Fleet Transport April 2024

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editor: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

contributors: Cathal Doyle, Sean Murtagh, Paul White, Donal Dempsey, Howard Knott, Gianenrico Griffini, Rob Van Dieten

Photography: Jarlath Sweeney, Paul White, Cathal Doyle, Howard Knott, Newspress, CILT, Conor Mulhern

administration: Orla Sweeney

Email: enquiries@fleet.ie

advertising: Mary Morrissey

Email: mary@fleet.ie

design: Crackerjack Design House

Printed in Ireland

fleet

directors: Jarlath sweeney, sean Murtagh.

d isclaimer: Fleet Transport Magazine management can

4

New

8

I

With Stephen TummonsDPD Ireland

10 cOVer

Renault Trucks & GEODIS –Changing Urban Logistics

12 NeW FLeeT

Shiny new DAF, MAN, Scania trucks plus Schmitz trailers

16 FLeeTING shOTs

Polaris on exhibit at NAEC Lunaz meets DVS regulation

18 INTerVIeW II

With Harald Seidel - DAF Trucks NV

20 saFeTy MaTTers

Lorry Loader Cranes

22 PreVIeW I

CV Show 2024, NEC, Birmingham

25 aWards

Fleet Transport Irish Haulier of the Year Awards launched

28

Coventry

47 TesT drIVe

In the MAN TGX 26.520 6x2/2 with Schmitz SCS hooked-up!

50 MILesTONe

Marking three decades of the Citroën Relay

73 cOVer

Just Launched: new KGM Torres EVX

75 NeWs

Dacia’s Bricking it – naturally!

SIMI announce winners of Motor Industry Awards

76 TesT drIVe

In the new Opel Astra Sports Tourer GS 1.5D

78 reVIeW

2024 Geneva Motor Show, PalExpo, Switzerland

80 LauNch Pad

Latest from Ford, BYD, Dacia, BMW, Opel & smart

82

following on from the successful long-term test Programme with the ford Ranger stormtrak, fleet transport has now acquired a new Ranger wildtrak, the reigning international Pick-up award winner. Pictured at the handover at the ford ireland hQ in Cork is John Manning, Market lead, sales & Marketing, ford Motor Company (on right), with Jarlath sweeney, Chairman, international Van of the year and Pick-up award Juries.

IPUA Award-winning Ford Ranger Wildtrak on Long-Term Test with Fleet Transport

The new high-spec Double Cab 4x4 Wildtrak is powered by a 3.0-litre EcoBlue TDCi V6 diesel producing 240PS and combined with a 10-speed automatic transmission.

Almost 69,000kms were pleasantly covered in the Stormtrak over the duration of the previous Long-Term Test exercise.

The W IL dT rak’s F eaT ures IN c Lude:

n 18” alloy wheels

n Plastic moulded side steps with titanium-effect inserts

n Bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights

n Aerodynamic sports hoop with integrated loadbox illumination

DAF Trucks’ LF Electric EV Relay visits Ireland

last month, the daf trucks EV Relay visited daf trucks ireland’s dublin headquarters in Baldonnell and undertook a busy and successful two day exercise. the daf trucks EV Relay started in the uK in november 2023 and has seen two daf lf Electric 4x2 rigids tour the daf dealer network to train and familiarise staff at the dutch brand’s truck sales centres in the uK and ireland. the trucks feature special livery to highlight range performance, environmental benefits and potential

cost savings as evidenced from the uK’s 18-month Battery Electric truck trial (BEtt ) which concluded at the end of september.

n Titanium-effect grille, door handles and rear steel step

n Aluminium-finish roof rails

n Titanium-effect, electrically-operated and heated power-foldable door mirrors with puddle lights and side indicators

n Rear-view camera.

key interior features:

n SYNC 3 with 8” Touchscreen and Navigation

n New partial-leather seat trim design

n 8-way power adjustable and heated driver’s seat with lumbar support

n Wildtrak logo floor mats

n Ambient lighting

n Ford Power starter button

n Power converter

n 12 V power point.

John McCann, National Sales Manager at DAF Trucks Ireland, commented at the event, attended by Fleet Transport: “We were delighted to welcome the DAF LF Electric to Dublin as part of the DAF Trucks EV Relay. It was a great opportunity for our staff to enhance their understanding of the DAF Electric product as we begin our journey towards becoming a DAF Electric Truck Centre, positioning ourselves to be the partner of choice as our customer base look to de-carbonise their fleets. The focus of the EV Relay was on aftersales and our technicians and parts teams availed of an in-depth look at the technology behind the DAF Electric LF series. We also covered the wider topic of sustainable road transport.”

The EV Relay is the start of a move for all 34 DAF Truck Sales Dealers in UK & Ireland to become DAF Electric Truck Centres. As part of this commitment, dealership requirements will include DAF EV and PACCAR Charger specialists in truck sales, parts and aftersales support; as well as specialist tooling, training and fully equipped facilities to enable diagnosis, service and repair of electric trucks, together with on-site charging facilities.

Every DAF Electric Truck Centre will have at least one Electric Demonstrator for customer evaluation, and fully-trained DAF Dealer Electric Truck Sales Specialists will be able to guide operators through their transition to zero emissions transport, considering routes, vehicles and charging infrastructure.

in the fleet technology trends Report survey conducted by aBi Research for Verizon Connect, results reveal that the number of fleets using GPs tracking technology in ireland was 65%, showing that the adoption and confidence in these solutions remains high and continues to grow. the survey ultimately shows that GPs fleet tracking technology is key in helping to deliver results, can help boost competitiveness and build resilience across key industries.

Some of the key findings from the survey across EMEA which aimed to discover more about the understanding and adaption of GPS fleet tracking systems and other related technologies, and was completed by 1,538 European fleet managers, (169 from Ireland) were:

n 86% realised a positive return on investment (ROI) in 12 months or less after implementing a GPS tracking solution.

n Productivity was seen to improve in 59% of businesses surveyed, a critical area of any business and often a key strategic goal.

n Cost savings matter and fleet management technologies can help. 53% of those that have implemented GPS fleet tracking have lowered their fuel consumption, 49% have reduced accidents and 34% have lowered labour costs.

n The benefits of smart technologies such as integrated video have been positively perceived, with 74% of video solution adopters citing improved driver safety, 71% seeing improved protection from false claims and 49% reducing insurance costs.

n Adoption of electric vehicles remains slow across Europe, with 52% of those

Fleet Tracking Technology –At the Heart of Transport

surveyed claiming to still have not yet incorporated battery electric vehicles (BEVs) into their fleet.

n Sustainability remains a top priority for all, and with fleet tracking solutions in place, businesses were able to improve it with 47% reducing their CO2 emissions, helping their fleets become greener and more environmentally friendly.

businesses protect their team and customers while building resilience

Businesses are tackling the current global economic situation characterised by inflation. It is forecasted to reduce in Europe through 2024 from 6.7% to 3.1%, however many challenges continue to push businesses to remain both resilient and profitable.

In this scenario where uncertainty battles with the expectation of growth for many businesses, fleet management technologies remain critical in helping to build up the necessary resilience these businesses need, while helping to boost efficiency and reduce overall fleet operating costs.

The benefits of GPs fleet tracking solutions that empower business

Increased improvements in key areas for business such as customer service, regulatory compliance, routing and productivity are some of the benefits that companies achieved after the implementation of a GPS fleet tracking solution.

Decreases in fuel consumption, accidents, vehicle maintenance, labour costs and cost savings can help businesses to be more competitive in the market. The majority of respondents achieved a positive ROI in less than a year after implementing GPS fleet tracking.

In what time frame do businesses in Ireland achieve a positive rOI after implementing a GPs tracking solution?

The majority of respondents achieved a positive ROI in less than a year after implementing GPS fleet tracking. The Government sector leads the top industries in realising a positive ROI in one year or less. Impressively, 86% of all respondents across all industries realised a positive ROI in a year or less.

Protect drivers and business with fleet dashcams

Artificial Intelligence (AI)-backed video telematics with driver facing and road-facing cameras are reshaping safety and efficiency for fleets. Fleet businesses are able to see how a smart-video can serve as an unbiased witness, be an incomparable driver training tool and provide a goldmine of data.

84% of survey respondents across all industries consider in-cab video “extremely” or “very beneficial” in all the industries to manage their fleets, while 86% of survey respondents across all industries who have a smart video solution achieved a positive ROI in one year or less.

asset tracking technology boosts equipment utilisation and team productivity

The majority of businesses across industries said asset tracking has had a beneficial effect on their business operations. 73% consider asset tracking “extremely beneficial” or “very beneficial.” 71% of those currently using an asset tracking solution realised improved equipment and trailer utilisation. Also, 66% realised improved equipment and trailer security.

Other goals that can help give companies a leg up on the competitive market include improved productivity and efficiency across the companies’ teams of drivers, workers and office staff, which is key.

cost savings can help impact positively on business profitability

According to the survey, 71% of businesses in the UK said that fuel was one of the biggest challenges (extremely or very impactful), followed by increased costs (69%), labour costs (63%) and meeting customer demands and expectations (62%). Users of fleet tracking technology have shown remarkable improvements in these and other KPIs.

Across all industries in Ireland, GPS tracking users decreased fuel costs by an average of 24%. Users also saw an average decrease of 30% in accident costs and a decrease in overall labour costs by 23%. Also, users decreased by an average of 20% vehicle maintenance costs. Furthermore, respondents across all industries saw an average decrease of 23% in insurance costs.

dPd ireland is transitioning all of its commercial vehicle fleet to electric power. the process is well underway, directed by stephen tummons, sustainability Programme Manager. the former chef and water polo player has put together all the right ingredients towards reaching this goal, with dPd’s Galway, limerick and Cork depots now fully electric, with more to convert nationwide. his ultimate aim is to encourage other companies to follow suit, and join the sustainability journey.

“Our vision for sustainability is to be the most sustainable parcel company on the island of Ireland. We are on a journey of fleet decarbonisation to reduce CO2 per parcel by 90% by 2030,” he stated.

This objective is being targeted at the same time that the company is continuing to grow its business and expand its fleet. In fact, DPD Ireland has doubled its turnover since 2020, when it began its sustainability journey with a unique trial which saw the creation of an E-City Cargo-bike depot at Dublin’s Docklands. Significant investment has been made in rolling out a zero-emission express delivery fleet, and by the end of the decade 1,000 electric vans will proudly wear the ‘new greener’ DPD livery.

DPD Ireland has the right recipe for sustainability

“DPD is an IT company that moves parcels with people and technology” - Stephen Tummons, Sustainability Programme Manager, DPD Ireland

“Our delivery fleet represents over half of our total emissions. That’s why we are investing further in fleet decarbonisation by switching our hub haulage trucks to 100% renewable HVO biofuel, while deploying 100% electric vans will reduce our total emissions significantly.“

“We are doing this by switching our last mile 3.5 tonne vans to fully electric alternatives. We have already deployed over 300 of these quieter, greener vehicles to towns and cities across the island of Ireland. As of March 2022, we have installed 300 7.3kW and 11kW AC chargers across our depot network.”

On the makes and models being used, Ford, Maxus, Nissan and Renault make up the emission free light commercial fleet, with Ford’s E-Transit the dominant model. “We ordered 205 electric Ford Transits in one go! The drivers love them, adapting to the new technology quickly. They are proving less stressful to drive, and are silent and swift. The load volume and payload are similar to the diesel vans in the fleet,” he added.

The leased vans are usually run for three years and are constantly evaluated with good feedback and interaction with the manufacturer.

covers a third of the additional cost over the equivalent diesel version.

To date, 260 battery chargers are located at depots with nearly 40 installed as home chargers at drivers’ residences.

Established in 1986 as Interlink in Athlone, the express parcel service provider soon spread its wings countrywide. Some years later GeoPost (France) came knocking on the door, with an acquisition in mind. With e-commerce taking off, the increase in trade was matched with investment in a vast new premises, on the eastern side of the town, which has been expanded since.

Looking at the bigger picture, Stephen mentioned energy usage and savings in general: “We work together with our depots to improve energy efficiency, reduce waste, and recently we installed solar panels on the warehouses, which cover our daytime energy usage. This method of energy generation will be

The introduction of electric vans has been a great success, with each zero emission vehicle reducing CO2 output by eleven tonnes per year. Further efficiencies are obtained through the use of telematics based on Horizon and Ford systems. “By the end of 2025, we will have more electric powered vans than diesels in the fleet,” explained Stephen.

Thirty-four DPD franchises are in operation across the island of Ireland, basically covering each county, with seven depots in the Capital. Each delivery vehicle is leased to the depot operator, and for the electric vans, headquarters

increased, to a degree that excess will be stored for use at peak times. Automated warehouse management systems installed also increase efficiencies and help to cope with peak seasonal periods. Presently up to 20,000 parcels can be processed per hour, 23,000 at peak, which are phenomenal numbers.”

Stephen is researching using electric trucks at present, and thinks that the current offerings from the various manufacturers would cover the nationwide hub to hub movements adequately. Hydrogen powered vans and trucks are being explored concurrently.

DPD Ireland’s objective is to be carbon neutral by 2050 and Stephen and his team are serving up the exact menu to reaching that target, well before then. Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

THE NEW eACTROS.

Charged & Ready. Sustainable, future-oriented, driven by innovation, and quiet: that’s the new eActros – the first all-electric truck from Mercedes-Benz.

‘ the oxygen concept integrates all the constraints and uses of urban delivery, eliminating nuisance and improving active and passive safety to ensure better cohabitation with all road users.’

An ambitious project has seen Renault Trucks and GEODIS combining their industrial, logistics and engineering expertise to design an electric heavy truck, called the Oxygen concept, dedicated to urban logistics, meeting the requirements of city-centre freight transport.

OXYGEN – a breath of fresh air in truck design from Renault Trucks & GEODIS

other road users in areas with traffic and even in pedestrian zones. This new truck is designed for the driver’s working comfort and safety, and for the safety of city dwellers.”

reducing the environmental footprint of city logistics. GEODIS, whose ambition is to reduce its CO2 emissions by 30% by 2030, has undertaken to provide carbon-free deliveries to 37 cities in France.

Through their new collaboration, the constructor and its logistics partner are taking this approach a step further and are combining their know-how to develop a brand new 16-tonne GVW electric urban truck. Crucially it will be available at a comparable cost to that of a diesel vehicle, which is a prerequisite for the widespread adoption of alternative power units.

Changes are occurring in urban freight transport, whether in terms of emission regulations, restricted access, or the proliferation of other modes of mobility such as cargo bikes, bicycles and scooters sharing the public space. For reasons of sheer volume capabilities though, commercial vehicles with a tonnage of over 3.5 tonnes will remain at the core of urban distribution.

With a complete range of electric vehicles manufactured in France ranging from 3.5 to 26 tonnes, Renault Trucks has been working for ten years on

Commenting on the Oxygen development, Marie-Christine Lombard, Chief Executive Officer of GEODIS, said: “The environmental emergency combined with the growth of e-Commerce and the implementation of low-emission zones in major French cities mean that we urgently need to step up the decarbonisation of transport. This is the objective of GEODIS in forming this partnership with Renault Trucks. We need to quickly provide concrete answers to the issue of sustainable urban logistics.”

Bruno Blin, President of Renault Trucks, added: “We have noticed that the image of the truck is changing; at last it is being perceived as an indispensable tool. The purpose of the Oxygen project, in which Renault Trucks is working alongside GEODIS, is to design a truck that will seamlessly blend into the urban landscape, among

a T ruck T haT sea ML ess Ly b L e N ds INTO T he urba N L a N dsca P e

Thanks to the collaborative work carried out from the design stage onwards, the Oxygen concept makes it possible to integrate all the requirements and functions of city-centre delivery: elimination of nuisances such as pollution and noise, and improvement of active and passive safety in order to better manage co-existence with all road users (pedestrians and people using soft modes of transport).

In the early phases of work, the following areas of focus were identified:

n Improved safety for the driver and the public thanks to a lowered cab giving the driver an excellent direct view for optimal protection of road users; a large windshield and multiple cameras instead of rear-view mirrors, offering a 360° view; a sliding side door on the passenger side restricting the door opening angle.

n Greater comfort for the driver, who will be able to get out of the truck on either side, left or right. Climbing in

and out of the truck is made easier by a much lower access height than on a standard delivery truck.

n Optimal ergonomics and easier access to the cargo space. To achieve this, a three-way partnership with a bodybuilder was partnered with a view to improving loading/unloading operations in an urban environment.

n Connected tools enabling drivers to optimise their delivery operations and their routes.

n To ensure that this vehicle blends into the urban landscape perfectly and with a view to enhancing both the comfort and the self-esteem of the driver, Renault Trucks designers have completely redesigned both the exterior lines of the truck and the interior of the cab.

n To emphasise its futuristic look, the discreet LED lights are integrated into the closed radiator grille. In addition, camera screens, including detection of pedestrians and vulnerable road

Renault Trucks has unveiled the new face of its urban and suburban range trucks, the D range, including special features for electric models.

The new design draws its inspiration from both the manufacturer’s Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) and Heavy-Duty ranges, establishing the Renault Trucks D, D Wide, C 2.3, D Wide LEC (low entry cab) and Renault Trucks E-Tech D, D Wide and D Wide LEC as a bridge between the two domains. In addition to this facelift, a range of new safety equipment has been added to enhance the protection of both drivers and road users.

c ha NG es TO T he e XT er N a L des IGN

Renault Trucks’ design teams have given vehicles in the D & D Wide range a facelift in order to create a clear visual link between the brand’s Heavy-Duty vehicles and LCVs.

users in the blind spot, provide improved rear-view vision and enhanced all-round visibility.

The Oxygen concept received its first official public launch at Solutrans in Lyon, France, last November. It will be produced at Renault Trucks’ site in Blainville-sur-Orne, France, the first European plant to manufacture series production electric trucks since 2020.

New design and enhanced safety for the Renault Trucks urban range

Full LED headlights produce a new C-shaped signature, borrowed from the car industry, establishing a direct aesthetic connection with commercial vehicles. Renault Trucks D and D Wide models also adopt design features typical of the brand’s Heavy-Duty ranges, such as a new upper grille and a “π” shape embossed on the front. On the radiator grille, a generous space is set aside for transport operators to showcase their own visual identities. The new look, especially with the revised lights structure, makes the latest D range more similar, twinning even, with the FL and FE series from its sister brand Volvo Trucks.

On the electric versions of the Renault Trucks E-Tech D, D Wide and D Wide LEC, a fully painted front, including the grille, creates a distinctive visual difference. The grille is also embellished with a slender “E-Tech” band that highlights its gradient graphic styling. Last but not least, all the vehicles proudly bear the brand’s new logo.

Ne W F eaT ures TO e N ha N ce sa F e T y IN urba N e NVI r ONM e NTs

In order to effectively collect waste, distribute goods or carry out light

construction work, Renault Trucks D, D Wide, C 2.3, D Wide LEC and Renault Trucks E-Tech D, D Wide and D Wide LEC frequently operate in densely populated city centres, where space for trucks is becoming increasingly limited. With a view to reducing driver stress and enhancing both their safety and that of their load and other vulnerable road users, Renault Trucks has equipped its urban and peri-urban range with new safety features.

The grab handles and the position of the rear-view mirrors have been adjusted to improve line-of-sight, making it easier to negotiate narrow streets. The radars and cameras fitted all around the vehicle provide real-time information and, if necessary, alert the driver, further contributing to safer and easier driving. In addition, the inclusion of features such as automatic tyre pressure control, lane departure warning, a lane keeping system and speeding alerts significantly enhance on-road safety. Finally, for improved visibility and safe driving, the trucks are equipped with new rear-view mirrors.

Text: Jarlath Sweeney – editor@fleet.ie

3-in-a-row DAFs for A Transport

it’s three-in-a-row for returning daf trucks customer  a transport. on this occasions the athy, County Kildare based haulier has picked up the keys to a new daf Xf 480 ftG 6x2 tractor-unit. supplied once again by daf trucks ireland, the job of adorning the vehicle in the company livery was carried out by steen Commercials, dungannon, while the Kelsa lights

Another DAF decision by D & L Cummins

Kinsealy, County dublin based d&l Cummins Recovery has been providing a 24/7 recovery service to car and commercial vehicle owners in the greater leinster area since 2010. the family-run business also caters for all towing requirements to and from dublin city.

Recently, the firm purchased a new DAF LF 230 10-tonne rigid with day

cab from DAF Trucks Ireland. Featuring reinforced cab suspension, the recovery bodywork and equipment was supplied by Thomas Small & Sons Commercial Body Builders, Claregalway.

were provided and fitted by tRP Parts ireland.

Pictured at the handover were: L/R: John McCann (Sales Manager, DAF Trucks Ireland), Eabha Anderson (the real boss of A Transport) and Callum Anderson (A Transport).

Callum Anderson was honoured with the Owner Driver of the Year title at the recent Fleet Transport Awards 2024.

Yes, it’s nine new DAFs for BOC Gases!

daf distributors ireland has handed over two units from a nine-strong daf truck fleet order to BoC Gases (dublin).

Six of the new day-cabbed DAF LF 4x2 rigids are 16 tonnes GVW, while the other three are 14-tonners, all powered by the PACCAR PX-7 230hp Euro 6 diesels, mated to

Another New  MAN TGM on the move for Plassey Food Group

Pictured at the handover were: L/R: John McCann; Sales Manager, DAF Trucks Ireland, Darren Cummins; Owner, D&L Cummins and some team members.  headquartered at Rathkeale, County limerick, the Plassey food Group has put into delivery service this new Man tGM 15.250 rigid, bought from dennehy Commercials, dock Road, limerick. the new truck comes with a lecapitaine fridge body and Carrier transicold 1250 multi-temp refrigeration unit from tss.

Plassey Food is a 100% Irish, family owned wholesale food supplier and food distributor, delivering in Munster, Leinster and Connaught, offering a wide range of fresh, frozen and ambient products from a carefully chosen network of producers – both locally, regional, national and international.

the new ZF 8-speed automated transmission. Additional equipment and preparation work was carried out by C TEC Engineering, Magherafelt.

Pictured at the handover were: Ian Smith (BOC Gases National Fleet Services Manager) and Paul O’Reilly (DAF Trucks Ireland Regional Sales Manager),

Owned by the Flynn Family, the company has been a loyal MAN customer for more than 20 years.

Schmitz 07.033 + 07.03

2024 Schmitz 8.2m tipping trailer, out door, electric cover, front lift axle, galvanised chassis, auto dump valve, in stock.

Faymonville 4 axle 9ft wide, extendable low loader, double flip ramps, 2 rear steer axles, wide load marker boards, alu neck ramps, alu surround boards on neck, payload up to 60tons, hydraulic rear legs, in stock available now

MAX Trailer, 2 axle draw bar low loader, 7m bed, option for alu side boards (removable), spring loaded aluminium ramps, payload up to 16tons. In stock available now, also available in 3 axle version with payload up to 25tons, available for delivery early 2024

Schmitz 9.6 + 9.611

2024 Schmitz 9.6m bulker, aluminium, 55 cubic yard, in stock available immediately

Ashbourne Truck Centre, Ballymadun, Ashbourne, Co. Meath, Ireland

241 Scania Sales at McElvaney Motors (Monaghan & Dublin)

Portway Trailers Ltd., Dundalk has purchased two new Scania Super R500 ADR 6x2 tractor-units. The Louth firm specialises in fuel haulage.

