Fleet Transport November 2022

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Editor: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie

Contributors: Sean Murtagh, Paul White, Donal Dempsey, Howard Knott, Rob Van Dieten, Joe O’Brien

Photography: Jarlath Sweeney, Paul White, Cathal Doyle, Howard Knott, Paul Sherwood, Stefan Boman, Joe O’Brien

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DAF’s new XD series has been elected International Truck of the year 2023 by a jury of 24 commercial vehicle editors and senior journalists representing 24 major truck magazines throughout Europe. harald Seidel, President of DAF Trucks NV, was presented with the renowned award during a special ‘Stars of the year’ ceremony at the IAA Transportation exhibition in hannover, Germany.

With a winning score of 134 votes, the Dutch truck manufacturer’s new distribution range fought off tough challenges from Scania’s new Super long-haul driveline range and Mercedes-

DAF’s new XD series wins International Truck of the Year 2023 Award

Benz’s heavy-duty Actros, equipped with the third-generation OM 471 engine.

Based on the International Truck of the Year (IToY) rules, the annual award goes to the truck introduced into the market in the previous 12 months, making the most significant contribution to road transport efficiency. This judgment relies on several critical criteria, including tech nological innovation, comfort, safety, driveability, fuel economy, environmental ‘footprint,’ and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

With the same DNA as the new generation heavy-duty XF, XG, and XG+ models, DAF’s XD has taken full advantage of the EU’s new masses and dimensions regulations. The result is a truck range that dramatically improves direct visibility (a key factor for distribu tion vehicles), internal cab space, aerody namics, fuel efficiency, active and passive safety, and driver comfort.

2023 Truck Innovation Award for Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ eActros LongHaul

Mercedes-Benz

The prestigious trophy was handed over to Karin Rådström, CEO Mercedes-Benz Trucks, during the IAA Transportation trade fair in hannover, Germany.

The Truck Innovation Award - which acknowledges the enormous techno logical changes and energy transition within the automotive sector - has been awarded by the International Truck of the Year (IToY) jury. This group comprises 25 commercial vehicle editors and senior journalists representing major commercial vehicle magazines from Europe and South Africa.

With a winning score of 112 votes,

truck (BEV) was in contention for the main prize with ZF eTrailer, the full-elec tric Volta Trucks Zero, and Faun Enginius hydrogen fuel-cell powered vehicles for municipal applications. The jury praised the advanced characteristics of the eActros LongHaul, which employs fast-charging long-service life lithi um-iron phosphate cell technology (LFP), and the speed of Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ R&D process. They also appreciated the compact dimensions of the tractor-unit, which, within a wheelbase of 4 metres, accommodates three battery packs with a total installed capacity of over 600 kWh and two electric motors, as part of a new e-axle, with a continuous output of 400 kW.

Commenting on the election,

During launch test drives in the Netherlands, the IToY journalists appreciated the driving position and the all-round enhanced visibility provided by a large, curved windscreen, side windows with low belt-lines, and the kerb-view window. These features - along with the optional digital vision system that replaces the traditional rear view mirrors and the corner view mirror - improve the safety of vulnerable road users along congested urban roads. The IToY journalists also praised the performance of the new, highly efficient powertrain, which is based on the inline-six Paccar MX-11 engine, coupled with the ZF TraXon automated gearbox with advanced predictive features.

Summing up the jury vote, International Truck of the Year Chairman Gianenrico Griffini commented: “With the introduction of the new XD series, DAF has delivered a state-of-the-art distribution truck family that sets a new benchmark in the automotive industry. In addition, the new XD is also a suitable platform for the coming generation of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), introduced at the IAA Transportation.”

Gianenrico Griffini, Chairman, International Truck of the Year said: “The Mercedes-Benz eActros LongHaul opens a new chapter towards e-mobility. It’s proof that the transition to CO2-neutral long-haul transport is an achievable target, relying on hi-tech solutions and continuous R&D efforts.”

