The updated Aquamatic
sterndrive features a
standard hydraulic clutch
and fly-by-wire steering.Swedish Renaissance
POWER & TECHNOLOGY
We traveled to Gothenburg, Sweden to test Volvo Penta’s new-gen D4 and D6 powerplants
and got a sneak peek of an electrified future.32By Jeff Moser
T
he waterfront of Gothenburg’s Lindholmen district was
abuzz. Ferries picked up and dropped off passengers,
many of whom pedaled off to their next destination
or walked to the nearby hybrid bus line. As I ambled
along, I passed a fully autonomous, self-driving bus—
now in its second year of operation—and a tech company with a
fleet of electric, Volvo SUVs which will soon take to the streets as
the world’s first large-scale pilot project in autonomous driving.
It was crystal clear: The future is now in Sweden. And the Volvo
Group is leading the charge with a vision to become the world
leader in sustainable power solutions.
Here in Gothenburg, in a region that plans to be carbon neutral
well before the rest of the world, is Volvo Penta HQ. I was invited
not just to sea trial the company’s new D4 and D6 powerplants,
but also to get a glimpse of the innovation that Volvo Penta hopes
will propel us into the future.
I arrived at the company’s testing facility on the Gothenburg
Archipelago via electric bus and learned how Volvo Penta’s way
forward is through their total helm-to-prop solutions. “We area company built by boat dreamers [to] get out there and expe-
rience nature,” Volvo Penta President Johan Inden told the as-
sembled journalists. “After a decade of building a platform and
integrating technology, easy boating is our way forward.”
With this in mind, they’ve updated their proven Electronic
Vessel Control—with an all-new architecture including On-
Board Maintenance Assistant—that informs users of service
dates, faster software downloads and improved diagnostics, all
through a single connection point. CTO Peter Granqvist then
spoke of the company’s approach to keep investing in disruptive
tech, working toward “the integration of systems for a fully con-
nected experience” by leveraging the parent company’s innova-
tions and experience to make boating even easier.
Volvo Penta’s Easy Connect app allows the user to view engine
data, access maps and navigate a trip computer, with a variety of
alerts and the ability to communicate with the dealer for service
issues. I got a look at the new engines that can be matched to IPS,
Aquamatic sterndrive, shaft and waterjet installations. 85 per-
cent of the powerplants have been reengineered with stronger,