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Volume 14 Issue 09 • June 2020
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Public transport amid Covid-19
CV industry shifts gears
CVs support mass migration /commercialvehicle
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CV industry and road freight hit badly in Europe /cvmagazineindia
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STRAIGHT DRIVE
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“The future, at least in the short-term, will be very challenging.�
n Rs.20 lakh crores stimulus package and mass migration of workers marked the month of May 2020. The talk of economy entering the negative territory following, there was little that came the way of the CV industry as the road freight (transport) fraternity grappled to find out what the stimulus package actually offered to ensure that its members do not go out of business. A statement by AITWA advising its members to refrain from buying trucks and instead concentrate on retaining their workforce and sustaining against the likely backdrop of low demand and excess capacity grabbed attention. With CVs – trucks, buses, vans and even auto rickshaws, ironically playing a medium for mass migration of workers and their families; it did not take long to think that the future, at least in the short-term, will be very challenging. It would be about health, an ability to sustain and recuperate. Bhushan Mhapralkar b.mhapralkar@nextgenpublishing.net
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what's inside Cover story 18
Challenges remain as CV industry shifts gears The efforts of the government and various other forces to improve CV utilisation are bearing fruits. 03 Straight Drive Bhushan Mhapralkar
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Uninsured trucks?
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AITWA warns transporters against turmoil Good job by MSRTC? Uber Essential ‘Atmanirbhar’ BKT
06 Letters 08 CV News Bombardier to ferry commuters and intracity cars n Organisational restructuring at DICV n Busworld India rescheduled n JK Tyre offers sanitisers n Challenges follow transporters sans interruption n BlackBuck raises debt? n New finance schemes from M&M n KSRTC buses re-modelled mobile clinics n EGI launches motor OD insurance cover n A good year for Apollo Tyres n BSVI Maruti Super Carry n
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We welcome feedback, bouquets and brickbats on how this magazine is shaping up. Write to us at cvonline@nextgenpublishing.net or visit us on www.commercialvehicle.in
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R YOUICE VO
June 2020 n
Scrappage policy soon? CVs support mass migration
redBus starts pre-registration n APSRTC resumes bus services n HPCL promotes its app. n Disinfection services for vehicles? n Three-wheeler segment witnesses volume decline? n JK Tyre achieves two-crore units milestone n Euler Motors Series funding n
44 Mercedes-Benz Actros camera tech The new camera tech aboard the Mercedes-Benz Actros has changed the way trucks will be looked at hereafter. 50
Volvo Flowbelow Tractor Aerokit To improve aerodynamics and fuel efficiency, Volvo Trucks North America has added the ‘FlowBelow Tractor AeroKit’ to its trucks.
52 DAF celebrates 250,000 space cab journey DAF is celebrating its 250,000 super space cabs by introducing a celebration edition. 54 DAF CF Hybrid starts field trials By starting field trials of its CF Hybrid, DAF is looking at extending the promise of zero emissions in the city and long range outside urban areas. 57 Tata LP 1210 E in a heavyweight cameo
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With migrant labourers leaving for their abode amid lockdown, CVs have come to support their journey amid numerous challenges.
CV industry and road freight hit badly in Europe
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The CV industry in Europe and the road freight transport have been badly hit by Novel Coronavirus.
36 Public transport amid Covid-19
Cut to the bare minimum amid the fight against Covid-19, public transport has begun to shift gears.
M&M tractors to fight Covid-19
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M&M has donated six tractors and sprayers to MCGM to help it fight Covid-19.
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Letters Commercial Vehicle Magazine
Ambulances in Covid-19 fight
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n the last issue, the article, ‘Ambulances support fight against Covid-19’, shed light on a unique aspect of commercial vehicles. It made me think of what the situation would have been if there were no well-equipped and modern equipment like these to support the efficient working of the healthcare fraternity. For a populous country like this, healthcare matters a lot, and an efficient one could spell the difference between success and failure. While reports like the shortage of ambulances as cities fight the menace of Covid-19 are disturbing, the modern fleet of 108 vehicles consisting of Force Traveller and Tata Winger are indicating the change that has swept through the world of ambulances. The article provided a good insight into how these modern pieces of automotive and medical technology combined, and are proving useful in the fight against Covid-19. In a world order that will shape up as the world emerges out of the shadow of the virus, ambulances like the ones mentioned in the article will come to play an even greater role. Sapna Bhave, Nagpur
CVs for the community kitchen
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he spread of Covid-19 and the efforts to combat it have been portraying CVs in a new light. As a regular CV reader, it was quite interesting to read the article on ambulances and small trucks like the Tata Ace for the role they are playing in supporting the efforts of many NGOs. The virus throwing new challenges in front of almost each and every citizen of India, the article on SCV supporting community kitchens highlighted a different side of the country’s social structure and how the poor are taken care of by NGOs and various charitable organisations. It rightly highlighted the role of small trucks, which are otherwise seen as typical city runabouts, doing the last mile transportation of a variety of goods. As part of a community group involved in the feeding of poor and those that have fallen on bad times during the lockdown, the community kitchen article was informative. It, for groups like us, put into perspective the use of mini trucks. Earlier we used to carry food packets and other stuff to the poor and needy by using our personal vehicles. When the scale of work increased and more support to the group was had especially during the lockdown period, we resorted to engaging small truck operators. Their trucks proved suitable and we are glad that we could provide the small truck operators with a means of livelihood.
Aman Verma, Delhi
105-106, Trade World, B-Wing, 1st Floor, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400013, India. Tel +91 22 43525252 Email us at cv@nextgenpublishing.net Editor Test Editor Web Editor Correspondent Head-Design & Production Art Director Asst. Art Director Image Desk Production Supervisor Publisher Chief Executive Officer General Manager North & East
Bhushan Mhapralkar Aspi Bhathena Ashish Bhatia Deepti Thore, Deven Lad Ravi Parmar Mangesh Sawant Ajit Manjrekar Dipak Gaykar Dinesh Bhajnik Marzban Jasoomani Hoshang S. Billimoria Ellora Dasgupta
General Manager South
Girish Shet
Deputy General Manager
Chanchal Arora
North Regional Marketing Manager Salma Jabbar (Chennai) Marketing Manager
Minocher Parakh (Mumbai)
Manager Circulation - North and East Kapil Kaushik Subscription Supervisor Sachin Kelkar Tel +91 22 43525220 Apple Newsstand & Magzter Queries help@magzter.com Zinio Subscriptions Queries http://in.zinio.com/help/index.jsp Territory Sales Incharge (SIP) Mr. Srinivas Gangula (Hyderabad) Cell +91 09000555756 Territory Sales Incharge (Circulation) Vidyasagar Gupta (Kolkata) Mob: 09804085683 Regional marketing offices Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd. 105-106, Trade World, B-Wing, 1st Floor, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400013, India Tel +91 22 43525252 26 B, First Floor, Okhla Industrial Estate, Okhla Phase III, New Delhi - 110020, India Tel +91 11 42346600/78 Fax +91 11 42346679 Unit No:509, 5th Floor, ‘B’ wing, Mittal Towers, MG Road, Bengaluru -560001, India Tel +91 080 66110116/17 Fax +91 80 41472574 Cenetoph Elite, No.5, Cenetoph 1st street, Teynampet, Chennai - 600018, India Tel +91 044 421-08-421/044 421-75-421 Devendra Mehta - Mob No.- 09714913234 Ahmedabad S.No.261/G.L.R.No.5, East Street,Camp Pune - 411001. Tel + 91 20 26830465 iews and opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Next V Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd. Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd. does not take responsibility for returning unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or other material. All material published in COMMERCIAL VEHICLE is copyright and no part of the magazine may be reproduced in part or full without the express prior written permission of the publisher Printed by Marzban Jasoomani Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 105-106, Trade World, B-Wing, 1st Floor, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400013. Published by Marzban Jasoomani on behalf of Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 105-106, Trade World, B-Wing, 1st Floor, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400013, Printed at Kala Jyothi Process Pvt. Ltd, 1-1-60/5 RTCX Roads, Hyderabad - 20. Published at Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 105-106, Trade World, B-Wing, 1st Floor, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400013. All readers are recommended to make their own independent enquiries before sending money, incurring expenses or entering into commitments in relation to any advertisement appearing in the publication. Commercial Vehicle does not vouch for any claims made by advertisers for their products and services. The editor, publisher, printer and employees of the publication shall not be held liable for any consequence in the events of such claims not being honoured by the advertisers. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Mumbai only. Editor Bhushan Mhapralkar
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News
Organisational restructuring at DICV
Bombardier to ferry commuters and intracity D cars
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n what is termed as a significant development that will result in railways increasingly complementing surface transport (read trucks), Bombardier has been awarded a contract by National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) to build and deliver regional commuter and intracity transit trains for ferrying 210 commuter and intercity cars as part of the Delhi–Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS). This rail project is India’s first to include maintenance scope for the Delhi-GhaziabadMeerut semi-high-speed rail corridor under phase one of RRTS. The new line of 82 km will reduce travel time by 75 per cent enabling passengers from Delhi to reach Meerut in less than 60 minutes. With an expected ridership of eight lakh per day, this rail project has received a Letter of Award valued at approximately Rs.2577 crore.
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aimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) has announced significant changes in its organisational structure. The customer service business has been integrated with marketing and sales function under Rajaram Krishnamurthy, who is currently heading the marketing and sales portfolio. Done to ensure better synergy between customer needs and products and services, the change is expected to better empower regional heads (North, South, East and West) to handle the entire business within their respective zones more effectively. Appointing Muthu Maruthachalam C and Karl-Alexander Seidel as Vice President of Supplier Management and Logistics Trucks Asia India and as Head of Daimler Buses India respectively,
DICV, amid a drastic slowdown in CV sales in the backdrop of Covid-19 and regulatory changes like BSVI, is said to be looking at elevating its competence levels and sustainability in the domestic as well as exports markets. While Muthu Maruthachalam C brings with him the project management experience for heavy duty trucks at DICV, which includes product reliability and warranty for Fuso trucks and buses globally, Karl-Alexander Seidel brings his experience in the area of powertrain supplier management and logistics. Muthu Maruthachalam C and Seidel succeed Ralf Mungenast and Thomas Fricke, both of whom have moved on to a new role at Daimler in Germany effective April 01, 2020.
