Volvo S60 Concept, 2009

Volvo S60 Concept, 2009

 

  

The Scandinavian inspiration
The front of the Volvo S60 Concept sports the enlarged iron mark in the trapezoidal grille. The two lamps that flank the grill emphasise the vertical stance of the front and highlight the bonnet's V-shape. The angled headlamps flow up into the strongly sculptured bonnet and combined with the lower air intake's reverse trapezoidal shape, this gives the concept car a very expressive "face".

Viewed from the side, the concept car's slim coupe roofline and window graphics are accompanied by an entirely new shoulder line, forming a gentle double wave, stretching from the headlamps all the way to the rear. Both the seven-spoke 20-inch wheels and the tread of the low-profile tyres have been specially designed, while the bronze-painted brake callipers match the "Warm Liquid Copper" livery.

The unique rear parallelogram doors offer a spectacular show when they are opened and closed. Door opening is initiated by pressing a button and the movement starts off in the traditional way. In the next phase, the forward section swings out away from the car's body and the door glides parallel with the side of the car until it reaches its end position by the rear wheel. Since the car does not have a B-pillar between the front and rear seats, this door configuration offers exceptionally generous entry and exit access.

The transparent attachment of the door mirrors illuminates and becomes part of the indicator function. The panorama roof is another ingredient that contributes to the concept car's airy Scandinavian aura.

The Viking longboats in the headlamps
In each of the headlamps, the lights create a silhouette of two miniature Viking longboats sailing side by side, one for main beam and one for dipped beam. When driving in the dark, the light is reflected from the concealed, upward-facing High Performance LED bulbs, projected ahead by the ships' filled sails.
A closer look reveals more detail. The compact cooling system for the LED bulbs has protruding cooling blocks made out of aluminum, semi-visible under the ships' hulls. This design creates the illusion of shimmering glass panels that float above a dark and mysterious Scandinavian sea.

The Inspiration from the racing track
The tail lamps, which follow the curve of the rear shoulders, are as advanced as the headlamps. When switched off, the lamp panels show no trace of the traditional red or yellow. But when activated, the position marker lights, brake lights and turn indicators come on in their correct colours with the help of LED bulbs. The solid glass panel is sectioned into horizontal "slices" that create the visual impression of a three-dimensional architect drawing when the lights come on.
At the rear there is also a retractable diffuser that adjusts with vehicle speed to give better aerodynamic properties.

New technology detects pedestrians in the danger zone
The Volvo S60 Concept also presents a safety innovation that can detect a pedestrian who steps out into the path of the car and the car's full braking power is automatically activated if the driver does not respond to the danger. The technology, Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake and pedestrian detection, will be introduced in the all-new Volvo S60.

Elevates the brand's image
The Volvo S60 Concept was created to pave the way for Volvo Cars in one of the automotive world's most focused segments, characterised by razor-sharp competition.

2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept

2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept

At the Los Angeles Design Challenge Competition, Volvo took the open-air experience at a whole new level with its ‘lighter than a Formula 1 racing car’ study project – the Volvo Air Motion. Besides its strong yet ultra-light body structure, the Air Motion concept cars vehicle further adds to its superlatives eco-friendliness, as it is not using a single drop of gasoline while driving wild.

Volvo Air Motion is a sports cars that runs on powerful, yet simple compressed air motors that, unlike an internal combustion engine, cools down under load rather than heat up. The air tank is centrally mounted and receives compressed air through wind-powered air replenishment sites that float 1000ft in the air. Its beautiful Scandinavian body is designed like a clam shell and sculptured from ultra light carbon fiber.

2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept

Tipping the scales at under 1,000 pounds (453 kg), the Volvo Air Motion Concept is lighter than a Formula One car and employs a similar open-wheel configuration.

2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept

The 2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept was developed around the idea that minimizing the weight and complexity means maximizing driving enjoyment. Volvo built the cars with fewer components and replaced the heavy internal combustion engine with powerful, yet simple, compressed air motors.
To compress the air needed for the centrally mounted air tank, Air Replenishment Sites are used. Powered by air turbines floating 1,000ft in the air they harness the power of the wind and convert it to electricity to provide the compression. The motors cool down with increased load, instead of heating up, which eliminates the need for cooling systems. The chassis, interior and suspension employ an integrated design which brings a notable contribution to the lowered weight.