Sylvio Rabbitte & Sons has bought a new Scania G370 6x2 rigid which comes complete with an insulated curtainside body by Lifford Coachworks.

Established in 2007, Silvio Rabbitte & Sons is an Irish owned and run wholesale food and packaging supplier to traditional fish and chip shops and general food retailers throughout Ireland.

ABCO KOVEX has acquired a new Scania 500S 4x2 tractor-unit running only on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO). Based in Swords, County Dublin, ABCO is a leading European manufacturer, importer and distributor of packaging materials and machinery in the UK and Ireland.

delivered in January and put to work straight away were three new schmitz Cargobull curtainside trailers at wm Cyril Mc Guinness ltd., Rush, County dublin.

The new trailers are on a five year contract, explained Cyril, and are fitted

with BPW drum brakes, with EBS and anti-roll stability programming and telematics systems. “The spec also included load restraint curtains and roof hung straps, with LED cargo lighting for easy of loading /unloading. In addition, the curtain poles are larger and makes it

Schmitz Cargobull

Trailer Trio for Wm Cyril

Mc Guinness Ltd

easier to open and closed the trailer they also come with storage boxes and wheel chocks,” he outlined.

“The deal was very easy with Schmitz Cargobull building the trailers to our specifications. We now have 26 Cargobull trailers within our fleet,” Cyril concluded.

Polaris off Road showcased the RanGER XP Kinetic; its latest all-electric ut V at the low Carbon agricultural show, which took place from 6 -7 March 2024 at the naEC, stoneleigh, near Coventry.

Ahead of the debut event, Richard Coleby, National Sales Manager at Polaris UK & Ireland said: “We are really looking forward to attending the Low Carbon Agricultural Show for the first time. It is a show that looks towards the future of sustainable farming, so it makes sense that we take our new electric RANGER XP Kinetic to showcase at the event. Not only is it completely electric, but this is our hardest-working and smoothest-riding UTV to date, so we’re looking forward to showing how it can support

Polaris set to premiere Ranger XP Kinetic at the Low Carbon Agricultural Show

the farming industry in its journey to the future.”

RANGER

XP Kinetic is a 100%-electric three-seat UTV with an impressive powertrain providing 110hp and 190Nm of instantaneous torque –the most offered in a utility side-by-side vehicle. Boasting an industry-best 680kg payload capacity and the ability to effortlessly tow up to 1,134kg the RANGER XP Kinetic makes light work of the everyday. Thanks to being fully electric, the RANGER XP Kinetic also delivers smooth, precise control when operating at low speeds, particularly useful in scenarios like towing or backing up to a trailer.

The RANGER XP Kinetic is available in a Premium and Ultimate trim, featuring a single 14.9 kWh lithium-ion battery that offers an estimated range of 75km and a 29.8 kWh version with a higher estimated

Safety in focus at Lunaz in meeting Direct Vision Standard (DVS) rating

lunaz has begun 2024 in a strong position to continue its journey towards producing 1,100 upgraded electric vehicles (uEVs) a year, with confirmation that its latest refuse trucks have achieved the highest (five-star) direct Vision standard (dVs) rating for driver visibility.

The DVS has been developed by researchers, academics and representatives from the freight industry, Europe’s leading HGV manufacturers and regulatory bodies. Vehicles are rated from zero stars (poor) up to five stars (excellent).

The DVS five-star rating for Lunaz UEVs is significant because under Transport for London (TfL) rules, HGV operators can apply for a permit without needing to provide any additional evidence. However, from 28 October 2024, HGVs rated zero to two stars will need to be retro-fitted with a Progressive Safe System.

The five-star rating clears the way for Lunaz UEVs to enter service in

London without any further documents or modifications being required.

range of 120km.

As the global leader in powersports, Polaris headquartered in Minnesota, serves more than 100 countries across the globe. Its product line-up includes the Polaris RANGER, RZR and Polaris GENERAL side-by-side off-road vehicles; Sportsman all-terrain off-road vehicles; military and commercial off-road vehicles; snowmobiles; Indian Motorcycle mid-size and heavyweight motorcycles; Slingshot moto-roadsters; Aixam quadricycles; Goupil electric vehicles; and pontoon and deck boats, including industry-leading Bennington pontoons. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a robust portfolio of parts, garments, and accessories.

The Low Carbon Agricultural Show is the only event focusing on low-carbon practices, technology, and energy solutions available to achieve a profitable and sustainable farming future.

As a ‘better than new’ upcycled electric vehicle, each Lunaz refuse truck is equipped with a range of technologies to help drivers see around the vehicle from all angles.

The external camera monitoring system comprises two assemblies containing three cameras mounted on the top corners of the vehicle, which send images to screens on the dashboard display. The original wing mirrors are replaced with digitised versions that eliminate rear and blind spots around the UEV.

Unlike standard mirrors, these mirrors operate under all conditions, including rain, snow and total darkness, dramatically increasing visibility and safety. The driver can also see what’s directly in front of and below the vehicle via a dedicated downward-facing camera.

In addition to the cameras and mirrors, an object detection system instantly picks out cyclists, pedestrians and other potential hazards, alerting the driver via the dashboard display screen.

The green light for service in London is another major step towards the wider adoption of Lunaz UEVs by local authorities as replacements for their end-of-life diesel refuse trucks.

Lunaz, headquartered at Towcester, Northamptonshire, has pioneered commercial vehicle electrification, a sector predicted to grow tenfold over the next five years, driven by the global transition to net zero and clean-air mobility. Lunaz itself expects to employ 350 staff by the end of 2024 – up from just five when it was founded in 2018 –in pursuit of its stated long-term goal of producing 1,100 vehicles per year.

Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

THE ELECTRIC EDGE

IN URBAN AND INNER-CITY DELIVERY

With E-Series, Thermo King hits the town with a new, all-electric refrigeration unit for electric light commercial vehicles. With energy e ciency at the heart of the new design, it’s built to bring out the best in electric performance, and deliver it straight to the city center.

DISCOVER THE NEW E-SERIES AT TKELECTRICEDGE.COM

not surprisingly, an interview with daf truck’s President harald seidel quickly focuses on the remarkable growth of the dutch truck manufacturer over the past decade, its ambition to grow in the construction/vocational and rigid segments, and on being the first truck manufacturer to apply the new European masses and dimensions regulations. also highlighted is alternative fuels, an area where he outlines that daf has a clear-cut vision when it comes to sustainable transport solutions when he notes that ”there is no one-size-fits-all technology that meets all demands”.

The interview with DAF’s President takes place in the historical boardroom at the DAF head office in Eindhoven. The wooden panelling, the decorative chandeliers – complete with LED lightbulbs now – and the beautifully finished ceiling all illustrate the company’s rich heritage. “If these walls could speak,” Harald Seidel observed, “we would learn a lot about board decisions taken over the past few decades, going back to the 1950s when the company was still headed by its founders Hub and Wim van Doorne. And look where we are today. DAF has developed into a leading European truck manufacturer. Last year we built over 70,000 medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles, a record in our 95-year history.”

Nu M er O us aWards

Indeed 2023 was, in Harald Seidel’s own words, “A wonderful and exciting

One-to-One with Harald Seidel, DAF Trucks President

Subject Matter: Sustainable Transport Solutions

“We need all the horses in the race”

year”. The production of the 50,000th New Generation model, the 250,000th MultiSupport Repair & Maintenance contract, the start of construction on the new PACCAR Parts Distribution Center in Germany, and the launch of the New XD Distribution truck represent only a few of DAF’s 2023 milestones. Another was the opening of the new Electric Truck Assembly. ‘“After winning the prestigious International Truck of the Year Award twice in a row, this year we also won three other awards in recognition of the industry-leading fuel efficiency and sustainability of our New Generation DAF vehicles. Something to be very proud of”

T IM e TO G r OW IN r IGI ds I s NOW

With the focus now on further expanding the company’s success, the question is where does DAF believe the biggest opportunities lie? “One of these

body builder. As a result, new initiatives are being taken, including plug-andplay solutions, ready-to-go vehicles, additional engineer capacity and, of course, a good relationship with the body builder. Huge progress has been made in this respect and the time to grow in rigids is now.”

e ur O 7 – b IGG er FI sh TO F ry

Harald added that DAF’s vision and mission have been redefined to include technology leadership, customer success and sustainable transport solutions. “The latter goes further than just achieving the lowest CO2 emissions with our New Generation DAF trucks. We are committed to contribute to a more sustainable world by providing even cleaner transport solutions to our customers. Therefore, developing and marketing alternative drivelines

key areas is the vocational and rigids segment. I’m aware that we have been advocating this objective for quite a while but we now have the best products on offer ever. Take, for instance, our new Construction vehicles, which according to our customers are exactly the kind of trucks they have been looking for. In addition to delivering best-in-class products, it’s all about the ease of doing business, both for the customer and the

is a key priority. And yes, new Euro 7 legislation has been announced, but that would mean a very big investment for a relatively small environmental gain. It is far more effective to replace the Euro 3, Euro 4 and Euro 5 vehicles on the road instead of pushing the industry towards the Euro 7 norm by the end of the decade, when electrification will also come into play. We have bigger fish to fry.”

Fr OM d O ze N s TO hu N dreds P er quar T er

“DAF has always been a frontrunner in sustainable transport solutions. In 2003, were really ahead of our time with the first hybrid vehicle. In fact, we were even way too early. However, we obtained extensive experience with electrification, which benefited the development of our New Generation DAF electric vehicles for which a brand new assembly plant has been commissioned. This year, we will start delivery of the first of these new electric vehicles to customers, with production ramping up to thousands of vehicles per year.”

50,000 P ub LI c char GING s TaTION s N eeded

Despite growing interest from transport operators in electric trucks, and greater availability of BEV vehicles from OEMs, there are still major challenges for these vehicles to achieve high-volume adoption. ‘Having BEV trucks available is only one part of the story,’ stated Harald.

“Availability of charging infrastructure and cost parity will be the key factors for success. If I’m driving from Amsterdam to Madrid, where can I charge? If I’m willing to invest in electric chargers at my depot, when can I get my connection to the grid? These are the questions that transport operators are asking. We need

massive investments in green energy infrastructure, and that requires a masterplan at the European level. To give you an indication of what’s required: in order to meet the 2030 CO2 reduction goals set by the EU for the truck industry, we would need the same amount of green electricity as 17 million households. Three years later we would need double that amount. And that’s only for the transport industry. Seven years from now we are going to need 280,000 chargers of which 50,000 will be public charging stations. The adoption curve of battery electric trucks by transport companies will depend on the speed of these infrastructure investments.

oil and waste fat. It is ready to use in existing trucks, it supports a circular economy and brings an immediate 90% CO2 reduction benefit. Unfortunately, HVO does not count towards the 2030 CO2 targets for the truck industry. These kinds of inconsistencies in European legislation are not helpful. The fact is, we are going to need all available technologies to decarbonise road transport: HVO, hybrid, electric and hydrogen. The sustainability challenge is too big to bet on one horse, we need all the horses in the race.”

In the meantime, 2024 has arrived. What does DAF’s President expect from this year’s market? “Well, I don’t have a crystal ball,” he replied. “The 2023 market

DAF is committed and ready for zero emission trucks. To solve the chicken-and-egg scenario, we need a concerted effort with local governments and the energy sector to make it happen.”

c ha LL e NG e TOO b IG TO be T ON ON e h O rse

“A range of technologies for a range of applications is DAF’s credo when it comes to sustainable road transport. Apart from battery electric trucks, DAF invests in hydrogen as a promising zero emission technology. Hybrid technology is also interesting to de-risk the infrastructure challenges, when combined with HVO and e-Fuels’, confirms Mr. Seidel. “HVO is a biodiesel that is made from waste products such as vegetable

was very strong, with a total volume up to 330,000 units in the heavy class, which is not surprising given the supply constraints in the years before. For 2024, we expect the market to be between 260,000 and 300,000 trucks. That is still a strong market, especially when you view it from a historical perspective. With our multi-award winning New Generation DAF vehicles, our comprehensive range of services and our professional dealer network we are ready to prolong our success this year and in the years to come. So that Hub and Wim van Doorne, the founding fathers of our company, would feel extremely proud if they were around to see us celebrate 100 years of DAF in 2028.”

With Gianenrico Griffini - ITOy

Lorry Loader Cranes (LLCs), also known as lorry loaders, are very useful items of lifting equipment for the delivery and collection of a variety of load types, but employers and operators have to make sure that lifting operations are carried out safely.

The lorry loader crane is an item of work equipment and any employee assigned to the task of operating that equipment must receive training for the task. An employer has a duty to ensure that lifting equipment is suitable for the intended lifting task and is operated by a person competent to do so.

All lifting operations are potentially hazardous and should be planned and risk assessed to make sure that they are carried out safely and that all foreseeable risks have been taken into account and effectively controlled. The first step in the process is to ensure that the equipment is appropriate for the intended purpose and that it is in good condition. Start by ensuring that the crane is properly mounted to the vehicle in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer’s bodybuilding guidelines by a person

competent to do so. An LLC should not be taken into use in any place of work for the first time unless it is CE marked or has been examined and certified by a competent person. Subsequently, the LLC must be thoroughly examined by a competent person at least once in every 12 months, and a report of thorough examination completed. Any lifting accessory (e.g. grapple, grab, slings, chains, etc.) used with the crane must be thoroughly examined every six months.

The operation of an LLC requires a written risk assessment to identify the relevant hazards and associated controls to achieve safe systems of work. Safe systems of work must include safe ways of operating the crane. Suitable instruction and training must be provided to all persons who work with, on and around loader cranes.

All lifting operations must be properly planned as poor planning is one of the major causes of accidents arising from lifting operations. The most common causes of LLC accidents are:

n Vehicle instability caused by overloading

n Partial or complete loss of load through:

n incorrect handling methods, and lifting of loads in excess of lifting n capacity of the loader crane.

n Failure of the crane, attachment or lifting accessories.

n Overturning of vehicle through:

n inability of the ground to take load, and

Trucks fitted with loader cranes - are the risks adequately managed?

n failure to use or the incorrect use of vehicle stabilisers or spreader plates.

n Loader crane striking:

n pedestrians,

n other vehicles, and

n overhead power lines.

LLCs should only be operated by trained competent persons. A person is deemed to be competent if they are trained and experienced, and know how to safely carry out LLC operations, having regard to the nature of the hazards involved. Training should cover, as a minimum:

n the controls,

n instruments,

n working load limits,

n load assessments and load charts,

n safe working procedures for slinging and lifting, including hand-signals,

n operating limitations of each type of crane and accessory they operate, and

n in-service checks.

The operator should wear a hard hat, hi-visibility clothing and safety footwear when operating the crane.

An information sheet, providing further information on the safe use of Lorry Loader Cranes, is available on the HSA website at: https://www.hsa.ie/eng/ Publications_and_Forms/Publications/ Information_Sheets/Safe_Lorry_Loader_ Crane_Operations_Information_Sheet. html

Volvo FH16 Aero. Extended power.

The Volvo FH16 Aero is shaped and powered for increased productivity. The D17 powertrain offers up to 3800 Nm torque and 780 hp for heavy transport assignments. The aerodynamic design increases your energy efficiency, and the Camera Monitoring System improves your direct vision. Available with the Globetrotter XXL cab for improved driver comfort.

Your power. Extended.

Contact your local Volvo Trucks dealer or visit volvotrucks.co.uk

CV SHOW 2024 - NEC Birmingham23-25 April

New business leads generated every seven seconds at CV Show

The Commercial Vehicle Show’s ability to drive industry growth by connecting exhibitors and visitors has been revealed, with new data analysis showing a new business lead was generated every seven seconds at last year’s event.

The CV Show’s badge scan system, which records exhibitors’ engagement with visitors at their stand, logged more than 12,000 individual meetings between those that opted to use the technology – meaning those exhibitors generated a new lead at least every seven seconds.

Given some 98% of event visitors last year had purchasing authority and planned to upgrade their fleets, the CV Show is a vital date in the calendar for delivering business growth – particularly amid tough economic conditions in the UK and globally.

According to the organisers, this year’s CV Show will have an even bigger line-up under the lights at the NEC Birmingham from 23-25 April. Some 15,000 visitors are expected to attend, from C-suite executives and directors to transport managers and procurement professionals, along with more than 300 exhibitors including some of the world’s biggest vehicle and components brands, as well as innovative services and solutions providers. As such, the CV Show 2024 will be the most important date in the calendar for fleet operators

looking for new technologies that will reduce their operating costs, improve vehicle safety and boost efficiency across their operations.

Delivering business growth is even more important given governments ambitious net zero targets and rising use of connected and automated vehicle solutions, as industry aims to cut emissions while improving fleet performance. In addition to exhibiting state-of-the-art technology, this year’s CV Show will include a brand-new three-day seminar programme designed to equip operators with key industry insight. Experts will cover issues such as regulatory change, green fleet transition, skills challenges and, importantly, the mental health and wellbeing of workers in the industry – helping business leaders to deliver change while ensuring visitors making investments are more informed.

Previewing the exhibition, Susan Kitchener, Executive Lead, Commercial Vehicle Show, said: “The CV Show is where the industry gets business done, connecting exhibitors with operators eager to invest in the latest technology and services to boost their business. With a vast variety of vehicles and products, plus an expert seminar programme, all under one roof, the CV Show is the crucial event for those who want to both see the future – and to deliver it.”

Maxus chief says attending cV show is ‘a business imperative’

*Harris Maxus prioritises CV Show for strategic showcasing of innovations and new products in commercial vehicle sector

Mark Barrett, Managing Director, Group Franchises, at Harris Group, has explained why Harris Maxus will be attending the CV Show this year. He said: “Attending the Commercial Vehicle Show each year is not just a tradition for Harris Maxus, it’s a strategic business imperative. The CV Show is a key calendar date for our brand, serving as a dynamic platform to showcase Harris Maxus’ commitment to innovation in the commercial vehicle sector in the UK and beyond. The CV Show is a fantastic launchpad for unveiling new and ground-breaking products, reaching not only the media but also the business world and the public at large. It’s our opportunity to demonstrate our dedication to pushing boundaries and engage with a diverse audience eager to witness the future of commercial vehicles. For Maxus, this show is more than an exhibition – it’s a stage where our vision comes to life and our commitment to driving towards the next generation of commercial transport takes centre stage. Just like the last number of CV Shows, 2024 will be a big one for Harris Maxus with new products set to be

unveiled during the three-day event and we invite you all to visit our stand (Stand D110) and see what we have in store for the year ahead.”

Maxus will launch two new all-electric vehicles at the CV Show - the latest eLCV to join the MAXUS family, the eDELIVER 5, and MIFA 7, the second model in Maxus’ all-electric MPV series.

F O rd Pr O ON s h OW

Ford Pro returns to Hall 5 at the CV Show with an all-new, electrified Transit line up, the IPUA award-winning Ranger family, and some clever new integrated software. The E-Transit Courier, Transit Connect plug-in hybrid and E-Transit Custom join the E-Transit, showcased in minibus, Tipper and Van variants. Some of the best examples from Ford Pro Special Vehicles will also be on display.

The workshop equipment specialist will renew its presence at the show with plans to include vehicle lifts, brake testers and live wheel alignment and tyre changer demonstrations. There will be over 25 items of heavy duty and light commercial workshop equipment from Totalkare’s extensive portfolio to see and discuss at the show.

Situated in Hall 4 at stand 4C10, Totalkare will be displaying its market-leading mobile column lifts, as well as a two-post lift, vehicle inspection pit, mobile brake tester, tyre changers, wheel alignment, diagnostic equipment and more.

“The CV Show remains a key event

in Totalkare’s calendar – meeting new customers and catching up with existing ones to showcase our ever-expanding portfolio of commercial vehicle workshop equipment is always a highlight for us and we expect 2024’s show to be no different. Our team will be on hand to offer advice on the best lifting and testing solutions and our extensive range of comprehensive service and maintenance options,” said Steve Braund, marketing manager at Totalkare.

TOWN & cO u NT ry cOV ers TO e X h I b IT aT usua L s POT

Leading manufacturer of protective seat covers, Town & Country Covers, will once again be positioned at the top of the stairs connecting Halls 4 and 5 on Stand 4A30, at the NEC.

LCV and CV has always been at the heart of Town & Country Covers’ business, therefore the company has developed significant relationships with renowned manufacturers in that space. Due to these relationships, Town & Country Covers understands the seat cover needs of the industry, meaning it can also foresee the requirements of the market. Consequently, the company has an impressive and wide range of covers, all made by the in house design team that creates all the seat covers in the range from scratch, so its range of tailored seat covers is guaranteed to provide the perfect fit.

As is expected with the products manufactured by Town & Country Covers, quality is of the upmost importance. For instance, seat covers are made from its signature heavy-duty polyester, ensuring it is of premium quality, waterproof and

hard-wearing, able to cope with the tough environment and for the many uses it will have.

rING c ar N aTION T here TO educaT e!

Ring Carnation will be concentrating on educating visitors, with staff on hand at stand 5D86 to show visitors its products and how it can assist in their work environments. The OSRAM owned company is a vehicle conversion electrical specialist that has been the market-leading supplier of switching systems with the emergency services since 1995, with ‘genisys’ remaining the controller of choice. Ring Carnation also has extensive access to OSRAM’s range of heavy duty driving and work lights, available to see on the stand in the OSRAM section.

s ykes-P I ckaVa NT & N O rbar

TO rque TOOL s T ea M u P aT T he N ec

Sykes-Pickavant will attend the 2024 CV Show with its long-standing partner Norbar Torque Tools, showcasing new truck hub sockets, induction heaters, booster packs and workshop equipment.

Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

r e GI s T er N OW!

With this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show expected to be even more popular than its previous editions, just some of the other companies already booked in to exhibit include B-On, TGS Automotive Group, Bott, Locks4Vans, Bradshaw Electric Vehicles, Webasto, Samsara, System Edstrom, ALD LeasePlan, Sortimo and FleetCheck. Potential exhibitors are encouraged to move quickly – there is no time to delay in confirming your place.

For more information and to apply as an exhibitor or visitor, visit www.cvshow.com

TOTa

kare

Uniting The Liquid Fuel

Industry For Future Thinking

The annual Fleet Transport Awards are once again taking place on Thursday 10th October next at the newly renovated and extended Johnstown Estate Hotel - ideally located just outside Dublin.

Not only do the Awards celebrate and honour best practice in the road transport industry, they recognise those who achieve excellence in their respective categories. The Awards Gala Banquet & Outdoor Exhibition Arena are also widely recognised as a not-to-be missed networking opportunity for the road transport industry.

The Fleet Transport Awards has long been recognising and rewarding best practice in the Irish road transport industry, for almost two decades, in fact. This year, once again, the annual event provides a positive platform to pay tribute to the best in the industry

SCALE NEW HEIGHTS with a Fleet Transport Award!

