First Volvo FH Aero joins Onpoint Logistics fleet

Onpoint Logistics has added its first Volvo FH Aero 6×2 tractor unit to the fleet, with the option of bringing in up to 20 more depending on performance.

Based in Birmingham, the company is testing the truck’s efficiency by running it on HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) to support its environmental goals.

The new vehicle replaces a model from another manufacturer and is currently being used on a regular trunking route between Birmingham and Wales, pulling a double-deck trailer.

Anthony Delaney, sales & marketing director at Onpoint Logistics, said: “We’ve got plenty of older Volvo FHs on the fleet and we wanted to see what benefits, in terms of fuel figures, the Aero can bring in comparison to those.

“Initially, it will be running a trunk from Birmingham to Wales with a double-deck trailer on the back, so it’s on quite a testing, fuel-guzzling application.

“It’s still bedding in and we are yet to have the driver training so there’s plenty more to come, but we’re already seeing an improvement of 0.5-0.7 mpg from the truck it replaced on that run – which is really encouraging. We expect to move forward with the subsequent order of 20 Aeros, which will arrive over the course of the next 18 months.”

Supplied by Hartshorne Group, the FH Aero is built for fuel efficiency. It includes Volvo’s Camera Monitoring System (CMS), replacing traditional wing mirrors to reduce drag and improve visibility.

The truck uses a Euro D13TC Step E 460hp engine with turbo compound technology and is paired with Volvo’s 12-speed I-Shift automated gearbox, including I-See predictive cruise control.

“The early impressions are really good,” added Delaney. “The driver is still learning to get the very best out of it, but his feedback so far has been hugely positive.”

Expected to run 130,000 km annually, the truck is fuelled from a 40,000-litre HVO tank at Onpoint’s Birmingham HQ. It’s finished with twin fuel tanks, an in-built fridge, microwave, Alcoa Dura-Bright wheels, and Onpoint’s blue and red livery.