Volvo’s I-Shift 30% faster than most
Today, all extra-heavy Volvo trucks are built with I-Shift as standard. Since its introduction, more than one million trucks have been sold globally with Volvo Trucks’ unique I-Shift technology.
Volvo’s I-Shift will be available in South Africa in 2030 and promises to improve drivability and fuel consumption.
The significant drivability improvement, which has been added to drivelines at all emission levels, is achieved by the new way in which the I-Shift gearbox interacts with the engine. The update includes faster clutch activation that results in a shorter torque interruption. It also makes the gear shifting smoother, for a more harmonious driving experience.
“Faster gear shifting makes it possible to optimise the gear selection more efficiently. And the more shifting events that the road and terrain require, the more the improvements will be experienced by the driver,” said Eric Parry, senior manager of sustainability at Volvo Trucks South Africa.
The high-speed shifting is achieved based on several key improvements. First, updated sensors now provide data with higher accuracy to the control unit, which features new software and a faster microprocessor for much quicker calculation times. Second, an added disc in the gearbox brake makes it react faster before a gear shift, so it can be done earlier. Finally, the air volume has also been reduced in different actuation systems, for example, the shift forks, the clutch, and the gearbox brake, to further enable a faster gear shift.
When I-Shift was introduced in 2001, it was the first-ever automated transmission designed for heavy duty trucks. It has the ability to work with the entire powertrain, since this transmission system is tailored to the engine and vehicle components already from the development phase, contributing to lower fuel consumption – and thereby reduced environmental impact. It also promotes increased safety and other important benefits, including reduced noise, vibrations and physical strain on the driver.
Source: Tanje Wandrag – Stargazer PR