Take pride among your peers, customers and suppliers with a Fleet Transport Award accolade Fleet Transport Awards Irish Haulier of the Year 2025 – ENTRIES NOW OPEN!

for their endeavours, while availing of an unequalled opportunity to network and liaise with colleagues and meet with the main players and buyers of Ireland’s top companies.

“If you are a Road Transport Operator in Ireland, however big or small, you are eligible to enter the awards. The simplest way to enter the awards is online –www. fleet.ie,” explained Orla Sweeney, Events Co-ordinator at Fleet Publications, event hosts.

“Over the years the Fleet Transport Awards has received the support of the industry, not just from the leading operators in the country, but also from

small to medium enterprises, demonstrating that companies of all types and sizes are recognised and awarded.

Whether you operate or manage a large, medium or small sized company your application is welcomed, and independently adjudicated. This is the only awards programme that is truly supported by the whole transport industry,” added Orla.

You may enter as many categories as you wish. A full description of each category is available on line –  www.fleet.ie.

Pictured are Stephen and Gareth Mullen, Sligo Haulage & Distribution - Fleet Transport Irish Haulier of the Year 2024

Simple 1-2-3 steps in the entire process to complete your submission.

sTeP 1 - eNTer

The easiest way to enter is on line at www.fleet.ie which takes approximately 5 minutes.

sTeP 2 - subMIssION

After receipt of your entry you will receive a short number of questions related to the category/categories which your company has entered. All information submitted as part of this process is handled in the strictest confidence and is protected under the Data Protection Act.

sTeP 3 - IMPOrTaNT daTes FOr yOur dIary

Once the Shortlist is announced, interviews will take place at the Johnstown Estate Hotel, Enfield, County Meath on the 9T h/10T h Ju

. They can be done in person or by Zoom.

N ATIONAL H AULIER OF THE Y EAR

R EFRIGERATED T RANSPORT S PECIALIST (I NTERNATIONAL/N ATIONAL ) O PERATOR OF THE Y EAR

O WN ACCOUNT T RANSPORT O PERATOR OF THE Y EAR

O WNER D RIVER H AULIER OF THE Y EAR

R EGIONAL T RANSPORT O PERATOR OF THE Y EAR

B EST VAN F LEET AWARD

L IVERY OF THE Y EAR AWARD

B EST S AFETY P RACTICE AWARD

I NNOVATION AWARD

E

CILT Mobility & Supply Chain Summit -

27th February - The Gibson Hotel, Dublin

On Tuesday, 27th February, the second CILT Mobility & Supply Chain Summit was held at The Gibson Hotel, Point Square, Dublin. Hosting over 100 delegates, with sixteen industry speakers and five industry sponsors, the conference was one of the biggest events in the wider 2024 Logistics & Supply Chain Skills Week calendar, as supported by the Department of Transport.

This year the main aim of the seminar was to bring quality speakers from both road passenger transport and freight logistics together to offer delegates a choice of insightful and thought provoking sessions to attend.

Keynote speaker, Joan Mulvihill, Sustainability & Digitalisation Lead at Siemens, delivered a compelling keynote speech which covered aspects of business, management and life from a rather different perspective. Joan, as an artist, a creative evangelist and thought collector, allowed the audience to expand their thought processes to include looking for the right questions to ask, rather than looking for solutions.

Douglas Kent, Executive VP for the Association of Supply Chain Management in the USA, addressed attendees and gave an overview of digitalisation and data management to be further expanded upon by panel facilitator Conor Molloy, which also covered The Circular Economy.

Post coffee break, CEO of Usyncro,

Cristina Martín Lorenzo, who had travelled from Madrid to present at the Summit, gave the audience insights into how blockchain and AI technologies may open digital corridors and sustainable solutions for transport and logistics. Tim Crowe, CEO of WrxFlo, and exhibition sponsor of the Summit followed up this presentation with his own take on ‘How to structure digitalisation for success’.

This was followed by a question and answer session, with Digitalisation as a subject matter, led by panel moderator and facilitator Lorcan Sheehan, of PerformanSC.

Moving from there into a networking lunch allowed delegates a chance for a brain break, and to meet and chat informally.

Directly following, Jack Chambers, Minister of State for the Department of Transport addressed delegates and took the opportunity to meet and greet attendees.

Anne Graham, CEO of the National Transport Authority of Ireland, presented on the NTA’s Strategic Plans, while CEO of Iarnród Éireann Jim Meade delivered an in-depth presentation on the All Island Strategic Rail Review.

Meanwhile, parallel sessions were in full flow in one of the breakout rooms focused on topics such as micro mobility infrastructure, data analytics improving bus transport reliability, and a well-tuned-in panel discussion facilitated by Tim Gaston; former Director of Public Transport Services at the NTA. Participants on this panel included Dervla McKay; Managing Director of Go-Ahead Ireland, Charlie Gleeson; General Manager, Free Now, Peadar

Joe Kenny, CILT; Minister Jack Chambers; Tim Hayes, CILT; Katie Wheeler, CILT and James Kearney, CILT Mobility & Supply Chain Skillnet.

Pictured with Joe Kenny, CILT are (seated) Conor Molloy, Joan Mulvihill, Sustainability & Digitalisation Lead at Siemens and Douglas Kent, Executive VP for the Association of Supply Chain Management in the USA.

Joe Kenny, CEO, CILT

Golden; Country Manager Tier Mobility and Professor Heletje van Staden of UCD College of Business.

The afternoon sessions featured a panel on ‘Skills Shortages within Industry’ led by Aoife O’Sullivan of Skillnet Ireland, with representatives from industry, Nick Clarke of BWG Foods along with Nora Condon of SOLAS providing data and insights on this topic. James Kearney, CILT Education Manager and CILT Mobility & Supply Chain Skillnet Network Manager outlined the supports to industry currently available - namely specially developed microcredentials.

Douglas J Kent, returned to the stage to present on the Triple Bottom Line: People, Planet & Prosperity, Sustainability, Circularity & Climate, with John Comer, Head of Product Management Volvo Trucks UK & Ireland speaking about infrastructure and charging challenges for battery electric commercial vehicles. (See additional report below). All speakers from the parallel session rounded out the day with a question and answer session led by Lorcan Sheehan. with the main findings in terms of how these mobility actors may work together being to ‘collaborate not compete.’

Joe Kenny; CEO, CILT Ireland, who was MC for the day thanked the guest speakers, panel facilitators and sponsors: Irish Rail Freight, Customs Window, CILT Mobility & Supply Chain Skillnet, FREE NOW and WrxFlo.

VOLVO Trucks cONTIN ues TO be T he VOI ce ON s us Ta IN ab ILIT y

For some attendees, the very precise and succinct presentation given by John Comer (Head of Product Management, Volvo Truck UK & Ireland) (pictured) would have been enlightening from many points. While Volvo is an iconic brand worldwide across many fields of industry, in reality not everyone fully appreciates what the parent company AB Volvo actually does, and how wide-rang-

ing, and important it is. Especially as a leader in innovation for sustainability, which John attributes to its Swedish heritage and culture, noting that “Volvo’s first environmental statement was released in 1972”.

John’s presentation highlighted the work Volvo Trucks does, for example, by working to electrify its truck fleet and “aiming to get the concepts to become a reality”. It is far more than just inserting batteries into a truck chassis, as John highlighted that Volvo’s three manufacturing plants can now build diesel and electric trucks on the same production line.

Importantly, John informed the attendees of the immense work that has been completed to date, such as the move from Euro 5 to Euro 6 which alone brought about an 80% reduction in NOx. In addition, within a relatively short time frame, Volvo has electrified its full truck range of which many examples are already operating in Ireland. The truck and bus manufacturer is already working towards Euro 7, which will also require reductions in tyre and brake particulates and will be assessed against the Vehicle Energy Calculation Tool (VECTO). The targets are stringent and will demand a CO2 reduction of 15% by 2025 and a 45% reduction by 2030 from a baseline of 2019.

Nevertheless, companies like Volvo take their responsibilities seriously and have entered into joint ventures with what would have previously been its competitors and are now project partners. The cost of the research is immense, and by co-operating with companies such as Daimler AG and the Traton Group on the Milence project and on the development of Hydrogen, Volvo can deliver significant benefits for all. Ma IN

n Minister of State for the Department of Transport Jack Chambers highlighted six key messages from the logistics and supply chain skills group. He also covered the 10 year road haulage strategy, the road freight forum, issues about fuel, plus installing dedicated HGV charging facilities on TEN-T and other major routes, including chargers at motorway service stations.

n The Minister added that the European Investment Bank (EIB) is looking at the sequencing of rail investment and the requirement to increase rail freight

volumes and the need to deal with infrastructure deficit in particular in the West.

n The government will support the development of ports and airports, and will issue a final consultation document on these vital infrastructures in the 3rd quarter of 2024.

n The government supports the lifting of the flight cap at Dublin Airport.

n Anne Graham of NTA spoke about the strategic plans for public transport. Passenger numbers for public transport in the Greater Dublin area are expected to grow by 20% by 2042.

n There is a technology challenge for longer distance services to achieve lower emissions.

n 308 million passengers used public transport in 2023, up 5% from 2019.

n NTA is introducing the TFI Live app, to cover all services.

n Jim Meade from Irish Rail spoke about “Rail 2050” and achieving zero net emissions by 2050. He also spoke about the all-island rail study.

n The Foynes Line will be open for freight by the end of 2025 or early 2026. Double track will be introduced on Limerick Junction to Limerick line.

n Double tracking will enable the introduction of Galway/Athenry services. every 10 minutes. There will be a major development of Galway Station with additional platforms etc.

n Waterford Station is moving to the North Quays and Rosslare Europort terminal will be developed.

n First battery electric trains will be in service in 2025. There are plans to electrify 700 km of track.

n Current rail freight volumes are less than 1% of what is being carried, this figure needs to be up in the teens.

n Infrastructure development budget between now and 2050 will be running at €30 billion a year.

n Trials are starting with hydrogen fuel use, although there are issues about supply, source and range.

n Marino Point rail link is to be re-activated.

n Rosslare Europort infrastructure spend is about €200 million.

n A major issue is the recruitment of skilled personnel and Irish Rail takes in 50 apprentices in all skills each year.

n The European Investment Bank will support the infrastructure plans and work with the company on sequencing of developments in order to give continuous work flow for contractors etc.

Text: Jarlath Sweeney, Paul White & Howard Knott

Revolutionising Coolant Technology: Volvo’s New VCS 2 Coolant

Volvo Trucks has once again raised the bar in the realm of modern coolants and antifreeze with the introduction of their latest coolant specification, succeeding the well-known yellow Volvo VCS coolant. This new standard has now become the coolant of choice for both factory fill and service fill for heavy-duty and medium-duty engines within the Volvo range, applicable to all models since 2022. Notably, this innovative product is designed to be backwards compatible with its predecessor, ensuring seamless integration with existing systems.

The VCS coolant specification has been a staple for a considerable period, prompting the Volvo Group to unveil the next-generation VCS-2 grade as a replacement for the previous variant. Rigorous testing has been conducted to meet the stringent industry norms and requirements, specifically tailored for the latest generation of engines. The VCS-2 specification is engineered to deliver optimal performance and protection for Volvo’s heavy-duty diesel engines.

One noteworthy feature of the VCS-2 coolant is its inhibitor package, which is free of 2-EHA (2-ethyl hexanoic acids). This composition aligns with regulatory changes imposing higher demands on reducing toxic components in coolants, thereby contributing to a healthier environment. The coolant and inhibitor system’s service life is guaranteed for a driving distance of 500,000 km or four years, whichever comes first, without the need for supplemental coolant additives.

Based on LoBrid Technology (90% Organic Acid Technology/10% Inorganic Acid Technology), the VCS-2 coolant offers improved coolant oxidation stability, reduced metallic corrosion, and enhanced compatibility with rubber and plastic components. This is particularly

crucial in preventing seal breakages, ensuring the longevity and efficiency of cooling systems.

CoolTemp Ultra VRCS-2 coolant and antifreeze, carrying the new Volvo VCS-2 and Renault RTCS-2 specifications, are now available in various pack sizes from Finol Oils in Dublin. Finol Oils, a leading lubricant distributor in Ireland since 1977, is committed to delivering high-quality products tailored to the Irish market’s unique road and driving conditions. The CoolTemp Ultra VRCS-2 is the latest edition to their extensive

CoolTemp range of coolants & antifreezes. It is a “Very-Long-Life” coolant/antifreeze based on monoethylene glycol, containing no Nitrites, Amines, or Silicates. In a change from Volvo’s norm, The Volvo VCS 2 product is characterised by its orangish-red colour and CoolTemp Ultra VRCS-2 is similar in colour but most importantly it is compatibility with the previous yellow coolant. It is fully compatible with older Volvo and Renault engines, although it is advisable to drain and flush the system for optimal performance when transitioning to the new product.

n reNauLT - rTcs-2

n VOLVO - Vcs-2

n caTerPILLar

n PerkINs - T/c 2190/b

n Isuzu - ud Trucks

n J.d. - J.d. POWer sysTeMs

n Paccar - LeyLaNd

n TaTa MOTOrs - LaNd rOVer JaGuar

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Looking Back and Forward with Schmitz Cargobull (SC) and Kässbohrer Trailers (KB)

With Andrea Beckonert; Marketing Communications, Schmitz Cargobull and Iffet Türken, Executive Member, Business Development, Kässbohrer

what is your overall view of the new and used semi-trailer and trailer marketplaces in general during 2023 and into 2024 and how did your brand perform?

sc: Following the volatility of the transport market we expect a rather subdued demand in 2024 especially in countries where the economy continues to drag on. The high prices for energy and salaries continue to weigh on production. Schmitz Cargobull’s market share across all trailer types was 23 (23.1) percent in calendar year 2022. In calendar year 2023 (April to September) at 24 percent (23.7). The number of used trailers sold has also remained relatively constant: CY 2022: 5,619 trailers, CY 2023: 5,713 trailers.

kb: We are the only manufacturer meeting the needs of all sectors of the transport business from general cargo to liquid and bulk goods, from championing intermodal to abnormal and heavy goods to construction. We meet the needs of our customers in more than 55 countries. On sector and country basis, there are a lot differences. We closely watch the European Freight Forwarding Index for Road as well and note that it was at its yearly lowest in December 2023.

what are your delivery times for new trailers, or does that vary on the specification of the order?

sc: The current delivery times for our main products in standard design (S.CS, S.BO EXPRESS, S.KO COOL, S.KI (with steel round body and aluminium body) are 5 to 9 weeks, depending on the vehicle type. For special specifications, delivery times vary and depend on the equipment.

kb: With our strong processes, manufacturing capability and capacity we present the fastest delivery times at all times!

is pricing an issue presently?

sc: Yes, pricing is still a major issue, we are still in an inflationary environment. We have seen a slight decline in material costs over the last six months. But the still high energy prices, rising toll, and increasing labour costs in Germany continue to put us as a manufacturer under enormous pressure.

kb: For us we provide the needs of all segments in transportation, at the most competitive pricing.

what are the main concerns within your sector - skilled labour shortage, rising component costs, volatility within the haulage industry?

sc: The market is very volatile in all of the areas mentioned and increasingly requires the unpredictable to be managed.

kb: Transition to net zero emissions as mandated by EU law is our biggest issue that we are involved in and working on.

electrification of trailers.  any new trailers or model variants set for launch during 2024?

sc: In 2024, we will continue to present customer-oriented product innovations and many practical solutions for the major topics of CO2 reduction as well as transparency and efficiency in the fleet at the IAA Commercial Vehicles in Hanover. The decision to equip our vehicles with our TrailerConnect trailer telematics system as standard at an early stage was also a milestone that we will continue to build on.

This digitalisation of trailers is one of the cornerstones for the digitalisation of transport processes and the successful networking of transport companies,

is there an interest from new electric powered truck operators regarding electric e-axles or electric refrigeration units?

sc: Regardless of whether the customer drives an electrically powered tractor unit, we are seeing increasing demand for our fully electric S.KOe COOL refrigerated semi-trailers. Particularly among customers who drive in inner-city distribution transport and are looking for solutions with regard to the so-called “zero emissions zones”.

kb: We launched our e-reefer mid-2023, and it’s been successfully tested for over 6 months. We are seeing more interest in electrified reefers and we are glad of it. We are also involved in EU project Zefes and working with OEMs on furthering

freight forwarders and shippers for a transparent supply chain. For us as a trailer manufacturer, this also means end-to-end system integration, which is why we will invest more in our in-house technological expertise and thus ensure the rapid implementation of electronic, mechatronic and software products.

kb: We constantly innovate, successfully carrying on the proud Kässbohrer tradition. We’ll have new trailers throughout the year, beginning with our new generation container chassis range featuring our innovation award winning octagonal central beam. Our new product launches will continue during the year.

Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

A pioneer of the electric vehicle market, Ireland’s largest privately owned automotive distributor and retailer, Harris Group, has announced a strategic restructuring of the company as it gears up for a new phase of accelerated growth.

A new senior management team has been announced to drive transformational change under the leadership of Chairperson and CEO, Denise Harris. The team is an impressive line-up of some of the most experienced people in the industry. Brian Patterson has joined the business as Group Managing Director with responsibility for developing and driving the group’s strategy and ambitious growth targets.  He is joined by Mark Barrett, Managing Director of Group Franchises; John Keogh, Managing Director of Retail Operations and Barry McGrane, Chief Financial Officer. Widely recognised as a trusted leader and advisor to the automotive industry, Nigel Birkmyre has joined the Harris Group board.

Le G acy

Since 2017 Denise Harris has been leading the group following the passing of her husband, Pino who founded Harris Group in 1961. Building on his incredible legacy, Denise stepped into the role

without hesitation, her first concern being for the team, many of whom had been with the business for more than 40 years.

“We have always been a people-centric business,” said Denise Harris. “Pino created this ethos, which helped him in building a wonderful business, backed by a team of strong people and supported by loyal customers and industry partners.

“We have managed to continue growing the business and more recently have assembled a new senior management team to take Harris Group into the next era of growth, future proofing it for generations to come,” she said.

“As a team, we have ambitious targets and plans for all of our brands in both Ireland and the UK and are growing our dealership network while also investing heavily in training. Our Dublin headquarters are being redeveloped to include an upgraded state-of-the-art showroom for fleet, commercial and private buyers to visit, meet with our experts, learn more about our EV ranges and forge long-term relationships.”

Harris Group poised for double digit growth following strategic restructuring

as we enter this new phase of growth.

And while we are creating an even more dynamic operation, underpinning all of this change is a consistent commitment to excellence and outstanding customer service. It was important to me that we retained these founding values of the business, honouring the pioneering spirit of my late husband, Pino,” said Denise Harris.

I NV es TING IN T he F u T ure

As part of the transformation, plans have been approved for the expansion of Harris’ onsite Training Academy, which provides cutting-edge EV (electric vehicle) training for technicians both within the group and across its extensive dealership network. The academy, launched in 2021, has quickly become a premier hub for knowledge exchange and a leading centre of excellence in EV technology education. The Harris Group is widely recognised for its commitment to education and training and Denise Harris says that the training academy is a central component of the group’s long-term investment strategy.

Located on some 24 acres on the Naas Rd. in Dublin, Harris Group is already Ireland’s largest retail sales centre for the commercial vehicle sector with marque brands including Isuzu, MAXUS and Higer Bus & Coach. With a substantial parts stockholding, the business is also the largest parts distribution centre in the country and a recognised leader in the future of motoring in Ireland and the UK, as well as across right hand drive Europe, with the MAXUS brand.

“It’s an exciting time for Harris Group

Ne W e N er G y

“There is a new energy that is being felt right across our business as a result of the significant changes we are making,” said Denise Harris. “Backed by an incredible team of visionaries, I am confident that the Harris Group will continue to grow at pace, while being recognised as both an industry leader and a pioneer in new and alternative energy vehicles for many years to come.”

www.harrisgroup.ie

Photos: Conor Mulhern

Denise Harris, CEO & Chairperson, Harris Group

Harris Group Naas Road

Denise Harris, CEO & Chairperson and Brian Patterson, Group MD Harris Group

From where I’m sittingHoward Knott- howard@fleet.ie

Petrol powered cars are one thing; food waste is quite another.

about ten years ago i took part in a logistics related conference in Rotterdam. one of the presentations struck a chord with me. what was being described was the supply chain for fruit and vegetables running from the farm in south africa, through to the ultimate customer’s house in Europe. the key point was that almost half of the product that left the grower’s premises never made it into that final customer’s larder.

This wasn’t because some of the carrots were bendy and not to the taste of the Supermarket buyers, it was much simpler, the product was being carried in inappropriate equipment and, more important, it took far too long to get from end to end. This amounts to a serious waste of food and, of course, transport resources.

All of this came back to me when I was at the recent Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (CILT) Mobility and Supply Chain Summit. Christina Martin Lorenzo (pictured above) from logistics consultants, Usynchro, opened her presentation by stating that some 20% of costs within the supply chain are due to fragmentation of documentation and IT systems. This fragmentation is most clearly seen in the delays that occur in moving cargo due to the appropriate documentation supporting the next move not being in place. All of this may sound very familiar to anyone that has been involved in supplying goods to or

through Britain in the post-Brexit world, and perhaps the difficulties of solving the question were clearly shown by the continued putting off by the British Control Authorities of the full implementation of the controls. An overheard aside during a coffee break was that the UK Landbridge was now dead, that there are too many dodgy paperwork risks, and now that there are twelve sailings out of Ireland each week to Cherbourg, that’s the way to go.

Coming back to Christina Lorenzo’s point, and it was one that the IT people have been speaking about, certainly since 2006 when “single windows” became the buzzword. It was that the technology and correct applications of Blockchain Technology hold many of the answers. There has been much talk about FIATA digital Bills of Lading by many of the more significant cargo carriers, but implementation of fully digital, or paperless shipping has been extremely slow. A speaker at another event on a similar topic quoted a survey that found that 50% of operational problems in global trade are documentation-related, the documentation may be inaccurate or incomplete and it impacts two parties. One, the forwarder, is not able to provide a delivery service and, two, the cargo owner may have millions of dollars of product just sitting around somewhere, leaving them vulnerable.

Perhaps a key to sorting all this thing out came from another speaker at the

CILT event, Tim Crowe of WrxFlo. If I understood him correctly, a large part of what they do is to get systems operating within a business on different technologies to work together. Doing this within a logistics supply chain which is inevitably full of different technologies must surely allow a proper information flow, and cut out the hours and days of hanging around waiting for the paperwork to arrive. While this is quite easy to say, the reality can be quite tough. One problem is that a particular shipment may be manufactured by a large and very IT savvy company, shipped through another large company and delivered to a sophisticated customer. It’s likely that each of those will be using multiple sub-suppliers, many of them very small and not at all IT savvy. That said, the rewards for achieving a “no paperwork delays” system are huge for suppliers, freighters, customers and, of course, the planet.

