We?re entering an era in which big commercial trucks and long-haul big rigs might be making more dramatic efficiency gains than passenger vehicles. The Volvo Concept Truck, the latest version of a concept of the same name that Sweden?s Volvo Trucks showed last May, is one such glimpse of this rapid change.

Volvo highlights a 30 percent reduction in fuel consumption?and carbon-dioxide emissions?versus existing semis, due to a series of improvements that include the hybrid powertrain, working to reduce weight, rolling resistance, and aerodynamic drag.
The hybrid powertrain alone will save up to 10 percent, Volvo says, as it can shut off the engine for up to six miles at a time, or up to 30 percent of total drive time. The hybrid system combines an electric motor system and Volvo?s 12.8-liter six-cylinder diesel engine. A regenerative braking system recovers energy during braking or on any downhill slope steeper than 1 percent. With help from Volvo?s I-See GPS-based support technology, the hybrid system can anticipate upcoming terrain and road-speed changes and make energy-saving choices accordingly. The Volvo project is one of many focused toward a rapidly evolving truck market?one that is much more efficiency conscious than a decade ago. That?s partly because of aggressive plans adopted last year to dramatically improve the fuel economy (and cut carbon-dioxide emissions) of big rigs between 2018 and 2027. This particular concept is the product of research between the Swe...