2023 BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW
The Kenworth T680 hydrogen fuel cell truck on show in Brisbane will remain in Australia for a research project with Deakin University.
Brisbane technology blitz
By Colin Smith
NEW ZEALAND ROAD TRANSPORT WAS LIKELY SHORT-HANDED for a few days in mid-May, judging from the big number of Kiwis in attendance at the Brisbane Truck Show. The biennial event didn’t miss a 2021 edition due to Covid-19 restrictions, but that show didn’t deliver the full scope of previous editions. In 2023 the crowds were back, companies flew in international executives, and New Zealand visitors returned in force. The four-day event drew an attendance of 42,855 through the doors of the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Plus, plenty of interest in peripheral events and displays around Brisbane that put the industry in the public eye. The Brisbane show is regarded as the largest truck industry show in the Southern Hemisphere. The key theme this year mirrored that of recent Northern Hemisphere shows with significant attention on battery electric and hydrogen transport alternatives. Perhaps the biggest actual surprise of the show also turned into
something of a disappointment for some Kiwis in attendance. Unmissable in acid yellow on the Paccar stand was a new generation DAF XG+ being previewed as a 15-litre, 660hp tractor unit for Road Train work. With no 15-litre engine in the Paccar family it was quickly evident that DAF plans an Australia-only version of the XG+ using the highest output version of the upcoming third generation Cummins X15 engine. Southpac Trucks staff were in attendance and confirmed that while the new DAF XF, XG and XG+ are scheduled for a 2025 debut in New Zealand, it will be an all-Paccar engine line-up this side of the Tasman with 13-litres the biggest displacement on offer. The 660hp solution will be unique to Australia and built at the Bayswater plant in Victoria. It’s specifically targeted at the A-double, B-triple, and high-utilisation B-double linehaul segments. The Paccar stand also showcased the diesel, electric and
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A record attendance of over 42,000 saw a busy four days at the Brisbane Truck Show.
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