Volvo launches D13 variable geometry turbo engine
12 March 2025
Volvo Trucks North America has launched the new Volvo D13 VGT (Variable Geometry Turbo) engine. The engine will be standard in the redesigned Volvo VNR trucks and optional in the Volvo VNL day cab. The new D13 VGT engine builds on the improvements launched with the D13 Turbo Compound engine, which is standard on the Volvo VNL.
The new engine offers up to 3% fuel efficiency improvement over the previous generation engine, said Volvo Trucks. The key enhancements to the D13 VGT engine include:
- Advanced Piston Design: The improved seven-wave piston optimizes air and fuel mixture control, resulting in more efficient combustion. The piston height has been decreased and paired with a longer connecting rod to minimize cylinder sidewall pressure, reducing friction and enhancing overall performance. In addition to improving the combustion process, the seven-wave design allows for a greater dispersion of heat across the top of the piston head, lowering the overall temperature and reducing NOx output.
- Enhanced Fuel Injector: Smaller needle control valves in the fuel injectors provide precise and rapid control over the fuel flow rate, leading to improved fuel atomization, better combustion efficiency, and enhanced engine performance.
- Variable Displacement Oil Pump: This innovative pump dynamically adapts to the engine’s oil pressure demands, minimizing parasitic losses, reducing wear and tear, and improving efficiency.
The new Volvo D13 VGT engine also utilizes the 24-volt electrical system, first introduced by Volvo in North America with the Volvo VNL. The 24-volt electrical architecture paves the way to use lighter components and can prolong the life of those components due to the lower amperage of the system.
The Volvo D13 VGT engine is now available for order in the new Volvo VNR and Volvo VNL models. Customers can choose from engine options offering 405, 425, 435, and 455 hp, with torque ratings ranging from 1450 to 1850 lb-ft. Customers purchasing the redesigned Volvo VNR when orders begin will also have the option to select the D13 Turbo Compound engine which is well suited for fleets using the VNR in a highway application.
Source: Volvo Trucks North America