In simplified terms, the new system features propellers that are turned in the direction in which the boat is traveling. Volvo Penta has placed pulling and counter-rotating propellers through the bottom of the hull, giving the boat improved performance compared with traditional shaft installations. The efficiency of the new system makes it twenty percent faster and fifty percent quieter than boats equipped with mechanical diesel engines and traditional shafts, providing precise handling and control at all speeds.
"During the development work and the continuous tests that we perform, the system has exceeded our expectations time and time again. Boat performance is elevated to a new level of performance and control," says Volvo Penta President Goran Gummeson.
The world's leading boat builders have been invited to participate in the development of the Volvo Penta IPS, and they have also been given opportunities to test prototypes of the new system in boats, each step of the way. The reactions have been uniformly positive. Consequently, most of the world's best-known boat brands are planning to launch boats featuring the Volvo Penta IPS at this winter's international boat shows in London, Dusseldorf and Miami.
Volvo Penta IPS will revolutionize inboard propulsion in much the same way as another important Volvo Penta invention, the Aquamatic sterndrive, which was introduced toward the end of the 1950s.
"However, the Volvo Penta IPS will not compete with stern drive installations. Instead, we shall be focusing on taking share in segments of the market for traditional shaft installations," says Goran Gummeson.
Volvo Penta IPS will be launched in two versions: IPS 400 and IPS 500, both of which are based on Volvo Penta's proprietary developed diesel engines D6-310 and D6-370. The IPS in these output classes is appropriate for boats ranging from 35-50 feet in size.