31 minute read
NEWS FROM THE MONTH
NEED FOR GREATER TRANSPARENCY IN GCC / PIONEER AUCTIONS EXPANDS B2B OFFERING TIER SET FOR FIFA WORLD CUP MATCH UP / BEEAH GROUP FORMED IN UAE
NETWORK
CarSwitch calls for ‘greater transparency’ in used car market
CARS
A new report by CarSwitch is calling for greater transparency in the $16 billion GCC used car industry.
The survey of 1,000 UAE residents, CarSwitch’s second study looked at purchasing behaviour, found the leading issue, among all buyers, was the need for greater levels of trust and transparency in the auto sector.
The study polled 1,024 UAE Drivers aged 25-plus in the UAE and found that 58% cited quality and reliability as the leading factor when looking to buy a used car with the ability to see full accident and service histories being the key priority.
Nearly 60% of respondents across all ages and nationalities identified quality and reliability as key concerns when buying a used car. The 25-34 group were most cautious at 59% with the 35-44 group just behind at 55%. Asian-Pacific respondents led the field from a geographic perspective (59%). Both buyers and sellers remain male-focused, women 62% felt greater clarity when seeing condition reports, accidents and service histories was vital.
“Our business was built on the market need to drive more value, quality and transparency in the market,” said Imad Hammad, Founder and CEO, CarSwitch.
“Peace of mind is a key issue for buyers and sellers in an industry that has been reliant on dealers. By incorporating technology at the heart of our business, we can empower our customers to take full control of their transactions while ensuring that they can do so safely and securely.”
CarSwitch’s report is part of the ongoing GCC-wide research into changing consumer priorities and is the foundation of their new Get More Campaign, which provides customers with even greater detail about their deals. The launch of the 360 feature for private sellers gives customers even higher direct confidence in buying used cars.
Over the last five years, CarSwitch has grown from a startup to a business with over 500k app users and an annual turnover approaching $100m. It is one of the highest-rated automotive experiences in both iOS App and Google Play Store.
Following CarSwitch’s successful KSA launch, the GET MORE Campaign will roll out across the UAE and KSA from January 2022, and the firm is looking to roll out new features to cater to the needs of the growing KSA market.
UN ECONOMISTS: GLOBAL TRADE WORTH ABOUT $28 TRN IN 2021, AN INCREASE OF 23% OVER 2020, BUT 2022 OUTLOOK VERY UNCERTAIN
TIER ‘PROVES’ MICROMOBILITY CAN BE FIFA WORLD CUP KEY PLAYER
MICROMOBILITY
A tournament organised as a dress rehearsal for the FIFA World Cup 2022 has proven that micromobility can play a key role when it begins next year, according to the organisers and TIER, one of Europe’s leading shared micro-mobility providers.
The German company supplied this year’s FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021 with the brand’s environmentally-friendly, greener transportation alternative for staff to seamlessly move around the event with zero carbon emissions.
This comes as part of the agreement TIER has with the Supreme Committee to support the event’s goals of having a low impact on the environment.
The Arab Cup matches took place in six World Cup stadiums across the country, including Al Bayt, Al Thumama, Ahmad Bin Ali, Education City, Stadium 974, and Al Janoub. The decision to provide these industry-leading e-scooters at the event comes in line with Qatar’s vision to organise a carbonneutral and sustainable World Cup.
The launch of the e-scooters in Qatar, in March 2021 comes in accordance with the country’s goal to protect the environment by achieving a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. TIER is the first micro-mobility provider to be fully climate-neutral, setting the industry standards in sustainability and tech innovation, assisting Qatar with a positive step towards reaching its carbon emissions target. In parallel to Qatar’s climate change action plan, the country is set to deliver the first Sustainability Strategy for a carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup in the history of the event.
PIONEER AUCTIONS EXPANDS B2B OFFERING
BEE’AH TRANSITIONS TO BEEAH GROUP
AUCTIONS
UAE government-accredited auction house, Pioneer Auctions has revealed it recently expanded its platform offerings for the car industry market by adding new and pre-approved in-demand and niche products, “which are sought by general consumers and businesses alike.”
Pioneer Auctions launched a mobile app version of its car auctioning platform last month, providing users with a more seamless online bidding and item listing experience.
In addition to making its digital auction service accessible on a 24/7 basis for buyers and sellers, the mobile app has been developed to utilise the latest AucTech auctioneering technology.