The new Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ eActros Longhaul – a concept prototype for heavy-duty long-distance transport, has won the 2023 Truck Innovation Award.

Trucks’ battery-electric

The Ford Motor Company’s only global brand for heavy commercial vehicles, Ford Trucks, unveiled its first all-new electric truck at IAA Transportation 2022, in hannover, Germany.

Building on more than half a century of experience and product development of heavy trucks manufacturing in Turkey through Ford Otosan*, Ford Trucks presented its Generation F transfor mation programme, which includes zero emission transport solutions and connected, autonomous vehicles. As the winner of the prestigious IToY 2019 Award with its F-MAX heavy duty vehicle in 2018, Ford Trucks, which previously signed ACEA’s Declaration of Transition to Zero Emission Freight Transportation, recently announced its aim to sell only zero-emission heavy commercial vehicles by 2040. The Generation F movement, which includes 100% electric, connected, and autonomous vehicle technologies, means that Ford Trucks is now a step closer to its goals.

At the exhibition, Ford Trucks Vice President Serhan Turfan explained further: “With our Generation F movement, 50 percent of Ford Trucks sales in Europe will be zero-emission vehicles by 2030. As an innovative brand that listens to our customer’s needs, we focus our R&D to bring cutting edge next-generation technologies to the market. Our objective, therefore, is mainly to help reduce operating costs and carbon emissions in road transport while increasing fleet productivity,” he said.

“Strengthening our position in Europe is our top priority. By continuing to build on our success in our current markets, we plan to reach 50 countries by 2024 in Europe. In line with the EU’s Green Deal and Ford’s global sustainabili ty goals, we are taking a big step towards our 2040 zero emissions target by

Ford Trucks next-generation, first 100% electric truck, developed with the aim of «being the road mate that cares about its customers and makes their businesses thrive”, stands out with advanced connectivity features and promises to be highly competitive in European markets with its attractive total cost of ownership’

expanding into European markets with our electric trucks. The next-generation all-electric truck offers many benefits in terms of energy, maintenance, and total ownership costs,” added Serhan.

Ford Trucks’ all-electric truck, which offers a payload of 18-26 tonnes, comes with excellent manoeuvrability and offers many benefits, including better monthly energy consumption compared to vehicles with internal combustion engines. For instance, energy costs will decrease by nearly half compared to current levels. Maintenance costs are also likely to drop by two-thirds, because electric vehicles have fewer moving parts that require maintenance. Many European countries also offer incentives for businesses to invest in electric vehicles. All these factors impact favourably on the total cost of ownership. The Ford Truck’s electric truck is forecast to offer a lower total cost of ownership over a 4-year period compared to that of diesel vehicles without any incentives and supports.

ConnecTruck offers new features that make life easier for drivers and fleet managers, by transforming its vehicles into data-driven, connected mobility products, equipped with next-generation technologies that will offer customers enormous benefits. The new technolo gies include features such as GPS cruise control and a multimedia system, making life easier for drivers and fleet managers with the aim of keeping the vehicles on the road and achieving 100% uptime.

Autonomous Technologies developed by Ford Trucks engineers includes “Level 4 Highway Pilot”, a self-driving technology which allows drivers to let their vehicles drive auton omously between H2H (hub-to-hub) logistics centres. As the most important cog in the transportation industry, Ford Trucks will now be able to offer safer, faster, more environmentally friendly, and, most importantly, significantly more reliable transportation. Remote Driving Technology by Ford Trucks is enabling drivers to remotely connect to the autonomous vehicle and assist the driving task in case of unexpected events where human intelligence is needed during an autonomous operation.

Autonomous Reverse Parking is another technology developed by Ford Trucks, which simplifies docking procedures as the function enables autonomous truck to park itself to loading and unloading ramps just as an experienced truck driver.

*Ford Otosan is an automotive man ufacturing company based in Turkey that is equally owned by Ford Motor Company and Koç Holding. It was established in its current form in 1977, with original relations dating back to 1928.

