Volvo Trucks has made significant improvements to the quality of the air inside the cabin of the new Volvo FH, primarily through the use of materials and components which contain and release a smaller amount of chemicals. The result is that the air inside the truck is significantly cleaner than in the context of surrounding traffic.
“Our holistic approach had as its primary objective to minimize the emissions related to the materials of the interior and prevent foreign particles could enter the cabin through the air conditioning system. In this way, we were able to substantially reduce odors and the amount of particles and organic substances, such as formaldehyde, “says Lars Mårtensson, head of environmental Volvo Trucks.

Fixed limits for emissions
For many years, the research and development of Volvo Trucks has focused, among other things, on the air quality in the cabin, which was also the subject of increased attention in the last decade. Recently, this work has been coordinated with the development of the new Volvo FH.

“Considering that many drivers will spend up to 20 hours a day, our new truck is perfect for the introduction of this new holistic solution,” says Hannele Nurmi, a specialist in the regulation of substances at Volvo Trucks. “Our meticulous approach has resulted in a fixed limit of emissions per organic matter present in all the interior materials. To ensure that our needs were met, we worked closely with our suppliers.”

Only textiles Oeko-tex standard 100
Emissions of organic substances (VOC, volatile organic compounds) from the textile materials of the interior are a common problem in the automotive industry. In most cases, the amount of emissions increases when the cabin becomes very hot or is exposed directly to sunlight.

Volvo Trucks has addressed this in several ways. All fire retardants have been eliminated from the tissues of the cab of the new FH, which have been made thicker and denser to comply with the fire safety regulations. All fabrics are certified in compliance with the global standard Oeko-tex standard 100, which means it does not contain dangerous levels of substances.

The toxic chemicals present in plastic materials and leathers used for seats, steering wheels and decorative elements, have been replaced by less harmful substances, while the skin has been tanned by a process which does not require the use of chromium. Consequently, not only were reduced VOC emissions, but also the risk of allergies.

To avoid that foreign particles from entering the cabin, the incoming air passes through a combination of two active filters, designed to minimize the number of such particles.

“Surveys of our customers, we know that some drivers are particularly sensitive and are prone to allergic reactions. With the cab of the new FH, we aim to help drivers to reduce this kind of problems,” says Hannele Nurmi.

Strict testing
To verify the results, the entire cabin Volvo FH has been subjected to laboratory tests at elevated temperatures (40 ° and 65 ° C).

“The tests show that the amount of organic matter in the air of the cabin has been reduced to a small percentage, which means that, with the new FH, drivers will have a working environment cleaner and healthier. Our next aim is to integrate this solution in the continuous renewal of our range of vehicles, in order to offer the same high quality in all Volvo trucks sold in the world, “explains Lars Mårtensson.