There’s nothing quite like hopping behind the wheel of a new truck, checking out the cab and its displays while taking in the fresh smell of leather. Turning on the ignition and seeing the latest technology laid out in front of you, eagerly awaiting to be put to use. First getting moving on the roads and adjusting to the feel at your feet. With Volvo Trucks Australia announcing in October that it will be unveiling its new FH Aero model to the local market in 2025, a new set of owner-drivers around Australia will get the chance to relish the ‘new truck’ moment yet again when the model is released.
However, Volvo Trucks’ Australia Director of Product and Performance Shayne Commons warns that the FH Aero will be unlike any truck that drivers have ever operated before.
“Drivers will jump in and it will feel completely different to them,” Commons told OwnerDriver.
“While our Camera Monitoring System, or CMS, is something that is new and will take some getting used to, once drivers get over the initial shock, it’s a great feature.”
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The latest addition to Volvo’s truck range, which is available to order from the Volvo Trucks Australia team today onwards, removes all physical mirrors, with CMS reducing blind spots from the driver’s seat. With technology also involving zoom-in, zoom-out functions and following rear trailer capabilities, as well as infrared nighttime visibility mode and shifting light situations, CMS takes the FH Aero to the next level when it comes to overall image and perception quality.
This is only one key pillar of the changes that Volvo has introduced on the FH Aero for owner-drivers, with sustainability remaining a major focus on the brand’s latest local model.
“The focus on sustainability means we’ve continued thinking about and understand what this looks like with reduced fuel consumption,” Commons says.
“For some time, we’ve been specifying vehicles for historic regional requirements, such as the use of bullbars and so on. On the FH Aero, we’ve worked to smooth out the front of the truck and remove aerodynamic drag.”
It’s the ‘A-word’ that is the primary focus for Volvo with the FH Aero – by stripping the major additions to the front of the vehicle that affect aerodynamics, Volvo has created a truck model that cuts through the air and uses less fuel while doing so.
Extending the front of the truck buy 235mm over a standard FH has allowed for finetuning of the truck shape’s design, corners have been re-worked and panels have been closed to improve aerodynamic flow. It’s paid off, with initial testing of the FH Aero showing an efficiency gain of around five per cent. It may sound small, but it could result in plenty of cost benefits for trucking businesses.
“The motivation for this design change is to understand the application that the truck will be operated in by Australian customers and the requirements that come with it,” Commons says.
“The CMS and new aerodynamic cab combined with our I-Save package makes for the most efficient model than we’ve ever previously produced.”
With sustainability having been one of Volvo’s core factors for many years, its R&D department has focused on cab design to make the smallest tweaks that pay off when it comes to fuel efficiency. Outside of this, sustainability has also included Volvo looking into the safety of vulnerable road users and drivers, with the CMS providing tools that protect both parties.
On the fuel side, Volvo also announced this month that it is switching to fill locally produced truck models with Hydro Treated Vegetable Oil (HVO) instead of diesel for all new Volvo and Mack trucks built at its Wacol factory, meaning the FH Aero will come with an all new fuel source too.
The upcoming release of the FH Aero in Australia complements Volvo’s recent reveal of its whole Euro 6 range that includes the D17 engine.
“The D17 engine reinforces and highlights our position when it comes to internal combustion engines – we know the technology will be here for a long time, so we want to develop it so that fuel savings continue to occur,” Commons says.
“This includes Volvo just last week introducing hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) oil to our Wacol head facility for the first time.”
While Commons has highlighted the two main changes that owner drivers will notice about the FH Aero in the aerodynamic cab design and the new CMS system, Commons says there are plenty of other little changes that drivers will notice once they jump behind the wheel.
“The interface and information display has been changed to become an easier platform to operate, while the controls have been slightly tweaked,” he says.
“Alongside this, you’ll also notice some small visual aesthetic changes that align with the FH16 flagship model.
“Coupled with Volvo Dynamic Steering and safety systems such as pilot assist we’ve built a safer smoother and quieter vehicle. The Aero also features a revamped audio system for better tunes on the open road.
“Basically, the truck is much quieter while the quality of the infotainment system has been taken to the next level.”
After being launched in late October, the FH Aero is now available for sale for Australian truck owners. At Volvo’s global production facility in Sweden, Commons says production of the model will begin in the week starting February 24 next year, with the local production of the model in Wacol to begin from roughly June 9, 2025.
“We’re focusing on refining the offering, adapting the powertrain and the rear axle ratios to optimise the Euro 6 configurations,” Commons says.
“We’re currently completing plenty of testing on what the Euro 6 configuration can do for efficiency and driveability in the local market, allowing us to refine our offer compared to what we provided for Euro 5 models.
“For instance, in the very near future we’re releasing an intelligent overdrive in our 17L product for the FH16 model.”
Designed for Australia’s eastern seaboard linehaul B-Double operators, Commons says the FH Aero will be able to be specified with Volvo’s fuel efficient I-Save drivetrains. Current real-life testing in Australia has seen fuel savings of between 10 and 15 per cent in standard cab form.
“It’s all about producing sustainable trucks to make operations more fuel efficient across Australia,” Commons says.
“When combined with Volvo now building our trucks at Wacol to take HVO biofuel too, the FH Aero will become our latest stepping stone for sustainable transport.”
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