New Volvo VDS-5 specification to deliver 0.5% fuel economy improvement

Speaking at the UNITI Mineral Oil Technology Congress, on 2-3 April 2019 in Stuttgart, Germany, Bengt Otterholm of Volvo Groups Truck Technology, provided delegates an outlook on the next issue of the ACEA E categories and new ACEA F Class. Otterholm, a member of the ACEA working group for lubricants and leader of the ACEA Heavy Duty Engine Oil Task Force, suggested the categories were targeting a mid-2020 release, with work currently underway to address concerns raised by ACEA members relating to wear protection in the new low viscosity F categories.

CEC is currently finalising test development of two new wear tests to evaluate piston ring/cylinder liner contact and journal bearings. In addition, OM501LA is expected to run out of hardware towards the end of 2019. A repeatability and discrimination study is ongoing for the replacement test OM471LA to ensure piston cleanliness, says Otterholm. Phase two, which incorporates a reproducibility study, will follow the completion of the initial phase, he says.

During his presentation, Otterholm, who holds a PhD in Organic Chemistry from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, also outlined the next generation of Volvo heavy duty engine oil specifications. The new Volvo VDS-5 specification will deliver 0.5% fuel economy improvements and 50% oil drain interval extensions, says Otterholm. Phase one of the specification will be completed in mid-2019, with phase two due for completion by the end of the year. The oils are available as factory fill now for 13 L Euro VI Step D engines and will be available as factory fill for 11 L and 13L US GHG2.1 as of week 49, 2019.