Volvo Trucks North America (VTNA) subjected the Volvo VNL to cold weather testing in Fairbanks, Alaska, where temperatures routinely drop to -40°C. The goal was to ensure the truck delivers performance, reliability, and comfort, no matter the conditions, according to a news release.
“Alaska is one of the harshest places on Earth to operate a truck, and that is exactly why we are here,” Peter Voorhoeve, president, VTNA, said in the release. “We test in extreme environments so when our customers face unpredictable conditions, they can count on their Volvo to perform.”
Each winter, Volvo’s cold weather testing team drives more than 3,000 miles (4828 km) from Colorado to Alaska to conduct real-world testing. Over several months, the VNL is pushed through a wide range of driving scenarios and temperature swings to validate vehicle performance and comfort.
From long-haul highway routes to stop-and-go city driving, each scenario is designed to mirror the demanding environments customers face every day and simulate real-world customer operations, the company said.
Professional drivers, many with decades of experience navigating Alaska’s toughest terrain, provide daily feedback to Volvo’s test team. That insight, combined with real-time performance data, helps engineers fine-tune every aspect of the truck, from powertrain responsiveness to in-cab comfort.
One critical testing procedure, known as a “cold soak,” involves leaving the truck outside overnight with the engine off until every component reaches subzero temperatures. After 12 hours at these extreme temperatures, engineers expect the truck to start up and operate exactly as a driver would need it to in the real world.
“The all-new VNL was designed to change everything and that includes how we approach testing and refinement in real-world conditions – to challenge our trucks and gain insights that would be impossible to replicate in a lab,” Voorhoeve said. “What we learn in Alaska helps us deliver a truck that is not only innovative but proven where it matters most: on the road, in the real world, and in the hands of our customers.”
