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Volvo Trucks

  The end of the 1920s went down in history as a time of rapid development of freight transport. It was then that Volvo Trucks began on this wave of mass launch of truck production. At the beginning of the third decade of the 20th century, most trucks used chain transmission and tires made of monolithic rubber. 1928 is the year of production of the first Volvo truck - Series 1 models. In addition, this model became the first truck in Sweden, which was not a chain drive, but used a driveshaft. It is also one of the first trucks on which pneumatic tires were installed, and the driver's cab was completely enclosed. Although the Series 1 was a low-powered machine, its four-cylinder gasoline engine developed only 28 hp and a load capacity of 1.5 tons, this truck was in good demand. The reason for the popularity is the outstanding reliability and durability of this truck - it could be loaded almost twice as much as the nominal carrying capacity. And he stood it.

Until 1932, the brand's efforts were focused on the production of small trucks. But these machines only had brakes on only two wheels, and the wheels themselves were made with wooden spokes. The lack of modern technological models caused the company to lag behind its closest competitors. It was necessary to do something. Only the release of a new modern truck could help sales. As a result, models of the LV71 and LV73 series were developed. These cars were very successful and gained a good demand. Thanks to them, in the mid-30s, Volvo became one of the main truck exporters in Europe.

The company continued to design freight vehicles. As a result of the development, a conceptually new idea was implemented: the truck engine was located above the front axle, which allowed to improve the axle load (until this moment, the engines of trucks have traditionally been located behind the front axle). The first trucks manufactured using the new concept were the Volvo LV8 and LV9 series. These cars by the end of the 30s became a model of a classic Swedish truck.

But then the Second World War began and she made adjustments to the plans of Volvo. The traditional freight transport market fell apart, but the military needed a lot of trucks. And Volvo has become one of the main suppliers of trucks for the armed forces of Sweden. For the needs of the army, thousands of trucks were delivered, which were produced on the basis of standard models, but at the same time had a simpler design, in addition, a significant part of the cars were now produced with all-wheel drive.

In the late 30s and early 40s, Volvo launched a very successful development - the Roundnose series. Machines had many options for execution, and although they were similar in appearance, were intended for various purposes. The Roundnose series has become one of the most commercially successful. In the fifties, diesel engines, thanks to a more advanced design, almost replaced gasoline units from the truck market. New engines spurred the creation of heavy and powerful road trains.

In 1951, Volvo launched the Titan truck, which later became one of the company's most famous trucks. When they began to equip this car with turbocharging in 1954, it was also one of the first trucks on which this system was installed. As a result, thanks to the boost, the power of the car has increased quite significantly - from 150 to 185 hp.

In the early 60s, the brand released a new series of Titan TIPTOP / F88 / G88. These vehicles were equipped with a hinged cab, which allowed for easier access to the engine and simplified its maintenance. For the first time, Volvo trucks were equipped with berths; for the first time, Volvo trucks were tested for impact resistance. Also in the 60s, the company created a development division whose task is to improve the ergonomics and safety of Volvo trucks.

In the early 1970s, the company launched the Volvo F10 / F12 series of trucks. These vehicles took Volvo trucks to a new level of safety and ergonomics. The depreciation of the driver’s workplace was significantly improved on them - now the driver could be behind the wheel for a long time and not experience exhausting back pain after that. The glazing of the cabs was expanded - the visibility improved, and with this the active safety of the truck was significantly improved. In the 1980s, another stage of complicating the design of cars took place, environmental standards appeared. Volvo trucks began to use air suspension, which ensured both better safety of roads and transported goods, and improved working conditions for drivers.

In mid-1985, the company introduced a whole gamut of heavy trucks FL6 and FL7 / FL10. Two model ranges of new products were distinguished by a new design and technical component. These were modern trucks by all standards, which were much more perfect than those represented by competitors. The FL7 / FL10 featured powerful engines of ten liters and 318 hp. At the same time, they had a relatively small mass, like the predecessor F7.

In the 1990s, the issue of environmental protection came to the fore, new environmental standards appeared. Volvo keeps pace with the times and offers more cost-effective road trains, which also have increased payload. Volvo’s Dynafleet 2.0 technology is being introduced, which can increase the profitability of transport companies and ensure flight safety. New series of trucks are being developed - F10 / F12 / F16. A new D12 engine is being developed.

In the new millennium, truck requirements are increasing even more economically and environmentally. And Volvo has something to answer to increased demands.

Currently, the company has five lines in its production range: the FL, FE, FM, FH and FH16 series. All brand cars meet the highest requirements. Today Volvo is among the top three truck manufacturers.