Volvo Buses is releasing a new Volvo B13R chassis fitted with a 13-litre engine that is not only more powerful but also more fuel efficient than its predecessor
May 6, 2010
Volvo Buses is releasing a new Volvo B13R chassis fitted with a 13-litre engine that is not only more powerful but also more fuel efficient than its predecessor.
As Australia makes the transition to tougher Euro 5 exhaust emission standards, Volvo Buses is taking the step of replacing the previous 12-litre engine with the 13-litre Volvo D13C, which will be fitted to the new three-axle Volvo B13R coach chassis.
The Volvo D13C is the same basic engine that has been used by Volvo Trucks for several years and is thus one of the world’s most-sold heavy diesel engines.
Volvo Trucks’ experience shows that the Volvo D13C is an engine with robust technology and very high reliability.
Because it has been used on the road for many years, workshop mechanics already have good knowledge of how to maintain it.
Volvo Buses’ new engine is a straight six-cylinder diesel engine with turbo and intercooler. It has a one-piece cylinder head, overhead camshaft, four valves per cylinder and electronically controlled unit injectors, which ensures excellent fuel efficiency.
The powerful engine will be offered in both 420hp and 460hp versions, and has more torque than its predecessor. The 420hp engine has 2100 Nm at 1,100-1,400rpm, while the 460hp engine has 2,300 Nm at 1,050-1,400rpm.
Despite the higher displacement, Volvo engineers have successfully reduced the engine’s weight by about 80 kilograms compared with the 12-litre engine. The combination of lower weight and higher torque provides the opportunity for a higher average speed, further increasing cost-efficiency.
The new engine combined with an adapted gear shifting strategy in the popular Volvo I-Shift gearbox means that the bus can be driven at a lower rpm, which again reduces fuel consumption.
“Low fuel consumption is one of the absolute key factors for our customers,” says David Mead, General Manger Volvo Bus.
“It was the main reason why we chose the SCR technology to meet the Euro 4 requirements and has proven over the last 2-3 years to be the right choice.”
The decision to use the proven SCR system helped Volvo Buses succeed in significantly reducing fuel consumption.
Buses equipped with Volvo’s 12-litre engine and I-Shift are among the most fuel-efficient vehicles in the market today.
The engine response is rapid both in high and low engine rpm. This results in faster acceleration and better drivability with fewer gear changes. Thanks to the higher torque, Volvo Buses can use faster rear axel ratios, which further reduces the engine’s revs and thereby also noise and consumption.
The new 13-litre engine is vertically mounted. A lot of effort has been put into the installation of the engine to make it easy to access for service and easier to maintain.