Aimed at the driving enthusiast, by a company synonymous with safety and environmental care, the Volvo Air Motion Concept demonstrates the beauty and purity of Scandinavian design and delivers a guilt free, raw driving experience.

2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept

2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept

2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept

At the Los Angeles Design Challenge Competition, Volvo took the open-air experience at a whole new level with its ‘lighter than a Formula 1 racing car’ study project – the Volvo Air Motion. Besides its strong yet ultra-light body structure, the Air Motion concept cars vehicle further adds to its superlatives eco-friendliness, as it is not using a single drop of gasoline while driving wild.

Volvo Air Motion is a sports cars that runs on powerful, yet simple compressed air motors that, unlike an internal combustion engine, cools down under load rather than heat up. The air tank is centrally mounted and receives compressed air through wind-powered air replenishment sites that float 1000ft in the air. Its beautiful Scandinavian body is designed like a clam shell and sculptured from ultra light carbon fiber.

2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept

Tipping the scales at under 1,000 pounds (453 kg), the Volvo Air Motion Concept is lighter than a Formula One car and employs a similar open-wheel configuration.

2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept

The 2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept was developed around the idea that minimizing the weight and complexity means maximizing driving enjoyment. Volvo built the cars with fewer components and replaced the heavy internal combustion engine with powerful, yet simple, compressed air motors.
To compress the air needed for the centrally mounted air tank, Air Replenishment Sites are used. Powered by air turbines floating 1,000ft in the air they harness the power of the wind and convert it to electricity to provide the compression. The motors cool down with increased load, instead of heating up, which eliminates the need for cooling systems. The chassis, interior and suspension employ an integrated design which brings a notable contribution to the lowered weight.

Aimed at the driving enthusiast, by a company synonymous with safety and environmental care, the Volvo Air Motion Concept demonstrates the beauty and purity of Scandinavian design and delivers a guilt free, raw driving experience.

2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept

2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept

2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept

At the Los Angeles Design Challenge Competition, Volvo took the open-air experience at a whole new level with its ‘lighter than a Formula 1 racing car’ study project – the Volvo Air Motion. Besides its strong yet ultra-light body structure, the Air Motion concept cars vehicle further adds to its superlatives eco-friendliness, as it is not using a single drop of gasoline while driving wild.

Volvo Air Motion is a sports cars that runs on powerful, yet simple compressed air motors that, unlike an internal combustion engine, cools down under load rather than heat up. The air tank is centrally mounted and receives compressed air through wind-powered air replenishment sites that float 1000ft in the air. Its beautiful Scandinavian body is designed like a clam shell and sculptured from ultra light carbon fiber.

2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept

Tipping the scales at under 1,000 pounds (453 kg), the Volvo Air Motion Concept is lighter than a Formula One car and employs a similar open-wheel configuration.

2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept

The 2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept was developed around the idea that minimizing the weight and complexity means maximizing driving enjoyment. Volvo built the cars with fewer components and replaced the heavy internal combustion engine with powerful, yet simple, compressed air motors.
To compress the air needed for the centrally mounted air tank, Air Replenishment Sites are used. Powered by air turbines floating 1,000ft in the air they harness the power of the wind and convert it to electricity to provide the compression. The motors cool down with increased load, instead of heating up, which eliminates the need for cooling systems. The chassis, interior and suspension employ an integrated design which brings a notable contribution to the lowered weight.

Aimed at the driving enthusiast, by a company synonymous with safety and environmental care, the Volvo Air Motion Concept demonstrates the beauty and purity of Scandinavian design and delivers a guilt free, raw driving experience.

2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept

2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept

2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept

At the Los Angeles Design Challenge Competition, Volvo took the open-air experience at a whole new level with its ‘lighter than a Formula 1 racing car’ study project – the Volvo Air Motion. Besides its strong yet ultra-light body structure, the Air Motion concept cars vehicle further adds to its superlatives eco-friendliness, as it is not using a single drop of gasoline while driving wild.

Volvo Air Motion is a sports cars that runs on powerful, yet simple compressed air motors that, unlike an internal combustion engine, cools down under load rather than heat up. The air tank is centrally mounted and receives compressed air through wind-powered air replenishment sites that float 1000ft in the air. Its beautiful Scandinavian body is designed like a clam shell and sculptured from ultra light carbon fiber.

2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept

Tipping the scales at under 1,000 pounds (453 kg), the Volvo Air Motion Concept is lighter than a Formula One car and employs a similar open-wheel configuration.