Users can purchase and sell a variety of items on Pioneer Auctions’ interactive website or mobile application under five key categories; Vehicles, Number Plates, Building & Construction, Marine and General Items. For General Items, users can expect to find items such as IT equipment, furniture, metal and machinery, for Building & Construction; cranes, generators, MEP material and heavy machinery are displayed for sale and purchase.
Established in 2008, Pioneer Auctions was one of the first auction houses in the UAE to allow customers to bid in real-time, through its live-streaming services.
FLEET
Bee’ah, the Sharjah-based sustainability firm, has announced its transformation into the BEEAH Group, adopting the structure of an investment holding company and a new visual identity.
As BEEAH Group, the organisation is unifying its growing businesses across industries and countries, including operations in UAE, KSA, Egypt and global joint ventures, a statement said.
HE Salim bin Mohamed Al Owais, Chairman of the Board of Directors at BEEAH Group, said: “This new structure and identity highlights our journey as an organisation over the past decade, while ushering in the next future-ready chapter. We have now evolved from a business with operations across future-critical industries, into a holding group of businesses that are shaping the future of these industries in the Middle East and beyond.”
Since its founding over a decade ago, BEEAH has been driven by national, regional and global sustainability agendas. The company has established itself as a leader in the waste management industry, its first core business, while diversifying into new industries such as clean energy, environmental consulting, technology, and green mobility.
BEEAH’s waste management businesses have achieved a 76% waste diversion rate in the emirate of Sharjah alone, the highest in the Middle East. Soon, BEEAH will launch its first clean energy project, the Sharjah Waste to Energy plant, which will realise the target of 100% waste diversion for the emirate and make it the first zerowaste city in the Middle East.
BINA READY MIX EXPANDS PRODUCTION
RTA OPENS $1.4BN INFINITY BRIDGE
FLEET
KiCE Construction, one of the largest equipment dealers and manufacturers in Saudi Arabia, is set to supply Bina Ready Mix Company with two new batching plants for a mega project in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
As a leading producer and supplier of ready mix concrete in Saudi Arabia, Bina is working on the Al Narjis Residential Compound project, which features 162 residential units, including 31 villas and 131 apartments.
Sales Director Engineer Hany Mongy said: “With the help of our concrete batching plant, Bina will not only increase their capacity for their ready-mix concrete business but also continue to produce the concrete for their Residential Compound Project.”
The company has a major presence in the Saudi market due to its integrated highly experienced team of administrators and technical competencies who strive to provide the highest quality of services, comprehensive products, and technical support to a wide range of projects, he added.
KiCE Construction boasts a dedicated and knowledgeable team that helps customers to get the best products available in the market from top global equipment brands including Snowkey, Zenith, Mcneilus, Volucon and Junjin Truck mounted pumps, he concluded.
ROAD NETWORK
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has opened the Infinity Bridge, a key component of its Al Shindagha Corridor Project, which spans 13 kilometres along Sheikh Rashid Street, Al Mina Street, Al Khaleej Street and Cairo Street, and has been built at an investment of USD$1.4 billion.
In a statement, the RTA said that the Infinity Bridge consists of six lanes in each direction. It features an architectural arch shaped in the form of the infinity symbol, which references the bridge’s inspiration of the infinity concept, which is symbolic of Dubai’s ‘unlimited ambitions.’
The Infinity Bridge supports the city’s development needs and improves the link between Deira and Bur Dubai by raising the total number of lanes cross Dubai Creek to 60 from 48. It can accommodate 24,000 vehicles per hour in both directions and also features a combined 3-metre wide track for pedestrians and cyclists.
The Al Shindagha Corridor Project is a key strategic project undertaken by RTA that consists of 11 phases. Construction work began in 2016 and will be completed by 2027, as per the urban development plan of the area. There are currently two circular roads to ease traffic flow and support economic activity in the city. The first is an external road that constitutes an extension of Sheikh Rashid Street and passes along Al Mina Street, Al Khaleej Street, Cairo Street and Al Ittihad Street.
KARWA MOTORS ADDS NIPPON PAINT ME TO BUS ASSEMBLY
BUSES
Nippon Paint Middle East and Karwa Motors have entered a partnership to create a strategic investment initiative for the assembly and manufacturing of buses in Oman. With funding and support by Qatar and Oman, Nippon Paint will work closely with Karwa Motors, in a green field project for bus assembly and manufacturing to “address the growing demand in the GCC and wider Middle East”.
