, under which Volvo Group suppliers can report the material composition through the International Material Data System (IMDS). Using the Substrack system, the Volvo Group can work more efficiently to reduce the impact of hazardous substances and materials and obtain better control over the contents of our products. The use of material data systems also allows the Volvo Group to secure compliance with global material and chemical regulations. The European REACH regulation includes special control measures for substances in articles. For more information on the work with REACH in the Volvo Group see “Production performance”.
The Volvo Group’s products are largely recyclable, since by weight they consist of almost 85% metal, mostly iron, steel and aluminum. The additional materials are mainly plastic, rubber and material from electronics components.
Despite the large recyclability of the products, virgin material is needed to ensure the quality and solidity of our products.
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The total weight of a truck, such as a Volvo FH tractor, is approximately 7,000 kg, of which approximately one third is made of recycled material.
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Disassembly stations are available where trucks and buses can be disassembled for recycling and where reusable product parts can be harvested.
Remanufactured spare parts are offered as an alternative to new ones to prolong product life and save resources and costs for our customers. Before a part is remanufactured, it undergoes a stringent quality control process to ensure that our remanufactured parts meet the strictest tolerances.
The fuel consumption for a Volvo truck has been reduced by 40% since 1975, while regulated emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOX) and particulate matter (PM) have been reduced by some 90%.
Fuel saving potential
