Volvo Car Group’s new engine family VEA (Volvo Engine Architecture) will be launched later this year with world-first i-ART technology that helps to cut fuel consumption in these new diesel engines.
It’s in the detail
By featuring pressure feedback from each fuel injector instead of using a traditional single pressure sensor in the common rail, i-ART makes it possible to continuously monitor and adapt fuel injection per combustion in each of the four cylinders.
“Increasing the rail pressure to an exceptionally high 2,500 Bar, while adding the i-ART technology, can be described as the second step in the diesel revolution. It is a breakthrough comparable to when we invented the ground-breaking lambda sensor for the catalytic converter in 1976. It’s another world-first for Volvo,” says Derek Crabb, Vice President Powertrain Engineering at Volvo Car Group.
He adds: “Each injector has a small computer on top, which monitors injection pressure. Using this information, the self-adapting i-ART system makes sure that the ideal amount of fuel is injected during each combustion cycle.”
The combination of higher injection pressure and i-ART technology gives the customer an engine with improved fuel economy, considerably lower emissions and high performance output as well as a powerful sound character.
Volvo Car Group’s international launch of the Volvo Engine Architecture will take place around September this year. With VEA, Volvo will also introduce a new 8-speed automatic gearbox that contributes to a refined drive and excellent fuel economy.
Diesel common rail and petrol direct injection are standard in the upcoming modular range of diesel and petrol engines.
- VEP = Volvo Engine Petrol
- VED = Volvo Engine Diesel
Several levels of turbo charging open up for the flexibility to cover the whole range from fuel-efficient derivatives through to high power and torque variants. In order to cover all customer requirements, certain engines will also gain added performance via electrification or other spearhead technology.
“The new powertrains will boost driving pleasure through their agile, yet smooth, responsiveness and the seamless character of the new 8-speed automatic,” says Derek Crabb.
V8s are dinosaurs
“We will create smaller, more intelligent engines with so much power that they will turn V8s into dinosaurs. Our four-cylinder engines will offer higher performance than today’s six-cylinder units and lower fuel consumption than the current four-cylinder generation. On top of that, electrification will bring us up into power figures in today’s V8-territory,” says Derek Crabb.
The engines will be built at Volvo Car Group’s high-tech engine plant in Skövde, Sweden.
VEA stats and facts:
- Replaces 8 existing Ford and VCC engine architectures in three platforms. Therefore, these engines are fully developed, tested and produced by Volvo.
- Developed by Volvo in Gothenburg to be manufactured in Skövde.
- One architecture prepared for two fuels (Petrol and Diesel) in eight power derivatives.
- New 8-speed Auto gearbox to be produced alongside the new engines.
- C02 improvements
- Complies with all 2013-2017 emission legislations Worldwide
- Delivers competitive premium attributes in all power derivatives
- Reduces fuel consumption by 15 – 35%.
- Delivers powertrain weight savings of 30-50 kg.
South Africa
In SA, Volvo will start introducing its new VEA engines early in 2014. We will start rolling out VEA with the following derivatives.
- VEP4 (206kW) in Volvo S60, V60 and XC60. All with Automatic transmission.
- VEP4 (169kW) in Volvo S60, V60 and XC60. All with Automatic transmission.
- VED4 MP 181hp (133kW) in Volvo S60, V60 and XC60 with Manual and Automatic transmission.
*Detailed specification and pricing will be made available closer to the time.
