Volvo I-Shift Transmission Upgrade Yields 30% Faster Gear Changes In Diesel & Electric Heavy-Duty Trucks

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Volvo’s I-Shift is the standard transmission on all heavy-duty FH, FH16, FM, FMX, and FE trucks. (Photo courtesy of Volvo.)

Volvo has made updates to its commercial trucks with the I-Shift automated transmission to enable smoother gear changes that are up to 30% faster. This drivability improvement, which includes faster activation of the clutch, has been added to the manufacturer’s electric and diesel drivelines of all emissions levels. The I-Shift is the standard transmission on all heavy-duty Volvo FH, FH16, FM, FMX, and FE trucks.

“Faster gear shifting makes it possible to optimise the gear selection more efficiently,” says Volvo Trucks Heavy Duty Transmission Manager Pär Bergstrand. “And the more shifting events that the road and terrain requires, the more the improvements will be appreciated by the driver. With up to 30% faster gear changing now possible using I-Shift, drivers will certainly experience a very positive difference.”

Technological & Physical Tweaks

The update involved a number of components that change the I-Shift’s interaction with the engine or motor. The transmission’s control unit has a faster microprocessor and new software, and it’s connected to more accurate sensors. An extra disc in the gearbox brake enables it to actuate sooner before a shift in gear. The gearbox brake also has a reduced volume of air in its actuation system for faster response, as do the clutch and the shift forks.

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Volvo says its compact, efficient I-Shift was the first automated transmission for heavy-duty trucks. (Photo courtesy of Volvo.)

“With all the improvements and new variants over the years, I-Shift has had an outstanding ability to solve more and more advanced tasks in efficient ways,” says Bergstrand. “This means not only delivering high performance and fuel efficiency but also outstanding drivability and comfort for the drivers.”

Volvo developed its fuel-saving I-Shift as part of a package in which the driveline, gearbox, and engine are optimised to work together. Introduced in 2001, the I-Shift was the first automated transmission for heavy-duty trucks, according to the manufacturer. Its foundation is actually a compact, efficient, unsynchronised manual gearbox, but it receives intelligent automation from its electronic control unit. The I-Shift is also available with crawler gears or a dual clutch.

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Source: Volvo