Volvo Penta has unveiled the new Volvo Penta Inboard Performance System (IPS) professional platform, planned for 2025. Based on Volvo Penta IPS, this new platform promises a powerful and flexible solution for professional boats and superyachts from 25 to over 55 meters with maximum speeds from 12 to 40 knots.
“Our passion, experience and history of proven results with Volvo Penta IPS are integral to our ongoing technology development, with the goal of reaching new heights with this new professional platform,” says Johan Inden, president of Volvo Penta’s marine business. “A new star is being born in our range, where we look forward to offering our trademark experience from rudder to propeller to a whole new class of boats. It is designed to enhance our high standards with world-class performance, efficiency and flexibility and a people-centered approach.”
The future is flexible
The Volvo Penta IPS professional platform introduces a new premium level of sustainable experience. It features the largest and most powerful platform in the Volvo Penta IPS range, which includes a new, larger marine engine, the Volvo Penta IPS 40. The new engine is designed with a pioneering dual power input concept, which manages power in the water as efficiently as possible, but is also an important tool for using different combinations of power sources.
Starting series production in 2025, the new Volvo Penta IPS 40 will be powered by two Volvo Penta D13 engines, combined with a compact aftertreatment system to meet the latest IMO Tier III regulations. However, the platform is already prepared for a mix of power sources, from combustion engines powered by renewable fuels to all-electric or hybrid solutions. The dual-fuel design offers flexibility and modularity on the path to greater sustainability. The new Volvo Penta IPS professional platform is installed as dual, triple, or quad, which means each boat will have 4 to 8 power sources.
World-class performance
Volvo Penta IPS has provided a unique and unparalleled experience to a wide range of recreational and professional vessels, with nearly 20 years of proven use and more than 36,000 units delivered. The system’s unparalleled maneuverability and forward-oriented propulsion have enabled extraordinary efficiency gains, with up to 40 percent longer cruising range, 20 percent higher top speed, and faster acceleration, compared to a conventional inboard shaft installation. The new Volvo Penta IPS professional platform builds on this legacy and continues to push the boundaries of innovation, efficiency, and sustainability even further, now for a new class of boat.
Unparalleled comfort levels
The propulsion package is compact and positioned far aft. This creates more space on board for relaxation, productivity, crew and cargo. With its through-hull suspension design and integrated exhaust system, the platform provides superior on-board comfort, ensuring low noise and vibration levels. Volvo Penta IPS provides up to a 50 percent reduction in perceived noise.
Meeting the needs of professional boats
The new Volvo Penta IPS professional platform is approved and designed for heavy commercial applications. It is expected to deliver up to 30 percent reduction in fuel consumption and emissions compared to a conventional inboard shaft installation. With a new efficiency-oriented feature, the system can automatically start and stop individual engines according to the power needed for each situation, optimizing fuel consumption and engine operating hours, resulting in longer service and maintenance intervals.
Maximum uptime
Volvo Penta IPS professional expertise includes a superior level of service and support, from rudder to propeller. Supported by its worldwide authorized service network, Volvo Penta will offer global parts availability and 24/7 customer support. Advanced connectivity will enable predictive maintenance, remote diagnostics and remote software downloads, all contributing to superior service and increased uptime.
“This new Volvo Penta IPS platform has the same performance features that have provided a high-level solution to countless vessels and will now offer a smoother on-water experience for the professional and superyacht segments,” Johan explains. “Now a whole new group of boat owners and boating professionals can benefit from the most fully integrated system on the market, which truly offers new levels of performance, efficiency, and reliability.”
Next steps toward delivery in 2025
Volvo Penta is conducting in-house development to ensure extensive in-water testing using its high-speed passenger ferry test vessel, strategically located near its marine testing facility in Gothenburg, Sweden. Rigorous testing is underway to ensure the durability and performance of the propulsion package, with field trials in an offshore power crew transfer vessel as the next phase leading up to planned delivery in 2025.
“The new Volvo Penta IPS is a powerful platform that will offer an unprecedented propeller-drive experience. It builds on a rich tradition of future-oriented Volvo Penta design that puts people at the center,” Johan explains. “We look forward to expanding this platform to a whole new class of professional boating segments and, at the same time, enabling the transition to greater sustainability at sea. It is an exciting time for the marine industry and we believe our new Volvo Penta IPS professional platform will be the next breakthrough.”
(Volvo Penta unveils new IPS professional platform – barchemagazine.com – May 2023)
