Volvo Trucks North America has earlier announced that in the second quarter of 2007, the automaker's upcoming truck lineup will be equipped with I-Shift, an automated mechanical transmission that tenders two-pedal operation.

Scott Kress, senior vice president of sales and marketing of Volvo said, 'We believe customers will immediately recognize the advantages I-Shift offers for productivity, lower cost of operation, driver recruitment and retention, and safety. The combination of I-Shift with Volvo's new engine family gives our customers a complete vehicle and drivetrain solution. Customers can always get the perfect ratio at the right time for optimal engine and vehicle performance, which means a higher degree of productivity, fuel economy and reliability.'

I-Shift will be initially offered on trucks with brand new enginesD11, D13 and D16. Truck models which will be equipped with the groundbreaking I-Shift are VT and VN highway tractors and the VHD vocational truck. All-new engines are designed to handle top rating 600 hp/2,050 lb.-ft. torque input. Further, it will be integrated to other Volvo vehicles for added power and performance.

Volvo I-Shift is new to North America. In fact, it was only introduced in chosen parts around the world in early 2002. However, in other markets across the globe, Volvo has already sold approximately 80,000 units of vehicles with I-Shift.

Improving fuel economy was one of the core reasons why Volvo is integrating I-Shift to its vehicles. The integration of engines and transmission paved way for higher efficiency and rating. Moreover, using I-Shift and several sensors, the transmission is able to calculate acceleration, speed, weight, torque demand, air resistance and road grade. As a result, the driver can choose the most proficient use of engine.

Another quality feature of I-Shift is Eco-Roll. The latter is intended for operation in rolling hills. It works by automatically disengaging the engine when the vehicle calls for the same. The aftermath is the reduction of parasitic losses by about 30hp.the road grade sensor, on the other hand, helps resolve which gear to start off in and when the transmission can skip-shift. This is done to provide better fuel economy.

With this innovation, car fanatics are anticipating that I-Shift will also be integrated with Volvo V40 parts as well as other Volvo parts to augment Volvo's appeal.