2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept

The 2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept was developed around the idea that minimizing the weight and complexity means maximizing driving enjoyment. Volvo built the cars with fewer components and replaced the heavy internal combustion engine with powerful, yet simple, compressed air motors.
To compress the air needed for the centrally mounted air tank, Air Replenishment Sites are used. Powered by air turbines floating 1,000ft in the air they harness the power of the wind and convert it to electricity to provide the compression. The motors cool down with increased load, instead of heating up, which eliminates the need for cooling systems. The chassis, interior and suspension employ an integrated design which brings a notable contribution to the lowered weight.

Aimed at the driving enthusiast, by a company synonymous with safety and environmental care, the Volvo Air Motion Concept demonstrates the beauty and purity of Scandinavian design and delivers a guilt free, raw driving experience.

2010 Volvo Sport Cars Air Motion Concept

Volvo Mean Green – World’s Fastest Hybrid Truck

Volvo Trucks has produced a unique hybrid truck powered by a standard 16-litre 700 hp engine with twin turbos, an automated I-Shift gearbox and of course an electric motor. All this adds an additional 200 horsepower and 1100 Newton metres of torque- it’s quick!

Apart from the combustion engine, the Volvo Mean Green truck also has an electric motor, which adds 200 hp and 1100 Nm to the total output of the vehicle. The massive powerplant of the Volvo Mean Green truck sends its power to the wheels via a automated I-Shift gearbox.
The Volvo Mean Green truck has to beat a world record of a 166.7 km/h two-way average speed and a top speed of 260 km/h.

Aerodynamic improvements were made using a CAD simulated wind tunnel. Designer Jonas Sandstrom spent countless our doing this, together with his very dedicated team. “The absolute elite among Volvo’s hybrid technology experts are the driving force behind the project. They are true enthusiasts, every last one of them. I’d go so far as to say that ‘Mean Green’ is the world’s fastest hybrid truck.”




Press Release

"MEAN GREEN' – THE WORLD'S FASTEST HYBRID TRUCK
Mean Green is a unique hybrid truck built by an enthusiastic team at Volvo Trucks. They plan to use it next spring to beat the world speed record for the standing kilometer and behind the wheel is Swedish truck racing ace, Boije Ovebrink.

“The absolute elite among Volvo’s hybrid technology experts are the driving force behind the project. They are true enthusiasts, every last one of them. I’d go so far as to say that ‘Mean Green’ is the world’s fastest hybrid truck,” says Ovebrink.

To understand how he can make this claim with such confidence, we need to rewind to November 2007. Ovebrink had just beaten his own standing kilometre record from 2001 for trucks with a maximum displacement of 16 litres. He achieved this by reaching an average speed of 158.829 km/h with his red Volvo NH16 - a.k.a. ‘The Wild Viking’. After winning he met Staffan Jufors, President and CEO of Volvo Trucks, who asked him, “Do you plan to sit down and twiddle your thumbs now, enjoying the fame that comes with being world champion or do you have any new ideas?” Ovebrink replied: “I’d like to build the world’s fastest hybrid truck.”

“The idea met with approval, but at the time I had no idea about the fantastic technology Volvo had in the pipeline,” he recalls.

Planning for the hybrid got under way, but suddenly, however, a Czech truck racing team claimed they had beaten Ovebrink’s record. Order had to be restored, so that spring, Volvo engineer Olof Johansson got down to some serious work. He started building a truck that could retake the record, but that could also be reconfigured for the planned racing hybrid driveline. That truck is now called ‘Mean Green’. But the team decided not to install the hybrid driveline straight away.

“I started building the truck from two half frames that had been earmarked for the scrap yard and the American VN cab came from a crash-tested chassis whose cab was totally intact,” he explains.

Weight reduction was absolutely crucial to setting new records. For example, the front axle was milled by experts from Volvo’s engine factory in Skövde, Sweden and reduced from 100 kgs to 57 kgs. Then the gear set for first gear was removed from the gearbox, shaving another seven kgs off.

“I slit open the wiring harnesses and removed unnecessary wiring. That slashed almost six kilos,” says Johansson.

Ovebrink was also ordered to lose weight, as he recalls, “They made me promise to lose 20 kilos and, so fa,r I’m half-way to my target.”

Designer Jonas Sandström at Volvo put in many hours with his CAD program to come up with the optimal aerodynamic shape.