The firms said Nippon Paint was preferred as the exclusive paint solutions partner for Karwa Motors thanks to its innovative product and technical solutions, in addition to its value propositions.
It has invested in state-of-the-art infrastructure to address long-term demand in the region for buses and plans to cater to the luxury coaches, city buses and school bus segments.
While the FIFA World Cup 2022 is not mentioned directly, the firms stated initial orders executed under the new collaboration are for “the export of buses to Qatar for a major sport event to be held in 2022, with the Nippon Paint Technical Services team addressing the specific requirement for customised product, shade and technical solutions.”
“Nippon Paint, with its expertise in the Commercial Vehicles Business shall add value to the partnership through best in class product and technical solutions ,” said Sharad Malhotra, director, Nippon Paint Middle East.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: IVECO FINDS A WAY IN THE REGION, UAE EMBRACING GLOBALISATION, A-Z OF SAFETY, THE T&F AWARDS, AND MUCH MORE!
EMC APPOINTS NEW GENERAL MANAGER
IMPORTERS
Emirates Motor Company (EMC) has appointed Mohammad Ghazi Al Momani as its new general manager. Al Momani will manage the overall performance of Mercedes-Benz at EMC and Ahmed Abdul Jalil Al Fahim, chairman of Al Fahim Group said he was delighted to welcome him into the EMC family.
“His vast knowledge of the automotive industry in the region will be an exceptional addition to the team,” he added.
FARNEK PLUGS MOBILE TECHNICAL TEAMS INTO
FLEET
UAE-based FM company Farnek, has deployed a remote monitoring solution using the Internet of Things (IoT) in a pilot project at select Aster facilities in UAE. The system which alerts mobile technical teams to respond to problems at each location, uses sensors to record temperature changes and energy consumption based on current voltage, amongst other data including footfall.
These statistics are then collated by a remote management system, which provides live readings for technicians, explained Farnek. The data is then subsequently driven by Machine Learning (ML) and an artificial intelligence (AI) based analytical platform, producing timely alerts, analytical reports and dashboards utilised for day-to-day and predictive maintenance, forecasting and planning. Thresholds can then be set and benchmarked against similar facilities and assets and if there is a breach of those standards, alerts are sent in real time to a 24/7 command centre and technical teams who by using mobility solutions can take appropriate action. The platform also uses encryption protocols safeguarding the data with bank grade security.
“Introduction of the smart system will enable us to set a model for IoT-enabled FM aimed at bringing in energy efficient and effective management. With plans to extend the set-up to all clinics, pharmacies and hospitals, the introduction is in alignment with Aster’s ESG goals,” said Hanie Abdul Sathar, director of EuroHealth Systems - managing the project for Aster.
“Data about footfall, can be extremely valuable to our clients. If they correlated footfall with revenue and product portfolio over regular periods and benchmarked that with other stores in different locations, it could initiate changes in stock ordering or opening times. It could also help managers plan their staffing requirements to cover heavy demand periods,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
FIAT CLAIMS NEW SCUDA BEV RANGE MAKES IT BEST-IN-CLASS / VOLVO TRUCKS LAUNCHES AN ENHANCED VERSION OF ITS VOLVO VNR ELECTRIC
LAUNCHES
BESTIN-CLASS 330KM RANGE
Scudo joins Fiat’s electric ranks
ITALIAN SAYS IT IS LAUNCHING A BEST-IN-CLASS BEV OFFERING TO TACKLE PROFESSIONAL USES WITH NO COMPROMISES
Fiat’s Scudo van has joined the Ducato with its very own 100% electric powertrain. Based on the Stellantis mid-van platform, it is also available with a so-called last generation diesel engine.
Fiat describes the launch as being a wider range to meet “the needs of a varied clientele made up of real professionals, who live their vehicle first and foremost as a work tool and a source of income.”
The New Scudo opened its ordering in the main European markets in mid-December and the electric version a claimed best-in-class range of up to 330 km in the WLTP cycle, making it ideal for those who work in the city and inner suburbs.
Load capacity does not change whatever the powertrain, and payload in the core of the segment: up to 6,6 m3 loading bay volume, payload up to over 1 t and likewise, a towing capacity of 1 t.
The target audience is professionals who use their vehicle for 8 hours or more per day; another aspect carefully considered in the design phase was therefore comfort. The aim of the New Scudo is to offer a stress-free experience at work, via various measures such as a car-like driving position, top level soundproofing, to minimise jolts and vibrations.