Also speaking at the CILT event was Jack Chambers T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Transport. Among the items he highlighted were that the Ports Policy document would be out for final consultation in the third quarter of this year, that the Government has a focus in addressing the infrastructure deficit being experienced in the West of Ireland, and that the Government supports the lifting of the cap on flight numbers using Dublin Airport.

the effects of global warming on our climate raise a huge financial question over the transport and logistics industries. how to make these sectors long term sustainable and what best strategic steps to take to protect and grow businesses, while maintaining or improving the bottom line are the issues at hand.

sustainability in business refers to doing business without negatively impacting the environment, community or society as a whole.

Whereas previously customers and financial institutions paid lip service to transport operating in a sustainable manner, now large contracts are only awarded to those that show insight and leadership in reducing carbon footprint and its overall effect on the environment. Yes, service still has to be provided in a cost effective manner, but the emphasis has now moved away from pure costs to the service provided in the most sustainable manner with the least current impact on the environment.

Warehousing has the opportunity to operate with zero emissions if all movements are carried out by electric handling equipment and all power is generated by solar or wind on site. The capacity to store power and/or exchange and sell power into a grid all contribute to a zero emissions facility once the building and infrastructure is in place. The concept of logistics and storage long term can be questioned, but reality is that storage operates as a function of seasonal peaks and troughs in both production and consumption and the economies of scale dictate storage requirements.

On a regional basis urban dwellers in Dublin cannot understand why logistics providers do not immediately transfer to electric power or piggy-back on an expanded rail network, a Luas for goods and smaller electric vehicles completing the journey from railhead. The reality as we know is that even moving to HVO as an alternative fuel comes at a cost, and most operators will not support even this moderate move with increased rates. Neither is Government supporting it, as it’s still perceived as using a combustion engine in an inherently dangerous application.

Sustainability in road transport is not just about the reduction in carbon fuel use (we all know that every measure is undertaken to reduce consumption/ increase full running as not to do so is damaging financially). The other side of sustainability is the negative perception society has of large commercial

Sustainability of Road Transport & Logistics

vehicles, particularly in relation to road safety. The truth again is that there has been massive investment in all aspects of safety, both from a technical perspective and also in training and staff development. It is fair to say that all this investment has been with little support from Government and while it ploughs huge funds into enforcement and compliance, a structured and logical incentive scheme around training and asset replacement would contribute more to road transport’s impact on the environment and society. Simple examples would be the inclusion of HVO in the fuel rebate scheme, the adoption of accelerated capital allowances for new cleaner vehicles (with required safety and emissions standards), and the revamp of Drivers CPC to bring meaningful training around road safety and fuel efficient driving.

The Irish Road Transport industry carries out a fundamentally important function for the economic wellbeing and social wellbeing of society. There are financial constraints on transport companies regarding the most sustainable methods of operation, but it is one industry that has shown time and time again that it can deliver the most cost effective and competitive services. Any changes that need to be made will have to be a group effort coming from customers, Government and transport firms all working together.

Text: Donal Dempsey - donal@fleet.ie

www.cargobull.com/uk/products/

Body EN 12642 Code XL certified

Certified body to take 27 payload Code XL-certified trailers guarantee greater safety for the transported load. The certification ensures that the trailer fulfils the specific requirements for load securing in accordance with DIN EN 12642.

I was struck by a comment made on social media recently. It was a response to the development going on in Rosslare EuroPort currently. The County Wexford port has been one of the big winners resulting from the departure of the UK from the EU (European Union). Because of the increase in truck traffic going direct to Europe, these high volumes have put pressure on the current infrastructure. There is significant work taking place and although it looks like a building site, the Port Management are keeping the facility moving. Extra capacity is being created and new facilities are being built for the assembly of wind turbines that can be floated out to sea and harness offshore to generate electricity. A good story all around that will also help to future proof the Port and secure a route to market for our exports to Europe.

So back to that often heard comment: “When will we see freight going to Rosslare travel by rail” the social media post asked. Judging by the comments that followed, it seems a lot of people seem to think that moving freight by rail is inevitable and just a matter of time. Maybe they are right. Or are they being mislead by environmentalists who possibly believe a transfer to rail will happen?

At the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) annual conference held last year in Killarney, An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, when speaking about the need for the road sector to reduce its carbon footprint, acknowledged that at best rail could only take less than 10% of freight of the road. At least therefore mainstream Government is aware of the limitations of rail freight as an alternative.

Despite these comments there are some new developments with rail freight. For some time now there have been rail services from the west of Ireland to Dublin and Waterford. These services are however heavily reliant on back up from road transport and will need significant investment in rolling stock. Secondly Irish Rail is embarking on a project to convert some older diesel engines to operate on Hydrogen. However by far the biggest plan for rail freight revival is the planned re-opening of the line from Foynes to Limerick.

All of this begs a question, would this investment not be better used to improve the quality and frequency of passenger services? If you are sitting in the tailbacks coming into Galway or Limerick, truck traffic is not the problem, it’s the volume of cars during rush hour.

Pollution has been put forward as a reason to move freight to the railways, which is a fair point. But as our truck fleet becomes newer with more and more vehicles in the Euro 6+ bracket, that

Environmentalists who think rail freight will replace road freight are on the wrong track

pollution is already reducing. Remember, it would take up to 40 modern engines to produce the same amount of exhaust emissions as an engine pre-Euro 1. Diesel may be a word that is not very palatable nowadays, but we may have to re-think that one. Although it may be unrealistic to suggest a revival of the diesel engine, it is not beyond the bounds of possibilities that it could have a medium term future with further development and refining.

Some of the environmental lobbyists claim that the road haulage sector has a vested interest in trying to stop the progress of rail freight. However nothing could be further from the truth. I have not heard any road haulier mention rail freight as a concern for them in terms of a threat to their business. On the contrary, rail freight could create more business for them. Our country needs to take note of the threats that are facing the environment and make positive changes. Nobody is arguing with that. However spending money and putting investment and effort into projects that appeal to the voters is not a good strategy. In the future some of these rail developments may be seen as trophy projects for the Green Party. As for the social post asking about the railway line to Rosslare, I think it will be a challenge to get passengers travelling on the ferry to arrive by rail, let alone trucks.

Text: Sean Murtagh - sean@fleet.ie

Stena Line and CLdN expand Irish Sea footprints

stena line has commenced operation of its six round trips weekly dublin/ Birkenhead service with sailings from dublin at 06.30 using the stena horizon. stena expects to move the service onto a twice daily schedule using 12 driver only freight ferries as soon as such vessels can be sourced.

Stena has also returned the veteran Stena Europe to the Rosslare/Fishguard service, and she is expected to remain there until mid-April when the Line’s winter vessel re-fit programme is complete. The need to complete terminal re-development works at Fishguard had

restricted the Line’s flexibility regarding vessel deployment during this period.

CLdN has completed the integration of the Seatruck vessels and services into its operation. Seatruck services are now branded and timetabled as CLdN, and the Dublin/Liverpool service is now operated using a mix of CLdN and Seatruck tonnage giving a daily frequency of up to four times in each direction. CLdN has also disposed of the 1,830 lane metre Seatruck Panorama to Mexican operators.

Irish Ferries will operate a similar sailing schedule to 2023 on the

Dublin/Cherbourg service for 2024 but using the Oscar Wilde on the additional weekend sailing. This will significantly expand passenger capacity on the route. The company has also chartered the Transfennica 3,000 lane metre freight ferry as vessel maintenance cover.

DB Schenker Group expands Irish activities

dB schenker has successfully completed three of its four major development projects to provide larger, state-of-the-art operations in ireland. as part of a €94m investment in new facilities across the country, sites at shannon, leixlip and Baldonnell are now complete and are fully operational. an additional new facility in dublin is shortly to commence construction to house dB schenker’s land operations

CGM subsidiary, CMa

inland services (CCis) has opened its 24th European dedicated empty container depot at dublin Port Company’s

in ireland. this is scheduled for completion in January 2025.

The company says that demand from Healthcare and Technology customers is powering strong growth across DB Schenker’s business in Ireland, which now employs 800 people

The owner of the DB Schenker Group, Deutsche Bahn is progressing its sale following the closure of the allocated time for receipt of “expressions of

interest” for the logistics company that is operational in 130 countries and employs over 76,000 staff. The anticipated sale price of between $13-15 billion will make this the biggest takeover of a logistics group so far this century. The front runners to acquire Schenker have long been DSV and DHL, though several major shipping lines and terminal operators have also expressed interest.

Second phase of Dublin Inland

Port facility now complete

inland Port facility close to the M50 and dublin airport. in a statement the company says that the state-ofthe-art dublin facility will specialise in container storage and repair, focusing on catering to the export needs of foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, and refrigerated products. together with service partner doyle shipping Group, the investment will create 25 new jobs.

Dublin Port Company’s investment

in the overall inland facility has reached €52 million and the company is currently engaged in preparation of its detailed Planning Application for the third and final phase of the development which is expected to include facilities for holding laden units en route to or from Dublin Port. The inland facility has already freed up 75% of the 40-hectare masterplan target of re-located non-essential businesses from the Port.

Port of Waterford handles giant wind turbines

the specialist bulk carrier BBC Citrine discharged a cargo of wind turbine blades, each of which is 80 metres long at waterford Port. a following vessel discharged towers which, when assembled, will be over 160 metres high. all the equipment is being delivered to Cushaling wind farm in County offaly. the nine turbines, which will have a tip height of 185 metres,

will be the largest of any wind farm in ireland.

Port of Waterford CEO David Sinnott said that the Port is strategically positioned to support the future offshore energy sector and has currently applied to the Marine Area Regulatory Authority for consent for a proposed 250m quay extension to further support this work.

Text: Howard Knott - howard@fleet.ie

CMa

CGM

Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2024NEC, Birmingham, UK

The new caravan and motorhome season was launched in style at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham, where the 2024 Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show saw over 400 exhibitors offer a host of products and services to show attendees, as well as information and inspiration needed to explore and discover the great outdoors.

Covering four halls, every nook and corner was occupied by large and small display stands with all the major industry players present. While the campervan builders and converters as well as the caravan manufacturers had a fine array of spanking new mobile leisure vehicles of all shapes and sizes available, word from the stands was that supply of base chassis and panel vans for conversion is still an issue, with long waiting times testing customers’ patiences.

Among the packed line-up of units on display, there were a few that stood out. One example was the Endeavour EV, Bailey’s electric concept 2-berth panel van conversion, based on Ford’s E-Transit 3.5-tonne platform which has been designed with sustainability in mind. For example, all services and appliances in the Endeavour EV are fully electric, meaning no fossil fuels are required to

power the motorhome when in use. Solar panels are installed on the roof.

Low carbon recycled materials, particularly in the work surfaces, upholstery fabrics and furniture handles, have also been used throughout its construction.

It features a 68kWh electric drive, providing around 160kms range distance. Payload is a mere 178kg.

Pick-up owners will take to the Renegade Campers’ custom built demountable camper. The Southampton based family business, which specialises in boat building, took to the task of creating this concept during the global pandemic lockdown periods. It sleeps two adults comfortably and has enough head and leg room to prepare and eat food at ease inside. This original model was fitted to the owners’ Ford Ranger Double cab, and can be specified to suit any pick-up truck. By raising the two support legs at the back and releasing some attachments, the well ventilated sleeping and living box can be lifted off in just minutes by one person only. What’s more the shell is built using recycled materials.

When it comes to fashion, style and

automotive design the Italians do it best. Take the awesome Morello flagship mega motorhome, the Empire Liner 93 LS, built on the mid-duty MercedesBenz Atego 4x2 rigid truck, and fitted with every mod-con in the business, in a most luxurious way. It’s 8650mm long, 2550mm wide and 3760mm high. And the price tag…..a whopping £491,200. Interested parties: please form an orderly queue!

Finally, from Euro Mobile is this Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Xtura XT 686 EF for the ultimate 4x4 adventures. Powering the LHD or RHD unit is a 2.0-litre 190hp diesel, mated to the 7 G-Tronic automatic transmission. For the special show price of £159,995 (List: £10k more), it came with £30,000 worth of extras.

MO re LLO eur O MO b IL

ba IL ey

supply and demand, and the transition to zero-emission vehicles continue to be the ongoing challenges for all involved in the automotive leasing and rental sectors in 2024, be it cars or light commercials.

The interest in and adaption of electric cars and vans is growing as the industry claws back to pre-2020 overall sales levels, but in the fleet sector there is broad caution. In addition insurance premiums have risen, while fuel prices have also led to altered driving habits. The ongoing fluctuation in vehicle pricing is adding a further complication to matters.

According to Sinead McCann at motoring marketplace Carzone which has carried out a broad report on market trends: “The automotive sector is at a pivotal juncture of recovery, with our data showing a promising start to 2024 and a pathway back to pre-pandemic levels of success for a sector recently challenged by Brexit and stock shortages. A significant finding is the growing interest in electric and hybrid vehicles, with 54% of respondents now considering an EV or hybrid for their next purchase, marking a substantial increase from 35% in 2023. This surge aligns with 16% of respondents already owning hybrids or EVs, up from 10% the previous year. Nonetheless, 50% have reservations about going electric, citing infrastructure challenges, particularly the scarcity of charging points, as a major obstacle to EV adoption.”

In general, during 2023 Carzone witnessed a significant tilt towards sustainability, with the Hyundai Kona leading the electric vehicle (EV) segment. The BMW 5 Series and Hyundai Tucson were the most searched vehicles in the Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) and Hybrid (HEV) categories, highlighting a shift towards alternative fuels. Diesel, led by the Volkswagen Golf, remains popular

Car and Light Commercial Leasing & Rental sectors evolving with caution

for its fuel efficiency. With regards to vehicle types, SUVs dominated, but estates made a comeback, reflecting a demand for space. Black was the preferred colour, with 2020 models being the most sought-after, indicating a balance between modern features and value. “This trend underscores a market embracing innovation while valuing tradition,” Sinead added.

To the ascertain the state of play in the leasing and rental industry, Fleet Transport enquired with a number of stakeholders who responded with the following replies, initially with Jimmy Connellan, Commercial Director, Drivalia

how has business been in 2023?  2023 saw strong growth, with unit growth in excess of 10% for the year. Electric Vehicles and Light commercials contributed significantly to this. We rolled out our new Home Charging offering for EV Drivers, and we rebranded as Drivalia (from ALD Automotive) in August 2023.

With the transition to electric ongoing, has it changed the business landscape for you?

The transition has forced us as a business to be a lot more informed in terms of electric vehicle trends, charging infrastructure and home charging, so as to support our customer base better with their fleet requirements. This has resulted in the creation of new services (home, work and public charging solution) and taking a consultative approach with our customers to help with their transition from ICE to Electric vehicles. We’ve also had to increase our knowledge on the changing BIK landscape relating

to Electric Vehicles  and are assisting customers with new Fleet Policies to incorporate the change in powertrains to hybrids (PHEV) and EVs.

Is the percentage of beVs in your fleet increasing and has timeline and rates for leasing or renting changed?

Yes, this has increased year-onyear from 2022. The cost of EV’s when compared to equivalent ICE vehicles are considerably more expensive and this plays out in the commercial vehicle space in particular. This has the knock-on effect of increased lease costs and has impacted or slowed the take up of commercial EVs as the price has been a barrier for many. As manufacturers scale up from a production prospective and availability of stock increases we have started to see some manufacturers support their products with additional discount which is narrowing the gap somewhat from a leasing prospective.

As we cover up to 3,500kg GVW, part of our consultancy work is that we help our customers analyse the Total Cost of Ownership on EVs by comparing the cost of the asset, its maintenance and charging costs over the term of the contract, and compare this where possible against a near equivalent ICE vehicle, showing how they compare over the full term of a  lease contract. Traditional ICE manufacturers have targets in place to cease production of petrol and diesel powertrains within

the next decade with some having already ceased diesel production. We’re assisting our customers in meeting that need to change ahead of time.   What trends are emerging regarding the type of customer who is opting for leasing or renting?

Nothing too obvious, the market has remained fairly unchanged with regard to Sole Traders, SME’s, Corporates, Multi-Nationals. Demand from private individuals is still very modest in Ireland. We have seen somewhat of an uplift in new and existing customers with a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) agenda and a need to reduce their

has the delays with waiting times for vehicle delivery and bodybuilding an ongoing issue with you?

Only up until H2 of 2023, where for approximately a year and a half, if not longer, we experienced long delays, which became a challenge. At present, this issue is somewhat negligible; production is still an issue for a number of brands, but there is enough availability to manage demand.

how much of an issue is wear and tear and damage incurred to eVs during their first life? Is your policy to dispose of the vehicle after first use?

Carbon Footprint across their fleet where we can help and advice on EV’s and PHEV’s and ultimately provide trial vehicles for staff where required. We’re also seeing some new customers looking to make a change to e-LCVs with a very cautious approach given the high costs and lower range availability. We de-risk this by taking on the residual guarantee and maintenance of the vehicle.

What are the particular types of commercial vehicles that are proving more popular, e.g. more specialised products versus standard versions?

There has been a move away from larger commercial vehicles over the past three years, with customers seemingly preferring small and mid-size commercial vehicles instead. Standard commercial vehicles are still the preference, with specialty vehicles being chosen by customers with bespoke requirements.

All our vehicles are supplied with a budgeted maintenance plan that is determined by the contract length and mileage. This maintenance plan covers essentials like tyres, routine servicing, Road Tax, CVRT, courtesy vehicles when required and roadside recovery/ assistance. Our Driver App allows for drivers to record and report incidents and accidents which allows us to monitor damage and schedule repairs when required. We have a lease end fair wear and tear matrix that assesses the vehicle’s condition on return in a transparent format. A returning vehicle can be considered for a second life lease if it meets the criteria in terms of age and mileage at the point of return. A lease end vehicle, depending on condition and mileage, may be considered for sale at our Retail unit or it will be sold into the Trade at our weekly auction.

do you work with brand dealers re service and maintenance of the commercials? how do you undertake tyre management?

with the vehicle supplier/manufacturer while the vehicle remains under warranty. We have partnerships with BestDrive, First Stop/Fast Fit and a host of independent tyre agents across the island. Our customers can source their nearest tyre agent on the go, via our Driver App.

Similar questions were put to Simon Madden, Marketing Director and Brian Quinlan, Head of Sales at NiftiBusiness, Dublin, who replied: “There were some challenges in 2023, particularly around supply timelines, but thankfully these constraints eased somewhat towards the end of the year, and we are seeing a normalisation into 2024. Taking the year as a whole, demand was strong from customers across all vehicle types. We experienced continued growth in EVs as more and more Irish businesses sought ways to make an instant impact on their carbon footprint. Nevertheless, there was still plenty of demand for ICE vehicles, including hybrid, and while we continue to anticipate further demand for EVs as businesses make the switch to electric fleet, ICE vehicles still remain important to many of our customers.

On the transition to electric, Nifti is up to the task: “It has certainly presented us with a lot of opportunity. Many businesses want to make the switch to an electric fleet, but are not necessarily sure of the best path to take i.e. a complete switch to electric or a blending of EV and ICE to begin with. There can also be a natural trepidation associated with making this switch, and that it perfectly understandable as it can often represent a big change for companies. However, working closely with customers to fully understand their key needs, and advising, guiding and supporting them every step of the way is critical to easing

We have a network of over 600+ suppliers on the island of Ireland for service, maintenance and repairs of all vehicles. Our preference is to work

some of this trepidation. This first-principles approach to fleet electrification has made the transition to electric fleet much less daunting for many customers.”

In relation to the increased percentage of BEVs in its fleet, Simon stated: “Yes, this is increasing across our full customer base and even our own fleet is now 100% electric. Demand remains strong into 2024 so we expect to have an even larger BEV fleet by the end of this year.  All passenger and commercial vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes are well within our compass, and we work hand in glove with third party suppliers on tailored fit-out and branding requirements. Any larger would be for more specialised suppliers.”

Simon outlined the main trends which unite customers looking at business leasing as a viable option for

their fleets. These include;

1. Cashflow advantages - No large vehicle purchase payments are required and leases are provided at a fixed monthly cost, thus enabling vital capital to be used elsewhere in the business.

2. No depreciation costs - Leasing vehicles means that the business does not have to absorb depreciation costs, with all elements of end-of-life vehicle disposal managed by us.

3. Optimising resources - Business leasing removes the additional time and administrative burden on a business of purchasing their own fleet of business vehicles. In-house management - If a business or organisation possesses existing in-house fleet management capabilities, they can continue to leverage these skills with a leased vehicle fleet. We work with a nationwide network of main commercial dealers and approved third party specialists for all maintenance of our on-fleet commercials, giving peace of mind to all customers that their vehicles will have access to appropriate service options when required.

John Wallace, Fleetfirst Contract Hire, Dublin, was happy enough with last years’ business performance: “Steady, similar to 2022,” he said. On the gradual move towards zero-emission vehicles, he said: “It’s making it more challenging as companies want to go ‘green’ but drivers doing a lot of mileage still avoid BEV’s due to infrastructure and range.

As a result, the percentage of BEVs in Fleetfirst’s fleet is increasing, “but very slowly”.

Other matter’s arising on John’s agenda include residual values: “RV’s on BEV’s a big concern especially with manufacturers discounting and changing pricing at the drop of a hat. Deliveries continue to be an issue but it is changing quickly with manufacturers back to oversupply situation again.”

In relation to sales and service of its light commercials John added: “We dispose of CV’s after first use without exception and we use main dealers throughout the country and use one of the national tyre companies to provide all tyre related maintenance we require.”

Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

If RTX 2023 was a roaring success, then this year’s event promises to be even better, offering a one-stop shop for the road transport sector.

Visitors heading to the Road Transport Expo (RTX) this summer had best be wearing their comfy shoes, with more than 200 exhibitors already confirmed for the bumper trade-show and the list growing daily.

Taking place from 4-6 June at NAEC Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, RTX is back for its third year, continuing with its ‘All about the truck’ focus.

can filter using a simple A-Z search of company names, or by the product type that you are interested in.

Roll Up for Road Transport Expo (RTX)

2024 - Everything in one place for Everyone!

There will also be a range of exhibitors showcasing their expertise in non-product-related areas such as training, compliance, finance/leasing, recruitment, insurance and law.

Visitors in 2023 were delighted with the varied choice of exhibitors taking part in RTX, with 98% rating the quality and quantity of stands to explore as ‘excellent/good’ and a whopping 96% saying they would most likely visit the show again this year.

The show is already confirmed to feature all eight major truck OEMs –DAF, Iveco, Isuzu, MAN, Mercedes-Benz, Renault Trucks, Scania and Volvo –alongside new entrants to the UK HGV market, Sany E-Trucks and HVS, as well as van manufacturers Maxus and Ford.

aLL a N d s u N dry

Show visitors will also be able to find everything else needed for their business, from the smallest consumables through to tyres, specialist bodies, workshop equipment, tankers and trailers, all in one vast venue.

All the information about show exhibitors can be found on roadtransportexpo.co.uk to help visitors decide which stands to put on the ‘must visit’ list? You

If you have attended before, then we would love to see you back at NAEC Stoneleigh this June, and if you are new to RTX, then please do come and along and join the buzz. It’s completely free to attend.