Ford Trucks unveils an electric truck supporting its ambitious goal: “50% of sales to Europe will be “Zero” emissions by 2030”

XD

Number One in Distribution

DAF wins the International Truck of the Year award again, and for the second year running! The New Generation DAF XD is the outright winner in distribution, setting unbeatable new standards in safety, efficiency, and driver comfort.

Visit startthefuture.com and discover what makes the New DAF XD such a joy to drive, work and rest in.

INTERVIEWWith Carl-Magnus Nordon, Founder & Executive Chairman Volta Trucks

Entrepreneurs by their nature are game changers. They are prepared to encounter risks and pitfalls to get their dream idea to the market. Sometimes they might have to give in, but they never give up.

In the automotive industry recent newcomers have made an instant impact, with more to come, particu larly from China. In the truck sector and closer to home, one serious, serial Swedish entrepreneur as put his vision to reality. Carl-Magnus Nordon, along with partners, has journeyed to create the Volta Zero, an emission-free, last mile, efficient delivery truck, which has now entered production in Austria.

Why create the Volta Zero? It’s a result of Carl-Magnus’s long recognised concern about the environment, with a record of supporting sustainable products and services for over three decades.

However the strongly funded Volta Trucks project is undoubtedly his biggest venture to date, as he explained to Fleet Transport during the IAA Transportation event in Hannover, Germany.

“It is time to do something about global warming,” said Carl-Magnus. “CO2 targets have to be met by 2030 and ultimately by 2045. We’ve got to move quicker, accelerate change. The truck industry in particular has to bring about incremental change, seize the opportunity, and like Tesla, become the catalyst for change.”

Back in 2016, Carl began the journey that has resulted in the fully produced last mile delivery vehicle available today.

The 16-tonne Volta Zero concept truck, which has ‘done the rounds’ across Europe in the past two years, has a number of unique features. They include the low entry cab’s expansive glazed

area, centrally positioned steering wheel and sliding doors. Carl is convinced that with this design brings time efficiencies and safety enhancements that will lessen the burden of the busy delivery driver. In addition, all these elements combined meet the stringent Transport for London Direct Vision/CLOCS regulations for these types of vehicles.

Regarding other supply partners, Bridgestone (tyres), Carrier Transicold (refrigeration), Protena (batteries) and Sibros (connected software) plus Siemens (charging), are all signed up.

Surprisingly, Carl-Magnus knew little about trucks before establishing the Volta Trucks, starting the project with a blank sheet of paper. He surely does now!

Driver shortage is an ongoing issue and with this type of vehicles, drivers will be better catered for, with less difficulty jumping in and out, while better visibility via the central driving position is an added bonus. Moving the steering column to the middle eliminates the rather expensive and awkward production changeover from LHD to RHD.

Following a demo tour of the initial prototypes, interest in the project is high, with the pages of the order book rapidly being filled.

A number of blue-chip, high profile companies such as DB Schenkar, DP and, FedEx are on board, with Petit Forestier committing to having its livery on 1,000 of these Volta Zero units with Palltex (GB) built box bodywork.

The sales approach is that deals are done directly, financed through a leasing offer (for up to 8 years) with aftermarket maintenance undertaken by appointed third party HGV service specialists. The Volta’s low running costs (TCO) will be a

deciding factor. Carl sees the Zero trucks operating out of distribution hubs around the main cities across Europe and further afield - interest has also come from the USA too.

Before any deal is concluded, each customer’s operation will be assessed to determine whether the Volta Zero will be a suitable fit.

Presently, the 225kWh battery pack delivers a range of 200 kms, enough for daily distribution shifts and capable of accepting a power charge that takes 1.5 hours for the 150kW battery pack.

“The Volta Zero is not like the OEMs, it’s a totally new, dedicated electric truck, not converted from an existing make or model,” emphasised Carl.

Initially launched as a 16-tonne GVW 4x2 rigid, two other weight variants are to be added - a 7.5-tonne and 12-tonner, due in 2024.

