Volvo FH16 pulls 750 tonnes

In Sweden, a standard FH16 with I-Shift crawler gears pulls 40 containers full of Volvo spare parts

In 'Volvo Trucks vs 750 Tonnes', a Volvo FH16 featuring I-Shift transmission with crawler gears faces an extreme heavy haulage challenge. With the world’s strongest man, Magnus Samuelsson, and journalist Brian Weatherley in the cab, a Volvo FH16 pulls 750 tonnes.

In the Port of Gothenburg, Sweden, 40 containers filled with Volvo spare parts sit on 20 trailers and form a 300-metre road train. Together with the truck it weighs 750 tonnes. The mission: to drive a Volvo FH16 from standstill while hauling 750 tonnes and cover a distance of 100 metres.

"I-Shift with crawler gears offers starting traction that is unlike anything else on the market for series-produced trucks. The new crawler ratios make it possible to haul really heavy loads, start off in difficult terrain, and drive at speeds as low as 0.5 km/h. Specially built trucks are normally used for exceptionally heavy loads, but here we’re using a Volvo FH16 with a driveline that has come straight from the factory," says Peter Hardin, Product Manager FM and FMX at Volvo Trucks.

The Volvo FH16 used in the test featured I-Shift with crawler gears and the strongest axles from Volvo’s regular product range. The truck is driven by Magnus Samuelsson, former holder of the World’s Strongest Man title.

"Few things can match the sense of challenging and winning over one’s physical limitations. I’ve faced many tough challenges over the years but this pull is my heaviest ever," said Magnus Samuelsson.

At his side he has experienced trucking journalist Brian Weatherley.

"That Volvo Trucks has developed an automatic transmission that can haul 325 tonnes gross combination weight is impressive. But tackling more than 700 tonnes GCW with a single regular production truck is really quite amazing. In my 30 years as a trucking journalist I’ve never seen anything like it," said Weatherley.

Volvo FH16 pulls 750 tonnes

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