“It’s important that the wind breaks away from the bodywork in the right way. Our truck differs from a Formula 1 car, for instance, in that the aerodynamic properties allow the truck to slice through the air rather than be pressed down onto the road surface,” he explains.

Just a few days before the assault on the record, it was announced that FIA, the international motorsport organisation, had disallowed the Czech team’s result. Still, there was no need to cancel the planned attempt on the record. Ovebrink and the Volvo team were aiming to further improve on the 2007 record - and on June 9th 2010 they did just that. The new world record for the standing kilometre was set at a two-way average speed of 166.7 km/h. Top speed was in the region of 260 km/h.

Once this was achieved, focus reverted to what the entire project had been about from the very outset.

“Olof immediately went on the offensive. The very same day the new record was set; he pulled out his toolbox and started modifying the truck to build what we see today – a thoroughbred hybrid.”

The truck already had a standard Volvo 16-litre 700 hp engine with equipment including twin turbos from Volvo Penta. It was a powerplant delivering a massive 1900 horsepower. The truck retained that unit. However, the lightened Powertronic auto-shifter was replaced with a modified version of Volvo’s automated I-Shift gearbox so that the transmission could interact with the component that makes ‘Mean Green’ a hybrid – its electric motor.

“This gives an additional 200 horsepower and 1100 Newton metres of torque. The result is a lightning-speed boost from start-off without any of the customary diesel-engine ‘lag’. It’s like a champagne cork, but without the sound effects. For the first couple of seconds, the truck just makes a slight whistle until the diesel engine, which runs on renewable liquid rosin diesel, starts delivering with explosive force – by which time the truck is already doing 60 km/h and I can engage ninth gear,” explains Ovebrink.

So, when is ‘Mean Green’ going to make its bid for the standing kilometre record ? “This November we’ll test race it at Volvo’s Hällered proving ground to see what it’s capable of. Then, as soon as the winter snows disappear early next spring, we’ll set our record.” says Ovebrink, confidently.

Volvo S40, 2008

Volvo S40, 2008

When the current generation of the Volvo S40 and V50 were introduced in 2003, Volvo Cars had its sights firmly set on younger buyers with high demands on sportiness and premium feel.

The new Volvo S40 and new Volvo V50 are making a joint entry onto the market with considerably refined design. A range of new features further sharpens their competitive edge in the hunt for discerning young car buyers.

Fresh figures from both the US and Europe show that the company's focus on younger target groups has made a significant contribution to sales.

It's the figures for the USA that are most noteworthy:

* The proportion of S40 buyers under 35 years of age has increased from 23 percent to 45 percent.
* The proportion of singles has risen by 10 percent, from 30 to 40 percent.
* The overall average age of S40 customers has dropped by ten years from 50 to 40.

In Europe, the proportion of V50 buyers whose main alternative was a premium car such as the large German makes is now touching 47 percent - compared with 24 percent for the previous Volvo V40.

The proportion of customers younger than 44 years has risen by ten percent from 45 to 55 percent. And in Europe too, it is the more emotional reasons for purchase that are gaining ground among V50 buyers, more of whom are families with children than in the case of the S40.

Improved storage

Both design and technical refinements in the new Volvo S40 and V50 focused on improving the models' already highly appreciated characteristics and on tackling weaknesses identified by customers, for instance when it comes to interior storage space.

Sharper driveline range

The driving characteristics are already among the most renowned strengths of the two models.

One new feature is that the T5 engine gets a performance hike of 10 horsepower, giving an output of 230 hp. There are also five other petrol engine versions available, plus a bio-ethanol Flexifuel variant:

* 1.6 100 hp
* 1.8 125 hp
* 1.8F 125 hp (Flexifuel)
* 2.0 145 hp
* 2.4 140 hp
* 2.4i 170 hp

Diesel engines, which account for 55 percent of S40 and V50 sales in Europe and 25 percent in total:

* 1.6D 109 hp
* 2.0D 136 hp
* D5 180 hp

One change here is that during the second half of 2007 the D5 engine will also be available with a manual gearbox, offering the driver no less than 400 Nm of torque compared with the automatic transmission's 350 Nm. This engine is one of the first to meet the expected Euro 5 European exhaust emission levels.

The E85-powered (85 percent ethanol, 15 percent petrol) Flexifuel variant producing 125 hp is becoming increasingly competitive. The Volvo S40 and V50 Flexifuel are sold in nine European countries and in 2007 account for 8 percent of these models' total sales.