Volta Trucks’ contract manufactur ing facility is run by Steyr Automotive, formerly MAN Truck & Bus Austria. Steyr Automotive offers Volta Trucks more than 100 years of manufacturing experience building large commercial vehicles and has reserved a capacity of 14,000 vehicles per year for Volta Trucks from their total available production. Over time, manu facturing the Volta Zero will create 510 jobs, plus 180 jobs in the building of the cargo boxes, in addition to an estimated 2,000 positions within the supply chain. The manufacturing contract has a value of up to €1 billion over its lifetime.

DRIVING A CLEANER FUTURE

When their future depends on our actions today, now is the time to make the difference. Choose the all-electric Renault Trucks E-Tech range with zero tailpipe emissions to help everyone enjoy cleaner air today and tomorrow. For more information visit our website.

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series

They’ve got to be perfect! In designing a new medium to heavy duty truck series, the new product has to be perfect for national and regional distribution, urban deliveries and construction operations. And also be an improvement on its predecessors. No pressure therefore! That was the business case for DAF Trucks NV when replacing the popular CF series. A hard act to follow but all credit to the DAF design team, they got it right. Already their creativity and efforts have been acknowledged by the industry, as the new XD series was honoured with the International Truck of the year Award 2023 (ITOy ) at the recent IAA Transportation show in hannover, Germany.

‘There are some common and modular parts on the new XD that are shared with the DAF XF/XG/XG+ series’

To aid and speed up the new development of the XD, DAF’s design team took some of the framework and body styling elements from the new DAF XF/XG/XG+ series (ITOY winner in 2022), and made modifications to suit this all-purpose, multi-tasking rigid and tractor-unit range.

The sleek aerodynamics on the new cab are similar to that of its bigger brethren, while the 16cm elongated frontal area meets the new EU cab design regulations. The same principles apply when it comes to safety, efficiency and driver comfort. Notable with the new cab sizes, which include High Sleeper, Low Sleeper and Day versions, is the lowering of the engine hump from before, now measuring at 170cm.

In addition, the full width of the cab now extends to 2.5 metres, therefore saying goodbye to the narrower 2.3 m cab used on the CF for generations (and on Fodens in their day). That smaller cab may be missed by drivers on selected applications such as fuel deliveries and urban/rural distribution. But then again, the extra interior space inside will be appreciated. Better ‘move-around-ability’!

Actually, the Day cab benefits from an extra 15cm, which will be liked by drivers in these sectors. Coinciding with the introduction of the XD series, the construction segments will be catered for by a dedicated XDC model range, while the DAF Electric model line extends to the XD and XF families.

Significant safety elements are among the main enhanced features of the new XD, with its large windscreen, side windows and low ‘belt-line’. These and the optional kerb side window with a foldable passenger seat, together with DAF’s Digital Vision (camera) System with Corner View and City Turn Assist, go a long way to protect the vulnerable road user and reduce stress on the driver. A fully adjustable steering wheel and a variety of seat

configurations allow for good cross cab access. These modern fittings, along with a fully digital dashboard with customisa ble displays, help to produce the ‘perfect’ package.

What about the powertrain? Well, owners can rely on the continued investment by DAF/PACCAR in engine developments that guarantee efficiency.

On the XD/XDC, a new selection of power outputs (from 330 to 450hp) on the proven MX-11 (litre) block have been introduced, mated as usual to ZF’s 12-speed TraXon automated gearbox.

Two, three and four axle variants apply to both the XD/XDC, coming with single or double drive traction systems.

On the inaugural drives around DAF’s Eindhoven home patch, the ergonomic layouts of the vehicles tested were found to be excellent, with all related driving functions operated from the steering wheel and column stalks.

Secondary elements are engaged by physical switches, a short stretch on the dashboard. The 12” display is standard but for further navigation and info tainment choices, a 10.1” second touch

DAF continues its ‘Start the Future’ rollout in Distribution & Construction with ITOY winning XD

screen can be selected.

