With more than 2,400 commercial vehicles delivering food and drink products across the UK, fuel costs and their potential environmental footprint are major factors when the Culina Group selects new trucks for its fleet. The firm recently took delivery of 134 new Volvo FH 460 6x2 tractor units after a trial highlighted their excellent fuel-saving performance.
“We opted for Volvo after comparing the FH closely against equivalent vehicles from most of the other major manufacturers,” says Mark Matkin, fleet director of Culina Group. “As well as being the most competitive on fuel, the Globetrotter cab scored highly for driver comfort.”
Maximum Fuel Efficiency
The Culina Group worked with Hartshorne Motor Services to configure the Volvo FH trucks in the most fuel-efficient fashion. “We have changed from 500 horsepower to 460 hp for this order,” explains Matkin. “We have also gone for a medium-height chassis and removed the external sun visor to further improve the aerodynamics.”
The Culina Group expects these trucks to clock from anywhere to 150,000 to 260,000 kilometres (93,205 to 161,556 miles) per annum, typically operating seven days a week in a variety of shift patterns. “The new FHs are incredibly fuel-efficient—helping us get the most out of every single drop of diesel, which will reduce our fuel costs and environmental footprint,” says Matkin.
The Award-Winning Volvo FH
Winner of the International Truck of the Year in 1994, 2000, and 2014, Volvo’s FH has a lengthy and successful history. Volvo announced a new generation of Volvo FH tractors and rigid trucks earlier this year, highlighted by the latest efficiency technologies and safety features. The FH16 is the new flagship in the heavy-duty truck lineup, featuring a six-cylinder 16-litre Euro 6 D16K engine that generates from 550 to 750 horsepower (410 to 560 kilowatts) and 2,800 to 3,550 newton-metres of torque. FH16 tractor and rigid variants are available, and axle configuration options include 4x2, 6x2, 8x2, 8x4, and 10x4.
A wide selection of FH 13 and FH LNG tractor configurations are also available. Features like I-Save help reduce fuel consumption and improve torque in long-haul operations. Volvo FH trucks with Euro 3 and Euro 5 engines can also utilise Volvo Torque Assist to deliver fuel savings. Safety features like adaptive high beam headlights, adaptive cruise control, downhill cruise control, and an electronically controlled braking system can be found throughout the new generation Volvo FH series.
Find The Right Volvo Truck
Truck Locator’s online marketplace is the industry’s go-to source for hundreds of new and used Volvo trucks for sale every day, including a big selection of Volvo FH models.
Source: Volvo