Register for your free place at this year’s event at roadtransportexpo.co.uk

Tes TIMONI a L s F r OM r TX 2023

“It’s been really good this year – it is well laid out and it’s easy to find things. In particular, I like the Ride & Drive as this enables me to trial different vehicles and see what performance you get out of each model that’s here. It’s been well represented, and I’ve really enjoyed it.” Mark Brook, driver trainer, Southern.

“Road Transport Expo has very much become ‘THE SHOW’ for the road transport industry and Volvo Trucks is very much looking forward to exhibiting in 2024.” Martin Tomlinson, head of media and truck demonstrations, Volvo Trucks UK & Ireland.

“Considering this is the second time this event’s been held, it has been absolutely incredible. The number of visitors we’ve had on our stand has been truly staggering. We anticipated after last year that the event would be good, but it completely surpassed our expectations.” Pete Murphy, MD, Isuzu Truck UK.

WhaT ’s TO d O aT r TX 2024?

R IDE & D RIVE

If you hold a valid HGV licence and fancy getting behind the wheel of one of the latest diesel or alternatively-fuelled trucks, then RTX is the show for you. The organisers, Road Transport Media will, once again, be creating a dedicated route for visitors to try out vehicles on the day of their visit.

If you prefer not to drive yourself that’s no problem, as there will be a team of professional drivers on hand to take visitors out for a spin to feel the driving experience from the comfort of the passenger seat.

K NOWLEDGE ZONE

A free-to-attend seminar programme will be available for visitors to drop into during the show.

You’ll be able to choose from a number of topical presentations, debates and interviews with industry experts, policy makers and leading fleet operators.

Sessions will be taking place in one of the exhibition halls at the venue and you can join in the discussion on your mobile phone using Slido technology.

The latest version of MAN Trucks’ flagship, the TGX was launched just as the Covid-19 restrictions descended across Europe. This no doubt affected the level of consciousness of the new model in the minds of the transport industry. Nevertheless, the award winning MAN Truck & Bus heavy duty range has always held its place as a volume seller across Europe and is extremely popular with many of the European mega-fleets. MAN has long held a strong share of its home market, a fair indication as to its quality, because there’s no doubt that if it was not a good truck and owning it was not a good business decision, the Germans would not buy it just because it was homegrown - the trucks have to work.

Although the general appearance of the TGX has not radically changed, that is not such a bad thing. There are some new streamlining and aerodynamic improvements that while subtle, do enhance the truck’s profile. Of course, the most noticeable change is where MAN has moved with its competitors

and adopted the mirror-camera system. Although camera systems divide opinion, they do offer a fuel saving benefit, and once a driver gets used to the arrangement we feel it is overall an improvement that delivers increased safety benefits - especially with this TGX model.

the

are

In addition, located in the door panel is MAN’s EasyControl, a remote engine start and hazard light switch assembly that allows the engine to be started from the ground. With the seat lowered and the steering column moved forward

Accessing the 6x2 mid-lift TGX 26.520 is a lesson in good design to other OEMs. The door opens to a full ninety degrees, the grab-rails run completely to the floor and

entrance steps

generous.

the driver is offered clear access to a flat-floored pleasant and spacious cab. The interior of our test model featured a dark leather trim on the seating and steering wheel. This created a relaxing and calm space, mainly due to the TGX’s Germanic simplicity which we found to be appealing

The appeal of the interior was further enhanced by the feel and touch of the materials which were sturdy and the finish and build quality were excellent. One small criticism was the lack of a closable box in the dashboard for keeping all those things one gathers as you go, although there is a slot for an A4 type folder, plus ample storage provided by three overhead lockers. In addition, there is more than adequate storage under the bunk with a roll-out fridge, a deep storage bin, and well-designed trays behind the seats. For the important detail of charging IT and other devices, the TGX cab comes with sufficient 12V,

24V and USB points, and a pull-out table on the passenger side.

Adjustment options for the driver’s seat and steering offered an excellent driving position, and thanks to the new OptiView camera system, an excellent field of vision for the driver. It is unquestionably one of the best vision systems on the market, notably due to the way it covers the blind spot and frontal view of the cab. Another benefit of MAN’s system is the way it displays the information to the driver via the infotainment screen and on the A-pillars with a crystal clear resolution. Moreover, MAN has replaced both the near-side and cyclops mirrors with cameras, whereas some OEMs have not replaced these at all or just one. The onboard information is displayed on the in-dash screen and can be selected by using the well-placed selector wheel. We do like the selector-wheel feature as it is not as distracting as some touch screens as this requires only a glance to

choose the information mode or radio station desired. TGX now also gets a dash-mounted electric parking brake.

With the TGX hitched to a new tri-axle curtainsider from Schmitz Cargobull, we set off from Clondalkin heading northbound on the M50 and then north on the N/M2. One of the first things that becomes apparent is how quiet the 6x2 MAN is. On the vehicle specifications, the truck is rated at just 79dB, and the absence of noise is noticeable and arguably quieter due to no mirror assemblies. The truck-trailer combination fitted well together and ride and handling from the MAN was first class, especially on the twisting roads from the N2 north of Slane across to the M1. Certainly, the performance and tracking of the tri-axle Cargobull is worthy of mention, and at no time did the Schmitz not follow the TGX perfectly. This highlights that when a trailer is set up correctly it can have a dramatic effect on the performance of any tractor. Equally, braking was well-balanced across the whole combination and stopping was further assured by the D26’s easy-to-use and powerful engine brake.

Running at 80 and 90 km/h the MAN’s 12.4 litre 6-cylinder remained at a steady 1,000 and 1,125 rpm respectively and was never troubled. The 520 hp (382 kW) D26 strikes a nice balance between power and performance. There are more powerful tractors available including MAN’s 15.2 litre D38, though we feel that for general work at 46 tonnes in Ireland and for 40 tonne traffic to Europe, MAN’s D26 is well-suited to the task.

This test truck was fitted with a ZF 12-speed controlled by the much improved MAN TipMatic AMT software.

While TipMatic did have some critics in the early days, the driveline now works well delivering an accurate and smooth selection of ratios. On the test unit we could, if desired, select gears by moving the stalk on the multi-function steering wheel, though there was no need to, and owners can choose if they wish to remove this option leaving gear selection fully automated. The driveline is finished off with a 2.53:1 rear axle which is a ratio well-specced to national work in Ireland and would suit the majority of operators.

The latest TGX features many important safety systems, and this version is already fully compliant with the current General Safety Regulations (GSR) (EU 2019/2144). The GSR aims to use newly developed accident avoidance and driver assistance systems to protect vehicle occupants, pedestrians, and cyclists in and around the vehicle. The regulations will form part of a continuous

roll-out of safety measures over the coming years.

We were most impressed with our day in the MAN range-topper. It is a quiet and comfortable truck to drive, well put together, and comes with the solid feeling of quality that you get from a well-built product. The OptiView camera system is arguably the best on the market, and the driver is catered for with a roomy well-finished cab that offers all the necessary comforts. However, the TGX manages to achieve all these features in a typical Germanic fashion - in that it is all quite understated. As we said, MAN’s TGX is one of the most popular fleet trucks throughout Europe, and this latest model will ensure that remains the case, and will no doubt bring new customers to the brand.

Text & Photos: Paul White - paul@fleet.ie

D2676 – 12.4-Litre / In-line 6-cylinder / Euro 6e / DPF/SCR

Power/Torque 520 hp (382 kW) @1,800 rpm / 2650 Nm @ 930 -1530 rpm

Transmission MAN TipMatic 12.26 DD – 12-Speed AMT braking, stability Discs all round, EBS, ABS, EBA, ASR, ESP, ACC, safety & LGS, MAN Attention Assist, Easy Start on Door Panel

suspension FR: Leaf Springs, Shocks / Mid: Air, Shocks / RR: Air, Shocks

axle/ratio/Fuel/adblue HY-1350 / Axle Ratio 2.53:1 / 460 Litres / 80 litres

Wheels/Tyres

Steer Axle/s: Goodyear Fuelmax S: - 315/80 R22.5

Drive Axle: Goodyear Fuelmax D: - 315/80 R22.5

Trailer Axles: Goodyear KMAX T: - 385/65/R22.5

body/Trailer Schmitz Cargobull Curtainsider

running Gear Rotos SCB / Discs / EBS / Ext & Int Height2865 & 4296 mm

Schmitz

Cargobull SCS trailer meet all requirements !

for the aforementioned road test of the Man tGX 520, the trailer was provided by Philip Keenan of schmitz Cargobull ireland. the German brand has fast become one of the most popular with irish operators across all of the company’s models including Curtainsiders, fridges, tippers and Box Vans. schmitz is also popular with drivers as the trailers are well-built and easy to work with. doors and curtains operate effortlessly, and as found especially with the test unit on the road, the trailers follow the tractor-unit exceptionally well.

This tri-axle curtainsider had an external height of 4296 mm and internally gave a clearance of 2865 mm. The semi-trailer also came with many features that will become increasingly standard on future trailers. One progressive feature becoming more important is the movable sliding coupling rail, the Schmitz SUSI-Rail, that makes connecting the air/electric lines easier and safer.

The fixed roof trailer is fully certified to the EN12642 XL standard and as tested came with SCB’s ROTOS running gear and disc brakes. The ferry spec trailer also availed of the latest telematics from Schmitz through its Trailer Connect programme. Schmitz now offers a vast range of trailer and telematics monitoring systems and the company sees these systems as becoming ever more important to operators and their customers. The systems can cover everything from tyre pressure monitoring through to temperature variations and include intruder alarms.

With a plated design weight of 39000 kgs and a tare weight of just 6559 kgs, the SCS trailer provides a lot of options for operators. It is also worth mentioning the trailer comes with a Schmitz Cargobull ten-year warranty.

sP ec c heck

chassis/cab

6x2/2 Twin Steer / High Roofed Sleeper engine

thirty years is an anniversary well worth celebrating, especially if you’re in the prime of your life. that’s certainly the case with Citroën’s large panel van, the Relay, which is marking three decades of service to tradespeople, builders, parcel deliverers, and indeed anyone who needs a practical and capacious goods mover.

“For nearly 100 years, Citroën has been supporting Irish businesses with a range of robust, innovative commercial vehicles tailored to the meet the specific needs and demands that their businesses require. For over 30 years, Citroën Relay has played its part serving Irish customers nationwide,” says Colin Sheridan, Citroën Ireland Managing Director, “We are proud that through the generations and countless versions, the Citroën Relay has continued to offer robustness and versatility with a wide range of payloads, cubic capacity and length/height configurations that can be tailored to meet our customer’s needs. We look forward to the coming months where we will introduce the significantly enhanced New Citroën Relay which offers the latest advanced comfort technology, alongside enhanced driver safety systems, whilst remaining familiar with multiple configurations and selection of powertrains available.”

c25 - r e L ay’s d I rec T desce N de NT F r OM 1981

If 1994 marked the launch of the Relay nameplate, Citroën’s large van can trace a history prior to that. Go back far enough and its forefather was the iconic Type H one-tonne van with corrugated body that lasted in production from 1947 to 1981. It was the Type H’s successor, the C25 where the Relay story really started though, as 1981 marked the commencement of the collaboration between PSA Group (Citroën and Peugeot) and

FCA Italy (Fiat) which resulted in Sevel, a light commercial vehicle producer with factories in northern France and south-eastern Italy. It saw the launch of the first generation Fiat Ducato (and short-wheel base version, the Talento)

Three decades and counting for Citroën’s Relay

would have provided some wonderful marketing opportunities courtesy of Irish band Sultan’s of Ping F.C. and their popular hit at the time - ‘Where’s Me Jumper’.

The new Relay was a significant step forward from the C25 - to the extent that, together with its Peugeot and Fiat siblings, it won the International Van of the Year award for 1994. With much improved refinement in the cabin area compared to its predecessor, it offered a wide selection of storage spaces and came with a four-way adjustable driver’s seat, height adjustable steering wheel and optional features such as electric windows and air-con.

as well as an Alfa Romeo variant, the AR6, sold in Italy only. On the PSA side of the equation there was the Peugeot J5, Citroën C25 and even a Talbot version in right hand drive only, called the Express.

A 2.5 tonne capacity van as its name suggests, the C25 was offered in pick-up and minibus variants as well as panel van versions. Diesel engines from Citroën and petrol versions from Peugeot matched to Citroën’s own gearbox provided power, whereas Fiat versions used their own power plants - a differentiation that continues to this day.

1994 - Lau N ch OF T he r e L ay

Offered in short, medium and long wheel base versions, and in three height variants, the 1994 Relay could be specified with up to 3.5 tonnes gross weight giving available payloads from 1055kg to 1645kg. Up to 14 cubic metres of load volume was offered. Petrol and diesel engines were available including a new 2.5L normally aspirated diesel as well as a Turbo Diesel with three valves per cylinder. They

By 1994 it was time for the next generation of these shared van products to be launched, and while Fiat stayed with the tried and tested Ducato name, Peugeot and Citroën opted for a fresh start with respectively the Boxer and Relay. Actually in markets other than Ireland and the UK, Citroën called the new van the Jumper. A shame they didn’t adopt that name here really, as it

proved to be reliable and fuel efficient, while ride and handling were on a par with the best in class at that time. As well as panel vans, the Relay was sold as a chassis cab, dropside and tipper, and was available with a Luton box body. There were a total of 58 different variants in total.

2002 - Face LIFT T IM e 2002 saw a refreshed model launched, with styling updates to

the front grille and bumpers, while the interior benefited from improved insulation, making it more car-like to drive. Other driver enhancements included the option of a driver’s seat with variable damping, and a reversing camera or rear sensors. New petrol / LPG and diesel engines including a direct-injection turbo-Diesel engine 2.2 HDi were state of the art for the time. Security was improved also, with better door locking mechanisms and the fitment of an engine immobiliser.

2006 - Lau N ch OF a N a LL - N e W r e L ay

After 12 years service, 2006 saw the arrival of the second generation Relay, a completely new model. The fresh looking design included innovative features like integrated steps in the bumper to make it easier to clean the windscreen. At its launch the cab was one of the most spacious in the segment.

Functionality was also enhanced, with a maximum load volume of 17 cubic metres now available from the largest model, while the Relay was one

offered alongside panel vans. Tippers, dropsides and Luton versions followed later. During its production run, features such as bluetooth, air-conditioning and rear parking sensors became standard fitment. 2011 saw an upgrade to Euro 5 engines with additional power and better fuel economy.

2014 - Face LIFT FO r Ge N 2 r e L ay

Eight years into its production run, the Relay received a significant update which included a heavily revised front end with high mounted headlights and the fitment of LED daytime running lights. The interior got a revised dash with a touchscreen incorporating satnav and DAB radio. Structurally the body received extra reinforcements to improve rigidity while there were enhancements

1890kg (on chassis cab version), load volumes up to 17 cubic metres and a gross vehicle weight of up to 4 tonnes, with four length and three height options. Currently offered in Ireland in two trim levels, value for money and low running costs remain its key selling points.

Later this year the Relay will receive another refresh, one that Citroën is confident will keep the brand to the fore for years to come. “The new model has been redesigned to further reinforce the model’s strong personality, while improving its aerodynamic characteristics,” says Cathal Lanigan, Senior Marketing Executive at Citroën Ireland. “The bumper, radiator grille (now the same colour as the bodywork) and rear-view mirrors have been redesigned with this in mind. The black lower section has been reinforced to further enhance the vehicle’s impact protection. More elegant, the new LED headlamps are also 30% more efficient than their halogen predecessors. The rear lights have now also been given a new design. New driving aids also make their appearance, such as driver fatigue alert or automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection.”

to the durability and security of high stress items like the doors. Engines were made more efficient, with power outputs of 110PS, 130PS and 150PS from the 2.2 HDi diesel, while a green e-HDI version of the 130PS unit featured stop-start technology, and provided better fuel economy and CO2 emissions.

of the first front wheel drive vans in this category to be able to transport a total weight of over 3.5 tonnes. Three wheelbase lengths with four overall length options and three height variants ensured a wide range of versions to meet specific needs.

Available at launch with Euro 4 2.2 diesel engines with 100PS and 122PS outputs as well as a 160PS 3.0 litre unit, crew cabs and combo versions were also

2016 saw the Relay’s engines updated to meet Euro 6 emissions compliance, with a further upgrade to Euro 6.3 standards in 2021. Current power outputs are 120PS, 140PS and 165PS from the BlueHDi engine, all with Stop&Start and matched to a six-speed manual gearbox. An all-electric ë-Relay was also launched with a range of up to 120km with a 37kWh battery or up to 247km with a 75kWh battery, but has not been offered for sale in Ireland.

LOO k ING FO rWarda re F reshed r e L ay

As it celebrates its 30th birthday in 2024, the Relay remains well fit for purpose, offering a payload of up to

“In the passenger compartment, the new Relay’s dashboard has been redesigned to offer improved ergonomics and a more elegant style, with a new digital instrument cluster and large central screen. The steering wheel, gearbox controls and door trim have also been upgraded. For the first time, an 8-speed automatic transmission is available as an option with the BlueHDi 140 and 180. New ë-Relay will also be introduced, featuring an all-new 100% electric powertrain. It offers 270 hp and a range of 420 km that is due to set a benchmark in the segment.”

“The new Citroën Relay is available in a wide range of configurations to meet all the needs of professionals. With two wheelbases available (3.45 m and 4.04 m), the panel vans come in three lengths (L2, L3 and L4) and 3 heights (H1, H2 and H3) with a total of 6 different body styles featuring volumes of 10 to 17 m3. To serve as a basis for special conversions, the new Relay with its 4.04 m wheelbase will also be available in L2 or L3, and L3 or L4 double cab chassis.”

Text: Cathal Doyle - cathal@fleet.ie

EVM

D’Alton Street, Claremorris, Co. Mayo, Ireland.

Tel: +353 (0)94 9372819/ 9372826

Email: enquiries@fleet.ie

ISSN: 1649-9433

Managing Editor: Jarlath Sweeney

Editor: Sean Murtagh

Contributors: Cathal Doyle

Photography: Jarlath Sweeney, Sean Murtagh, Paul White, Michael Martin Photography

Administration: Orla Sweeney

Advertising: Mary Morrissey

Design: Crackerjack Design House Printed

www.fleet.ie

contents spring 2024

56 NeWs

CTTC AGM highlights industry issues

Gabriel Finn moves on Coach & Bus Show 2024 launched New head of Bus & Coach operations at Harris Group

60 cOVer

Exclusive reveal of new MercedesBenz V-Class & EQV

62 PrOFILe

On EVM Ireland

64 FeaTure

Emergence of Motorway Services continues

66 cONducTOrs’ sTaNd Coaxing commuters

68 NeW FLeeT

Recent deliveries from Volvo Buses and EVM Ireland

70 cOMMuNITy

Local Link – vital connectivity to rural Ireland

the Coach tourism & transport Council of ireland (C ttC) held its annual General Meeting at the strand hotel in limerick on friday, 1st March. Key industry challenges as well as electing a new Executive were among the items covered. the well-attended event featured guest speakers Minister Kieran o’donnell and Billy Kelleher MEP, who addressed crucial matters affecting the transport industry in ireland and across the European union.

Minister Kieran O’Donnell delivered the keynote speech, underscoring the vital role the commercial coach industry plays in the mobility of students and workers across the State on a daily

School Transport Review takes centre stage at CTTC AGM

basis. The Minister addressed the concerns of members regarding the School Transport Review and committed to working in tandem with the CTTC to ensure the capacity is there to meet the expected demand going forward. Minister O’Donnell also highlighted the essential contribution of commercial operators in achieving the government’s ambitious climate targets.

Billy Kelleher MEP, shed some light on the evolving role of the European Union in transport compliance and regulation. However, he stressed the need for thorough impact assessments before implementing any new regulations or making changes to existing legislation to ensure the burden of bureaucracy does

not fall too heavily on operators.

Discussions on various critical issues within the areas of coach tourism, school transport, private hire, and scheduled services, were also discussed.

Willie Martin, Chairperson of CTTC, commented at the gathering: “The AGM, as always, is an important event for the CTTC, reflecting our dedication to addressing challenges and embracing opportunities within our industry. We appreciate the support of Minister Kieran O’Donnell and Billy Kelleher MEP, whose insights and engagement contribute significantly to shaping the industry’s path going forward.  With a newly elected executive for the year ahead, the CTTC is well placed to navigate the evolving landscape and continue serving as a trusted advisor and a driving force for positive change across Ireland’s transport sector.”

Pastures new for Gabriel Finn of Paddywagon Tours

after twenty six years of dedication and service as Chief operations Manager at Paddywagon tours, Gabriel finn has decided to move on to pastures new and set up his own business.

The plan to strike out on his own had been brewing in Gabriel’s head for a few years now, hastened by the consequences of Covid-19.

“The journey with Paddywagon began for me on 17 August 1998, as the company was still in formation mode,” Gabriel explained. “Along with the company founder Cathal O’Connell, we established tours and coach contracts around the country and then in 2002 began trips to Central and Eastern Europe, which were also successful. Then we decided to expand further, attending

Travel Shows and Exhibitions in America and Australia, which brought additional tourists to the country.”

As the company, with its distinctive bus and coach fleet grew in stature thanks to increased investment in IT and the addition of expected services that includes drivers and guides, Gabriel was at the forefront with Cathal when it came to key decision making, and was recognised as the face of the company from the transport side.

“I really enjoyed twenty four out of the twenty six years there, learned a lot from the long hours put in everyday. My career progressed as the company got a strong foothold in the Irish coach tour industry. But the last two years proved very difficult as the sector tried to come out of the global pandemic. It was devastating, we lost a lot of business, many great drivers and then as we tried to recruit again, it was near impossible to get them back as they had found other

jobs, which was understandable.”

During that time Gabriel began tidying up the fleet, replacing older models with new versions coming on stream this year. He was also looking ahead, setting the path to establishing his own business. “It was time for the firm to bring in new blood, bring fresh thinking to the table and allow me to step away and enter pastures new,” he said.

The plan for Gabriel’s new business is to have four or five coaches in operation, with a number under contract in Britain. Another side of the business will be dedicated to offering a logistics service for bus and coach distributors and converters importing through Dublin and Rosslare ports. Additionally Gabriel plans to provide tour guides to operators through a dedicated website.

All of which will no doubt keep Gabriel very busy in the months and years ahead.

L-R: David Conway, CTTC Vice-Chairperson; Billy Kelleher MEP, Derry Cronin, Cronin Travel Group and Willie Martin, CTTC Chairperson.

CTTC-Campion Insurance Coach & Bus Show 2024 returns to the RDS this November

*Preparations well underway for the 12th Biennial Coach & Bus Show – the only one of its kind in Ireland

ireland, the uK and beyond.

Preparations are well under way for the much-anticipated 12th biennial Coach tourism & transport Council C ttC-Campion insurance Coach & Bus show 2024, which will make a return to dublin’s Rds simmonscourt Pavilion on the weekend of november 2nd and 3rd. the all-encompassing event which was launched at the C ttC’s recent aGM, promises to showcase leading brands in the passenger transport industry as well as offer a vibrant display of the latest innovations. the previous show in 2022 proved a massive success, drawing crowds of over 2,000 attendees and attracting operators from across

the harris Group, one of ireland’s longest-established commercial vehicle distributor and retailer, has recently appointed willie daniels to the position of head of Bus & Coach, for the company’s irish and uK operations.

