Skip to main content

Volvo wins US government contract to develop supertruck

Under a SuperTruck contract established with the US Department of Energy, Volvo Technology of America is scheduled to receive US$19 million in federal funding to be used by the Volvo Group’s North American truck-related operations to improve the freight-moving efficiency of heavy-duty trucks and reduce greenhouse gases.
April 17, 2012 Read time: 1 min
Under a SuperTruck contract established with the US Department of Energy, 609 Volvo Technology of America is scheduled to receive US$19 million in federal funding to be used by the Volvo Group’s North American truck-related operations to improve the freight-moving efficiency of heavy-duty trucks and reduce greenhouse gases.

A team of researchers and engineers in Greensboro, North Carolina and Hagerstown, Maryland will spend the next five years developing high-efficiency heavy-duty truck technologies aimed at moving more freight with less fuel, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Improved truck aerodynamics and energy conversion efficiency, maximising the output potential of the energy source, are two areas that are claimed to hold great promise for Class 8 efficiency gains.

Related Content

  • June 10, 2021
    Robotic Research: harnessing AV potential
    Robotic Research is leading in AV R&D, from work with the US Army to enabling the first automated BRT line in North America: Gordon Feller assesses what the company is doing
  • November 25, 2013
    Montreal to become city of electro-mobility
    Volvo Group's North American subsidiary, Nova Bus, and Canada’s Societe de Transport de Montreal (STM), are to partner on an electrification project for the public transit system of Montreal. A memorandum of understanding signed by both companies includes the testing of three Nova LFSe electric buses and two charging stations in Montreal. The goal is to have the noiseless and emission-free buses operational for demonstration in the third quarter of 2015 and in regular traffic for three years, beginning
  • February 2, 2012
    Volvo to start selling heavy hybrid trucks
    Volvo Trucks has announced that it is starting to sell heavy hybrid trucks following a series of comprehensive field tests. In June, limited series production of approximately 100 hybrid trucks will get under way.
  • April 19, 2012
    Volvo developing EV range extenders
    Volvo Car Corporation has announced it is taking the next step in the company's electrification strategy by producing test cars with range extenders - electric cars that are fitted with a combustion engine to increase their effective range. The projects, supported by the Swedish Energy Agency and the EU, encompass three potential technology combinations. Tests of the various concepts will get under way in the first quarter of 2012.