The Volvo-Eicher joint venture has launched a new dump truck called the FM480 10x4 today in Bengaluru at a price of 1.08 crores (ex-showroom). We were there to check out the truck's features and here's all the details.
The new multi-axle truck is the largest mining truck Volvo has ever introduced in India. The latest offering from the Swedish truck maker is aimed at dethroning the Mercedes-Benz Actros range of dump trucks that enjoy a strong demand in the mining industry.
The company claims the truck has best in class torque, struck volume, power-to-weight ratio, torque to weight ratio, and payload to kerb weight ratio.
Features of the Volvo FM480 10x4 Dump truck
- Volvo FW 480 10x4 Dump truck has a 43 ton payload capacity marketed with the tagline 'do more with less'
- India's first 10X4 off-highway dump truck for mining application
- 24 cubic meter struck volume rock body
- Powered by a 13 liter Volvo D1 3A480 engine that generates 480 hp and 2,400 Nm of torque
- Generates 7.38 hp per ton; Euro 3 Compliant
- Mated to a VT2514 14-speed range & splitter gearbox with Crawler gear ratio 16:4:1
- Innovative 5-axle configuration with steerable 3 front axles
- 32 tonnes capacity rear tandem axle
- High rear ratio of 7:21:1
- Air suspension for the 3rd axle
- Additional parking brake on the rear axle for stopping on steep slopes
- Air suspended pusher axle with electronically controlled suspension for optimized load distribution
- Electronically controlled hydraulic steering
- Extra strong chassis for coping with tough conditions
- GVW - 59,000 kg
- Larger foot print for superior stability
Benefits of the Volvo FM480 10x4 Dump truck
- Higher average speed
- Faster turn around
- Increased productivity
- Good fuel economy
- Reduced fleet size
- Lower operating costs
- Better profitability
Pointers from the Volvo press conference
- 3,000 people work for Volvo India's commercial vehicle division. 1,000 of them are employed in the R&D facility
- 7,500 trucks from Volvo are plying Indian roads
- 4% market share in HCV segment
- Volvo enjoys 70% premium European truck market share
- Volvo bus market share in India is 4%
- Competitor of this truck will be Mercedes Actros
- The FM480 10X4 Dump Truck is priced at 108 lakhs. The target is to sell 150 trucks by 2013
- Not a replacement to a 8X4 variant, the 10x4 do 28% more work than a 8X4
- Volvo trucks have been in India for 15 years now
- There are 128 on-site service centers across the country
- Production will start in November, and delivery will shortly thereafter
- 35 examples of this truck have already been sold
- The company plans to setup its own bus body building plant in India
- Its ready with Euro 6 engines and is in the process of setting up an engine plant as well
- Engines will be exported from India and there are plans to sell it to Eicher
Check out a comprehensive image gallery from the event -
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