Volvo C30, 2007

Volvo C30, 2007

With the new C30, Volvo makes its debut in the segment for two-door premium cars.
The sporty design, with two doors, four individual seats, and a glass tailgate, aims to give a young and dynamic group of customers "a Volvo of their own."

During the development phase of the C30 project, Volvo Car Corporation has organised customer clinics in a number of European countries. People living in urban areas with accelerating careers and an intensive lifestyle were invited to judge the car's design and technical content.

For an active life in urban areas
Volvo has focused primarily on singles, or couples without children who see the car as an entertaining tool for keeping up with their intense lives. When they buy clothing, home furnishings, or electronic devices, design and brand are very important factors - and they choose cars in the same way.

Design Concept preview in Detroit
The international customer clinics confirmed that the project was on the right track - and at the Detroit Motor Show in January 2006, Volvo offered a glimpse of the coming production model by displaying the C30 Design Concept.

The concept car was subsequently put on display at numerous auto shows, and Volvo Cars has also organised international events with specially invited guests, in cities such as Milan.

Dynamic front and fast silhouette
The design of the production-ready model is in tune with the Volvo C30 Design Concept. The front will retain its dynamic character, with the angled headlamps and the low, wide grille.

Viewed from the side, the distinct wheel housings in contrasting materials, and the sloping roof give the new C30 a fast silhouette, which is further enhanced by the extreme boat-shape of the side windows. This is created by the narrowing roof and the wide shoulders.

The shoulders at the rear are powerfully rounded and are accentuated by the horseshoe shaped lighting pattern of the tail lamps, and the glass tailgate. The spoiler at the upper edge of the tailgate is available in two different versions.

Styling for individualists
The possibility of adapting the car to their personal taste is high on the wish list among the intended buyers.

A specially designed body kit with larger exhaust pipes is available fully colour coordinated or in dual tone. To further personalise the car, the body kit can be combined with a lowered sport chassis and 18" wheels.

The body kit is available in many colours to create a wide range of possibilities for exciting personal combinations.
Styling items available for the interior are a sport steering wheel and sport gear lever with aluminium inlays, brushed aluminium pedals, and specially designed C30 carpets.

The Volvo C30 will be introduced with, for example, an entirely new colour: Cosmic White Pearl. Equipped with the body kit in brown Java Pearl, the car will strongly recall the Volvo C30 Design Concept.

Room for four adults
The new C30 has room for four adults thanks to the two separate seating positions in the rear seat, with generous head- and legroom. The rear seats are slightly centred to provide a feeling of space and a good forward view. It also makes communication between front and rear occupants much easier.

The space between the seats also makes the thin, visually floating centre stack clearly visible from the outside through the glass tailgate.

The centre stack is available in four different versions. Completely new is the Virtual White inlay, inspired by the modern, glossy surfaces of the worlds of sport and computers. The same material is also used in the doors.

A striking version with surf-patterned aluminium is also available as an accessory, and has been inspired by the C30 Design Concept.

Personal interior choices
The interior program has also been designed to meet the target group's expressed wishes for personal choices. Even the base program offers, for example, upholstery in red and blue. There are also black upholsteries that can be accentuated with contrasting red carpeting.

The volume target is 65,000 cars a year. Volvo expects that 75 percent of the buyers will be in Europe. The largest markets are Italy, Germany, Spain, Great Britain, the USA, France, Sweden, and Holland.

The new C30 will make a firm impression in a segment that is new for Volvo - and the intention is that at least three out of four Volvo C30s will find customers who do not currently drive a Volvo.

Volvo Concept Truck 2020

Swedish manufacturer Volvo Trucks recently unveiled the Volvo Concept Truck 2020 design concept, The Volvo Concept Truck 2020 displays a long distance vehicle, which can be combined in length, equipped with autopilot. The Volvo Concept Truck 2020 will be able to drive non-stop in nose-to-tail convoys that run at 90 km/h (56 mph) while the cars communicate with each other via a wireless connection.

Moving on to driver’s comfort, the driver’s seat looks more like a modern office chair with a thin ventilated mesh backrest. Behind the driver seat you will find a futon sofa which can be turned into a wide comfortable bed. The luxury experience is further complemented by the customizable lighting that can be changed as per in-cab tasks or resting. The driver may also control the privacy screening and blackout electronically.