Busworld India rescheduled D
ue to be held in August 2020 at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) in Bengaluru, the Busworld India show has been rescheduled to October 6-8, 2020, in the wake of the disruption caused by Covid-19. To be held at the same venue, the show is expected to attract visitors from the bus industry in India and abroad. Organised in India by Messe Frankfurt, the show has been successful in finding the support of bus
Commercial Vehicle June 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in
body builders, OEMs and ancillary manufacturers in India to a good extent. Reasoning that the decision to postpone the show was taken in order to ensure offering of optimal value and exchange of knowledge and technology, Messe Frankfurt (India), in its statement, mentioned that it is keen to see the environment becoming conducive for business, and is able to ensure health safety of exhibitors, visitors and those involved.
news
JK Tyre offers sanitisers
BlackBuck raises debt?
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leading manufacturer of CV radials, JK Tyre has announced its entry into the production and manufacture of hand sanitisers called ‘Total Control Hand Sanitisers’. The sanitiser has been developed and produced strictly in accordance with the guidelines issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO). It has been developed at the company’s global tech centre, Raghupati Singhania Centre of Excellence at Mysuru, and accompanies all the necessary approvals and licenses (that were achieved in a record time of eight days). Supported by an ecosystem consisting of dealers and channel partners, the hand sanitisers are being aimed at local communities among others. They are being produced at Jay Kay Gram Kankroli Plant, Rajasthan.
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Challenges follow transporters sans interruption T
he new set of rules announced by the Government as part of the fourth phase of lockdown are said to be designed to aid smoother inter-state travel among other things. The transport minister Nitin Gadkari too indicated in an interaction with Bus Operators Confederation of India (BOCI) recently that public (bus) transport could start with adherence to the guidelines set by relevant authorities. The ground reality however is nowhere close to what the Government thinks, mentioned a transporter from Navi Mumbai. On the condition of not revealing his name, he said that vested interests continue to harass. Vehicles continue to be stopped at various check posts, state borders, etc., he added. Expressing that the Government has
completely ignored their industry, he stated that there is no response yet for health cover for CV drivers, road tax and toll tax holiday and extension of insurance cover timeline. It is becoming difficult to stay in business, he rued. The outgo is more than the income, making it difficult to maintain even the bare essential staff and pay driver salaries, he quipped.
lackBuck has raised Rs.25 crores in debt from Trifecta Capital to ramp up its business as few regions in India resume operations, claim sources. They mentioned that the company recently laid-off some 200 people after hitting a rough patch. Known to offer (and issue 250) Series-B debentures and (161) Tranche-B preference shares to Trifecta Capital at a price of Rs.10 lakh per share and Rs.10 (with a premium of Rs.1,93,579 per share) respectively, BlackBuck is said to be keen to meet its growth objectives. State sources that the company earlier secured Rs.56 crore in a mixed round of equity and debt funding from Trifecta Capital in November 2019. It has also raised around Rs.293 million till date from investors like Goldman Sachs Investment Partners, IFC and so on, they inform.
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News
New finance schemes from M&M
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ahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has announced a 100 per cent on-road funding scheme for its pick up trucks as part of a new finance initiative to drive sales. It has enabled the ownership of BSVI-compliant pick-up trucks by paying an EMI amount that is equivalent to that of a BSIV vehicle.
Offered with an option of EMI payment starting from 2021, the scheme is designed to deliver financial flexibility against the backdrop of Covid-19 and BSVI. It is said to be aimed at business sustenance of the operators against a significant fall in demand.
KSRTC buses re-modelled mobile clinics
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arnataka has pressed KSRTC buses as mobile fever clinics for COVID-19 testing. These are developed by re-modelling KSRTC buses, and are being used to conduct blood and protein count tests as well. Containing a doctor, three nurses and a lab technician, the mobile clinics measure five in numbers. One of the five
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vehicles has been provided to the office of commissioner of police to test policemen who are at risk of catching an infection. The remaining four vehicles have been stationed in and around containment areas and red zones. To ensure adherence of norms like social distancing, volunteers have been hired.
EGI launches motor OD insurance cover E
delweiss General Insurance (EGI) has launched a usage-based motor OD floater policy called Edelweiss SWITCH. It is app-based and drivercentric. Under IRDAI’s regulatory sandbox, the policy offers a special feature of switching it on and off as per the usage. Capable of covering multiple vehicles, it calculates insurance based on the age and experience of the driver. Using a payas-you-use model, allowing the customer to pay the premium only on the days the vehicle is in use, the policy covers accidental damage when switched on. It is applicable 24x7 on 365 days of the year against fire and theft even when it is switched off.
news
A good year for Apollo Tyres Uninsured trucks? A nnouncing in late April that it has partially resumed operations at its Perambra plant in Kerala, Apollo Tyres closed FY 2019-20 with Rs.16096 crores worth of sales. It reported a net profit of Rs.476 crores. Recording Rs.3551 crores worth of net sales for the fourth quarter, and Rs.78 crore worth of net profit for the same period, the India tyre major resumed partial operations at the Kerala plant by strictly adhering to the health safety guidelines rolled by the government. Witnessing growth in the replacement market for the full year in most product categories, led by a strong performance in the passenger vehicle segment, industrial
tyres and light commercial vehicle segment, the company also profited from its good performance from Europe. Expressed Onkar S Kanwar, Chairman, Apollo Tyres Ltd., that they experienced good demand in the replacement market and the OE category before Covid-19 caused widespread disruption.
BSVI Maruti Super Carry
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aruti Suzuki has launched the BSVI version of its minitruck Super Carry. Powered by CNG four-cylinder 1.2-litre engine that produces 48 kW, the vehicle is priced at Rs.5,07,000 (exshowroom Delhi). Equipped with a five-litre petrol tank for on-road
assistance in case the vehicle runs out of CNG, the BSVI mini-truck is fitted with dual interdependent ECUs (Electronic Control Units) and intelligent injection systems. These are specially tuned and calibrated to deliver optimum performance and enhance drivability.
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ith the road freight (transport) fraternity receiving no response for its demands to extend the renewal of third-party insurance and toll tax holiday, the likelihood of uninsured trucks on the road is expected to rise. With transporters finding it tough to sustain in the absence of any financial relief coming its way, the challenge of uninsured trucks hitting the road as the country emerges from the lockdown is expected to be significant. Add to it the seemingly unending saga of migrant workers opting to travel by trucks to their home-villages, and the issue has the risk of turning ugly, mentioned a source. Informing that victims of uninsured trucks do not get the advantage of compensation in case of an accident, he claimed that close to 52 lakh trucks have not had their insurance renewed.
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News
AITWA warns transporters against turmoil
Uber Essential S
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he All India Transporters’ Welfare Association (AITWA) has issued a statement that urges transporters to tread carefully; adopt measures to safeguard the transport and trade business amid uncertain times made worse by Covid-19. Insisting that they secure their employees working in the sector amid over 90 lakh trucks being unutilised for the last two months, AITWA has indicated in its statement that considerable losses are going to come the way of the transporters as they have to pay
pay road tax, insurance, permit fees for the whole year despite operating for lesser months. Drawing attention to vehicle capacity exceeding much beyond expectation due to demand contraction once normalcy prevails, AITWA in its statement has said that transporters refrain from buying new trucks to avoid financial turmoil during the FY2020-21. Doing this would ensure better utilisation of trucks from the existing truck parc, the statement read.
Good job by MSRTC? O
n the first day of resuming operations in late May 2020, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) ferried close to 11,151 passengers, claim sources. They mention that the state transport undertaking operated 2007 buses by strictly adhering to the guidelines laid down by the government. Resuming operations after a gap of two months, the organisation made it a point to not operate buses in the red zone however. Operating buses for emergency and essential services
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staff only during the first three phases of the lockdown, the MSRTC, inform sources, ferried over three lakh migrants between the districts and state borders during the first week of May 2020. The state transport undertaking has a fleet of 18000 buses.
upporting the movement of people to hospitals during the lockdown through a specially designed service called ‘Uber Essential’ in cities like Bengaluru, Bhopal, Hyderabad, Indore, Mumbai, Nashik, Bhubaneswar and Mohali, by adhering to the guidelines laid down by the authorities, cab aggregator Uber is said to provide its driver partners a means of livelihood in the current times, made tough by Covid-19. The radio taxi operator is known to have trained the drivers and provided them with masks, gloves, sanitisers, safety training and curfew passes. Making relevant documentation mandatory for all drivers to validate their purpose of travel, the cab aggregator has been providing service through its app. It is, in another development, known to have fired 600 employees as part of a global restructuring plan announced earlier by Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi.
news
‘Atmanirbhar’ BKT
redBus starts preregistration
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nnouncing the motto of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ in-line with prime minister Narendra Modi’s recent announcement about selfreliance, Balkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT Tires) has partially restarted tyre production at all its factories with strict adherence to the health guidelines put in place by the authorities. Manufacturing off-highway tyres, of which 60 to 70 per cent are exported to no less than 160 markets around the world, the company is claimed to command a six per cent market share globally in off-highway tyre segments currently. Keen to to improve its
product portfolio, maintain consistent product quality and efficient service levels, BKT is planning to set up the second phase of its carbon black plant with 80,000 million tonnes capacity and upscale its manufacturing expertise to large-size all-steel radial OTR tyres by investing in a new capacity of 5,000 million tonnes per annum, undeterred by the disruption caused by Covid-19.
Scrappage policy soon?
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he recent announcement by transport minister Nitin Gadkari about scrappage policy has once again put the spotlight on the subject that has attracted much controversy from various quarters. Said to be pursued at the behest of automakers wanting to improve their sales and save their sagging bottomlines, the scrappage policy is claimed to accompany a framework to establish recycling clusters near ports much like those that scrap ships. The material achieved from scrapping vehicles is to be used to manufacture a variety of goods including automobiles.
Expected to be mandatory rather than be voluntary, the scrappage policy, mentioned a source under the condition of not revealing his name, is designed to make India the numberone manufacturing hub for automobiles in the next five years. Vehicles that would be powered by a variety of fuels like ethanol, methanol, bio-CNG, LNG, electric and hydrogen, he informed.
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ignaling the restarting of its operations, redBus has announced a pre-registration feature to keep anxious travellers informed about their desired bus routes and bus availability. Coming at a time when an amount of uncertainty is prevailing over permit for inter-city operations, the feature is designed to help travellers to keep track of available routes through app. and email notifications. Said to address the need of millions of travellers wanting to reach their desired destination, the feature is designed to notify travellers when the route they are keen to travel on, opens up. In the process, enabling them to book tickets conveniently and at the earliest possible time. Availed by clicking on the ‘Notify Me’ button on the redBus app. or website, the feature, according to Prakash Sangam, CEO, redBus, is designed to help bus travellers to commute on intercity routes in a safe and convenient manner.
