Volvo's first truck had 28 horsepower and could carry 1.5 tonnes. Today's largest Volvo is the most powerful production truck in the world with its 660 hp engine capable of hauling 200 tonnes.
Between them lie 80 years of dedicated work by generations of enthusiastic Volvo employees. All of whom were driven by the same strong feeling of belonging and the same concern for quality and safety that the company's two founders originally planted in Volvo from the very start.
Economist Assar Gabrielsson was just 33 years old when he became sales manager of Svenska Kullagerfabriken (SKF). However, he wanted something different – he had his heart set on building cars. Then, cheer chance in 1924 he met a former colleague, Gustaf Larson, an engineer widely acclaimed for his technical expertise and a man who shared the very same dream.
The drawings for Volvo's first truck – the Series 1 – were already complete when the company's first passenger car left the factory on 14th April 1927, with the first truck introduced in February 1928.
The wheel is perhaps Man's most important invention and now Volvo – which means "I roll" in Latin – had taken over the wheel !