Volvo Trucks tackles EPA 2027 with ‘most efficient’ D13 engine yet
Key takeaways
- Compliance strategy: Volvo Trucks North America debuted a new 13-liter engine meeting the 2027 EPA mandate for an 80% reduction in NOx emissions.
- Performance specs: The engine offers ratings up 540 hp, 1,950 lb.-ft. of torque, and an industry-leading 630 braking hp.
- Bottom-line impact: Despite tighter emissions standards, the VNL maintains its average fuel efficiency with the new engine.
- Vocational expansion: VTNA teased an all-new, yellow-themed vocational truck lineup slated to arrive later this year.
LAS VEGAS—Volvo Trucks North America (VTNA) wants fleets to stop bracing for the pending EPA 2027 regulations and start banking on it. The OEM used the opening night of ACT Expo 2026 to unveil its compliance strategy: A 13-liter engine that promises to transform a regulatory burden into an operational advantage.
During a media event here, VTNA President Peter Voorhoeve touted the new D13 engine as “the most powerful and most reliable, and most fuel-efficient 13-liter engine that we have in the industry today.” He also used the ACT Expo stage to tease a new vocational truck that VTNA has on the horizon.
Volvo becomes the third OEM this year to detail its 2027 model year offerings, joining International Motors and Daimler Truck North America’s Detroit diesel platform.
What's new with Volvo Trucks’ EPA 2027 D13 engine
Unchanged in the 2027 model
- D13 engine architecture: Vovlo opted against introducing an entirely new system, choosing instead to build upon the proven 13-L platform and aftertreatment technology that has been in commercial use for more than a decade.
- Fuel compatibility: The engine remains fully compatible with alternative fuels, giving fleets flexibility to use renewable diesel and biodiesel blends up to B20.
- I-Shift transmission: Volvo’’s benchmark automated manual transmission will continue to be integrated with the D13, offering 12-, 13-, and 14-speed configurations to continually monitor grade, speed, weight, and torque demand.
New for 2027
- Expanded power ratings: The D13 features ratings up 540 hp and 1,950 lb-ft of torque to cover a wider range of heavy-haul and vocational demands.
- Advance engine braking: Engine braking performance is significantly upgraded to deliver up to 630 braking horsepower, providing stronger downhill control and improved drivability for heavy loads.
- Refined aftertreatment: To meet the 35 mg NOx standard, an 80% reduction from current limits, Volvo deployed a more compact exhaust aftertreatment system. The system integrates a new electric pre-heater to increase exhaust temperatures, ensuring compliance without sacrificing fuel efficiency or overall engine performance.
- Electrical architecture: The powertrain is built on VTNA’s recent electrical overhaul that transitioned from a 12-volt system with four ECUs to a 24-volt system with 30 ECUs. This increased computing capacity enables predictive controls and industry-first “lock and leave” over-the-air software updates.
Volvo Trucks’ EPA 2027 D13 engine: Power, performance, and compliance
The new powertrain offers ratings up to 540 horsepower and 1,950 lb-ft of torque. A standout feature for heavy-duty applications is the engine brake, which reaches 630 braking horsepower—what Voorhoeve called “by far the strongest engine brake that we have in the industry.”
To meet the mandated more than 80% reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx) to reach the 35-milligram standard by 2027, VTNA refined its aftertreatment system. The OEM is using electricity to raise treatment temperatures, thereby improving compliance while maintaining performance.
Despite the tighter emissions standards, Voorhoeve noted the 13-liter engine will still be 10% more efficient in its flagship VNL, which underwent a massive redesign in 2024. Meanwhile, its regional VNR, which was relaunched last year, could see an additional 4% fuel efficiency bump from the new engine.
“We keep the performance, and we drive the compliance and sustainability,” Voorhoeve told the crowd.
For fleets, VTNA is marketing the lower emissions standards and increased sustainability as a boost to the bottom line. Voorhoeve noted that 10% fuel savings on a truck running at standard mileage amount to about 1,300 gallons of diesel annually. At current diesel prices, that amounts to around $7,000 in annual savings per truck. And for the environment, it removes some 30,000 lb. of CO2 per truck per year.
Connectivity as an operational advantage
Hardware isn’t the only way Volvo is trying to offset the sting of future regulations. Voorhoeve also announced an industry-first over-the-air update feature designed to maximize uptime.
Through its new electrical architecture, VTNA is rolling out a “lock and leave” software update capability.
“You see a message, right? You know the software that is there. You click the button, and it starts downloading. You lock the truck, and you leave,” Voorhoeve explained, noting the system will eliminate unnecessary trips to the dealership.”
Volvo goes vocational
While highway efficiency was the main focus of VTNA’s ACT Expo announcements, the manufacturer teased an all-new vocational truck it plans to launch later this year.
Voorhoeve pointed out a shared affinity for yellow equipment with Volvo Construction Equipment’s (VCE) Scott Young, who joined the expo press event to tout its emerging battery-electric and connected equipment offerings.
While he was sparse on details, Voorhoeve promised the new work truck would strengthen the brand’s presence in the vocational market.
For Young, VCE’s head of region North America, the bridge between highway tractors and job site equipment comes down to the total cost of operation (TCO) and working closely with fleets to integrate new technologies seamlessly.
“Closeness is the word that we have to find these solutions together,” Young said during ACT Expo. “We’re on a journey, so making sure that we are really close to them to understand their needs. What’s the job that they need to accomplish? And we help them accomplish that in the best way, while transitioning technologies.”
Navigating the 2027 prebuy market
The product push arrives as the U.S. commercial vehicle industry braces for the financial realities tied to long-awaited regulations and the widespread assumption that compliant equipment will be more expensive. For fleets weighing whether to wait for these new models or secure current equipment, Voorhoeve’s advice is pointed.
During a recent appearance on Endeavor Business Media’s The Fleet Lead podcast, recorded at VTNA’s New River Valley assembly plant in Virginia, Voorhoeve addressed concerns about EPA regulations and potential increases in equipment costs.
“There’s never a better time to buy a truck, and now, because you know they’re compliant, they will be great for many, many years,” he said. “And you avoid the price increases that will come—I mean, we have no choice. It will come in 2027. That advice still stands.”
He cautioned fleets to get ahead of the curve, warning that if everyone starts “waking up at the same time,” it will inevitably create shortages in the supply chain.”
About the Author
Josh Fisher
Editor-in-Chief
Editor-in-Chief Josh Fisher has been with FleetOwner since 2017. He covers everything from modern fleet management to operational efficiency, artificial intelligence, autonomous trucking, alternative fuels and powertrains, regulations, and emerging transportation technology. Based in Maryland, he writes the Lane Shift Ahead column about the changing North American transportation landscape.