Cab accessibility is good due to only two entry steps for the majority of the distribution versions and a steering wheel that can be moved in an upright parking position. The spaciousness of the cab is notable, with interior volumes of up to 10 m3 on the Sleeper High Cab for example, while on the roomier Day Cab, a third seat or large fridge are available as ex-factory options.

XD EV

With the New Generation DAF XD Electric and XF Electric, DAF Trucks is taking full electric transport to the next level. These innovative vehicles are powered by the efficient and reliable PACCAR

offering premium fully electric truck solutions to its customers’

XDC & XFC

At the IAA Transportation 2022, DAF presented the new construction specified XF, called the XFC, alongside the XDC. These also feature single or double drive variants with two, three and four axle configurations to meet specific requirements. New XDC with 10.8 litre PACCAR MX-11 engine, and XFC with 10.8 litre PACCAR MX-11 and 12.9 litre PACCAR MX-13 engine, offer high payloads thanks to low kerb weights. These construction models are designed to handle the toughest work under the harshest conditions and have a robust bumper, a sturdy grille and a

seen and felt, the whole DAF design and engineering teams have got the new XD series right, perfect in fact, something which was endorsed by the ITOY jury and recognised by recently installed DAF Trucks’ President Harald Seidel: “Winning the International Truck of the Year Award 2023 is a wonderful recognition for our DAF employees and dealers. It proves that the premium DAF XD sets the new industry standard for customers in vocational and distribution applications, offering first-class safety, efficiency and driver comfort.”

EX-D1 and PACCAR EX-D2 permanent magnet e-motors, which offer outputs from 170 kW/230 hp to 350 kW/480 hp. To perfectly tailor these electric vehicles to the customer’s needs and application, DAF offers a full range of battery packs with 2 up to 5 cells, capable of delivering zero emission ranges of over 500 kilometres on a single charge.

The DAF XD and XF Electric trucks will be assembled on a brand-new production line in Eindhoven and this advanced DAF Electric Truck Assembly will start series production in 2023.

‘With the all-new modular EV-powertrains, DAF Trucks once again takes the lead in zero emission transport,

steel radiator protection plate. Their large approach angle and high ground clearance will be noticed for superior on-road and off-road performance. XDC & XFC will enter production in early 2023 and are available to order now.

‘The new 2, 3 & 4 axle DAF XDC and XFC trucks are the perfect vehicles for vocational and con struction applications, combining high payloads with excellent on and off road performance and a sturdy design’

From what we have

As part of a European fleet deal secured by DAF Trucks NV in Eindhoven, Austrian road transport and logistics specialist A. Ebner has put to work these two New Generation DAF XF 480 4x2 tractor-units with Sleeper High cab.

Casey Enterprises’ new Mercedes-Benz Arocs Rocks!

Wexford-based concrete and tarmacadam specialist, Casey Enterprises has added further weight to its fleet of heavy commercial vehicles in the form of a new MercedesBenz Arocs 3243 8x4 rigid truck.

Supplied by Mercedes-Benz main dealer, Somers Commercials of Camolin, of which Casey Enterprises is a long-standing customer, the new truck is finished in the company’s striking orange and black livery and will soon begin operation delivering product to customers throughout the South East.

Coupled with its high cab and elevated driving position, designed for all-round visibility and safety, the Arocs has gained a reputation for being a loadable truck that delivers power, robustness and efficiency in equal measure. Featuring on this 8-wheeler is an eight tonne front axle, planetary gear rear axle, heavy-duty rear springs and tipper body completed by Thompson of Carlow.

With bases in Gorey and New Ross, Casey Enterprises

buy this new DAF

XF 530 6x2 tractor-unit with SuperSpace cab.

designs, manufactures, delivers and installs concrete products and tarmacadam to a wide range of customers, large and small, in the South East of the country.

ChillAir is ‘Cool’ with Mercedes-Benz Vito

Dunboyne-based refrigeration and air conditioning maintenance specialist, ChillAir Limited has enhanced its fleet of MercedesBenz light commercial vehicles with the recent purchase of four new Vito vans from MUTEC, Naas Road, Dublin. As a loyal Mercedes-Benz customer for over 30 years, all vans in the firm’s fleet carry the famed three-point ed star emblem.