Outside, the concept truck features LED headlamps and turn indicators that are integrated into the front of the vehicle. The rear-view mirrors have been replaced by cameras, while images are projected onto the inside of the windscreen.

The Concept Truck 2020 has rear-view cameras that project an image onto the inside of the windscreen and helps the driver to orientate better, LED headlamps and indicators, and collision protection panels on the truck's nose.




Press Release

TRUCKS OF THE FUTURE; CLOSER TO REALITY THAN YOU THINK

Progress is getting ever faster. In just ten years' time trucks are going to be a lot different to those of today. At least that is according to Rikard Orell, Design Director at Volvo Truck Corporation and one of the brains behind Concept Truck 2020, the Volvo Truck Corporation's bold vision for the future.

Long distance haulage for the future: long combinations, controlled by autopilot, driven non-stop in nose-to-tail convoys on green super-motorways linking the continents.

This is the vision of the future that generated the ideas behind the Volvo Concept Truck 2020 design concept. But will it really look like this in just ten years?

"That is the whole point," says Rikard Orell Design Director at Volvo Trucks. "Progress is getting ever faster. Because of this our vision for the future is not that far away. Much of the technology in the Volvo Concept Truck 2020 is already available; other technology needs to be developed. One needs to dare to stride firmly into the debate, demonstrating what one can and will do. Just tinkering at the edges runs the risk of progress slipping away."

Safer and more efficient commercial transport

As road transport expands it must also become safer and more efficient. Volvo's design concept contains ideas about how that can be achieved. Some of these ideas can be integrated into production today, while others are there to arouse interest and start a discussion.

One of the more startling ideas is to link vehicles together wirelessly into long road-trains that rush across the continents at 90 km/h (56 mph).

"This will be possible when the transport sector's vision of green corridors becomes reality," says Rikard Orell. "Here heavy goods vehicles are separated from other traffic, driving in their own lanes, rather like a railway, but without the rails."

There are many advantages. Road safety increases, transport services require less space and wear and tear on the roads decreases. Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions drop thanks to reduced drag when a truck is in the slipstream of the vehicle in front. In addition the driver can rest behind the wheel while the truck effectively drives itself. If this is counted as idle time, transport times can be cut, deliveries will be made more quickly and drivers can get back to their friends and families earlier.

Spacious and airy driver environment

The driver is at the centre of Volvo's world. It goes without saying that a design concept from Volvo Trucks contains a great many ideas about the development of the driver environment. In the Volvo Concept Truck 2020 the driver's environment is spacious, airy and free of disruption.

"We have replaced the traditional dashboard with a thin film panel on which information is tailored to suit the driver," says Rikard Orell. "The panel is operated like a touchpad, just like an iPhone. We have saved a lot of space that way."

Another space-saving idea is the sleek driver's seat with its thin, ventilated mesh backrest, more like a modern office chair than a traditional driver's seat. Behind the driver is a futon sofa which folds out into a wide, comfortable bed in the evening.

The lighting in the cab is divided into zones customised for the driver's various in-cab tasks, or for resting. Around the driver are large areas of glass providing good visibility out of the vehicle and even into it. This benefits eye contact between the driver and other road users preventing accidents. Privacy screening and blackout in the evening are also controlled electronically.

Aerodynamic collision protection

The design team also aimed for a sleek look for the exterior, reducing the perception of the vehicle's size. The LED headlamps and indicators are integrated into the front of the vehicle. The rear-view mirrors have been replaced by cameras that project their images onto the inside of the windscreen.

The lower section of the front of the vehicle features integrated collision protection projecting forwards about half a metre. This ‘nose' is gentler on oncoming cars in the event of a head-on collision and has also been shown to improve the aerodynamics of the vehicle.

As Rikard Orell points out, "Because the nose is a safety function, our starting point has been that it does not count as part of the maximum permitted vehicle length, just as rear-view mirrors today are outside the maximum permitted width."

Some things you just do not change. The ‘Globetrotter' sign on the roof is still there, but has been redesigned so that it harmonises with the lines of the vehicle and reduces drag. The driver can also change the text on the sign from the instrument panel.

The rear end is the next stage

So work on the external design focuses largely on aerodynamics, but by how much is it really possible to reduce drag on a truck ?

"We have come so far with the front of the vehicle that further changes to the basic shape provide only marginal improvements," says Rikard Orell. "However, a lot will happen when we start work on the design of the rear end of the vehicle. There is a great deal of untapped aerodynamic potential there."