Volvo offers environmental calculator for trucks

Volvo Trucks, the parent company of Volvo Trucks North America, has introduced what it calls an "environmental product declaration" for its heavy-duty Volvo FH and Volvo FM truck models. The system is designed to describe the environmental impact of these vehicles from the production of raw materials to recycling. The Volvo Trucks' website contains general data and offers users the opportunity to

Sept. 4, 2001

The Volvo Trucks' website contains general data and offers users the opportunity to make their own calculations of their environmental impact, based on their specific operations, the company said.

This system is a step in Volvo's strategy to present the environmental impact of all its operations in an open, factual manner, the company said. It has been developed to assist customers, transport purchasers and the authorities in their increasingly detailed discussions relating to the environmental impact of transport.

Volvo said that the "use phase" of a truck's life cycle is the dominant factor when it comes to the total environmental impact created by trucks. According to Volvo, the "use phase" accounts for 95% of a truck's impact on the environment, especially in terms of emissions and pollution effects.