- 30 new Volkswagen truck models developed in order to deliver even greater efficiency, comfort, safety, and cutting-edge technology
- Meteor Optimus unveils aerodynamics and fuel economy technologies
- Twenty units of the self-driving Constellation truck sold to Vamos Group
- VW Truck & Bus launches Future Program, which seeks to accelerate sustainable ESG practices
Volkswagen Truck & Bus will be starting off the latest edition of the International Freight Transport Trade Show - Fenatran in São Paulo with two major announcements for the brand: the sale of the assembler's first 20 autonomous vehicles, a highly symbolic achievement, and the development of the VW Meteor Optimus concept model, which will offer potential fuel savings of up to 8%. In addition, more than 30 truck models from the assembler will be released. These models were developed through more than R$1 billion in investments and will be introduced to the Brazilian market in 2023.
VWTB will also take advantage of the platform offered by the sector’s largest Latin American trade fair and officially commit to its Future Program, which will have its own specifically-designated display at the brand's booth. The Future Program is focused on boosting the company's ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) practices. The program’s motto is "connecting today and tomorrow" and seeks to consolidate the best practices already adopted by the assembler and develop initiatives to expand these practices over the medium and long term.
“This edition of Fenatran will be historic for us, as it symbolizes the ushering in of a new era, with the most significant engineering developments seen in our more than 40 years of history. VWTB will be introducing 30 new models specifically focused on offering efficiency, comfort, and technology, as well as improved safety features. These new models will be available to customers by January 2023. And VWTB is taking it one step further, with an eye towards the future: we recently finalized our first sale of autonomous vehicles and we also presented the VW Meteor Optimus concept truck, which includes a special package of technological solutions aimed at anticipating future trends,” affirmed Roberto Cortes, the assembler’s President and CEO.
Volkswagen Truck & Bus is a leader in sales of commercial vehicles intended for leasing and has now taken its offer one step further. The first 20 units of the VW Constellation 31.280 8x4 with automated steering are already set to be sold to Vamos Group, the brand's largest client in the segment, and will ultimately be used in agribusiness. The sale was confirmed just over a month after the model’s field tests were announced.
As part of another area of the company’s research, VWTB has also revealed its unprecedented VW Meteor Optimus concept, which includes innovative aerodynamics and cutting-edge solutions such as camera side mirrors and a driver's seat massager. The model offers significant improvements in terms of comfort, safety and connectivity. The Meteor Optimus’ design also includes intelligent systems that offer greater efficiency in vehicle operation and fuel savings of up to 8%.
A pioneer in research involving alternative energy sources, VW Truck & Bus is also making significant advances along another front. Like the brand’s entire portfolio, VW Meteor Optimus can already be run on green diesel (hydrotreated vegetable oil or HVO), an alternative and renewable fuel that is extremely promising for Brazil’s national energy matrix, despite not yet being commercialized on a large scale in the country. Fueled with HVO, Meteor Optimus offers the potential reduction of up to 90% in CO2 emissions when compared to traditional diesel vehicles available on the market.
The assembler is also expanding initiatives aimed at supporting clients in their journey towards offering increasingly sustainable transportation through means of a new partnership for the supply of charging solutions for VW e-Delivery and solar energy. Brasol, a Siemens group company, is the latest member of VWTB’s e-Consortium, which was created to enable electromobility and will be assuming responsibility for the installation, operation and maintenance of equipment at a fixed cost for the customer.
Most significant development in VWTB’s history
Volkswagen’s new truck lines exceed current legislative requirements, offering increased efficiency, comfort, and safety, as well as the latest technology. These new models represent the most significant development seen in the company’s history to date. The company has redesigned the entirety of its models available within the Delivery, Constellation and Meteor families, all of which have been tested and approved as part of the largest fleet of prototypes built by the assembler. These efforts involved more than 100 different vehicles and were intended to ensure that the most ideal solution was found for each market segment. The result is a portfolio that delivers on average 10% more operational efficiency, as well as increased fuel economy, greater load capacity, and innovations in the areas of comfort, safety and technology.