It delivers a complete set of safety and ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) features, all 14 of them, such as: automatic road sign recognition; automatic emergency braking, triggered when there is a high risk of collision; Lane Departure Warning, to advise the driver if they veer out of lane; and Blind Spot Alert, which provides notifications of any vehicles hidden in the wing mirror blind spot when overtaking. The vehicle also comes with advance notification systems for obstacles in the direction of travel, frontal collision warning, and the practical rear camera that offers a 180° panoramic view, to facilitate parking. To deliver optimal performance and improved traction in all condition, such as snow, mud or sand, Scudo can be equipped with the Grip Control system. Moreover, the Head-up Display will provide all the most important information to the driver, avoiding him to look away from the road, while he is fully supported even when parking thanks to the front and rear parking sensors,
FAST CHARGER
The zero-emissions version boasts two battery sizes – 50 and 75 kWh, an AC charging capacity of up to 11 kW, and up to 100 kW in DC, to charge the more capacious battery to 80% in just 45 minutes.
CABIN FLEXIBLITY
The Scudo features a special kind of cabin modularity which transforms the passenger seat into a workstation and an extension of the load compartment and to increase the volume by 0.5m3, to a total capacity of up to 6.6m3 .
the rear camera which is able to deliver a the topview 180° reconstituted image of the rear area to enhance easy and safe parking manoeuvres.
The New Scudo is available in four configurations (Van, Crew Cab, Cab with platform and Combi M1), three trim levels (Easy, Business and Lounge), and four diesel engines on top of the electric powertrain. It has been designed as an all-round commercial vehicle with the advantage of offering smart, concrete solutions while maintaining compact dimensions. It is fully configurable up to 9 seats. Seats are foldable to increase load capacity according to the needs. Thanks to the folding partition walls that enable to carry 3 additional people than a van.
SPECIFICATIONS
Electric
Battery sizes AC charging Payload Towing capacity
100kW (136hp) 50kW / 75kw
100kW DC
1t
1t
VNR ELECTRIC GETS RANGE UPGRADE
VOLVO TRUCKS LAUNCHES ELECTRIC TRUCK WITH LONGER RANGE
Volvo Trucks has launched an enhanced version of its Volvo VNR Electric with up to 85% increased range and faster charging.
The Volvo VNR Electric is one of Volvo Trucks six all-electric heavy truck models and is specially designed for the North American market. Sales start was in December 2020.
The first generation of Volvo VNR Electric had an operating range of up to 240 km (150 miles). Now an enhanced version of the class 8 electric truck is launched, with an operational range of up to 440 km (275 miles) and increased energy storage of up to 565kWh. The improved performance is due to, among other things, improved battery design and a new six battery package option.
The new Volvo VNR Electric also reduces the required charging time, as the 250kW charging capability provides an 80% charge in 90 minutes for the six-battery package, and 60 minutes for the four-battery version.
“It is a testament to Volvo Trucks’ leadership in a continuously evolving industry that we are bringing the enhanced version of our VNR Electric to the market only a year after sales of the VNR Electric first started,” said Peter Voorhoeve, President, Volvo Trucks North America.
Production of the enhanced Volvo VNR Electric will start in Q2 2022 in the company’s New River Valley plant in Virginia, which is the exclusive producer of all Volvo trucks in North America.
Globally, Volvo Trucks has set the target that half of all trucks sold are electric by 2030.
“We are determined to lead the transformation of the transport industry. In only eight years’ time, our goal is that half of our global truck sales are electric. The interest among customers is high, and it’s quickly becoming a competitive advantage for transporters to be able to offer electric, sustainable transports. That is very encouraging,” commented Roger Alm, President Volvo Trucks.
Volvo Trucks started serial production of electric trucks in 2019, as one of the very first truck brands in the world. The product range now includes six electric truck models – the Volvo FH, Volvo FM, Volvo FMX, Volvo FE, Volvo FL and the Volvo VNR.
SPECIFICATIONS
Capacity 565kWh Range Up to 440km Charging 80% in 90mins Torque 5,492Nm Battery Config x4 or x6 batteries
RANGE UPGRADE 440KM
WE WANT TO
CHANGE PEOPLE’S MINDS
IVECO talks to T&FME about how its new generation repositions the brand in the region
IVECO has kickstarted the new year with the launch of its new off-road truck IVECO T-WAY and the on-road truck IVECO S-WAY. Sitting with T&FME’s Mark Dowdall, the IVECO team explain why its new generation of trucks presents a new opportunity to grow the brand’s popularity in the Middle East and Africa.