With his appointment, Harris Group is primed to reinforce its commitment to excellence and superior customer service across the bus and coach industry.

With a wealth of experience of the industry over 28 years covering, sales, account management, senior management and operations, Willie Daniels is equipped to lead the company’s bus and coach division to new heights. He will work closely with existing staff and customers to enhance the company’s service offering and increase its market reach.

The highly anticipated Coach & Bus Show Gala Dinner will once again take place on the Saturday night at the Clayton Hotel in Ballsbridge and provides a fantastic opportunity for operators, partners, their families and colleagues to connect in a relaxed setting.

This two-day exhibition stands as the only one of its kind in Ireland. It offers operators a unique chance to connect with peers and industry leaders, gaining valuable insights into the latest products and innovations in the mass transport marketplace.

Speaking at the launch of the show’s return, CTTC Chairperson, Willie Martin said “We are delighted to launch the 2024 Coach and Bus Show in the presence of Minister Kieran O’Donnell

and Billy Kelleher MEP. The CTTC is very much looking forward to hosting operators and exhibitors, both familiar faces and newcomers, from across Ireland and beyond this November. It’s a weekend to network, connect and succeed and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back to Dublin. Of course, all of this wouldn’t be possible without the support of our industry partners, in particular Campion Insurance who has had a long association with the show, we are truly grateful to Jim, Kyle and the entire team.”

On behalf of the title sponsor, Campion Insurance, Jim Campion, CEO added: “We are once again delighted to continue as the headline sponsor of the Coach and Bus Show. Campion Insurance has had a long and positive association with the CTTC for over 30 years, and our specialist team look forward to meeting operators from across the country at this year’s show.”

Harris Group appoints new Head of Bus & Coach Operations

Harris Group retail sales centres for the commercial vehicle sector include Isuzu and Isuzu Truck, MAXUS and Higer Bus & Coach. Harris Group also has one of the largest parts distribution centres in the country, and is a recognised leader in the future of electric motoring both in Ireland and the UK. Founded in 1961 by Robert’ Pino’ Harris, a visionary entrepreneur who redefined Ireland’s heavy goods vehicle industry, the company has evolved and grown consistently to be a market leader across Ireland, the UK and Malta. The company headquarters is located on the Naas Road in Dublin.

Commenting on Willie Daniels appointment, CEO of Harris Group, Denise Harris, said: “We are thrilled to have Willie Daniels join our team at a time of change in the industry. With the government’s net zero ambitions, Harris Group is keen to help decarbonise the national bus and coach fleet, and Willie will play a key role in enabling this transition.

I look forward to working with him as we aim to reach our growth ambitions for 2024, while simultaneously ensuring that customers are provided with the same professional sales experience, that has been the hallmark of Harris Group for over sixty years.”

The new Head of Bus & Coach at the Harris Group, Willie Daniels said: “I am absolutely delighted to join a leading company like Harris Group. The vision, direction and drive of the senior team was key to me making my decision to join the company, and now we embark on a journey of enhancing our offering of fuel-efficient vehicles, that will improve operators bottom-lines. A key focus for our division will be enhancing the after-sales service Harris Group is renowned for, while providing comprehensive advice and support to our customers when they are making procurement decisions for their future requirements.”

Pictured at the event launch: L-R: Billy Kelleher MEP, Minister Kieran O’Donnell, Kyle Jones, Campion Insurance, Willie Martin, CTTC Chairperson and David Conway, CTTC Vice-Chairperson launching the 2024 CTTC-Campion Insurance Coach and Bus Show.

(Image: Michael Martin Photography)

straddling a number of different market segments, few passenger vehicles are as versatile as those derived from the one-tonne panel van. from multi-seater minibuses to practical leisure vehicles, luxury corporate transport to spacious family MPVs, flexibility is the name of the game thanks to a myriad of layout options, specifications and powertrains.

surface on the arm rest, and wafting along in silence thanks to the electric motor and optional air suspension, it’s hard to envisage a more comfortable way to pass a journey as a passenger. One could suspect that S-Class owners may well be envious.

Positioned firmly at the premium end of the market is the Mercedes-Benz V-Class and its all-electric equivalent, the EQV. For 2024 both models receive reasonably significant facelifts, bringing styling, safety and technology updates, even a new petrol engine to the fray.

‘Fleet’ is in Cannes in the South of France to drive these new vehicles, and if manufacturers are always aware of the importance of first acquaintances Mercedes-Benz has reached new levels with the EQV waiting at the airport to transport us to the hotel. Fitted with just two front seats and two behind, those rear fitted seats tick every luxury box and then some, fully reclinable and adjustable with massage functions and heating and cooling ventilation. Presented with a glass of beverage of choice which sticks magnetically to a

This update to the V-Class and EQV comes at an interesting time for Mercedes-Benz. Like virtually every other brand, it sees the future as electric, but has recently stepped back from earlier ambitions to be fully electric by 2030. Now it is stating that plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles are projected to account for 50 percent of total sales by 2030, while spokespersons reiterated to Fleet Bus & Utility that as long as there was a demand from customers for ICE powered vehicles, the company will continue to supply them.

Mercedes-Benz’s electric LCV future is being driven by its previously announced Van Electric Architecture or VAN.EA which will see all its new mid-sized and large new electric vans build on a single dedicated platform. The first product to come from that is going to be a mid-sized vehicle in 2026….in other words a replacement for the EQV.

So the face-lifted EQV model showcased here is likely to have a relatively short shelf-life, but that’s not to downplay the importance of the updates made. And with company spokespersons remaining noncommittal about

Mercedes-Benz V-Class & EQV

reach new levels of refinement and sophistication

when or if new ICE powered models will be launched, this new V-Class is likely to remain an important model in the company’s line-up for some time.

Amazingly the current V-Class (and related Vito panel van) is already a decade old having been launched in 2014, but it remains a fresh looking design. External updates for 2024 include new Multibeam lights (either standard or optional depending on spec), revised radiator grille and front bumper. On some models the radiator grille is surrounded by an LED light band. In a nod to traditionalism, top spec Exclusive models come with an upright star on the bonnet. At the rear there’s a stylish new chrome strip bearing the Mercedes-Benz name as well as new darker LED lights. New wheels designs in 17, 18 and 19 inch sizes and four new paint colours complete the external upgrades, On the practical front, all models now come with two sliding doors as standard.

Interior changes are more noticeable to anyone comparing directly with the outgoing model. Notably there’s a redesigned instrument panel with two 12.3-inch widescreen displays and new air vents. A new-generation steering wheel features capacitive hands-off recognition. The centre console has been redesigned and now comes with wireless phone charging functionality. Features like a heated steering wheel, keyless

start and dimmed rear cabin lighting are available for the first time, while there’s now a choice of no less than 64 ambient lighting options to choose from.

The latest version of Mercedes-Benz’s MBUX infotainment system is fitted as standard, bringing new features such as Energising comfort control and navigation with augmented reality where directions are overlaid on a video image of the road ahead. It also makes available a lot more personalisation options as well as EV specific functions for the EQV.

As before the V-Class is offered in three length variants (compact. long and extra-long), though the MercedesBenz people say that most customers opt for the middle sized version. This offers decent leg space to the third row of passengers while still providing a capacious boot. The EQV continues to be offered in long and extra-long versions only.

On the engine front it is much as before. On the V-Class the 2.0 litre OM654 diesel engine is offered in three power outputs of 120 kW (163 hp), 140 kW (190 hp) and 174 kW (237 hp). Driving the rear wheels via a 9G-Tronic auto gearbox, all-wheel-drive is available as an option. A new addition is a mild hybrid petrol engine, the M254 with 170 KW (231 hp). Due to go on sale later this year, it is expected to gain greatest traction in Asian markets, and there are no plans at present to offer it in Ireland.

The front-wheel-drive EQV carries over the same electric motor and choice of 60 and 90 kWh batteries from the outgoing version giving a peak output of 150 kW (204 hp) and a continuous output of 70 kW (95 hp). The stated WLTP range of the EQV is only marginally improved at 277-365 kilometres, however according to Mercedes-Benz, thanks to more efficient recuperation and optimised thermal management, real-world efficiency and range across all ambient temperatures is improved. AC charging at up to 11kW and DC charging at speeds of up to 110kW is available.

LayO u Ts a N d T r IM s

Appealing to a broad spectrum of users, the V-Class and EQV can be specified in multiple seat layouts, including bench layouts in the second and third rows giving a total of eight seats. Individual seats in the rear two rows can also be opted for, including the super luxurious armchairs that greeted us on our arrival to the launch event. Spec wise both vehicles can be ordered

in Style, Avantgarde and Exclusive trims as well as the AMG Line Package and the Night Package.

d r IVING T he N e W eqV a N d V- cL ass

Although quite different in concept, the front wheel drive EQV and rear wheel driven V-Class are visually similar both inside and out. Driving both back to back was an interesting exercise in directly comparing the same vehicle in electric and diesel forms.

We’ve already commented above about the experience from the rear, which is probably the most important aspect in vehicles such as these. What’s worth observing is the high levels of finish of the materials…these, at least in the specs we were given to drive, are very much premium vehicles. Notably in both vehicles there was a complete lack of squeaks or rattles - not necessarily something you would associate with van derived passenger carriers. The build quality and refinement is indeed to a high standard.

Setting off in the EQV, what immediately stood out was the refinement and silent operation. Our test vehicle was fitted with the optional air suspension and this did an excellent job of providing a comfortable yet solid ride without any of the bounciness you’d often associate with vehicles of this kind.

However, the EQV felt noticeably heavy when compared to its diesel counterpart, particularly going over ramps, where it felt like there was a good half tonne of payload in the back. Neither were we huge fans of the brakes which were lacking in feel and spongy to use. The EQV does though provide good regeneration options, minimising the need to use the brake pedal.

In comparison the V-Class felt lighter and although on regular springs it also

rode any bumps with alacrity. In isolation we’d probably describe the diesel engine and auto transmission as models of quietness and refinement, and there is indeed little to complain about…if you don’t come from the super-refinement of the all-electric EQV. It’s a fact that even the best ICE powered transmission these days feels old school compared to electric powertrains.

Dynamically neither the EQV or V-Class are going to provide much in the way of driving thrills (despite my driving companion’s determined effort to recreate The Italian Job around the twisting urban streets) but both are easy to drive with good ergonomics. Visibility from both vehicles is excellent, and although all of our test drive routes were in urban built-up areas around Cannes, they proved agile and easy to manoeuvre around sometimes narrow streets.

Order books for the new V-Class have just opened in Ireland with prices from €132,460 for the V250d in Avantgarde trim. Production for the Irish market starts in April with vehicles arriving in May. The EQV will go on sale in August with prices to be confirmed.

They may be relatively niche products, but the versatility, practicality and premium-ness offered in the new V-Class and EQV should put them on the short-list of a broad range of customers, not least mini-bus operators and corporate transport hire providers.

Text: Cathal Doyle - cathal@fleet,ie

Established in 2009, EVM Ireland’s success is built on core values of creativity, commitment and enthusiasm, keeping customers’ desires at the heart of everything it does. EVM converts bespoke Mercedes-Benz Sprinter mini-buses and mini-coaches from 8 to 22 seats in low and high floor variants and a choice of accessibility options. EVM Ireland is also the specialist sales and aftersales agent for EVM, Altas, AOS Isuzu, Ferqui, Erener, Tremonia and Carbus.

During a recent visit to EVM’s headquarters in Kilbeggan, County Westmeath, Shaun McBride, Sales Manager for Ireland, was busy putting the final touches to an order of four new luxury coaches, set for delivery later that week to LeaTours in Limerick. Like all distributors and coach operators, EVM was severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. As Shaun explained: “The market was slow to come back, but it is well and truly back now. Enquiries fast become sales and we find repeat orders are now the norm. Obviously we are happy about these sales, but we have no way of knowing if [the market] has peaked yet.”

EVM, like most other bus suppliers, is finding that supply chain difficulties are impacting on delivery lead times, although as Shaun said, the situation is improving. All this increased activity has given EVM the confidence to invest further in the Kilbeggan site. Some new appointments are in the process of being filled, including a parts manager, an after-sales manager and some more technicians.

Group MD, Danny McGee explained further: “You won’t find a more well-informed team in this space. We know our vehicles inside out, and that expertise enables our customers to unlock the hidden potential in every single one. Our approach ensures consistent customer relationships, a direct link to the manufacturers and a focus on protecting client’s return on investment – all the way to vehicle resale. We’re a dedicated, conscientious, down-to-earth, individually expert team, but united by a shared ambition to elevate the passenger experience. We’re building bespoke vehicle solutions so that everyone – from [someone needing] a mobility-for-all vehicle to a busy senior executive on

EVM Ireland –Building up the bus and coach brands with expertise

an airport transfer – can travel easily, in safety, style and comfort. We do more than just enable drivers to transport people from A to B by never resting on our laurels.”

Judging by the amount of new vehicles leaving the Kilbeggan facility and the sales levels it is achieving in the UK market, EVM is practising what it is preaching. Danny concluded: “We use our collective ingenuity, the most appropriate technology, and an exemplary level of service to make sure all our customers enjoy the ownership experience, and all their passengers enjoy the journey”.

e VM Ma N u Fac T ur ING

EVMs focus remains on innovation and production of quality products. A state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Kilbeggan enables the company to have in-house production processes ensuring tight quality control, and the ability to be flexible with customer requirements. It is constantly investing in the latest technology and business techniques to make improvements. The emphasis is on quality, and short lead times ensure it remains at the leading edge of the industry. It takes the concept from design to reality through the latest technical software and state of the art manufacturing.

r ece NT d e LIV ery TO LeaTO urs

Leatours of Limerick recently took delivery of four new luxury midi-coaches, an Erdner Revolution and three Ferqui Sunsets.

e rd N er r e VOLu TION sP ec-check

n Built on an IVECO Daily chassis.

n 3.0-litre 210 hp IVECO/FTP Euro 6 Diesel engine

n Hi-Matic transmission

n Full Entertainment System

n Fridge

n Charge Points at all Seats

n Seating 19 (2+1) plus Guide, with 2 tables

There is ample luggage space to the rear and both sides. It can have a wheelchair lift fitted at the rear left, using the emergency door for access.

Ferqu I s u N se T sP ec- c heck

n Built on Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

n Daimler (Mercedes-Benz) 519 Euro 6 diesel – 190 hp

n 9-speed automatic transmission

n Full entertainment system

n Fridge

n Charging points at all seats

n Seating 16 (2+1) plus Guide seat with 2 tables

Generous luggage space. One of the buses delivered to Leatours is fitted with 11 “Captain” seats and a coffee machine.

Leatours knows and appreciates quality and what their customers expect, hence the decision to recently put into operation four new luxury midi-coaches from EVM. Based in Limerick with facilities in Dublin, Leatours offers a nationwide service to all its clients. Services provided include corporate transport, airport transfers and tailor-made driver/guide accompanied touring throughout Ireland. Managing Director Ken Leahy said: “When visitors arrive in Ireland for business or leisure, we will often be their first impression [of the country]. Our drivers and EVM help us to make sure that that impression is always good.”

Text: Sean Murtagh - sean@fleet.ie

At a Glance - Ireland’s Motorway Service Outlets

Where to find them... What they offer

as ireland’s motorway network has expanded in recent years, so too have the facilities available on these routes. the country is well served these days by a range of motorway service stations designed to cater for large numbers of bus and coach passengers as well as their drivers, offering a broad range of food and beverage outlets, rest facilities and much more. Many also offer concessions for bus drivers.

Ga LWay P L az a - Junction 16, Carrowkeel, Kiltullagh, Co. Galway

Facilities available: Toilets, Mac’s Place deli, Supersubs, Supermacs, Bewleys Barista, Papa Johns, Spar shop

concessions available for bus drivers Free meal when you bring 15 passengers or more, plus 1 point for every passenger redeemable against lots of great rewards. All through Plaza Rewards App.

N17 P L aza - N 17 Tuam Plaza, Farrannamartin, Tuam, Co. Galway, H54 KH61

Facilities available: Toilets, Mac’s Place deli, Supersubs, Supermacs, Papa Johns, Costa Barista, Spar shop

concessions available for bus drivers Free meal when you bring 15 passengers or more, plus 1 point for every passenger redeemable against lots of great rewards. All through Plaza Rewards App.

LO u G hrea s erVI ce sTaTION - Athenry Rd, Cosmona, Loughrea, Co. Galway, H62 FY86

Facilities available: Toilets, Mac’s Place deli, Supersubs, Supermacs, Papa Johns, Bewleys Barista, Spar shop

concessions available for bus drivers Free meal when you bring 15 passengers or more, plus 1 point for every passenger redeemable against lots of great rewards. All through Plaza Rewards App.

kINN e G ad P L aza - Kinnegad, Westmeath, Kinnegad, Ireland, N91 N9YR

Facilities available: Toilets, Mac’s Place deli, Supersubs, Supermacs, Papa Johns, Bewleys Barista, Spar shop

concessions available for bus drivers Free meal when you bring 15 passengers or more, plus 1 point for every passenger redeemable against lots of great rewards. All through Plaza Rewards App.

Ma LLOW N20 P L aza - Mallow N20 Plaza, Kilknockan, Mallow, Co. Cork, P51 NX3F

Listed here are the locations of service stations and what they offer on Ireland’s motorway network - a useful tool for every bus operator to have when planning a journey.

Facilities available: Toilets, Mac’s Place deli, Supersubs, Supermacs, Papa Johns, Bewleys Barista, Spar shop

concessions available for bus drivers Free meal when you bring 15 passengers or more, plus 1 point for every passenger redeemable against lots of great rewards. All through Plaza Rewards App.

T IPP erary TOWN P L aza - Bohercrow, Tipperary, E34 HY24

Facilities available: Toilets, Mac’s Place deli, Supersubs, Supermacs, Papa Johns, Spar shop concessions available for bus drivers Free meal when you bring 15 passengers or more, plus 1 point for every passenger redeemable against lots of great rewards. All through Plaza Rewards App.

b arack Oba M a P L aza - Drumbaun, Co. Tipperary, E53 F342

Facilities available: Toilets, Mac’s Place deli, Supersubs, Supermacs, Papa Johns, Spar shop, Bewleys Barista

concessions available for bus drivers Free meal when you bring 15 passengers or more, plus 1 point for every passenger redeemable against lots of great rewards. All through Plaza Rewards App.

P O r TL aOI se P L aza - Junction 17 on M7, Togher, Portlaoise, Co. Laois, R32 V97T

Facilities available: Toilets, Mac’s Place deli, Supersubs, Supermacs, Papa Johns, Spar shop, Bewleys

Barista

concessions available for bus drivers Free meal when you bring 15 passengers or more, plus 1 point for every passenger redeemable against lots of great rewards. All through Plaza Rewards App.

c har L es TOWN s erVI ce sTaTION - Ballyhaunis Rd, Lavy Beg, Charlestown, Co. Mayo, F12 K3T7

Facilities available: Toilets, Supersubs, Supermacs, Papa Johns, Spar shop

concessions available for bus drivers Free meal when you bring 15 passengers or more, plus 1 point for every passenger redeemable against lots of great rewards. All through Plaza Rewards App.

Wes TPO r T s erVI ce sTaTION – s u P er M acs & Pa Pa J O h N s - Castlebar Rd, Sheean, Westport, Co. Mayo, F28 C3C6

Facilities available: Toilets, Supersubs, Supermacs, Papa Johns, Spar shop

concessions available for bus drivers Free meal when you bring 15 passengers or more, plus 1 point for every passenger redeemable against lots of great rewards. All through Plaza Rewards App.

Ju N c TION 14 MayFI e L d - Mayfield, Monasterevin, Co. Kildare, W34 E789

Facilities available: Reserved Bus Parking, 24 hour shop & indoor toilets, 200 Seats, Spar, Texaco,

Supermacs, Subway, Gino’s Gelato, Zambrero, Chopped, Insomnia & Mayfield Fayre Deli, Free Wifi  concessions available for bus drivers  Bus Driver Swipe Cards Available

MaXOL M3 s erVI ces - Navan Road, Parlickstown, Mulhuddart, Co. Dublin, D15F5KE

Facilities available: Bus Parking, Group Seating Upstairs, Supermacs, Chopped, Insomnia, Maxol Shop & Deli, Free Wifi

concessions available for bus drivers Bus Driver Cards available

M ON read Fare - Monread Road, Monread North, Naas, Co. Kildare, W19 PCP5

Facilities available: Parking, Group Seating, Spar, Zambrero, Insomnia, Supermacs & Papa Johns, Off Beat Donuts, Chopped, WIFI

concessions available for bus drivers Bus Driver Cards available

cI rc L e k kILL sO u T h - Naas Road, Kill, W91 TP38

Facilities available: Simply Great Coffee, Truck Diesel Network, Car Wash, Lounge, AdBlue, Made to Go Fast Food, WiFi, ATM, Toilets, K-Freeze

cI rc L e k kILL N O r T h - Kill North, Kill K91 XF97

Facilities available: Simply Great Coffee, Truck Diesel Network, Car Wash, Truck Parking, Lounge, AdBlue, Made to Go Fast Food, WiFi, ATM, Toilets, K-Freeze

cI rc L e k M6 aT h LON e - M6 Service Area, Fossagh, Mount Temple, Moate N37 N2TO

Facilities available: Simply Great Coffee, Truck Diesel Network, Shower, Truck Parking, Lounge, Made to Go Fast Food, WiFi, ATM, Toilets, K-Freeze

cI rc L e k Fer MOy J14 M8 - Moorepark West, Fermoy, P61 HP52

Facilities available: Simply Great Coffee, Truck Diesel Network, Shower, Car Wash, Truck Parking, Lounge, AdBlue, Made to Go Fast Food, WiFi, ATM, Toilets, K-Freeze

cI rc L e k c ashe L - Junction 8, M8 Cashel, Waller’s-Lot, Cashel, E25 R722

Facilities available: Simply Great Coffee, Truck Diesel Network, Car Wash, Truck Parking, Lounge, AdBlue, Made to Go Fast Food, WiFi, ATM, Toilets, K-Freeze

aPPL e G ree N s erVI ce sTaTION – bI rdh ILL - Lacken, Birdhill, Co. Tipperary -  V94 720P M7 at J27

Facilities available: Braeburn Coffee, Burger King Drive Thru, Costa Coffee, Subway, The Bakewell, Coffee on the Go, Applegreen Shop, Children’s Play Area, Picnic Tables, Applegreen Electric Charging Points.

aPPL e G ree N s erVI ce sTaTION – Pau L s TOWN - Jordanstown, Paulstown, Co. Kilkenny –R95 R2X6

Facilities available: Braeburn Coffee, Burger King Drive Thru, Chopstix Noodle Bar, Costa Coffee, Subway, The Bakewell, Applegreen Shop, Showers, Children’s Play Area, Picnic Tables, Applegreen Electric Charging Points.

aPPL e G ree N s erVI ce sTaTION – eNFI e L d (M4) - Kilmore, Enfield, Co Kildare – A83 T279

Facilities available: Braeburn Coffee, Burger King Drive, Costa Coffee, plus westbound only Freshii, Krispy Kremel, Applegreen Shop, Showers, Tourist Information Display, Car Wash, Children’s Play Area, Picnic Tables, Applegreen Electric Charging Points

aPPL e G ree N s erVI ce sTaTION – W I ck LOW s erVI ces - Cullenmore, Ashford, County Wicklow – M11 at exit 14

Facilities available: Braeburn Coffee, Burger King Drive, Costa Coffee, Subway, The Bakewell, Splitz, Boston Donuts, Applegreen Shop, Showers, , Children’s Play Area, Applegreen Electric Charging Points

aPPL e G ree N s erVI ce sTaTION – r aT hcOOL e - Naas Road Service Station, Tootenhill, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin – D24 DH00

Facilities available: Bueno, Burger King, The Bakewell, Chopstix Noodle Bar, Braeburn Coffee, Krispy Kreme, Slushee, Applegreen Shop, Car Wash, Children’s Play Area, Applegreen Electric

Charging Points

aPPL e G ree N s erVI ce sTaTION – Lusk s erVI ces - Round Towers Service Station, Corduff, Lusk, County Dublin – K45 X395

Facilities available: Burger King, Braeburn Coffee, Costa Coffee, Freshii, The Bakewell, Chopstix Noodle Bar (northbound only), Applegreen Shop, Children’s Play Area, Showers, Tourist Information Display, Applegreen Electric Charging Points

aPPL e G ree N s erVI ce sTaTION – c as TL ebe LLING ha M s erVI ces M1 Commons, Dromiskin, Dundalk, County Louth A91 A2WY / A91 A3PH

Facilities available: Burger King, Braeburn Coffee, The Bakewell, Chopstix Noodle Bar (southbound only), Subway (northbound only) Krispy Kreme, Applegreen Shop, Children’s Play Area, Picnic Tables, Showers, Tourist Information Display, Applegreen Electric Charging Points

Increasingly, people are being encouraged to leave their cars at home and use public transport, cycle, or walk. In the coming years we may look back and realise that a significant turning point in Irish Government policy coincided with the arrival of the Covid pandemic. It is as if there was a sub-plot going on in parallel with the lockdown plans. Bicycle lanes started to appear in new places never seen before and generally at the expense of a traffic lane. At this time the mood of the country was very much in support of any actions the Government was taking. Extra buses were put into service to accommodate social distancing and allow essential workers get to work. As the country opened up and people started to move around again, the impact of the new cycle lanes started to become more noticeable. As traffic volumes returned to normal the reduced amount of space for vehicular travel increased congestion.