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News
APSRTC resumes bus services S
Nikhil B Wikimedia commons
tarting operations after a hiatus of two months (of lockdown), the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) has begun running roughly 1683 buses across 436 routes. Doing so with new operating procedures for its employees and safety guidelines for passengers, the state transport undertaking, claim sources, is running buses of categories like Telugu Velugu, Express, deluxe, ultra-deluxe, super luxury and AC. They amount to roughly 17
per cent of the organisation’s bus parc, inform sources. Expected to gradually ramp up the operations in-line with
improvement in occupancy, APSRTC, mention sources, is ferrying only those that have bought tickets. Called upon to adhere to the rules laid down by the authorities like social distancing, the state transport undertaking, explain sources, is operating buses without conductors to avoid physical contact. It is also providing access to hand sanitisers before boarding the bus, and has made wearing of masks mandatory, they state. After every trip, the buses are sanitised.
HPCL promotes its app. Disinfection services for vehicles?
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o facilitate contactless payment during refuelling, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) promoted its HP Pay app. during the lockdown period fairly aggressively. The app. was projected as a complete fuel management solution to vehicle owners and operators. The ability of the app. to ensure control,
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enjoy convenience and security, and help earn attractive reward points was aptly highlighted. Claiming the app. to be a unique fueling application that enables the purchase of petrol, diesel, lubricants at HPCL petrol pumps, HPCL, in its promotion, highlighted its use at over 15000 HPCL petrol pumps all over India.
esuming its services after two months of hiatus, the Delhi Transport Department (DTC) is planning to start disinfection services for public and private vehicles at all fuel stations in the city, claim sources. They mention that it will be offered at a minimal cost as an extension of disinfecting public transport buses and other vehicles like cabs and auto rickshaws. The government has already made it mandatory for all public transport vehicles to be sanitised after every trip. This scheme, state sources, is being planned as DTC has witnessed a significant increase in ridership post the resumption of its services. It is estimated to be 3.5 lakh already, they inform. Delhi has a fleet of 6,348 buses, which are run by DTC and DIMTS. During the lockdown, and even now, the two organisations are known to supply buses for various departments like revenue, police and health to help them to carry out essential services.
news
Three-wheeler segment witnesses volume decline?
Euler Motors Series A funding A
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hree-wheelers are experiencing dullness as commuters are reluctant to hire them, claim sources. They mention that this is adding to the difficulties of three-wheeler operators who have seen their business idle almost for the two months of April and May. While companies like Bajaj Auto have upgraded their three-wheeler range to BSVI, the dull business prospect of the segment, at least in the short-term, is likely to pull down the grades, state sources. They draw attention to the cautious approach of the lenders as well, as they face the grim prospect of a good number of their existing loans
turning into NPAs. The sources also point at the SIAM data for FY 2019-20, which has shown a nine-per cent fall in domestic volumes of three-wheelers amounting to 6.36 lakh units roughly. They, in addition, stress on the lesser availability of permits and a steep price increase because of BSVI too.
JK Tyre achieves two-crore units milestone C
laiming to introduce the first radial tyre for buses and trucks in India, JK tyre, with the sale of two-crore units of truck and bus radial tyres is setting a new milestone. Crossing the previous milestone of one crore units of radial tyres for trucks and buses in August 2016, the company has achieved this new milestone within just four years, strengthening its leadership position in this segment. Committed to driving innovation and offering sustainable mobility solutions, the company is keeping its promise by producing such efficient, safe and costeffective products for its fleet customers. Commenting on achieving the milestone
Raghupati Singhania, Chairman and Managing Director, JK Tyre said, “This is a landmark achievement, not only for JK Tyre but for all its stakeholders, especially the customers who have shown their unwavering trust in our engineering prowess and technological capabilities.�
n automotive technology start-up with focus on electric CVs, Euler Motors has raised Rs. 20 crores in its Series A funding endeavor from Inventus Capital India. It is also supported by Blume ventures, Singaporebased Jetty Ventures and Sujeet Kumar as Series A funding enterprises. Apart from launching electric CVs in key regions of India and develop infrastructure for smooth adoption of EVs, the Series A funding will see the company hire talent, further strengthen its R&D and increase localisation. Raising preseries A funding from Blume Venture, US-based Emergent Ventures and Andrew Lee, the company, with the raising of Series A funding is keen to create a full stack ecosystem with Indian centric EVs, charging and service station networks. In the last 18 months, it has seen companies like BigBasket, EcomExpress, and Udaan, employ over 200 prototype e-vehicles for their last-mile delivery requirements. Euler Motors currently has a network of over 100 charging infrastructure in Delhi NCR for charging of over 200 e-vehicles at any point.
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All images are for representative purpose only.
Cover Story
Challenges remain as CV industry shifts gears The efforts of the government and various other forces to improve CV utilisation are bearing fruits. Bhushan Mhapralkar
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Cover Story
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jit (name changed to protect identity) has begun a new routine of attending work after almost two months of rest. He is among the workers at the Ceat Tyres factory at Ambernath on the outskirts of Mumbai that have been told to report to work as the company begun its operations a few days ago by implementing the social distance norms among others to ensure safety and well-being. Said to manufacture speciality tyres and off-theroad tyres, the Ambernath plant of the company is the oldest after Bhandup (now shut). It is one of the six plants that Ceat Tyres operates all over India, the newest being the plant at Chennai that was inaugurated early this year. Indicative of the CV industry shifting gears, the Ceat Tyres plant at Ambernath is among the many CV industry plants that has resumed operations as the State and Central Government ease norms for manufacturing and trade to resume. One of the first auto makers to announce that it has got a nod from the Government to start operations in early April, Maruti Suzuki started operations at its Manesar plants in midApril. Doing so on a single shift basis with the number of employees capped at 4696, the company, which makes the Super Carry mini-truck (albeit at the Gurgaon facility, which is yet to start operations as it falls under the municipal limits), is strictly implementing social distancing and other hygiene norms to ensure smooth and sustained operations. The leading auto maker has also rolled out a set of detailed Standard Operating Procedures
(SOPs) for its vast network of over 3800 service centers across 1914 cities. These include adherence to all the advisories and guidelines stipulated by the State and Central Governments, training of workshop staff, health monitoring of workshop staff, on-line service interactions, workshop preparedness and being relevant to customers. Amid the cry for auto sector being left out of ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’, Rs.20 lakh crore economic (stimulus) package announced by the Indian Government, CV leader Tata Motors has announced the opening of its Sanand and
Pantnagar plants. The other plants – Lucknow, Dharwad, Jamshedpur, and Pune (only for Ambulance Vehicle manufacturing) are said to be in final stage of readiness and expected to begin production over the next few days. With all mandated safety norms being complied with, the company has started operations at over 400 sales outlets and 885 workshops for CVs (with a new set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in place, which include minimal interactions and maintaining of prudent social distance when interacting with customers). Using the Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // June 2020
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lockdown period to design new ways of working, Tata Motors is employing digital tools for communication between the staff as well as the customers. It is collecting documents for vehicle insurance and registration via mail or specially installed drop boxes. Customer vehicles arriving at workshops for repairs and servicing are completely sanitised. Starting lean operations at 25 to 40 per cent levels in its plants at Pithampur, Dewas, Baggad and Thane post receiving required permissions, VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV) Ltd. has been stressing upon strict adherence to the guidelines and advisories laid down by the Central and respective state governments as well as the local authorities. Starting operations post sanitisation and putting in place of design measures in-line with the need for safety, hygiene
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and social distancing, the CV major, like its fellow players, prioritised the provision of essential support and service during the lockdown, including the dispatch of parts to various service centres, dispatch of BSVI vehicles and quick repair and service of vehicles engaged in the transportation of essential goods. If the VE PowerTrain plant at Pithampur (a joint venture between Eicher and Volvo) has also resumed manufacturing and exports of engines for Volvo Group requirements, the Eicher Engineering Components (EEC) plants at Dewas and Thane have resumed lean operations to meet requirements of export customers engaged in agricultural tractors, harvesters, essential mining and construction segments. Resuming operations in a phased manner at its Chennai plant in early May by ensuring
safety of its employees, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Pvt Ltd (DICV) is looking at ramping-up production in anticipation of return in demand. Focusing on ensuring that its clients ferrying essential goods were catered to through dealerships, the CV major has begun supporting its dealer network to resume normal operations by adhering to the guidelines set by the government and authorities. Expressed Satyakam Arya, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, DICV, that they were able to anticipate the implications of Covid-19 to an extent as part of the Daimler’s global network. “We immediately initiated a crisis management team to steer us safely through this difficult situation,� he added. Averred Vipin Sondhi, Managing Director & CEO, Ashok Leyland Limited, that the necessary health and
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safety protocols are being followed in response to a query regarding the restarting of operations. Ashok Leyland, after obtaining necessary approvals from relevant authorities, has started operations at its plants. It is hoping to ramp-up the production gradually. Following the necessary health and safety protocols, Ashok Leyland is planning to ramp-up production by considering the Work in Progress (WIP) that were on hold at the time the lockdown was announced. It is thus evaluating supply chain readiness and is reviewing the preparedness of its ancillary units for supply of critical components to ensure sustained performance. One of the big challenges faced by CV makers is to re-build their supply chains to support smooth and sustainable operations. The availability of raw material and parts is still a problem down the line, mentioned
an industry analyst. He also drew attention to challenges like plants of suppliers and vehicle manufacturers falling under ‘red zone’, making it difficult to secure permission to start operations. Despite the announcement by the Government to resume operations post April 20, many suppliers have been battling acute shortage of workforce and availability of many blue collar workers since they reside in ‘red zones’, informed the analyst. Pointing at some CV manufacturers and dealers having been left with BSIV inventory due to the lockdown (the Supreme Court order to sell 10 per cent BSIV vehicles in the first ten days of April helped little), an industry source mentioned that pressure on SME units in the auto industry has been mounting as they struggle to resume operations. With SME faltering, the implications of it could cause a ripple effect, expressed the industry source.
