06.08.2008

Volvo celebrates 25 years of cutting-edge aerodynamic truck design



The shape of things to come in the trucking industry was established 25 years ago in June 1983, when Volvo White Truck Corporation, now known as Volvo Trucks North America introduced the first aerodynamically styled heavy-duty conventional trucks. The trucks' design integrated a number of fuel-saving features, which have become commonplace today, but which were boldly different from traditional trucks in an era when diesel cost around $1 (51p) a U.S. gallon.

In 1983 Volvo's focus on aerodynamics included wind-defeating devices such as a bullet-shaped, full-length roof fairing (the first to be applied to a conventional truck) with cab side extenders, fairing extenders and trim tabs. These devices were designed to shield the front of a standard 13'6" trailer from the wind and to move the air flow smoothly to the trailer from the cab. These features are state-of-the-industry even today. A white paper on aerodynamics published that year by Volvo detailed the fuel-saving advantages of reducing aerodynamic drag.

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