Volvo Trucks South Africa (SA) has started assembly of Euro 5 specification trucks at its plant in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

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

“More customers have ambitions to improve their environmental footprint, which is driving the uptake of Euro 5 models locally,” says Volvo Trucks SA sustainability manager Eric Parry.

“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 in the vehicle, the carbon dioxide emissions are reduced with the lowering of fuel consumption.

“There is also the significant reduction in poisonous gases from the exhaust, which, in turn, improves the environment around the vehicle,” notes Parry.

Euro 5 assembly at the Durban plant adds to the current production line-up at the facility.

Volvo Trucks SA has kicked off Euro 5 assembly with FH truck-tractors, the company’s long-haul icon, as this is the Euro 5 model most requested by local customers.

More models and configurations will be added over time according to fleet owners’ demands.

“The need for local assembly also arose to reduce the import duty that is applied to full imports,” says Parry.

“This allows Volvo Trucks the opportunity to offer the cleaner technology in a more competitive way.”

Euro 5 assembly required some layout changes at the plant to accommodate AdBlue filling, as well as for storage.

Additional floor layout adjustments were also made to allow for new procedures like the assembly of AdBlue tanks and special exhaust systems.

“Operators have also received advanced training to assemble the new features connected to the Euro 5 specifications,” explains plant director Aubrey Rambau.

“Specialised training was also provided for road testers and product auditors to ensure the highest standards are maintained.”

Volvo Trucks SA has installed a new solar power system to generate renewable energy for its Durban plant.

A total of 440 solar panels and two solar inverters generate 243 kW of power, which meets about 60% of the plant’s energy requirements.

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

Volvo trucks are assembled in 13 countries across the globe.