Supply chain woes Large in number as compared to the CV makers, CV suppliers are spread all across the country. They have facilities within the city limits and outside of it, making them especially vulnerable to the demarcation of ‘green zones’, ‘orange zones’, and ‘red zones’. Apart from the hassle of obtaining permission to operate their facilities, especially those that lie in the industrial zones within municipal limits like Satpur MIDC at Nashik or Bhosari MIDC at Pune, suppliers have been facing shortage of manpower due to mass migration of labour over the last one month and the lack of operating capital. The lockdown has seen to it that many micro and small units have seen an erosion of capital to be able to build inventory and pay the workforce that is available. Staring at rising costs at the workforce level as well as the material level, many suppliers are looking at running their
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operations at 20 to 30 per cent of the capacity at least initially. Stating that he is disappointed by the exclusion of auto sector in the stimulus package, a Pune-based supplier over phone expressed that revamping the operations in the absence of enough operating capital and workforce is turning out to be a herculean task even as they look at dispatching finished components for orders received prior to the lockdown and inparallel try to get the machines in order in anticipation of new orders. With Deepak Jain, Managing Director, Lumax Industries known to have said that the automotive sector has started with zero revenue this financial year, the challenges that lie ahead of automotive suppliers
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are quite complex and steep. Mentioned an auto supplier from Pune with plants at Bhosari MIDC and Ranjangaon MIDC, that he is facing a very unique situation where one of his plants has been given the permission to start operations and the other is yet to get permission because it falls in the municipal limits. Since the raw parts for what is produced at the plant, which has received permission to operate, comes from the plant, which is yet to receive permission, we have been unable to effectively start production, he rued. What we are currently able to do is simply dispatch the components that were produced against orders before the lockdown, he added. Stated yet another vendor who also has a presence in the aftermarket, that they
are being very cautious about starting operations since they are not sure when and how much demand is going to be generated. Drawing attention to a statement by Rajesh Menon, Director-General of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), that the auto sector lost over Rs 90,000 crore in revenue due to the lockdown, an industry expert averred that government intervention is necessary, and beyond the stimulus package that has been announced. Big challenges in front of the suppliers, he said, are to lure the workforce back (and at a higher cost than before), set right the supply chain (many have been dependent of import of critical raw material or components
cover story from China), and ensure health and safety measures are adhered to in terms of smooth operations and sustenance. With many suppliers, servicing the existing debt is an additional challenge, he added. The road ahead The road ahead for the auto industry on the whole doesn’t look very smooth. With auto sales unlikely to pick up anytime soon, and transport associations like AITWA advising their members to not buy a single new vehicle against the Government’s lack of attention to offer a stimulus in the wake of sharp drop in business (and a subsequent drop in vehicle utilisation levels), the road ahead is clearly not looking smooth. Mentioned Mahendra Arya, National President, AITWA, that once some kind of normalcy prevails, we fear, the excess available capacity of vehicles will become too high due to factors like fall in production, export and trade levels. “There are over 90 lakh trucks that operate in the country. Most of them have not been used in the last two months approximately. This has amounted to direct loss to the owners. They have paid or will pay road tax, insurance, permit fees, etc., for the whole year but will have less time to operate,” he explained. In a video interview to Faye D’souza, Bal Malkit Singh, President - All India Motor Transport Congress, and Partner, Bal Roadlines, mentioned that the total neglect for the trucking sector by the Government is going to lead to its stoppage. He averred that pressure on transporters would rise once the EMI moratorium period is over. In view of poor demand
Mahendra Arya, President, AITWA
for the next eight to 10 months, Singh demanded that EMI be differed till September and interest waived off. Announcing that transporters have gone bankrupt in the absence of any
business for the last two months, and are thus unable to pay salaries to their staff and drivers, Singh informed that there’s been no response to their demand for deferment of insurance as trucks haven’t been able to ply for the last two months. He emphasised on no response has been received as far as the insurance of driver who has been taking the risk of plying the truck laden with essential goods. Despite taking huge risk to ensure that the essential goods supply chain does not breakdown, the Government has not done anything to ensure our sustenance, he concluded.
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CVs support mass migration
With migrant labourers leaving for their abode amid lockdown, CVs have come to support their journey amid numerous challenges.
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he story of two youths on a truck from Surat to their home-village in Bihar made news when they were forced to desert the truck after one of them took ill and passed away in the lap of his friend. Trucks and buses have been supporting the mass exodus of migrant labourers
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Deepti Thore from across the industrial and urban regions of India as they make their way home to villages in rural belts in the absence of employment and an ability to make a living. In the absence of recent data on the movement of migrant labourers in the country, the data from 2011, which put the number at 45.36 crore
(roughly 37 per cent of the country’s population) should provide an idea. With doors of houses in lower middleclass localities in urban centres like Mumbai and Surat flaunting padlocks, bylanes after bylanes and lanes after lanes, the mass exodus of migrant workforce has been termed as the most intense
All images are for representative purpose only.
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human movements after independence. Supporting such movement, CVs have ironically come to play a vital role as state governments and the Central Government strive to run special ‘Shramik’ trains across the country in a bid to address the travel needs of the migrant workforce amid the deadliest of pandemics. The early news warranting the use of CVs for travel over short and long distances as drivers ferried harassment from authorities began trickling in the later part of April. With state borders closed and cops known to beat those walking on foot or travelling by other means like bicycles towards their villages in the remote countryside, stories
of innovative travel ideas began coming to the fore. Migrant workforce travelling in an empty concrete mixer made the news when they were detected by authorities in a North Indian city in early May. Such instances clearly highlighted the plight of migrant workforce striving to reach their homes amid the lack of proper functioning of trains or buses. Risking the wrath of authorities for carrying people aboard a truck since it is illegal, many CV drivers and operators, with the help of NGOs and good samaritans, did the best they could. Compelling some of the state governments to issue a circular of not penalising any vehicles found to be carrying migrant labourers
in the state, it were the CVs that came to support the mass migration of migrant workforce and their families as they struggled to climb atop the trucks laden with essential goods, and the women and children into the driver’s cabin. While groups and groups of rickshaw and tempo drivers as well as operators made their way across 1500 and 2000 kms from various urban and industrial centres with their families, relatives and fellow villagers in tow, they highlighted how CVs found use for their journeys. Reasoning that they were left with no money to support their stay in the urban and industrial centres after the third and consequently the fourth lockdown was implemented, those who Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // June 2020
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travelled in rickshaws and tempos risked their lives and limbs, highlighting in the process the state of the nation’s economy amid rising cases of Covid-19 being reported from almost every quarter of the country. While many complained of not getting adequate support from government agencies, leaving them with little choice but to head back home, knowing fully well the consequences of the same, CVs turned out to be reluctant choice as most migrant labourers and their families took to walking on roads -often in the dead of the night with children and whatever little belongings they could carry, as many drivers seeing the plight could not resist from helping them. Having run out of money to buy train or bus tickets even if they were to ply, and they did in the form of ‘Shramik’ trains when a realisation was had that it was impossible to stop or overlook the mass migration of migrant workforce, it were trucks that came to play a vital role. Consider this: Gurminder
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Singh, a small fleet operator relentlessly arranged the transport for migrant workers and their families on National Highway 19 for days together with fellow samaritans by flagging down trucks, finding out what direction they were headed in, and then convincing the drivers. Identifying a group of migrant labourers and their families walking towards their villages in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh at night, Singh put them on a Tata 2515 laden with essential goods headed in that direction. Not leaving them at that, he requested
the driver to ensure that they were made to feel safe. The men lay on the goods, holding onto the ropes securing the cargo for dear life whereas the women and small children took shelter in the driver’s compartment. To many, sights such as these resembled the migration of people after Independence. Many like Singh came out of their homes and risked getting infected with the sole intention of facilitating the safe travel of migrant labourers to their villages having left with little money and a means to stay on at the
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place of their work. Navin set out on foot from Pune after losing all hopes of earning money (and left with hardly any) for his village in Parbhani district. In his 360 km journey, he was helped by lorry drivers. Some charged him a nominal amount and some simply took him over a certain distance without charging a penny. Recounting the story of his journey from Delhi where he worked in a restaurant, Sonu began walking towards his village in Darbhanga District of Bihar after the third lockdown was announced. He started his journey along with a few fellow villagers who like him were doing jobs in Delhi and no longer found any hope in staying back in the absence of any money or any help. After walking for about 150 km, often in the dead of the night to hoodwink authorities and escape from their lathis,
Sonu’s group were asked by a lorry driver if he could help. Risking his smooth passage, the driver ferried the group to the outskirts of Lucknow without charging a single penny. We saw God in him and his truck as his chariot, expressed Sonu. With an estimated 139 million migrants in the country, according to statistics shared by WE forum in 2017, and of which around 40 million have been severely impacted in this lockdown, it is CVs -- trucks, buses, tempos and rickshaws -- that have come to the rescue. While a study by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) and Azim Premji University in 2019 has put the number of daily wage labourers in India’s big cities to 29 per cent of the population, some indication of the nature of the mass migration of migrant labourers
could be had. Amplified by the fact that the labourers had their families in tow as they began their arduous journey to their villages, the migration swelled enough to be compared with the mass movement of people just after Independence in 1947, mentioned an observer. He drew attention to a statistics that indicated that close to 43 per cent of Delhi’s population consisted of migrants, over half of them hailing from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. If the scene of migrant labourers crowing at the Anand Vihar bus stand in Delhi without observing social distancing norms in their struggle to leave the mega city behind made big news in March, buses, it soon became apparent, have come to play a key role in the transportation of migrant workforce. They have supported the movement
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of migrant workforce from their pads in various corners of cities and industrial centres to stations from where the ‘Shramik’ trains leave; in transporting travellers from airports to their homes; in mass evacuation of people from ‘red zones’ in cities; in the safe passage of students stranded in other cities; in the safe passage of migrant workers to their home regions and villages, and in transporting essential services personnel to their respective destinations. In the statement issued by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), it has ferried more than one lakh migrants by adhering to the guidelines. MSRTC also arranged a few buses to ferry students preparing for competitive
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exams at Jalgaon to be ferried to their respective districts. The Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh governments are known to have arranged 1000 buses each to transport migrants to their villages. As the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an order allowing inter-state movement of stranded migrant labourers, students, and tourists, four days before the second phase of lockdown was scheduled to end, the role of buses in ferrying the migrant workforce gained more traction. Actor Sonu Sood arranged 21 buses to ferry migrant labourers from Mumbai to Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh a few days ago. He, in association with his friend, facilitated the travel of 750 migrants to the two states. Not stopping at that, the actor and his friend
arranged another 10 buses to ferry migrants to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Seeking clearances from West Bengal, Jharkhand and Assam, the duo arranged yet another 100 buses with about 35 passengers in each bus for migrants from Mumbai. While a war of words broke out between the Congress party and the UP Government, an estimated 1000 buses are said to have been put into action to ferry migrant workers from various regions like Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan to their homeregions and villages with adherence to guidelines like social distancing. Coming to display an amount of sensitivity after seeing the seemingly unstoppable mass migration, many state governments have directed
Special Report its authorities to provide as much help as possible. They have been directed by the respective state governments to provide migrants with food and water. District magistrates have been told to look into the process of addressing the pressing needs of the migrants. In a rare feat, Punjab finance minister flagged off 80 (PRTC and PUNBUS) buses to Nanded in Maharashtra to safely retrieve about 3500 sikh pilgrims stranded at the Hazur Sahib gurudwara. Having two drivers per bus, each bus carried 30 passengers as per the social distancing norms laid down by the government. Sanitisation of the buses was resorted to as per the norms laid down as well. Many states arranged for buses to bring back students stranded at various locations in the country. Kota in Rajasthan, which has come to be a centre for students attempting civil services exams, saw many buses from various states arriving to fetch their students. Delhi is known to have sent some 40 buses. Some 70 buses are known to have been arranged by Maharashtra. Uttar Pradesh is known to have arranged some 250 buses to Kota. To ferry migrant workers and their families, a number of private buses are known to have plied between Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and a few other states to places like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. As the fourth phase of the lockdown gets over,
many private and public bus operators are looking at restoring their services. While players like SRS Travels of Bangalore has put in place a queue system at its stops to adhere to social distancing guidelines and issued a note for each passenger to ensure health safety when travelling on its buses, most private and public bus operators are known to be chalking plans
to ensure strict following of health safety guidelines in the post-lockdown scenario. Attention is on how the situation improves, the Covid-19 drops, and trade and other activities gain force. The good part is, most bus operators are confident of people coming back to them after the lockdown is over to address their travel needs.
