|
|
|
|
|
08/12/2010
(Read full story here or download PDF)
 Email to a friend
 Comment on this article
|
Mean Green, a hybrid truck built by enthusiasts at Volvo Trucks, will be aiming to beat the world speed record for the standing kilometre next spring, with Swedish truck racing ace Boije Ovebrink behind the wheel.
 Volvo engineer Olof Johansson explains the background: "I started building the truck from two half frames that had been earmarked for the scrap yard and the American VN cab came from a crash-tested chassis whose cab was totally intact," he says.
Weight reduction was crucial, so the front axle was milled by experts from Volvo's engine factory in Skövde, Sweden and reduced from 100kg to 57kg. Then the gear set for first gear was removed, shaving another 7kg off the transmission weight.
"I slit open the wiring harnesses and removed unnecessary wiring. That slashed almost 6kg," adds Johansson. And Ovebrink was ordered to lose weight. "They made me promise to lose 20 kilos and, so far, I'm half-way to my target."
Meanwhile, on the engineering side, designer Jonas Sandström at Volvo re-optimised the truck's aerodynamics. "Our truck differs from a Formula 1 car, in that the aerodynamics allow the truck to slice through the air, rather than be pressed down onto the road surface," he explains.
All that was for the last world record breaking attempt on a conventional truck, in June of this year – which the team successfully broke with a standing kilometre two-way average set at 166.7km/h, and a top speed of260km/h.
Since then, the truck has been further modified. It already had a standard Volvo 16-litre 700hp engine with twin turbos from Volvo Penta, together delivering a massive 1,900hp. That has been retained, but the lightened Powertronic auto-shifter has been replaced with a modified version of Volvo's automated I-Shift gearbox so that the transmission could interact with Mean Green's newly installed electric motor.
"This gives an additional 200hp and 1,100Nm of torque. The result is a lightning-speed boost from start-off, without any of the customary diesel-engine lag. It's like a champagne cork, but without the sound effects," says Ovebrink.
"For the first couple of seconds, the truck just makes a slight whistle until the diesel engine, which runs on renewable liquid rosin diesel, starts delivering, with explosive force – by which time the truck is already doing 60km/h and I can engage ninth gear," he adds.
"This November we'll test race [the hybrid truck] at Volvo's Hällered proving ground, to see what it's capable of. Then, as soon as the winter snows disappear early next spring, we'll set our record," concludes Ovebrink.
|
|
| |
Author
Brian Tinham
|
| |
| |
|
| |
This material is protected by SOE copyright 2012.
See Terms and Conditions.
One-off usage is permitted but bulk copying is not.
For multiple copies contact the sales team.
|
| |
|
|
| |
|