Scania continues to provide diesel productivity gains, boosting performance of its flagship V8, even as it eyes EVs
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Fuel tank packages up to 1,000 litres are available, along with 105 litres of AdBlue
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Scania has unveiled a more powerful Euro 6 V8 engine and gearboxes that are lighter in weight and thirst in a major propulsion technology move.
With increasingly clean and efficient internal combustion engines remaining necessary for particular heavy-duty functions for a long while yet, Scania hails the lifting of the DC16 123 V8’s on-road output to 770hp (574kW).
It states that with the new G33 gearbox, “total savings can reach six per cent – or more – under the right conditions”.
“While shifting to fossil-free transport, we must do everything to improve our current solutions,” Scania executive vice president and head of sales and marketing Alexander Vlaskamp says.
“You cannot let your house burn down simply because a new one is under construction. The transition must be seamless.”
The fuel savings are said to be the result of fine-tuning and development, including 70 new parts, which have resulted in reduced internal friction, higher compression ratios, improved after-treatment system (AMS) and a new powerful engine management system (EMS).
“For a long-distance truck covering around 150,000 kilometres per year, the operator may save up to 4,000 litres of fuel annually for a truck with our new V8 – a tremendous achievement in every respect,” Vlaskamp says.
The new engine produces 3,700Nm (2,729ft lb) of torque between 1,000–1,450 rpm; an increase of 40hp and 200Nm on Scania’s previous flagship offering.
“There are no quantum leaps, it is all about refining things and adding the latest technology,” chief engineer for Scania’s V8 engines Göran Lindh says.
“The new EMS enables a smarter and more advanced engine control software with higher accuracy. We can calculate more precisely how much fuel is needed and when.”
The company explains that the 770hp is gained through bigger injectors and a fixed geometry turbocharger using ball bearings, thereby allowing faster response and improved combustion.
Shedding certain heavy components and simplifying others has lowered the weight by up to 75kg, compared with its predecessor.
“The new single-bank manifolds actually come with an additional advantage,” Lindh says.
“Not only are they lighter and more efficient but they also contribute to the distinctive V8 sound, the typical ‘blatt’ that so many Scania customers and V8 fans appreciate.
“It does not generate more noise, but this is rather the result of how the exhaust gases are allowed to collide, due to the firing order, inside the manifold on their way out.”
The EMS interacts with the AMS. Scania expects both to be critical in meeting the current and coming Euro 6 regulations regarding nitrogen oxides and particles, with European regulatory requirement of at least seven years or 700,000km.
Scania says it has added a new concept where AdBlue is injected twice: once directly after the exhaust brake and a second dose at the ‘normal’ position in the silencer itself.
“With the extra dosing, the evaporation of the AdBlue is improved during low load cycles, since the temperature is higher near the outlet manifold,” it adds.
“With the extra dosing, the after-treatment strategy is improved and also contributes to better fuel efficiency.”
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The new lighter and more fuel-efficient G33 gearbox
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NEW GEARBOX RANGE
Also revealed are details of the new gearbox range aimed eventually at replacing all current automated Scania Opticruise iterations.
However, the details given are for the European market as Australasian specifications are yet to be formulated.
First cab off that Euro 400 million (A$660 million) rank, the G33CM, is linked to the updated V8s and Scania’s 500hp and 540hp (373kW and 402kW) 13-litre engines.
It is 60kg lighter than the current gearboxes, mainly due to the all-aluminium housings and somewhat smaller dimensions.
The new gearboxes are shorter than the most common Scania gearbox at present, GRS905.
It says that by only using two synchromesh gears (compared to seven) between low and high range split, the new gearboxes are shorter and sturdier, with shafts capable of handling more torque.
This also enables Scania to use gears with slightly wider cogs that can handle more load and are more durable.
“This introduction adds yet another vital Scania component to remaining highly competitive in ICE [internal combustion engine]-based powertrains all the way up to 2030,” Vlaskamp says.
The first new gearboxes will be seen coupled to three of Scania’s four Euro 6 V8s and two inline six engines.
The new 770hp V8 will utilise the existing gearbox mated to the out-going 730hp (544kW) engine.
The new Opticruise has no parts in common with the existing range, according to Jimmy Larsson, senior manager and head of gearbox development at Scania R&D.
“The team’s assignment was to develop gearboxes that could handle the diverse demands of the next decade, especially regarding fuel consumption, drivability and sustainability. And with the new range, vehicles with high GCM can use fast axle gearing while still maintaining the required ‘startability’,” Larsson says.
The new gearboxes are shorter than the most common Scania gearbox at present, the GRS905.
“By only using two synchromesh gears [compared to seven] between low and high range split, the new gearboxes are shorter and sturdier, with shafts capable of handling more torque,” Scania says.
“This also enables Scania to use gears with slightly wider cogs that can handle more load and are more durable.”
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The new Scania V8 770hp, which Scania claims can save an operator 4,000 litres of fuel annually
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SIX-PACK
Meanwhile, locally, Scania Australia is pitching its new six-cylinder, 13-litre Euro 6 engine at inter- and intra-state haulage operators.
The new 540hp (403kW) engine delivers 2,700Nm between 1,000 and 1,300rpm.
Fitted in the G 500 and R 500, it now adds 40 extra horsepower and 150Nm of additional torque.
It is offered in the G-series mid-size, and the R-series full-size cabs, augmenting the six-cylinder engine range that was previously topped out with the 500hp (373kW)/2,550Nm variant.
The 540hp engine features Scania XPI fuel injection and a new ball-bearing fixed geometry turbocharger to help reach the new elevated output.
It is mated to a Scania GRSO905R overdrive 14-speed gearbox, with ratios selected via the Scania fully automated Opticruise gearshift, and braking is assisted by the Scania R3500 retarder.
“Scania is very pleased to add the 540hp engine to the very successful six-cylinder 13-litre engine range,” Scania Australia director of truck sales Dean Dal Santo says.
“Since launch in Australia, the R 500 and G500 variants have been among our most popular as they offer an excellent mix of performance and economy.
“Scania continues to provide greater torque than its rivals at identical horsepower outputs and the new 540 is no different, giving our customers an advantage in terms of driveability and fuel efficiency.
“The additional power, and particularly torque will be welcomed by operators who have wanted to access a bit more grunt for B-double work at higher weights for intra- and interstate work, or while traversing hilly terrain, without reverting to our famous Scania V8 engine.
“The 540 provides a reduced front axle weight compared with the 520 V8, allowing for more loading flexibility.
“The Scania 540 engine has proven itself in many Scania global markets for some time, offering reliable, durable and efficient performance.
“Early reports from the first trucks delivered in Australia show exceptional fuel burn, delighting our customers.
“When matched with one of Scania’s flexible maintenance plans, the new 540 makes for an irresistible package for any sized fleet.”
Fuel tank packages up to 1,000 litres are available, along with 105 litres of AdBlue.