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CV industry and road freight hit badly in Europe The CV industry in Europe and the road freight transport have been badly hit by Novel Coronavirus. Bhushan Mhapralkar
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A
mid positive news that the 100 agency workers employed on DHL logistics contract at Tata Motors’ Jaguar Land Rover plant at Halewood in Merceyside have had their jobs saved in the UK, the spread of Novel Coronavirus in Europe has hit the European auto industry and the logistics sector hard. If auto makers and subsequently their suppliers have had to suspend production at plants across UK and the rest of Europe, an indication of how bad things have been in Europe as far as CVs and the logistics sector
special report is concerned, is had from the fact that sales of LCVs fell more than 45 per cent in the UK in March 2020. If the use of LCVs by e-commerce players like Ocado grocery supplier in the UK, which has been experiencing exceptionally high demand since the virus unleashed its fury in Europe may be described as a silver lining, the CV industry and the logistics sector as such is clearly not in the best of health since the second half of March 2020. With news like the Schaeffler family donating Euro-one million to the Red Cross in
the fight against Covid-19 and Lear postponing its investor day (albeit in the US, but with consequences for Europe and its other markets around the world) occupying the top space of various websites, it would not take long to figure out that the illeffect of Novel Coronavirus could further slowdown the already slow-paced economy of Europe. The amount of jobs lost may only be clear in May 2020 or later, the extent of damage Covid-19 has inflicted on the manufacturing sector in Europe is no less by any means. As auto makers and their suppliers join hands with
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the Governments in Europe to take the fight against Novel Coronavirus to the next level, the silence of machinery and the lack of movement of trucks carrying parts, autos, etc., are damning. Badly hit With 19 per cent of all the CVs made in the world, manufactured in Europe (37 plant in the continent produce LCVs, 59 produce heavy-duty vehicles, 47 produce buses and 72 produce engines), the CV industry and its suppliers are hit badly. Almost all of them have had to announce the suspension of production at their plants across Europe, including Russia. Companies like PACCAR, CNH Industrial (Iveco) and Daimler were quick to make the move in the interest of the health of their workforce. Their managements, and that of others, continue to monitor the situation and the ensuing economic damage incurred.
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The wounds inflicted by the virus are unlikely to get the CV industry and the Logistics sector to limp back to normal in a hurry. How companies would manage to get the social distancing of its workers right after production resumes is the question being asked. It is made especially important with CV
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makers like MAN announcing short time work at its production facilities in Europe. With strong economic centres in Europe like Milan in Italy taking a big hit, the economic loss in Europe is likely to exceed expectations. With road freight transport finding it tough to anticipate freight rates starting March
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2020, it would be safe to assume that the hit to the CV industry in Europe is no ordinary this time around. Accounting for 76.7 per cent of all freight transported over land in the European continent, road freight transport as part of the logistics sector started feeling the heat in February
2020 as major supply chains started disrupting, especially those that involved the flow of raw materials and goods from China. If the closing of borders with countries that experienced a rapid spread of virus like Italy, effectively amounting to the temporary suspension of Schengen agreement, the CV
industry and the logistics sector found it increasingly difficult to move cargo and keep the demand for work from ebbing. The announcement to suspend production activities by the manufacturing sector across Europe until the second half of April 2020 ensured that only essential commodities would move, leading to a substantial drop in fleet utilisation. If the effect of the pandemic was made clearer by CV majors like Volvo Trucks announcing the closure of its Kaluga plant in Russia through much of April in the interest of the safety of its workforce there, the significant deterioration in sales and the heightened uncertainty regarding parts supplies was apparent. The supply of aggregates being disrupted, the CV industry in Europe has, rather than produce new vehicles, taken to concentrate on supporting their existing customer fleets. Mentioned a source at Volvo Trucks’ Dublin plant that they are looking at what social distancing steps would need to be taken if the decision to resume production was taken. The plant has a workforce of 2800 people, he informed. With borders within the Schengen area and between the European Union, and the rest of the world, partially or completely closed, truck and bus services in Europe have been largely affected. If land transport involving trucks is being maintained to not let the supply chain collapse, it is not devoid of disruptions and slowdowns. Disruptions and slowdowns Heightened border control, sanitary measures (temperature measurements by drivers, etc.) and special arrangements Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // June 2020
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(closure of certain border posts and detours, and the unavailability of drivers) has led to disruptions and slowdowns in the movement of trucks across Europe. It has also led to the floating of a proposal of designated ‘Green Lanes’ at the borders for the transportation of goods in EU. If such a measure could ease some of the difficulties faced by the logistics sector – truck fleets especially, as many European countries have sealed their borders with neighbouring nations most affected with Novel Coronavirus, the road ahead of the CV industry and the Logistics sector looks challenging, at least for some months ahead. The fact that many European countries have enforced
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measures like checking the temperature of drivers and verifying their recent activities systemically at the border control, is adding to the woes of the Logistics sector. Not stopping at that, many countries in Europe have framed rules like drivers not exiting the transit area, and to take the shortest route to the border when passing through. While European nations like Bulgaria have taken to escorting transitioning, some countries have been escorting trucks to their unloading point. The economic damage caused by the suspension of bus services in Europe may be hard to calculate at this moment in time, the good part is, most EU countries were quick to define the rules and regulations relating to the freight
of essential items. They were quick and in unison to exempt trucks ferrying essential goods from restrictions. With countries like Denmark closing down some of its borders and ensuring the entry of trucks through Frøslev (E45) only, the number of canceled sailings reached unprecedented levels by early April 2020. And, this is not the case only in Denmark, but through much of Europe starting mid-March and continuing into April. Coming to face some unprecedented challenges in the days leading into the arrival and spread of Covid-19 virus in Europe, the truck transportation industry (as part of the logistics sector in Europe) has been one of the business areas that has borne the most brunt. It all started with
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custom clearance ports seizing to function at full capacity across EU, mentioned an International Road Transport Union (IRU) source. The transport of goods by road was affected, he informed. He also pointed at the establishment of COVID-19 Info Hub, a global source of first-hand, real-time updates by, and for, the commercial road transport sector by IRU in cooperation with its members and partners in Europe. In the wake of the effects of Covid-19, IRU has urged governments to designate road transport as a key service, to recognise the vital role of CV drivers, treat and protect transport workers as key workers during the Covid-19 response, guarantee the safety and wellbeing of drivers through cross-
border logistics, offer priority government support to road transport small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) and provide respectful treatment and working conditions for drivers. Affecting over 1.1 million jobs in the automotive manufacturing sector in EU, and a good number of jobs in the road transportation space as well with a drastic drop in utilisation level, the real damage Novel Coronavirus has caused seems to be incalculable in terms of lives as well as economics. It is like a mega tornado reaping through the
continent. With governments as well their authorities working closely with the logistics sector in Europe to keep the supply chain from completely breaking down, a ray of hope is had from how the e-commerce players are witnessing their business climb. Taking to prioritise the supply of goods, e-commerce players like the Ocado of UK have witnessed exceptional high since the pandemic touched down in Europe. Expressed an Ocado source, more people than usual seem to be placing particularly orders. Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // June 2020
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All images are for representative purpose only.