“This is a crucial event in IVECO history of the Middle East because we are launching a totally new generation of products which the market has been expecting for more than 10 or 15 years,” begins product and marketing manager Giuseppe Cariello. “So, with the new way range, the new generation is coming; not only for the technology because what I really appreciated in the new range is the versatility, but finally we really have a product which is able to match any customer needs. We extend our capability to satisfy the markets with a full set of vehicles which is really going to strike and increase our presence and capability to satisfy the customer more.
“We have to change the mind of the customer. Sometimes here the customer is really focused on the off-road truck range but we have found some overlap with our S-Way range. For example, today heavy trucks 6x4 in the off-road segment can be replaced with the S-Way due to the applications. The fuel tanker, for example, doesn’t allow any overloading because it’s a closed structure so we can now move to a more reliable fuelefficient truck which is definitely the S-Way.”
According to Marco Torta, IVECO has recovered quickly from the dramatic drop in sales seen in the market after the onset of the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We have gone back to the level of the business, which was really high in 2019. It was the same for Africa and the Middle East,” he
says. “We recovered what we lost due to the first half of the pandemic in 2020, so the outlook is absolutely positive, meaning that if you look at the quarterly results it’s encouraging. But in general, this year, a lot of programmes have started for development, for recovery of the economy even in the Middle East and Africa so the activity of our customers has already been already planned for the following 12 months. The demand for trucks is at a very high level and is still continuing to go this way.”
With the new Way-range now in the open, Torta says the company is optimistic that it can maintain its momentum in Middle East, even as it faces on-going uncertainty in Africa.
“In Africa and Middle East, I see only opportunities in general. But, of course, there are challenges too and the real challenge in Africa and Middle East is the social stability. In Africa, there are many countries where, despite the pandemic, the social stability is the key driver because we really see some customers that, even though they have a good outlook for their country, to further invest and decide whether to go ahead or not, we are trying to understand the political scenario that will involve their country in the near future,” he remarks. “We have seen in Tunisia that we have 17 authorised networks but sometimes we struggle. There are many countries like Libya, Ethiopia, Sudan where the main challenge is to be able to go ahead despite the political scenario. It’s not to develop the product because we see that the customers in these countries are really developing their approach and knowledge of the transport business. The way they measure the business is as good as the best everywhere else. This is something which was not at the same level 10 years ago. So, the progress of the operations in transport in these areas has been huge.”
He adds that the first S-Way Truck has already been sold in the region with the T-Way expected to start in February: “Already the dealers have started orders and are finding customers for the first units of S-Way.”
Part sales specialist Luca Vinceti explains that the after-service network prepared well in advance of the launch, including ensuring that importer workshops were stocked with the special tools and parts needed for the new vehicles.
“That is fundamental to make a successful launch. Technicians needs to be trained and ready so the whole system around the trucks must be ready and put into place.”
IVECO is currently undertaking an overhaul of its operation with a split
THE WAY TO GROWTH
The launch of the T-Way and S-Way can lead to further growth in the region as IVECO targets a 20% share of the GCC market in three years.
of the group at a corporate level. Fabio De Serafini, Africa & Middle East business director, describes it as another key milestone for the company.
“We will have the agricultural and construction business separated in a different company to Iveco as a unique company for transport solutions. We will have a standalone company in order to achieve all the development and change that will occur in the next five to ten years. Electrification, as you know is one of the challenges we have and to have a unique company dedicated to transport; this is the future.”
It is debatable as to how much of difference the split will make immediately here but the company is hoping to upshift its current market share of 8%-14% in the GCC to 20% in the next three years. Torta explains that growth will not signify a move to expand its local assembly set-up.
“At this stage, no, we don’t (have local assembly, even though in a lot of countries in the Middle East, for example in Saudi Arabia, there are reasons to have local assembly,” Torta remarks. “So, we don’t build the truck from scratch as we do in Europe. The truck arrives disassembled and we assemble locally because in Saudi, for example, there is a different level of custom duty between local assembly and any units that arrive from Europe. In certain countries, in Africa for example, it’s only allowed to have local assembly. We have overall eight local assembly facilities in the area, but we don’t plan on having a single platform of production inside the region at this stage.”
