Euro 5 variants have been available in South Africa since 2012, but for the first time they will now be assembled locally.

According to Eric Parry, Sustainability Manager at Volvo Trucks SA, there has been an increase in the demand for Euro 5 models in South Africa.

“In general, the Euro 5 engines have a lower fuel consumption than an equivalent Euro 3 unit, which means that even though total costs are roughly the same because of the need for AdBlue diesel exhaust fluid on the vehicle, the CO₂ emissions are reduced with the lowering of fuel consumption. There is also a significant reduction in poisonous gases from the exhaust, which in turn improves the environment around the vehicle,” said Parry.

Volvo Trucks has initially started with the assembly of Euro 5 level FH truck-tractors, the company’s long-haul icon, as this is the model that customers are asking for. More models and configurations will be added over time as fleet owners require them.

“The need for local assembly also arose to reduce the import duty that is applied to full imports. This gives Volvo Trucks the opportunity to offer the cleaner technology in a more competitive way,” explained Parry.

Certain layout changes were made to the facility to accommodate AdBlue filling in trucks, as well as for storage.

“Operators have also received advanced training to assemble the new features connected to the Euro 5 specifications. Specialised training was also provided for road testers and product auditors to ensure the highest standards are maintained throughout the assembly and QA processes,” explained Aubrey Rambau, Volvo Trucks Plant Director.

The Volvo Trucks plant recently also installed a new solar power system to generate renewable energy for the facility. A total of 440 solar panels and two solar inverters will generate 243kW of power - approximately 60% of the energy needed for the plant.

“At Volvo, environmental care is fundamental to how we do business, and this project is another step in our energy efficiency journey,” said Rambau.