In focus
Public transport amid Covid-19 Cut to the bare minimum amid the fight against Covid-19, public transport has begun to shift gears. Bhushan Mhapralkar
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errying essential services staff with the necessary social distancing and other precautions, public transport was compelled to operate at its bare minimum through the later part of March, the whole
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of April and the beginning of May. The news of operation of special trains for migrant workforce by the Government in May meant public transport buses would need to run to ensure that they reach the respective railway station
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from various parts of a city or town. Starting from this point, as the country moves into the fourth phase of the lockdown amid the fight against Covid-19, public transport – buses especially have been shifting gears. The rising level
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of their operation has been supported by announcements like the opening of various routes and national highways. The concept of a national highway in India differing from those found in most advanced countries, many public transport buses in India use national and state highways as part of their route planning. Stating that they have opened the national highways in response to a dialogue call by BOCI recently, the central transport minister Nitin Gadkari expressed that they were reviewing public transport operations with due for maintaining social distance and adopting safety measures such as washing
hands, sanitising, wearing of face masks, etc. In response to a short presentation by Rupa Nandy, Head, UITP, which highlighted countries that have continued to operate public transport despite fairing worse than India in Covid-19 numbers, albeit with precautionary measures to reduce vulnerability, Gadkari mentioned that they were looking at the change resulting from industries starting operations. This, he averred, would arrest the migrant of workforce and provide good impetus to public transport. Touching upon the subject of viability of bus operations in view of them running at half
the capacity due to social distancing measures among others, the minister said, “The efforts of the Government to start industrial operations, open up the highways, resume trading activities, and activities related to exports and imports, should renew the trust of the people apart from curbing migration.� Restoring trust and operate-ability Pointing at the other part of Nandy’s presentation regarding restoration of trust, demand management, public transport workforce, supply, and financial and institutional support, Gadkari expressed that efforts to
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regularize various activities, including the industrial activities, should ensure trust, demand and the operateability of public transport. To Gerald Ollivier, Lead Transport Specialist (India), World Bank, about keeping cities moving by containing Covid-19 and ensuring financial survival, Gadkari expressed that they are studying economic viability of buses operating at half their capacity. On the subject of operation and service delivery, fleet management, crew management, financial management (loan and capital), and government support (in terms of insurance, taxes and technologies like contactless ticketing) by Ollivier, the minister explained that it is indeed a tough balancing act to protect from Covid-19, and to deliver satisfactory service and ensure economic viability at same time. “We will all have to work together to achieve the desired result,” he added. In view of the five ideas – Covid-19 prepardness,
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digitisation, establishment of a recovery scheme by leveraging crude oil price drop, development of a national bus rejuvenation programme, and investment in walk-ability and cycling – Olliver floated in his presentation, the transport minister stated that his Government has been encouraging city bus operations on the lines of
London bus programme, which is a Private-Public Equity (PPE) venture. “A start has been made,” he quipped. Responding to the suggestions of Prasanna Patwardhan’s (Chairperson & Managing Director, The Prasanna Group) for registering BSIV buses post their body construction, implementation of one taxone nation and one permit,
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increase in speed limit in-line with the new highways, allow local building of buses of up to 35 m length, toll holiday for next six months, increase in the age of buses from eight to 15 years, address payment dues for PPE ventures, increasing insurance policy validity, extending MSME benefits to bus operators (as most of them are of the same stature), and financial gap funding, the transport minister said that he would follow up on the same. Extending life of buses built to international standards Of the opinion that the speed limit should be 100 kmph on the modern highways in the country, Gadkari mentioned that the matter regarding speed limit is in front of the Supreme Court. He assured that his ministry will check on the same, and take a decision thereafter if the speed limit on highways could be increased to 100 kmph. Gadkari said that they would look into
the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court and then arrive at a decision of whether the speed limit on highways can be increased. Pointing out to the Supreme Court order in response to the query by Patwardhan and K Srinivas Reddy, Managing Director, Veera Vahana, regarding registration of BSIV buses post their body construction, the transport minister mentioned that he would
check if there was a way out. Stating that buses built to international standards are found to be in good operating condition even after 15 years of their age, Gadkari said that he would instruct his department to check if the life of the buses built to international standards could be fixed at 15 years as is the case in overseas markets. The current life of buses in India, across the board, is eight
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In focus years. In response to the suggestion by O P Agarwal, CEO, World Resources India, about public transport operating at 1/3rd the capacity, and if buses that are idling could be pressed into urban operations (including those that belong to private players) to ensure better financial viability, the transport minister stated that he would look into extending the benefits enjoyed by MSMEs to bus operators. Rather than comment on Agarwal’s suggestion to evaluate bus services vis-à vis metro services in terms of financial viability, the minister reiterated that the country is going through a challenging period. In such a scenario, he expressed that not much could be done about extending the insurance policy tenure and loan and toll waiver even though such a demand is justifiable. He reasoned that it is not just the country, but even the world that is going through a challenging period. Stating that some state governments simply do not have funds even to pay the salaries of their employees, Gadkari said that it is essential that all the stakeholders work in unison to move forward. Blessing in disguise Expressing that the revenue of the Central Government has dropped drastically, and that the banking system is facing problems, the transport minister explained that he would communicate with the insurance sector on the basis on reduction in accidents due to the lockdown, the
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benefit of which could be passed on to CV operators in the interest of enhancing their financial viability. The minister added that he would take up the suggestions given by the stakeholders with his secretary Priyank Mehta and see what solutions could be had. Stating that they would recommend the finance ministry on matters that are beyond their ambit, Gadkari said that a blessing in disguise is the shift of attention of many auto firms from China to other neighbouring locations. Drawing attention to the announcement of financial package by Japan to encourage its industries to shift out of China, he reiterated that their decision to invest in India will be a
Commercial Vehicle June 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in
blessing in disguise. Revealing that the suggestions received from the transport industry stakeholders that are beyond the ambit of the transport ministry have been shared with the finance ministry and the PMO, the transport minister Nitin Gadkari responded to a query by Harsh Kotak, Treasurer, BOCI, by expressing that any help received from the World Bank towards public transport will be routed to the respective industry stakeholders. The minister assured Nagpur Travels Association President Mahendra Lule that he would look into liberalising the permit system to ensure better financial viability of bus operators.
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Off highway
M&M tractors to fight Covid-19
M&M has donated six tractors and sprayers to MCGM to help it fight Covid-19.
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umbai, it is unfortunate but true, is at the forefront of the Covid-19 statistics. In early May, the financial capital of India reported 11,394 positive cases and 437 deaths, the daily count of deaths reaching its highest. The transmission of the virus in the mega city has already consumed one municipal commissioner and ensured that it is divided into seven zones with each IAS officer in charge. Fighting to protect a population that is estimated to be 20.4 million
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Deven Lad and growing, Mumbai as a mega city is fighting a fierce battle against an enemy that is invisible and highly active. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Mumbai has been getting support from diverse quarters in its fight against Covid-19. Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has donated six Jivo 245 DI tractors and six Grapemaster Blast+ sprayers to the city’s fire department. Used to spray disinfectants on the streets and in the localities of Mumbai to curb the spread of Novel
Coronavirus, the tractors, according to Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group, have come to support a cause greater than they would in usual times, used to spray crops. Enabling the city to effectively sanitise its road and localities in less time, the tractor and sprayer combination, according to Atul Sinha, Senior General Manager, M&M, is being used especially in containment areas, hospitals and designated market places. They are being used for sanitisation in the world’s
off highway
biggest slum, Dharavi, which is spread across an area of approximately 535 acres, he said. Adding to the fire department’s fleet of advanced fire engines and extinguishers, mist-blowing machines and hand-held pesticide sprayers, five multiple jet injector machines, etc., the six tractors and sprayers are proving to be of much use, mentioned a Mumbai Fire Brigade source. Informed Prahlad Rahangdale, Chief Fire Officer, Mumbai Fire Brigade, that they have 15 vehicles, including six Mahindra Jivo tractors and five Shaktiman Protektors. These are part of their quick response vehicles fleet to fight against Covid-19, he said. Used to spray a diluted mixture of sodium hypochlorite, a type of bleach which is highly effective for cleaning surfaces, the six tractors and sprayers donated by M&M have become a familiar site in many parts of
the mega city. Laced with exceptional features like Automatic Draft & Depth Control (ADDC), which aids the setting up of implements easily, the Jivo 245 DI is powered by a 24 hp, twocylinder 1.4-litre diesel engine
with a 22 hp PTO. If the power steering makes it easy to manoeuvre the tractor, the multiplate oil immersed brakes provide high grip and low slippage. With a hydraulic lifting capacity of 750 kgs, the tractor has a transmission with eight forward and four reverse ratios. The Grapemaster Blast+ sprayer, at the other end, is a tractor trailed sprayer for Vineyards. Lightweight and durable in its construction, the sprayer provides best output in both Y-shape and Mandap Vineyards. It comes equipped with a computer balanced fan with counter-veins and equaliser cone technology, giving uniform high volume air output for efficient chemical penetration with less load on the tractor.
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Technology
Mercedes-Benz Actros camera tech The new camera tech aboard the Mercedes-Benz Actros has changed the way trucks will be looked at hereafter. Bhushan Mhapralkar
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technology
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xtending a significant gain in the safety of those on board and those in the surrounding, the new Mercedes-Benz Actros has come to flaunt a new camera technology on board. What was being talked and experimented upon until have has to come to reach a certain commercialisation level on the Actros in the form of cameras positioned on the roof frame. The display of these cameras is a HD unit on the inside of the A-pillars of the Daimler’s flagship offering. Amounting to significant gains in terms of safety on account of higher visibility and lesser blind spots, the new camera tech on board the Actros has made those large elephant-ears like rearview wide-angle mirrors redundant. The result of this is a gain in aerodynamics and a subsequent decrease in fuel consumption. The camera technology, termed as MirrorCam, provides the driver of Actros an unobstructed view of the rear and the near surrounding area. Providing a distinct advantage at junctions and when manoeuvring past tight corners or narrow lanes, MirrorCam saves the truck driver the need to look as far to the right or left to see traffic to the rear. If the conventional mirrors are mounted in a fixed position, and can lead the driver to lose sight of the end of the semi-trailer when cornering, the MirrorCam swivels the image of the camera mounted toward the inside of the bend. The chances of driver losing sight are drastically minimised. The end of the trailer is in view even when manoeuvring past the corner. Set for standard semitrailers, but with the capability to individually regulate the swivel, MirrorCam marks a highly evolved technology in terms of adaptability. The swiveling happens on modern trailers automatically when they transmit their geometric data to the towing vehicle! In addition, the driver can move the swivel radius manually in the door operating unit using the side selection button and the four-way rocker switch. Advantage MirrorCam Capable of reducing the fuel consumption by as much as 1.5 per cent on the virtue of the absence of the large elephant-ears like rearview wide-angle mirrors, MirrorCam also offers the advantage of relieving the driver of the worry of misty or dirty mirrors and side windows. In trucks, due to the size of the mirrors and the windows, and the difficulty in reaching them, their misting or getting dirty has always been a problem drivers have been complaining about, especially in dusty terrains and in snowy or acute winter conditions. The high positioning of the cameras of the MirrorCam on the Actros make them fairly immune to Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // June 2020
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Technology occurrences of them getting dirty or inefficient in their function. Above the camera lens is a small roof. There’s a special coating in addition. The digital transmission of the image to a display in the cab means misting and dirt could hardly affect at all. Of particular help during cold or damp days is the fact that the cameras come with an automatic heating property. They are heated when the temperatures fall below 15 degrees Celsius. Like the reverse or parking cameras in most cars, the MirrorCam technology has distance indicator lines on the display. These help the drivers to estimate the distances behind the truck, and are in the form of three fixed lines in parallel, and one above the other rather than the horizontal parallel lines found on most car reverse camera system. The driver of the Actros can adjust these lines to precisely mark the end of the vehicle before starting a journey. Used in combination with the information shown in the displays by the assistance systems, the driver better assess three typical situations – judging if there is sufficient distance to move out to the left, the distance at the rear of the vehicle when manoeuvring, and is it possible as well as safe to merge to the inside lane after overtaking. The beauty of the MirrorCam given the three typical situations mentioned above is its ability to work under different lighting conditions. The high light transmission of the cameras provides the system with an advantage in residual light situations. In situations at dusk, that is. Often described as twilight conditions where it could be very difficult to judge distances and situations, jeopardizing safety thus.