Local Partners
IVECO has spent the past half decade adding to its distributor roster in the region. Moves have been made across the Levant and North Africa, although Elvira Ferrara, Africa & Middle East network manager, reminds T&FME that in some areas it is maintaining decades-long partnerships.
“Well, we have two types of dealers today – first are the historic ones. We talk mainly about UAE where we have a relationship with Saeed Mohammed Al Ghandi & Sons (SMAG) in Dubai and Al Saqer Heavy Equipment in Abu Dhabi for almost 35
BOLSTERING AHEAD OF LAUNCH
IVECO has been steadily strengthening its local representation across the region ahead of the launch.
DRIVER FOCUS
In the face of fierce competition, logistics operators need top-level uptime, efficiency an productivity from their fleets. The new IVECO S-WAY provides a complete package of features developed with focus on driver centricity.
years,” he remarks. “We signed a contract with them immediately after Iveco was created because Iveco was created in 1975. Most of our other dealers, we have signed in the past five or six years. This is because of the evolution of our research to find a better dealer but all our dealers have trucks only. We don’t have a multi-franchise. We don’t have dealers that sell other products.”
Whether they are recent additions or veteran distributors, most are pushing for greater financial options for fleets. Understandable with so much disruption in the market.
“More and more there is a high request in terms of financial solutions. This means not only to finance the vehicle but to offer a complete solution so typically, like in Europe you pay 1000dhs a month and you get your vehicle with after sales and everything,” says Fabio De Serafini. “We have some partnerships with banks too. It depends on the dealer. We have started to launch this in the light range. Of course, in heavy trucks where the value is much higher, we are working on solutions, but it will come soon, especially in the new ranges.”
Dealers and their distributor suppliers have been instrumental in shaping the new S-Way and T-Way – it will be there needs that will dictate where the range develops from this point onwards.
“What you do is you follow the market and the demand of the market and the needs of each country. So, we started with diesel, then we moved to CNG (compressed natural gas), now we are going to electric and hydrogen. So, this is the trend,” says De Serafini.
“The key point for it to evolve and become even more competitive than what we have today is the capability to be all connected. So, in Europe it’s already done. There’s a standard way of working. The truck is fully connected between the customer, the dealer and the manufacturer. We have a control room based in Italy.
“It could be based anywhere, where a
A ROBUST HERITAGE
The IVECO T-WAY builds on the heritage of robustness and reliability of the brand’s long lineage of champion off-roaders.
IVECO OPENS FIRST MINIBUS LINE IN AFRICA
A Daily minibus assembly line at the SOTRA INDUSTRIE plant in Koumassi, near Abidjan, started production early this year, making the Ivory Coast the first country in Africa to have a minibus assembly line. The project, which began in 2018, is the most recent outcome of a collaboration between IVECO BUS, an Iveco Group brand and leading manufacturer of buses and coaches, and SOTRA (Société des Transports Abidjanais), the public transit provider for Abidjan and its suburbs, that started nearly 40 years ago.
The new plant – which has an annual production capacity of 1,000 units and employs 500 people – will manufacture the Daily Minibus, specially renamed “Daily Ivoire”, which can have from 16 to 26 seats. The first 60 Daily Ivoire minibuses have already rolled off the production line, powered by natural gas engines from FPT Industrial, another Iveco Group brand and a renowned leader in propulsion technologies. The minibuses are destined for the Ivory Coast market and for export to other African countries, starting with Western and Central Africa.
“This contributes to the Ivorian Government’s extensive programme for modernising the transport supply and diversifying the national economy through industrialisation. The new minibuses, which will use alternative, environmentally friendly propulsion, also highlight our continued commitment to sustainable mobility in Africa, a core region for IVECO BUS,” said IVECO.
New interior lighting concept New interior lighting concept
Electronic Parking Brake with HOLD function Electronic Parking Brake with HOLD function
Active Drive Assist Active Drive Assist
New light signature New light signature & night lights & night lights
Predictive Powertrain Control (PPC) Predictive Powertrain Control (PPC) Traffic Sign Assist Traffic Sign Assist MirrorCam MirrorCam
New rear axle ratio New rear axle ratio
Active Brake Assist 5 Active Brake Assist 5
The new Actros. Ready to set a new standard.
