Expected to be available early next year, Volvo debuted the all-new flagship of its wheel loader range, the L350H. It features a 10-percent improvement in fuel efficiency and a host of other productivity improvements, as well as a new design.
So what does it take to design a flagship unit? “Number one, you want to come out with something that you really believe in and is going to take you a step forward,” says Stefan Salomonsson, product manager, Volvo Construction Equipment North America. “With this unit, I think we’ve done that. We were leading this class before when it comes to fuel efficiency and production. With this product, we took another step forward with an additional 10 percent in fuel efficiency.”
Unveiling of the L350H drew a crowd during the opening morning of ConExpo-Con/Agg 2017.
Engineered for efficiency, the L350H is fitted with next-generation hydraulics and powered by a Tier 4 Final D16J engine, for high torque at low rpm. For quarry production, the L350H comes with a higher capacity 9.5-cubic-yard rock bucket.
A similar look and feel will be seen through other sizes, Salomonsson says. For example, the 260 shares the same type hydraulics, while the transmission and gear changing set up are also similar so that an operator can move between machine sizes and get the same feel and familiarity throughout the line. “You’ll feel at home in the cab,” he says. “You’ll recognize it.”
The new load sensing hydraulic system works in greater harmony with the drivetrain, increasing response times (and lifting and lowering speed of the newly designed buckets) resulting in up to 5-percent faster cycle times. The hydraulic system and drivetrain improvements, coupled with the latest Volvo engine technology, make the L350H up to 10 percent more fuel efficient in comparison to the L350F it replaces.