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MirrorCam has reduced dangerous blindspots through its 360 degree camera technology, and even in seemingly low light conditions.
Commercial Vehicle June 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in
Technology and times of day, there could be a good reason to adjust the brightness of displays. However the factor of noise has got the developers of the technology to look at newer avenues of overcoming the challenge.
Brighter is better If it would be difficult for the driver of a semi-trailer to judge distance and what is behind the truck or on the near and far side in a twilight time zone, the MirrorCam displays show an image that is much brighter than the natural light. The driver thus receives better information about his surroundings than he would from a mirror. What is more advantageous is the adjust-ability of the brightness in regards to the prevailing light conditions in a step-less manner. The driver of the Actros is not dazzled thus. Working on open roads, and in tunnels, MirrorCam
camera technology on the Actros is yet to gain in conditions when it is completely dark. When it is completely dark outside, the MirrorCam shows areas illuminated by the vehicle itself – just like a conventional mirror. Development in the direction of providing the driver with a good image at night is on. The maximum image information stage that the developers have reached until now is beset by a little image noise. Efforts are being made to ensure that there is as less noise as possible. If adjusting the brightness of the display help? Given the varying perception, weather conditions
Brightness adjustment In conditions other than complete darkness, the displays could provide the driver of the Actros with a good deal of advantage by adjusting their brightness. This is done simply via the right-hand touchscreen display or the multifunction steering wheel. If necessary, the brightness of the right-hand and left-hand display can be adjusted differently. A virtual slide controller can be accessed for this to be done, via the menu, ‘Display and Brightness’. In terms of clarity, drivers may find the monitor images to be not as clear as their smartphones. That is not exactly the case however. It is because, what the truck drivers are used to in the way of looking in a mirror is more decisive than the pixel density. With a screen diagonal of 15.2 inches (38.6 cm), MirrorCam tech corresponds approximately with the previous mirror form. In doing so, the distance and speed of a vehicle to the rear can be estimated. It can be estimated using size and change in size. In case of the comparison of the display with the smartphone screen, it needs to be considered that many modern smartphone displays show a pixel-per-inch ratio that is often beyond the resolution power of the user’s eye. Also the device lies in the user’s hand, so that the distance to the eye is very small. In case of MirrorCam tech, the displays are at a considerable distance. This makes it possible that the eye could miss out on some extremely finite details making it look like the displays are lacking somewhat in clarity. Given the fact that the pixel-perinch ratio shown by many modern Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // June 2020
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Technology
smartphones is often beyond the resolution power of the eye, a pixel number similar to that of a smartphone is not at all necessary for MirrorCam. Fitted on a truck model that was judged by the Europe-based ITOY consortium as the International Truck of the Year, and of which CV magazine is the India representative, MirrorCam tech has garnered a highly positive response from the trucking community and others for a big reason. Acting as a central safety system that is designed for reliability, MirrorCam is made highly promising on the Actros by the fact that it has successfully completed all of the specified registration
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procedures. As it stands today, it has left the smartphones behind with its ability to be intelligent in the application it is meant to accomplish. Accounting for the fact that the area that can be seen changes in the case of mirrors with every change of driver, MirrorCam tech ensures that irrespective of which driver is at the wheel, he or she sees the same image. Defying physics? Much attention has been paid to overcome the simple physics that applies to convention mirrors – the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection, while developing MirrorCam tech. The
driver of the Actros will thus see the same image, and in every position, courtesy the camera and screen combination as well as ability to set individually the field of vision using the door operating unit. If the driver shifts the field of vision so far that legal stipulations are no longer fulfilled, a note on the display indicates the same immediately. The mirrors would never be able to indicate the same. By pressing and holding the function button, MirrorCam quickly returns to standard setting. Engineered to provide the same results to the driver wearing glasses, MirrorCam tech will take some time getting used to though for such drivers.
Technology
Given the new angle of vision and distances, it is also possible that some drivers would initially find it difficult to reverse in a straight line using the technology. The fact that MirrorCam offers two views when manoeuvring backwards could help. In the standard setting the large main display shows the area directly around the truck and the lower section the further surroundings. This view proves its value particularly when the driver reverses around a bend. However if the driver is reversing in a straight line, it is often better to deactivate this function. This is simply done by using a button in the door operating unit.
Taking some time to get used to, MirrorCam offers a number of possibilities in comparison to mirrors. Cameras located somewhat further beyond the outer edges of the vehicle than mirrors ensure that they can help with a better view than the mirrors when reversing in a straight line. Initially, the driver could simply glance alternately at both displays like he would do in the case of mirrors. An amount of experimentation when the Actros was launched revealed that some drivers, used to looking at rear view mirror systems, felt that they were driving at an angle after looking at only one of the MirrorCam displays while reversing whereas they were actually driving in a straight line. Made interesting by the fact that MirrorCam and Sideguard Assist work together, the same displays
work for the two. While Sideguard Assist supports drivers by drawing their attention to stationary or moving objects and persons in the monitored area to the far side of the truck when there is a risk of collision. The MirrorCam display shows these warnings in visual form. The driver thus receives all information bundled together in one place. Working even when the engine is witched off, the driver of the Actros can activate the system for two minutes using a switch by the bed and on the co-driver’s side. The area surrounding the vehicle is thus in view, and indicates of any suspicious activity involving the truck or its load. The system starts automatically when the door is opened, and makes it safe to exit the vehicle at all times.
MirrorCam has enhanced aerodynamics, and has in-turn lowered fuel consumption.
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international
VolVo FlowBelow TracTor aeroKiT To improve aerodynamics and fuel efficiency, Volvo Trucks North America has added the ‘FlowBelow Tractor AeroKit’ to its trucks.
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Team CV
elebrating the success with over 200,000 connected vehicles in North America, Volvo Trucks has premiered a ‘FlowBelow Tractor AeroKit’ for its trucks in the respective market. Displaying the ‘FlowBelow Tractor AeroKit’ at the North American Commercial Vehicle (NACV) show in Atlanta, Georgia, the company has also highlighted its connection with FlowBelow Aero, Inc. for the same. Claimed to be in-line with Volvo’s strategy to respond to the
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changing market trends, the ‘FlowBelow Tractor AeroKit’ is engineered to tackle the challenges faced by Volvo heavy-duty truck operators, which include high turbulence and drag because of their size and speed. Built to enhance the aerodynamics and overall efficiency such that it would positively influence the TCO, the ‘FlowBelow Tractor AeroKit’ for trucks offered by Volvo in North America by FlowBelow Aero, Inc. could well be a step in the right direction. Expressed Josh Butler, President
international and Founder, FlowBelow Aero, Inc., “The FlowBelow Tractor AeroKit significantly optimises the surface along the side of the truck to make it more aerodynamic, leading to better fuel mileage and real savings for customers.” “It will be offered as a factory installed option for the VNL and VNR models starting from the second quarter of 2020,” he added. Significantly enhancing the aerodynamic support, according to Allison Athey, Product Marketing Manager, Volvo Trucks North America, the FlowBelow package is designed to provide an additional one-per cent increase in fuel efficiency. Found in the form of wheel covers and fairings, the new FlowBelow kit will be also be offered in the form of a full FlowBelow Tractor AeroKit. This would include the Xceed fuel efficiency package as well. Offered as a customer option for truck orders in 4x2, 6x2, and 6x4 axle configurations starting early 2020, the product has been designed using advanced computational fluid dynamics. Said to include four quick-release aerodynamic wheel covers and a pair of tandem fairings installed on the tractor that work together as a complete
aerodynamic system to address the complex airflow around the exposed rear wheels of the tractor, the AeroKit contains FlowBelow’s patented ‘push and turn’ quick-release latching system. The system provides quick access to the wheels. Available with a variety of styling options, which include wheel covers available in black, white and chrome colour, and fairings that are available in black and white, the AeroKit takes into consideration the preferences of the fleet operators. Especially when it comes to addressing the branding requirements of the operators. The colours of the wheel covers for example. The wheel covers as well as the fairing could be customised. It could be customised to ensure that it betters integrates itself with other aerodynamic devices. Claimed to be durable and flexible, the wheel covers and the fairing offer good resistance against the bad road conditions, debris and contaminants too. Easily accessible to drivers and mechanics, the AeroKit could be installed within an hour without the need of drilling or welding. The tandem fairings, fenders and wheel covers are made from 100 per cent rust proof polyethylene. Built to ensure superior durability, the AeroKit is also equipped with a tangible splash and spray suppression. It improves visibility for the drivers in wet driving conditions. Known to be a new standard in tractor efficiency, the kit provides an option for wide base, duals, lift axles and tag axles. Said to have heavy duty springloaded mud-flap hangers for increased vehicle uptime, the kit is compatible with tyre chains, ice, snow and extreme weather. Claim sources that the AeroKit has the potential to save the trucking industry over USD-one billion per year in fuel costs and in-turn a significant reduction in the industry’s carbon emissions.
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international
DAF celebrates 250,000 space cab journey DAF is celebrating its 250,000 super space cabs by introducing a celebration edition.
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oved by the drivers, the DAF super space cab has crossed the 250,000th milestone since its inception in 1985. To commemorate its success the CV major has announced the launch of a special edition. Found on the XF, the special edition super space cab comprises of luxurious appointments. Marking a special version of the largest and most comfortable cab on the market, the DAF special edition super space cab has a luxuriously trimmed interior as its highlight. Among other things, it includes the cognac-coloured leather
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Team CV package as standard. Marking the journey that began in 1985, the special edition super space cab reflects on DAF’s thinking about driver safety and comfort, and how it came to be some three decades back. Appearing in response to the thought process of how to offer the driver the very highest comfort, the super space cab has been setting the standard ever since. When it first found its way on the DAF 3600 in 1985, it unleashed a silent revolution. The super space cab on that truck platform set a new standard in terms of interior space by
offering a raised roof. This greatly elevated driver comfort. Going a step further in 1994, DAF reengineered the super space cab to set new standards once again with a high and wide stance. The cab cubed out at 10.2m, beating the Renault Magnum, MAN Roadhaus, Mercedes-Benz Eurocab, Iveco Ford EuroStar, Volvo FH Globetrotter and Scania Topline Streamline. Headroom over the engine hump was 1.93 m and the bottom bunk was a generous 2.05 m in length and 810 mm in width. The top bunk measured 1.92 m long and 700 mm wide.