New Standard Equipment New Optional Equipment
• Keyless start • New vehicle key New vehicle key • Electronic parking brake • PowerShift 3 with four driving programmes • New light signature & night lights New light signature & night lights • New Mercedes-Benz emblem sign • New interior light concept • The new design of the steering wheel The new design of the steering wheel Active Brake Assist 5 Multimedia Cockpit Multimedia Cockpit Interactive Active Drive Assist (available only in Morocco) Predictive Powertrain Control 2 generation (available only in Morocco)
Trucks.MercedesBenzMENA.com Trucks.MercedesBenzMENA.com • MirrorCam • Active Brake Assist 5 • Multimedia Cockpit • Multimedia Cockpit Interactive • Trailer Stability Control Assist • Independent trailer brake, electronic • Remote Online • Active Drive Assist (available only in Morocco) • Predictive Powertrain Control 2nd generation (available only in Morocco)
CHANGING PERCEPTIONS AND MINDSET
IVECO has bounced back impressively since 2019 and is among only a few manufacturers able to provide a complete range of vehicle options for fleets.
CHOICE OF STANDARDS
The new engine line-up meets Euro III/ V emissions standards. The Cursor 9 and 13 engines provide a wide range of power ratings starting from 360 hp to 560/570 hp.
technician or someone can look at the fleet every day and is able to predict the behaviour of our trucks. And this is key, because in this way you can strongly reduce the cost of ownership of the truck through the fact that you’re able to prevent the event of the truck. And then you can even make a reparation on a vehicle where necessary too. In Europe, when we launched two years ago, we had a market share of 6%. Today, we have a market share of more than 8%. We are the only manufacturer that has gained market share during the pandemic and during the re-start of the market. But this is due to this concept. The more you integrate the customer activity with your capability to manage the truck, also involving the dealership at the same time, this makes the difference in front of the customer.”
“I think we are not at the end; we are at the beginning in this digitalisation process. Of course, there will be electrification and then there will be the hydrogen as part of the official business plan of Iveco and so on. The reality of the customer and the biggest thing you can bring is the value in the pocket of the customer. Because at the end of the day this is what they looks at.”
Unlike in Europe, IVECO finds itself in the position of underdog across the region. Cariello says the company is hungry to bite into the market share of the major players in whatever market they are selling into.
“We are used to fighting. I think we are very hungry to take any business and to take care of each customer in a way other manufacturers are not able to do. We are very focused on the customer and that’s our main goal to take care of the customer from the beginning of the relationship to the end.
An enthused Marco Torta interjects: “If I could add. I am here for 10 years. I have been working in Africa and Middle East for almost 30 years. I am proud to say, absolutely, reliability is number one because in the last 30 years I have heard very few customers who are not happy about our trucks. I can say our trucks are absolutely comparable to any other one on the market, if not better.”
Looking ahead to 2030, the IVECO team see sustainability as being a major factor in the Way platform’s potential in the market.
“First of all, definitely there will be an evolution in line with sustainability. Some of the countries in Africa and Middle East are already moving to Euro 6 trucks, in Morocco, for example. We expect UAE even to do this eventually,” says De Serafini. “This is part of the game, the emission level, but
We are launching a totally new generation of products which the market has been expecting for more than 10 or 15 years”
one thing to think to is the electric vehicle. That will be zero emissions in the future but right now, Iveco already has a reality in place, which is the natural gas application.
“This is really a key experience because we started the distribution of this about six or seven years ago, in Europe, when the key issue at the beginning was the development of the network for the fuel stations. There were 50 fuel stations six years ago and today there are more than 450 because that was a programme that was developed in conjunction with single governments, in each country, in order to promote this level of transport management. So with the natural gas we are almost at zero emissions. The challenge was to build the network but governments subsidised a lot with the building of infrastructure needed.
He adds: “And we moved from a marginal presence of natural gas trucks in Europe – between 250k to 300k in a year – from below 1% and today it’s almost 20%. With natural gas you have very good cost of ownership too because fuel consumption is different and time costs are different. It will take time, but we see by 2030 all three – diesel, natural gas, electrification - will be present. We see an evolution in favour of natural gas but diesel will not disappear in a few years.”
“The pressure absolutely is there but for all the big manufacturers to develop and put into the market mass quantities of vehicles is not easy. It takes time,” says De Serafini .
Vinceti concludes: “We must also remember that sustainability is not just about the engine, it goes down through Iveco through all levels. Starting next year, we are introducing bio-degradable packaging for all our engine parts.”