Two Tiers of Commuters

Transport Minister, Eamon Ryan and also leader of the Green Party has always promoted a switch from car to a combination of walking, cycling and public transport. Minister Ryan is not alone in this view and it’s a direction most of the world is heading towards. Well, in theory anyway. In reality not as many people are making the change as was expected or hoped for so far. Committing to only use public or mass transport is not easy, it’s inconvenient. Leaving the comfort and heat of a car is a big decision. It requires planning.

Of course, there are some things that might encourage a change. Difficulty getting parking space near a workplace or destination for instance, or having to regularly endure heavy traffic. Although we have not seen them adopted here yet, the introduction of congestion charges may also help some people make a decision to leave the car at home.

As Minister Ryan and his officials increase their efforts to get people to leave their cars at home, they need to be sensible and realistic about how they go about it. When people start citing health benefits as a reason to leave the car at home - by extension suggesting they should cycle or walk, they are on a loser. Attempting to guilt trip motorists has not been successful so far.

Now let’s get to the bus and how public transport can help reduce congestion. One of the biggest disadvantages bus passengers face is commuter discrimination. While regular services are

reasonably well served, there are some gaps in areas being serviced. The new Bus Connect system to be implemented in all of the major cities will be a big help, but we are a few years down the road because of planning difficulties. Yet surprisingly, cycle lanes are popping up at a far faster pace than other traffic improvements. While the National Transport Authority (NTA) and other agencies have little or no control over planning regulations, the political system need to act.

One recent incident in Limerick points to where cyclists and pedestrians, albeit inadvertently, get priority over bus passengers. A bus stop, not an official one, but still used as a pick-up point for passengers including school children, was blocked off to facilitate a cycle lane. It would not have taken much in terms of engineering to allow both pieces of infrastructure to co-exist.

In the broader picture, if there is any chance of getting people to use buses on trips to matches and concerts, they will have to be guaranteed a level of ease when they get to the venue. Drivers and operators attending the National Ploughing Championships last year saw horrendous conditions for their passengers, possibly not a good example to encourage people to leave their cars at home . Another situation arose at the All-Ireland Football and Hurling Finals of 2023. A note circulated to operators in advance of both games advised that the usual parking (not that that was adequate) would not be available, leaving drivers having to drop passengers well away from Croke Park.

Climate change is not all about electric buses and cycle lanes. There are other aspects to it and policies by Government and its agencies need to reflect and act on these.

Text: Sean Murtagh - sean@fleet.ie

LET’S GET TOGETHER

241 Midi-Coach Sales at EVM Ireland (Kilbeggan,

County Westmeath)

Passengers of Kealys

will be enjoying journeys of comfort and luxury, in this new Ferqui Sunset 19 seater + guide + driver

Colleran

&

are ready to take on new adventures in style, as they collect their brand-new Erener Revolution 33 seater + guide, from EVM IRL

Two for the road! Peter and Ciaran Rohan at Rohan Transport (Athlone) bought two new midi-buses - a Ferqui Sunrise 33-seater and Ferqui Sunset 22-seater

Galvins Coaches (Cork) has hit the roads with a new Grand Tourer 19 seater + guide + driver which was handed over by Caolán Fulham

Barretts of Mayo collected a new Erener Revolution 33 Seater, ready to embark on journeys filled with adventure and memories along the Wild Atlantic Way

Kearney’s of Cork drive off into a world of adventure with their new Erener Revolution 33 seater + guide + driver.

Wallace Travel’s (Tipperary) picked up new Erener Revolution 33 Seater + guide, with Shaun McBride on handover duty

Gary Donnellan Bus Hire (Milltown, County Galway) purchased a new Isuzu Grand Toro 35 Seater +G +D, from Shaun McBride

The Cronin Family (Cronins Coaches, Cork) including company founder Dermot Cronin, were all present to take delivery of this, their second Erener Revolution 29 seater +G, delivered by Shaun McBride

This latest model Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Ferqui Sunset 19-seater plus guide and driver was delivered to County Wicklow’s Footfalls Walking & Hiking Ireland!

Coaches, Cork,

Coach

Bus Hire (Galway)

This new Ferqui Sunrise 33-seater was ordered by Ballincollig Coaches (Cork) - Handed over to Donal O’Callaghan by Caolán Fulham

Volvo Bus UK & Ireland make a

successful start to 2024

FCD Coaches on tour with new Volvo B8R/Sunsundegui

Kilternan, County Dublin based Fcd coaches has put into operation this new Volvo B8R/Sunsundegui, bought from Volvo Bus UK & Ireland. Powering the new 41-seater is Volvo’s 7.7-litre 350 6-cylinder Euro 6 diesel with 12-speed I-Shift automated transmission.

Seven new Volvo MCV Evora’s for Bernard Kavanagh & Sons

Bernard Kavanagh & Sons, Urlingford, County Kilkenny has purchased seven new Volvo B8R/MCV Evora, low entry, single deck buses from Volvo Buses UK & Ireland - (6 x 10.8m and 1x 12.1m). They feature a Volvo 7.7-litre D8K 320 Euro 6 diesel with a ZF 6-speed auto transmission. Further to the above sale, Volvo Bus also supplied five 9700 13.1m integral coaches, which use Volvo B13R chassis/drivertrain

Two Volvos for Conlon Travel

Clones, County Monaghan is the operational destination for these two Volvo B8R/MCV Evora’s 10.8 metre coaches, purchased by Raymond Conlon/Conlon Travel.

New Volvo B13 R 9900 for Gene Walsh Coaches

Owen Walsh representing Gene Walsh Coaches from Fethard, County Tipperary, received the keys to a new Volvo B13R 9900 from Diarmaid Thompson, National Accounts Manager – Ireland & N.Ireland, Volvo Group UK Limited. Powering the new three-axle 13.9m coach is Volvo’s 13-litre D13K 460 6-cylinder Euro 6 diesel, with a 12-speed I-Speed transmission.

New Volvo Sunsundegui for Fahy Coaches

Pictured at the handover of a new Volvo B8R/Sunsundegui Sc5 at Murphy Commercials, Galway are Diarmaid Thompson, National Accounts Manager – Ireland & N.Ireland, Volvo Group UK Limited and Declan Fahy, Fahy Coaches (Galway). The new 38 seater plus W/C is powered by Volvo’s 7.7-litre D8K 350 6-cylinder Euro6 diesel, mated to a 12-speed I-Shift automated transmission.

Text: Sean Murtagh - sean@fleet.ie

local link bus services are becoming a common sight on the roads of rural ireland, providing a vital connection between towns and villages for an increasing number of users. operated by the national transport authority, fleet Bus & Coach asked Communications officer Michael sinnott about how the transport scheme is progressing.

Please give an overview of Transport for Ireland’s Local Link services, from its origins in 2002 managed by Pobal to when the National Transport authority took over in 2013 to the current day.

A structure to secure provision of Demand Responsive Transport in rural Ireland was put in place and funded by the Department of Transport (DoT) in 2002. Pobal managed the governance of the programme for the Department on establishment. Following the establishment of the National Transport Authority (NTA) in November 2009, DoT asked the NTA to review the governance and effectiveness of the services. The NTA established Transport Co-Ordination Units (TCU’s) in 2014 which today number 15 in total. Each TCU is responsible for securing rural services for one or more counties across the country. Some TCU’s are embedded in Local Authorities, and some are based in separate premises. Some have their own fleets of vehicles but most are brokers of services provided by others. The NTA’s Service Planning section has worked closely with the TCU structure to deliver a diverse range of improved bus services, ranging from local town services in Cavan and Monaghan Towns to services designed to connect remote rural areas to their nearest village or town offering services and/ or onward travel connections. Over the last number of years under the banner of Transport for Ireland (TFI) Local Link, activity has intensified to include the provision of rural interurban and local services characterised by fixed routes, formal bus stops and a reliable timetable of

Local Link - the bus services providing vital connectivity to rural Ireland

operation across the full seven day-week, many including evening services where a warrant is identified. The Rural Regular Services portfolio greatly expanded during the implementation of the Connecting Ireland initiative.

how many services are currently offered under the Local Link initiative, both regular rural bus services and door-to-door services?

TFI Local Link operate two types of services - Regular Rural Bus Services (RRS) which operate on a fixed route between towns and villages and run on a scheduled timetable and Door-to-Door Bus Services (DRT) which operate along fixed routes with the option to divert to collect and drop off passengers at their home with

frequencies ranging from once a week to daily. There are currently around 1,000 DRT routes and almost 150 RRS routes operating across the network.

Implementation of the NTa’s current connecting Ireland rural Mobility Plan commenced in January 2022 and runs through to 2026. how is that progressing to date?

In 2022, 38 new or enhanced bus services were implemented. In 2023, 64 new or enhanced bus services were implemented.

With regards to establishing new routes, are these set in stone up to 2026 as per the current connecting Ireland rural Mobility plan? What is the process for interested parties to propose new routes?

Table 1 below shows total patronage by year for TFI Regular Rural Services (only), by TCU area.

Table 1: Annual patronage on Regular Rural Services (only) secured by TFI Local Link by TCU area. [Important to note: the patronage numbers in 2020 and 2021 were suppressed due to the Government’s COVID travel restrictions]

The finalisation of the plan was informed by a public consultation process which concluded in December 2021. Some 3,000 submissions were considered. It is intended that the dialogue between the NTA and stakeholder agencies will continue as the programme rolls out. Changes to development patterns, as well as sustainable mobility plan targets set by Government to mitigate climate change, may impact on the demand for public transport and the NTA will estimate forecast demand and organise to meet it as time progresses, subject to the availability of PSO funding.

Once new routes are introduced, how often they reviewed as regards viability and ongoing sustainability? does there have to be a certain passenger take-up for them to remain in place?

Patronage is the key indicator of the effectiveness of a new route.  Occupancy rates may differ depending on the characteristics of the areas served. In many remote areas, the intention is to provide a basic minimum level of service to meet the rights of people to access employment and education opportunities, and to provide coherent connections to onward travel opportunities. For this reason, a high number of passengers on individual services is not always expected. The experience has been, however, that more reasons to travel have been stimulated as a result of the provision of service, for leisure, visiting etc., thereby increasing social participation amongst populations that had hitherto been isolated.

For operators interested in applying to operate a Local Link service, what is the procedure?

Interested parties may apply to be admitted to the Qualification System, published on eTenders, at any time. The Qualification System is divided into Lots corresponding to a TCU area. There is no limitation to the amount of lots an operator can register for. Operators must complete this qualification to be eligible to submit tenders for routes when they are published.

are operators contracted for a certain period when employed to provide a Local Link service?

All information regarding the contract duration is provided during the tender stage. As a general rule, contracts for Local Link services, have a maximum duration of five years (including

extensions).

The NTa has been piloting the roll-out of electric buses on selected Local Link routes. how is that progressing, and what are your targets for increasing usage of alternatively fuelled buses in the next five years? are there any incentives for operators to invest in such vehicles?

Three EVs have been introduced on the TFI Local Link network to date on the following routes: Route 432 Tuam/ Galway, Route 171 Dundalk/Shercock and Route 454 Ballina/Castlebar with three more expected to be introduced in the near future in Kerry and Galway. In 2023 the tendering process was revised and enhanced scores are now available for clean vehicles in the marking system. The clean vehicle directive defines “clean vehicles” and sets national targets for their public procurement.

For passengers, there is the option to pay by Leap card or by cash. With more and more people not using cash these days, are there any plans to introduce card payment facilities on buses?

As part of the NTA’s Next Generation Ticketing project, it is anticipated that card payment facilities will be available on all Local Link services over the coming years. The NTA expects to award the contract to provide Next Generation Ticketing shortly.

are you satisfied with passenger usage on new routes introduced? Where take-up is poor, can you identify why this is the case (e.g. not enough services offered or wrong timings)? have you had negative feedback from communities about the services?

In general, community response to new / improved existing services has been very positive. Where criticism arises, it can be that either the service is perceived to be insufficient to meet demand or that alignments have missed serving an attraction within the destination settlement, or that a departure is incorrectly timed. The NTA works with elected representatives and customers to rectify these as quickly as possible after introduction. These instances are few and far between however, and Table 1 above shows how well patronage on new and improved services has responded to improved services. This would not happen unless people benefitted from the service.

Text: Cathal Doyle - cathal@fleet.ie

The Operator’s Perspective

o’Callaghan Coaches of Killarney, County Kerry currently operates three full time local link services. Philip o’Callaghan says the private operator is more than satisfied with its contract to run these services. “ we’re very happy with everything. our local local link office is very good to work with. Everything is efficient, we’re finding it very good so far.”

Applying to become a Local Link operator was a straightforward process according to Philip. “They just want to confirm that we are a legitimate operator, make sure our vehicles are what they should be. Once paperwork is in order, you are fine.” Accessible low floor vehicles [is the major requirement], the tendering for that and supplying [of such vehicles] is something we would have had experience with before. But it’s clearly laid out in the tender documents what you have to do when submitting the tender.”

Philip added that the public are very supportive of, and favourable towards Local Link services. “We are carrying numbers on all the routes we are doing, and feedback has been very positive with people using it. They welcome it, we haven’t seen anything negative in that sense. Also, we’re getting a lot of paying passengers, quite a large percentage overall.”

While Philip is open to the use of electric buses, he noted that at present they would not suit O’Callaghan Coaches and the routes they run. “I think it is something that Local Link and TFI are very conscious of and pushing for. As the technology gets better into the future it’s going to become more relevant but as a small private operator, [electric buses] have had a lot of challenges and teething problems. Even if we got the rates and points based on that, the teething problems and issues that the big Government bodies have suffered means that as a small business we couldn’t absorb those operating costs. The costs are huge if the vehicles are fit to supply the service. We’ve met with the Government bodies that have introduced electric buses. It’s great that they are testing them and hopefully the benefits will trickle down to us in the future and we will be able to take advantage of the experience that they are gaining It’s all financial at the end of the day.”

Going forward, Philip believes that adding more Local Link services will be beneficial for all parties. “You’d have to think this is the way forward for the public-private partnerships. As a small private operator, we can offer efficiencies and value for money for the exchequer in running these services. it’s very good for us and our business, and providing employment locally. It’s a great way forward and we would hope to see more of it coming as the years progress with routes being tendered out to private operators.”

www.fleetcar.ie

ThinK Great with KGM and new Torres EVX

the KGM torres EVX marks the dawn of a new era for auto brand ssangyong, following its corporate restructuring and endorsement of the south Korean company’s refreshed global identity. the KG Mobility Corporation was formed by the KG Group, an industrial giant, following the takeover of ssangyong Motors in late 2022. KG Group, which celebrates its 70th anniversary, has a broad portfolio of business activities, national and international, stretching from steel production, broadcasting and publishing, hospitality, energy, information technology, lifestyle, finance and automotive.

KGM, which also comes with the tag line: ‘Korean Genuinely Made’, has set out an ambitious plan, aiming to achieve 320,000 unit sales of its Sports Utility Vehicles and Pick-up trucks inside the next two years worldwide. To put that in perspective, 120,000 units were sold in 2023, 55,000 of which were exported. The European continent is to play its part in reaching this objective and with new models coming on stream to complement the refreshed existing line-up, all augers well for the programme. Production will remain in Korea in the main, with a new factory to be added there soon, while knock down assembly points will be located

in Saudi Arabia and Vietnam. Under consideration is the establishment of a production facility in Europe and possibly the importation and distribution of its electric bus range, based on Edison Motors models that the Group acquired recently. In the meantime, a new business operations headquarters and an expansive parts warehouse is to be established in Germany and the Netherlands.

According to Joon Kim, Head of EU Business Unit, new sales should top 35,000 units this year.

continued overleaf

Another significant and positive development is the partnership formed with BYD, the Chinese electric technology manufacturer, which will supply zero-emission powertrains to KGM. This alliance is to grow further as KGM extends its electric vehicle offerings, to include petrol- electric hybrids, specified to the new Torres initially.

KGM is making another strong statement in offering customers a 10-year, 1 million kilometre warranty on its electric drivetrains.

Torres EVX, KGM’s new all-electric C+ segment SUV is the first model to reflect the brand’s new ‘Powered by Toughness’ design philosophy, filling the gap between small-medium-sized SUVs such as Korando and large SUVs like Rexton. It certainly stands out from the crowd with its strong frontal styling, creating a curiosity from first glance. The fact that there is no badge or marque identification on the front adds to the intrigue. Its side and rear profiles are just as interesting and unique, in a world of fairly bland segment offerings.

At the EVX launch in Istanbul, in Turkey, attended by Fleet Car, Kyo Chin, Overseas Product Market Team outlined details of the new vehicle: “Torres draws heavily on our unique heritage. Its launch marks an exciting, new era for design

and performance. It’s a highly efficient SUV.”

He explained the significance of the symbols on the front bumper and rear light cluster, replicating aspects of the South Korean flag, meaning sun, fire and earth.

Plus, he emphasised the quality of the construction of the vehicle, using 81% high tension steel, class leading.

Torres’ interior has been designed to maximise comfort and convenience for all onboard. The wide yet slim dashboard creates a spacious feel, providing an uninterrupted view of the road. The four-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel offers integrated audio controls for quick access, while information and data is presented on a user-friendly, twin-panoramic 12.3” digital display cluster and infotainment controls. Standard features include Apple CarPlay, Google Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, DAB radio, and front USB & and AUX ports, accompanied by six cabin speakers.

Torres offers convenience from the moment one sits inside with ample cabin and load space to maximise accessibility.  With a width of 1,890mm, Torres offers space for passenger comfort and a load area that sets an industry standard, ranging from 703 to 1,662 litres, presenting an expansive luggage capacity suitable for a mid-size SUV, while also having best-in-class luggage space and numerous useful storage spaces.

On the technical side, the 152.2 kW electric motor aligned with the 73.4 kWh battery pack provides up to 462 km (WLTP) and facilitates quick battery charging. Helping to eke out the maximum mileage, there are four driving modes: Eco; Comfort; Sports and Winter, and three levels of brake retardation, engaged by paddles behind the steering wheel.

All systems were tried and tested on drives along the famous and vast Bosphorus

river and passing over the recently constructed Yavuz Sultan Selim Koprusu bridge. An engaging steering feel added to the smooth running of the electric power unit, ensuring a pleasant experience which is further enhanced by the roominess inside. No issues either with the touch screen systems, plain to see and easy to use.

The towing capacity of Torres is up to 1.5 tonnes with a braked trailer, and 750kg for an un-braked trailer.

These latest designs from KGM, including the forthcoming yet to be named electric (4x2 & 4x4) Pick-up, due later this year, are set to further establish the brand, meeting the demands of customers while simultaneously staying attuned to the latest trends in the automotive industry.

“Torres represents a departure from the brand’s traditional design with the introduction of a sleek and modern exterior, proceeding the brand’s reputation for strong, practical lines. This design’s bold direction sets it apart within the company’s lineup and draws inspiration from iconic SUVs on the market,” concluded Jeremy Hong, Regional Manager, Europe, KG Mobility.

Text & Photos: Jarlath Sweeney – editor@fleet.ie

the dacia retail network is transforming at pace, featuring a new interior showcasing the brand’s bold new visual identity. the rollout will be complete ahead of the launch of the all-new dacia duster later this year.

Simple, striking and innovative, the fresh interior design complements the already bold facade of Dacia retailers. Like the new exterior, it is designed to convey Dacia’s adventurous nature and synergy with the great outdoors, while being functional, flexible, eco-smart and cost-effective.

Recycled and sustainable materials

are used in the manufacture of fixtures and fittings, such as panels, rugs, flooring and lights.

At the heart of the concept are ‘bricks’ which are made from recycled tyres and specially made for Dacia by HET. The bricks act as stands for panels around the showroom and proudly display the Dacia emblem.

More than 50,000 bricks will be produced globally from 100,000 recycled tyres. For example, the bricks in the Dacia UK retailers are made from a total of 6,000 recycled tyres. Elsewhere, display boards in the new interior are made of honeycomb cardboard and are printed with a minimum layer of ink, while the sofas are covered with 98% post-consumer recycled polyester, including plastic bottles. The carpets are produced

SIMI announces winners of prestigious Motor Industry Awards in partnership with Bank of Ireland

automotive companies from all over ireland were honoured at the irish Motor industry awards hosted by the  society of the irish Motor industry (siMi) in partnership with Bank of ireland, which took place recently at the Clayton hotel in dublin. Master of ceremonies, t V and Radio personality simon delaney, announced the accolades at the event which was attended by 700 representatives from the motor trade.