International Incorporating three deep lockers over the windscreen, space for a 24V microwave oven in the centre locker, deep pockets over the doors, and a storage bin for the centre console, the DAF super space cab in 1994 featured electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors, ECAS electronically controlled cab air suspension, red internal night lighting, electrically operated roof hatch and windows, and air conditioning as standard. Providing space cavernous enough for the driver to spend several weeks away from home, the DAF super space cab in 1994 once again set loose a competition that would not only profit the driver in terms of comfort and safety, but also elevate the overall engineering and self-regulatory standards of the European trucking industry. It would also influence various other markets of the world. It would define what it is to call a cab as an ideal space for the driver.
Ideal place for the driver The latest special edition super space cab on the XF may be a far cry from the 1994 edition, it is nevertheless a step in the same direction and with the same ethos, that of providing the driver with comfort and safety. Loved by drivers for a reason, the special edition cab is ergonomically far superior. It is also beautifully decorated and extremely spacious. With a volume of no less than 12.6 cu. m., which makes it the most spacious on the market, the special edition super space cab offers an impressive standing room of 2.23 m. There is no less than 925-litres of storage space. It is equipped with two generous beds, the lower one being 80 cm wide and 2.20 m long. Offered with a deep mattress as standard, the cab sets superlative standards in comfort and safety yet. Not without reason therefore that half of all DAF XFs are ordered in the super space cab guise. The DAF XF super space cab celebration edition is had in a 4x2 FT tractor guise and in a 6x2 FTG
tractor guise. Also had in various kinds of rigid configurations, the special edition cab as part of the XF platform is powered by the PACCAR MX-11 unit that produces 450 hp. The PACCAR MX-13 engine, which produces 480 hp or 530 hp is also there. Striking a rare combination of power, lower TCO and comfort, the XF celebration edition super space cab has its trim specific to the market or country. This is part of DAF’s thinking about including local cultural trends in the design such that it suits the local customer preferences. Equipped with a beautiful exclusive interior that includes the beautiful cognac-coloured leather package as mentioned above, the special edition cab is made super comfortable by a 15 cm deep comfort mattress for maximum sleeping comfort. In terms of driving aids, the truck features the fast DAF TNR navigation system, the most extensive climate control including operation from the rear wall and an impressively large refrigerator as standard.
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international
DAF CF Hybrid starts field trials By starting field trials of its CF Hybrid, DAF is looking at extending the promise of zero emissions in the city and long range outside urban areas.
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he recent changes in customer demand and a weaker outlook for the global economy due to the coronavirus pandemic may have compelled PACCAR
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Team CV Inc. to suspend truck and engine production facilities at its factories worldwide through much of April 2020. The CV major in February put its CF Hybrid truck on field trials. It
did so with the aim to gain daily use experience and extend the promise of zero emission in the city and long range outside urban areas. Lending two CF Hybrids to Dutch transport operator Peter
International Appel to supply supermarkets in the heart of the Netherlands, DAF kicked-off the trials with much confidence about the ability of the trucks to pass the trials with flying colours. Showcasing the CF Hybrid at the Hannover CV show, Germany, in 2018, along with the LH Electric and CF Electric in a bid to showcase its ability to innovate as well as look at how the future of trucking would look like, the CF Hybrid has been a key innovative product since the time it was born on the drawing board. Drawing from the conventional CF, which is DAF’s flagship product and designed for a wide variety of applications, the CF Hybrid is powered by an 85 kWh battery pack, which allows for a full electric, zero emission range of 30 to 50 kilometers, depending on the Gross Combination Weight. This setup is aimed at urban city operation. For long distance travel, the innovative truck is powered by the clean and efficient PACCAR MX-11 diesel engine, where the hybrid technology provides additional fuel savings thanks to the smart energy management.
Using clean diesel technology out of town thus and being 100 per cent electric in urban areas, the two XF Hybrids with Peter Appel are contributing to the operator’s efforts to reduce CO2. Combining the best of both worlds, according to a DAF source, the CF Hybrid’s PACCAR MX-11 10.8-litre engine produces 450 hp, and is located longitudinally at the front in what could be termed as a fairly conventional set up. It routes power through a dedicated ZF TraXon gearbox for hybrid drivelines. The ZF electric motor that can produce a maximum power of 175 hp is coupled to the gearbox, realising a wellengineered hybrid arrangement that is compact and reliable. Ensuring long range and flexibility outside urban areas, and a silent as well as zero emission operation in cities, the two CF hybrid trucks on trial with Peter Appel have added to its fleet of 680 trucks. Drawing much attention as they go about ferrying cargo, the two trucks are providing DAF immense knowledge and data to further its hybrid strategy. What would
perhaps be the most interesting part of this process is the realtime display of charging abilities by the trucks. The 85 kWh battery pack on either truck can be charged by the diesel engine during on-highway operations, and by using a DC charger at a charging location. Either truck is also designed with a fast charge capability that takes 30 minutes for a full charge and only 20 minutes for a charge of up to 80 per cent. Recharging while driving or at charging station On the move, and as the truck’s governing system detects that the battery’s charging has fallen beyond a certain point, the diesel engine is activated to propel the truck. The process of diesel engine coming in also takes place under certain load and road conditions, and at what speed the truck is moving (speeds outside cities are often higher to activate the diesel engine). With the diesel engine propelling the truck, the electric motor functions as a generator and delivers energy to the battery pack. While a combination where
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international the diesel engine and the electric motor work in unison to provide enough propelling power and realise CO2 saving is also there, the CF Hybrid is also equipped with ability to fast charge. This function however is not being currently tried out, claimed the DAF source. He said that their endeavor would be to explore that charging technology too in the future as it would help them gather more information. On a full charge, either CF hybrid truck in the Peter Appel fleet can travel between 30 and 50 km on electricity. If the traffic conditions allow for such an operation, or if the desired mileage is achieved, is something that neither Peter Appel nor DAF may be in a position to reveal as of now, the fact is, the data the two trucks continue to generate is certain to help DAF further fine tune its hybrid strategy. Mentioned the DAF source that
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Commercial Vehicle June 2020 // www.commercialvehicle.in
a lot depends on the amount of load the truck-trailer combination is subjected to. It may not be the same time and again. The nature of the cargo may vary. What is being looked into therefore is if the electric range of 30 to 50 km is enough for an urban passage given the GCW of each of the two CF Hybrid truck-trailers. So far the trials have indicated that the 30 to 50 km electric range is more than enough to drive into and out of urban areas without producing any tailpipe emissions. Smart energy management If the PACCAR MX-11 diesel engine offers a long range outside urban areas, the hybrid technology onboard either of the two CF Hybrid trucks ensures extra fuel savings through smart energy management. The energy that is generated by the engine brake as well as by the ‘Down Hill Speed Control’ is used by the electric motor to support the diesel engine. This is beneficial both in terms of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Mentioned Marcel Pater, Fleet Manager, Peter Appel Transport, that together with their client Albert Heijn, they are always looking at ways to reduce the CO2 footprint, and the two CF Hybrid trucks have provided them yet another opportunity to
do so. “As part of our 680 truck fleet, the two CF Hybrids, said Pater, are proving advantageous for urban distribution as well as for longer routes. Peter Appel is exploring the opportunities provided by the two hybrid trucks when it comes to the needs of their client. It is also exploring new opportunities in distribution given some of the unique abilities of the two hybrid trucks within Netherlands as well as outside of Netherlands. Daily use Providing a new insight into the application of new edge technologies to tackle the challenge of climate change, the two CF Hybrid 4x2 tractor-trailer combinations are used daily by Peter Appel. Highlighting the fact that no single technology will apply to all in the future, the two CF Hybrid 4x2 trucks are proving to be as reliable and dependable as their conventional brethren. Expressed Ron Borsboom, Executive Director - Product Development, DAF, “For a cleaner future, there is no one single technological solution for the broad spectrum of transport requirements.” “It is therefore that we are testing different technologies,” he averred. Stating that electrification is a good alternative for urban distribution, clean diesel technology is an excellent option for longer distances, in part due to new types of fuel, explained Borsboom. He informed that for the long term they are looking closely at hydrogen as well. “With the field test of the CF Hybrid, we want to assess not only its electric/diesel technology performance but also how suitable it is in terms of daily use by our clients,” Borsboom signed off.
flashback
Tata LP 1210 E in a heavyweight cameo
G
ola Barood literally means ammunition. The director David Dhawan ensured the plot of the 1989 released movie with a strong working title was equally done justice with. Together with Anwar Khan and PD Mehra, the dialogue and screenplay were penned to make it a successful multi-starrer, commercial potboiler. The end result at the box office naturally appealed to the masses. Starring yesteryear greats like Shatrughan Sinha and Kimi Katkar and then young sensations Chunkey Pandey and Sonam, the movie had a strong ensemble of veteran supporting actors too, lending to the narrative. Tata LP 1210 E painted in a bright shade of metallic blue joined the star cast in a heavyweight cameo. Playing its part with aplomb, the latter held its own in a well-crafted action chase sequence, leaving a lasting impression. An honest truck driver, Shambhu, played by Sinha, is on the steering wheel of the Tata LP 1210 E loaded with drugs. He has the cops on his tail. To prove his loyalty to Davar, played by late national award holder Sadashiv Dattaray Amrapurkar, Shambhu took up the tricky task deemed as mission impossible. He vows to free Davar’s consignment held captive by the cops at a warehouse in Vashi. To free the consignment valued at five crores, Shambhu doles out one trick after the other to skillfully manoeuvre the CV out of the heavily guarded
warehouse. He takes the highway where the chase continues but the cops fail to close upon him. Shambhu lives up to his promise and safely reaches the truckload to an elated Davar. In return, Davar inducts him as a loyalist in his team. The Tata LP 1210 E that Shambhu drove has been a popular mainstay for Tata Motors. Offered in cowl form, operators preferred to have local bodybuilders build a wooden and iron rigid body over it as seen in the rushes. Inheriting parts commonality from the semi-forward control 1210 SE, the truck drew power from a 4.6-litre OM 312, six-cylinder diesel engine. Rated for a peak power of 90 hp at 2800 rpm and a peak torque of 277 Nm at 1400-1600 rpm, the engine was mated to a five-speed transmission. Brakes on the truck were of hydraulic assist type with a single chamber air pressure booster. Suspension on the truck was made up of semi-elliptic, silicon-manganese leaf springs coupled with hydraulic dampers. The front suspension constituted of 12 leaves with the rear known to feature wider and thicker 10 main leaves and seven auxiliary leaves.
Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in // June 2020
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