Adjudicated by an independent panel, the award winners were selected from across all sectors of the Irish motor industry, with the companies selected demonstrating excellence and best practice in their categories over the last 12 months.

c aT e GO ry aWard W INN ers bodyshop of the year:  Denning’s Cars Ltd, Dublin,  Vehicle recovery Operator of the year: Hamill Rental Ltd, Co. Westmeath, Independent retailer Operation of the year:  Autopoint Motor Group, Co. Kerry,   Franchised aftersales Operation of the year: Toyota Naas, Co. Kildare,

Franchise sales Operation of the year: Western Motors Drogheda, Co. Louth,

from 100% recycled yarns from nylon waste, used carpets and industrial waste.

Key to the Dacia showroom design is its ability to change over time and adapt to any retailer space. As such, three formats have been created to cover the main differences in terms of showroom size and the number of cars on display, while the chosen furniture can also be easily moved and changed. Clearly defined zones and signage help direct customers from the second they enter the showroom through to the final stages of aftersales care.

Should a customer’s chosen model not be on display in the showroom, there’s the option of using the Dacia AR augmented reality app. Via the innovative app, customers can explore every Dacia vehicle in 1:1 scale, getting a close look at the finer details and even get a feel for what it is like to sit inside.

Before the announcements, SIMI President Paddy Magee commended the resilience and adaptability of the motor industry to trade during these challenging times and acknowledged the industry’s continued committed to the climate change targets.

The motor industry continues to play a significant role in the Irish economy, collecting over €1 billion for the Exchequer from car sales alone last year. When other motoring taxes and the annual tax take from motorists are included it is close to €6 billion, according to Mr. Magee, who also remarked: “Manufacturers and retailers have worked diligently to grow the EV market, with over 70 different new electric vehicles models now available, demonstrating the dedication to consumers and the investment by the industry in the electric vehicle transition. While we accept that incentives cannot continue indefinitely, it is still too premature to start phasing supports. The Government has been generous in

its supports of EVs to date; it is simply imperative that this Government commitment is maintained as we move to the next cohort of potential EV buyers.”

The SIMI welcomed Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI), which announced the winners of the ZEVI EV Dealership of the Year Regional awards, recognising and rewarding excellence in the promotion and sale of electric vehicles (EVs) in Ireland.

zeVI eV dealership of the year regional award Winners:

n Fitzpatrick’s Garage Kildare Ltd in Kildare for Leinster,

n Fermoy Nissan in Cork for Munster,

n Western Motors Ltd in Galway for Connaught,

n Connolly’s Volkswagen Letterkenny for Ulster

Paddy Magee President of SIMI, John Feeney Bank of Ireland with Peter and Brian Hamill - winners of the Vehicle Recovery Operator of the Year 2024, and Brian Cooke Director General of SIMI

test-driving the opel astra sports tourer brought back memories of family life in various stations wagons, among them an opel Rekord stationwagon as well as a hillman Minx Estate and an alfa Romeo 159 sw. long before sports utility Vehicles (suVs) were created, estates or station wagons were the ultimate practical option. Primarily developed as load carriers, they were popular sales reps’ cars, while those offered in the premium segment, often termed shooting brakes, were more likely to be used to meet the needs of weekend hunts in the wilds.

Our family estates were used in the main as workhorses, delivering and collecting goods to customers and wholesalers, usually with a trailer on tow. Petrol engines were the norm at the time, and they had to have more than 1,600 cc capacity, even with the 2007 Alfa, which had a 1.9-litre block.

These days the functionality of estates remain the same, albeit with today’s versions, the packaging is a little more sophisticated and safer. Their body shapes are more rounded, more aerodynamic and to many, more appealing than some SUVs.

From memory, both the Opel Rekord and Hillman Minx had full bench seats at the front, with a column gearchange, thereby allowing six people to travel at one time, with ample room in the rear for luggage etc. Yes, a six seater before its time. The extra person accommodation is something of a rarity nowadays, not seen since the days of the Fiat Multipla and the Honda FR-V. Apart from some van derived passenger cars, the 3+3 layout isn’t offered on current cars, although push-button automatic transmissions do leave the central console area free, to allow for extra legs and legroom up front.

Opel has enjoyed a long history making station wagons and the eight generation Astra variant carries on that fine tradition. Its sleek shape is more coupé like than traditional estates, yet doesn’t compromise on load space. With

OPEL ASTRA SPORTS TOURER GS 1.5 DIESEL

the rear seats folded down flat, a good load area is revealed, one that is easily accessible from the low slung rear door hatch or through both rear doors. Up front, the layout and design is the same as the standard hatchback Astra, modern, ergonomic, comfortable and safe.

An 8-speed auto box delivers smooth power delivery, and if the Astra doesn’t make a statement performance wise, it has no reason to. What it has in its favour is a rather efficient and economical 1.5-litre turbo-diesel, that has a fuel tank capacity that extends over 1,000 km. No such thing as range anxiety here! What a joy for any owner or driver who has to criss-cross the country on a regular basis.

Tested with a 300kg load on board, the Astra ST proved well up to the task.

These days, touchscreens dominate the centre console and some consume the fingers and minds of the driver to distraction and often frustration. Not so with the Astra’s system as thankfully it has a panel of actual push buttons that engage audio volume, heating and ventilation. More controls can be found on the steering wheel, covering functions such as cruise control and speed limiter. Other elements and data are easily accessed via the touchscreen.

Unlike our 3-door Opel Rekord Stationwagon back in the day, this white Astra Sports Tourer with its black grille, black roof line and football-stitching like silver alloys looks the business. Does the

sPec check

business too, and with such good fuel economy, brings peace of mind to the owner and driver(s).

Text & Photos: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

M ake/MO de L: O P e L a s T ra sPO r Ts TO urer G s

eNGINe: 1.5-litre 16 Valve 4-cylinder Euro 6 turbo-diesel

POWer: 130 bhp @3750rpm

TOrque: 300 Nm@1750rpm

TraNsMIssION: 8-speed Automatic

cO2/TaX baNd: 133g/B2 €210.

dIMeNsIONs/caPacITy: L; 4702mm x W; 2042mm x H; 1510/540; 1630 litres

WheeLbase: 2732mm

TOWING: 1.5 tonnes

FueL ecONOMy/TaNk: 4.13 l/100 km (57 mpg)/1000km

WheeLs/Tyres: 225/45 R17

PrIce: €41,195 plus delivery

Geneva International Motor Show 2024PalExpo Exhibition Centre – 26 January - 3 March

for over a hundred years, the Geneva international Motor show has been synonymous with excellence and the future of automotive mobility. first held in 1905, GiMs has introduced the world to legendary cars that have defined their eras. also known affectionately as the “salon de Genève”, the event is widely recognised as a launch pad and guiding light for the industry, attracting over 10,000 journalists and more than 600,000 visitors. the exhibition also hosts the announcement and presentation of the European Car of the year award.

r e N au LT s ce NI c e -Tech e L ec T r I c e L ec T ed e ur OP ea N c ar OF T he year 2024

The new Renault Scenic E-Tech electric was honoured as European Car of the Year 2024 at a special ceremony at the Geneva Motor Show (Switzerland) on Monday, 26th February.

After the first round of voting last November, Scenic was chosen as one of seven finalists alongside the BMW 5-series, BYD Seal, Kia EV9, Peugeot E-3008/3008, Toyota C-HR, and Volvo EX30.

The trophy winner was chosen by a jury of 59 motoring journalists from 22 countries. Scenic came in first place with 329 points and now becomes the seventh Renault vehicle to be awarded the prestigious ‘The Car of the Year’ title. Previous winners include the Renault 16 (1966), Renault 9 (1982), Clio (1991), Scenic (1997), Megane (2003), and Clio (2006).

“Winning the prestigious ‘The Car of the Year’ award is a great source of pride for everyone at Renault Group and the Renault brand. This recognition demonstrates that we have made the right choices: record-breaking range, generous and inviting roominess, all with a closely managed environmental footprint! When you add in the driving pleasure and ‘voiture à vivre’ equipment such as the new Solarbay panoramic sunroof or

the latest generation OpenR Link system with integrated Google systems, Scenic has all the right features to shore up its position on the European EV market.” Fabrice Cambolive, CEO of Renault.

A full-electric vehicle developed on the medium AmpR platform (formerly CMF-EV), Scenic E-Tech electric is designed for customers looking for versatility. Zero emission, agile, light (1,890 kg) and compact (4.47 m long), Scenic is in its element on city roads. For long journeys, Scenic boasts up to 610km of range (WLTP), it has a comfortable, spacious interior, and is packed with tech to enhance driving pleasure.

Meanwhile, Renault revealed the long awaited 5 E-Tech electric, a car unlike any other. Packed with electrical and digital technology and entirely manufactured in France, it is also competitively priced, starting at around €25,000.

byd L au N ches ya NGWa NG & sea L

u d M- I M akes ITs e ur OP ea N debu T

As the world’s leading NEV (new energy vehicles) manufacturer, BYD is changing the automotive industry through innovation in technology. Alongside its new eye-catching BYD product lines, the Chinese auto brand hosted the European premiere of its luxury sub-brand, YANGWANG, coming with high levels of technology on both safety and performance fronts. Continuing its assault on the European market, BYD also premiered DENZA, another premium sub-brand, sporting many technological attributes.

All eyes were focussed also on the new BYD SEAL U DM-I, an elegant and spacious D-Segment plug-in hybrid SUV with Super DM (Dual Mode) Technology. As an ideal family-sized car, the five-seater BYD SEAL U DM-i will be available to European customers from Q2 2024. Optimised for space and comfort, the

vehicle measures 4,775 mm in length, 1,890 mm in width, and 1,670 mm in height with a wheelbase of 2,765 mm. The seats can be split 60:40 allowing the 552-litre boot to be increased to 1,440 litres when both seats are folded

The latest version of Dacia’s iconic SUV, Duster, made its first official public appearance at the 2024 Geneva Motor Show. Developed on the CMF-B platform, this third generation Duster is more robust and assertive with its design and offers a range of engines to suit everyone’s needs, including the TCe 100 Bi-Fuel, HYBRID 140, and the 48V TCe 130 mild-hybrid available in 4x2 and 4x4 transmission.

Also revealed was the all-new Spring which is Europe’s only fully electric car to weigh less than a tonne. All-new Spring offers a customisable digital dashboard featuring a 7-inch screen and a 10-inch multimedia central screen. A 45 hp motor is available on the Essential and Expression trims, and 65 hp on the Expression and Extreme trims. Spring is the perfect solution for people looking for simple, affordable and efficient mobility.

Sandrider is its prototype that will first race in 2025, starting with the Dakar Rally, the opening round of the World Rally-Raid Championship. The race will be an opportunity for Dacia to put its focus on the essentials to the test by competing in the most challenging terrain imaginable. It will focus on its commitment to affordable decarbonisation, with Sandrider running on synthetic fuel made by Aramco. Sandrider’s design has been inspired by feedback from racing crews from the very beginning and is perfectly consistent with Dacia’s DNA.

G LO ba L debu T OF T he

a LL - N e W MG3 hybr I d+

MG Motor launched the new MG3 hybrid supermini at the PalExpo. This was the world debut of MG’s important supermini which is set to be offered to European customers for the first time in 2024.

Replacing the petrol model which has been well-established in the UK market, the MG3 Hybrid Plus represents a landmark in MG’s powertrain development, offering customers their first opportunity to drive a pure hybrid MG..

The new MG3 underlines MG’s commitment to offering

customers generous levels of driver assistance and entertainment features as standard, such as new twin-display screens and a wide choice of connected services.

Natasha Maher, Marketing & PR Manager, MG Motor Ireland, commented at the launch: “With the MG3, we’re set to redefine expectations in the hybrid B-segment hatchback category, offering a superior mix of performance, efficiency, sophistication, and tech features. We’re confident it will be a very strong challenger in a market where customers seek both excellent value and practicality.”

F sd 59, a F u T ur I s TI c MOTO rb I ke F r OM Fra N k sT e P he N s ON d es IGN

Leading global design house Frank Stephenson Design has revealed its latest design concept, FSD 59, a futuristic motorbike that combines advanced technology, radical design elements, and unparalleled functionality.

FSD 59 is a project motorbike that showcases the vision and creativity of Frank Stephenson Design, which has previously worked on projects such as space capsules, eVTOLs, supercomputers, supercars, watches, baby seats and more.

The design team aimed to create a bike that could adapt to different riding styles and preferences, such as sportbikes, supersport cruisers, and high-end commuters. To achieve this, they incorporated elements of customisation and adaptability, such as adjustable handlebars, footpegs, and seats. The bike is light and agile, without being too aggressive or compromising on comfort and safety.

FSD 59 is not just a concept, but a realistic prototype that has applications for the real world. It has the capability to feature an electric motor that delivers impressive performance and efficiency, as well as a pure aerodynamic design that minimises drag and maximises speed. The bike also boasts a modular battery monocoque platform, a dynamic windscreen angle adjustment, an AR-enabled HUD, and a monoblock fairing, among other innovative features.

The bike has been designed to cater to the diverse needs and desires of the riders, whether they want to cruise along the valley roads or enjoy a weekend at the track.

Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

dac I a P rese NTs T hree WO r L d P re MI eres

Cool, calm and connected is how ford describes the latest Puma, its most successful compact crossover. ford states that ‘new Puma makes journeys more enjoyable and relaxing with an all-new interior, large digital displays,

New Ford Puma purrs

5G cutting-edge connectivity and advanced driving technologies, making driving easier, whether helping drivers slow down to negotiate junctions and bends, or park in tight spots’

On the revamp, there’s more to the new headlamps than a fresh design and distinctive light signature. Optional

SEAL makes it three BYDs

sEal is the third model to launch here since Byd was introduced to ireland just eight months ago. it’s a four-door, all-electric, d-segment with a dynamic and sporty appearance. here the model line-up will consist of two powertrain variants – ‘design’ and an all-wheel drive ‘Excellence’, offering two trim levels, six body colours, two interior trim colours and several technological ‘firsts’.

Given its outstanding range of equipment and generous dimensions, SEAL comes with ‘an attractively-com-

petitive price’, beginning at €44,036 for the Design model and from €49,836 for the Excellence model (after State subsidies).

Dynamic Matrix LED technology uses Predictive Dynamic Bending Light to monitor the road ahead and shine light into corners.

Customers can choose from Titanium, ST-Line and ST-Line X models, powered by Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost Hybrid engine that uses a quick-shifting seven-speed automatic gearbox. Ford also announced that the fully electric Puma Gen-E will be revealed later this year.

Jarlath sweeney

Like its predecessors, the BYD SEAL will be powered by the Chinese brand’s own, in-house developed 82.5 kWh Blade Battery with power outputs from 230 kW (Design) to 390 kW (Excellence). WLTP ranges of 570 kms (Design) and

having created a successful marketplace in the budget car segment, dacia is continuing its business model into the battery electric sector with its inaugural zero-emission model. Called spring, the 5-door hatch was first launched in 2021 in certain markets and achieved more than 140,000 sales worldwide since then.

Spring has received many awards. Its energy efficiency and carbon footprint were particularly praised in 2022 when it was awarded the maximum 5-star rating from the independent European organisation Green NCAP.

Dacia Spring has found its audience with people looking for simple, affordable, and efficient zero-emission

520 kms (Excellence) are promised and 0-100 km/h speeds of 5.9 seconds and 3.8 seconds respectively. Other key Blade Battery features include a 30% to 80% fast charging time of 26 minutes, when charged at a 150 kW DC charging point.

Jarlath sweeney

Dacia Spring’s eternal!

mobility. Data collected via the vehicle’s on-board connected systems shows that the average daily trip made by Spring users cover 37 km at a speed of 37 km/h. In 75% of cases, cars are recharged at home.

Today the new Dacia Spring is more versatile than ever with a more accessible 65 hp engine, yet still as efficient thanks to a carefully managed weight, while remaining the most affordable full-electric model on the market passes another milestone, taking those qualities that made it a success to the next level.

Jarlath sweeney

the sixth generation of the BMw 5 series touring is being offered for the first time in all-electric drive form, with a plug-in hybrid version coming later in the year. as striking in looks as ever, the exterior dimensions of the new BMw 5 series touring are slightly larger than those of its predecessor, emphasising

BMW 5 Series Touring enters new era

its stretched proportions with increased amount of space available in both rows of seats.

At the heart of the progressive, driver-oriented cockpit design is the BMW Curved Display. Its 12.3-inch Information Display and the Control Display with a 14.9 inch screen to form a fully digital display network.

The new BMW 5 Series Touring will be available in four distinct trim levels in

Astra Electric added to broadening Opel selection

with first deliveries having arrived at opel dealerships nationwide, the new astra Electric, offering up to 418km on a full charge, is available in three trims – sC, Elegance, and Gs – and retails from €39,598 including applicable grants. its electric motor delivers 115kw/156hp and a powerful 270nm of maximum torque. depending on preferences, astra Electric drivers can choose between three driving modes: Eco, normal and sport.

Energy is stored in a compact 54kWh lithium-ion battery, and the 5-door hatch requires just 14.8 kWh of electricity per 100 kilometres (WLTP), thanks in part

to the heat pump, and its regenerative braking system The Astra Electric can be charged to 80% of the battery capacity in under 30 minutes at a 100kW DC fast charging station and it is equipped as standard with a three-phase 11kW onboard charger for a wall box at home.

Ireland, with the Sport Edition, M Sport, M Sport Pro and range-topping BMW i5 M60 models each providing a compelling offering unique to the segment. As one of the most important sales regions for the new BMW 5 Series Touring, Ireland will be one of the first markets to launch the all-electric model this May 2024, with the hybrid to follow.

The new BMW 5 Series Touring is available to order now at BMW Retailers with a starting price of €92,880.

Commenting at the launch, James Brooks, Managing Director at Opel Ireland, said: “The Astra, voted Irish Compact Car of the Year 2023, in

Previously known for compact city-cars and roadsters, smart returns to irish shores with the launch of an all-electric compact crossover, the #1 (called the hashtag 1).

These days owned 50% by MercedesBenz and 50% by Chinese automotive giant Geely, Smart is set to launch a

association with Continental Tyres, is already enjoying success in its segment in Ireland. The addition of our full electric hatchback model, soon to be joined by an Astra Sports Tourer estate BEV, is sure to strengthen the range’s appeal.”

Jarlath sweeney

smart returns aiming to be #1

range of electric models produced in China, with a second model, the #3 arriving shortly here. The brand is being distributed in Ireland by Motor Distributors Ltd.

A 272PS electric motor driving the rear wheels takes power from a 66kWh battery giving a stated WLTP range of 420-440 kilometres. Charging speeds of 22kW (AC) and 150kW (DC) are possible.

Four trims - Pro, Pro+, Premium and an exclusive Brabus edition - are

offered. A limited run First Edition version is also offered at launch. Features include a floating centre console with high resolution touch screen display, a premium audio system with 13 speakers, a panoramic sunroof and Matrix LED headlights. On the practical front the boot offers 273 litres of space expandable to 411 litres with rear seats folded.

The smart brand will be sold through selected Mercedes-Benz dealerships in Ireland. Prices are from €37,479 for the Pro model.

cathal doyle

Jarlath sweeney

Tech that ‘doesn’t do like it says on the tin’

Modern cars and vans come laden with loads of technology, so much so that it’s hard to keep up with it all. indeed countless surveys reveal that the average driver only uses a small portion of the technology aids fitted to vehicles, and often they are completely unaware of the features available to them.

But there’s also technology being fitted to vehicles that either isn’t doing the job it should be doing, or distracts the driver so much that they ignore it or turn the feature off. Here are four pieces of tech that, in our opinion, really should function better than they do.

Tyre Pressure M ONITO r ING s ys T e M s (TPM s )

I’ve lost count of the number of vehicles I’ve test-driven recently where the TPMS light has come on warning of an under-inflated tyre. In every case I’ve dutifully pulled in to the nearest service station and checked all four wheels to find that one tyre was just a PSI or two of pressure below the others, certainly nothing that would warrant having to take immediate action.

TPMS has been compulsory on new cars since 2012, but it seems that manufacturers are fitting the cheapest versions possible that provide the minimum of information and are set to trigger at the slightest discrepancies. Despite it being perfectly possible to display individual tyre pressures on screen, most examples don’t even identify which tyre is causing the low pressure alert.

The problem of course is like all false alarms, drivers will just end up ignoring the warning light on the screen and continue to drive on. Which is well and good until the time when there is a genuine tyre pressure loss….

OV er-reac TIV e adas sys T e M s

Safety technology that helps prevent

a potential collision is a good thing, right? Well it is, as long as it isn’t so distracting that drivers feel compelled to turn it off.

From the start of this year, all new cars and light commercial vehicles sold in the EU have to be fitted with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) including autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane departure warning (LDW), and driver monitoring systems (DMS). While the benefits of these cannot be disputed in theory, their implementation sometimes leaves a lot to be desired. In particular, the lane departure warning systems fitted on some vehicles are very intrusive, often wrenching the steering wheel away from the driver’s preferred trajectory or buzzing incessantly. It’s particularly an issue on rural roads, where, in the absence of road markings, the LDW system will often identify a seam of tarmac as a traffic line and tries to steer to it accordingly, forcing the driver to take corrective action.

It should be noted that systems vary hugely by manufacturer, with the better ones gently aiding rather than fighting against the driver. All the overactive ones do though, is ensure drivers turn them off every time they start their car. Which rather defeats the purpose of having them

OV ercOMPLI caT ed

TO uchscree N INT er Faces

Really, what have manufacturers been thinking the last number of years? On one hand they like to tell us about how focused they are on safety, but on the other they design cars that necessitate you taking your eyes off the road for extended periods of time while trying to negotiate your way through complicated touchscreen menus and sub-menus to perform a simple task. It does seem that designers desperate

to showcase beautiful dashes and fascia unsullied by knobs and buttons, aided and abetted by over-enthusiastic computer programmers demonstrating how clever their latest tech advancements are have taken over from the sensible people in the room, who actually understand what a driver should be focussed on.

Thankfully there are some signs that manufacturers are starting to take note and provide manual controls for at least the most critical functions, but let’s be very clear, interfaces that require the user to accurately place their figure on exactly the right spot of a screen are not compatible with driving a vehicle safely (and that’s not even getting into the fact that the position of touchscreens on right hand drive vehicles don’t suit the majority of right-handed people).

au TO -d IMMING head LIG h Ts

This is another technology that’s been around for years now, but that doesn’t mean it has been perfected. As someone who drives a fair amount at night on dark rural roads, it’s surprising how many test cars I’ve had that leave me feeling uncomfortable trusting the auto-dims to work correctly. In some cases they are slow to dip the main beam, blinding (and irritating) drivers coming in the opposite direction (a situation exacerbated by the powerful LED lights found on most new cars nowadays). Other times, they are too slow to return to full beams, while it’s still very rare to drive a car with auto-dim headlights that will react to cyclists, pedestrians, or cars at junctions. The end result: I end up doing it the good old-fashioned way, by turning the headlamp switch to manual mode.

Advanced Technology eh!

Cathal Doyle - cathal@fleet.ie

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