Going into operation servicing ChillAir customers throughout the island of Ireland, the Vito 119 ‘Style’ automatic and three Vito 114L ‘Style’ units come complete with multi-function steering wheel, twin sliding doors, twin barn doors and reversing camera. Safety features include Attention Assist, Hill-Start Assist and Crosswind Assist.

A family-owned business, ChillAir maintains all types of air conditioning, refrigeration and HVAC systems, providing customers with year-round 24/7 support. Along with supermar kets and the grocery trade, other customers include restaurants, hospitals, pharmaceutical factories and banks.

Two new Renault Trucks D-Wide 250hp 18-tonne 4x2 D-Wide rigids, fitted with Cobo 13,000 litre tanks and Alpeco equipment, have been hand over by Shaw Commercials, Renault Trucks dealer, Castlebar, to Sweeney Oil, Galway for fuel delivery operations at its provincial divisional depots in Claremorris (Joyce Oil) and Roscommon (DG Oil). The graphics were done by Ronan Mitchell, Claremorris.

Text: Jarlath Sweeney – editor@fleet.ie

Stephen Myers (Myers Transport Hacketstown, County Carlow) has returned to DAF Truck Ireland and Sales Manager John McCann to

Lb42 + lb41 New Faymonville 1st of its type to Ireland, 4 axle step frame extendable low loader with lifting bed, 2 rear steer axles, double flip ramps, super speced trailer.

New Schmitz 70 cubic yard bulk tipping trailer, galvanised steel chassis, manual cover, grain hatch, choice of standard tail board and combi door, available immediately.

2022 Schmitz 8.2m tipping trailer, electric cover, galvan ised chassis, durabrite alcoa wheels. IN STOCK

Recent New Renault Truck ‘deals done’ by Setanta Vehicle Sales Ltd, Ballycoolin, Dublin

The first five from an order for ten new Renault T-High 480 4x2 Evolution models by Monaghan haulier Carna Transport have hit the road.

This new Renault C440 6x2 tipper was delivered to Meath-based RM Cleary Tarmacadam.

Kilkennyheadquartered KCT Logistics, with a depot also in England, has taken delivery of four new Renault T-High 6x2 tractor-units.

A new T-High 520 Evolution 4x2 trac tor-unit has entered operation with Kieran McKay Transport (Dundalk).

Sean Moriarty Transport Ltd collected this latest Renault Trucks T-380 6x2 rigid with sleeper cab as an addition to the Dundalk based fleet.

A new Renault T-High 6x2 Evolution has made its way to Matthews Transport from Lobinstown, Navan, County Meath.

Zellwood Transport (Dublin) continues to renew its truck fleet with the purchase of three new Renault T480 tractor-units.

Dundalk’s Trinity Transport has added two more high-spec Renault T-High 520 6x2 Evolution model trucks to its truck line-up.

Truck Drivers Re-Unite in Carrick–on-Shannon

Carrick-on Shannon was the location for a reunion of former truck drivers hosted recently by Dublin native, Niall Daniels, now living in Leitrim. This was in fact the second gathering of former drivers - previously Noel and Dominic Mc Guinness had organised a similar event in Mullingar, but it took ten years to put together the next one. Niall, assisted by his wife Bernie, was optimistic that a trend has now been set: “Hopefully, we will all be together again for another gathering next year. Let’s go for it. We, as a group of profes sionals, call us whatever you like, always prided ourselves on our friendship,

helping another driver out on the road, having the craic, recognising other Irish trucks from their red rear number plates and fluorescent markings. Unfortunately, I feel we are becoming a thing of the past, and that old colle giality needs to be rekindled, hence the gig. We won’t get all the glory days back, but we can always reminisce with old friends.”

At the successful event in Carrick, there was lots of stories told, pleasant memories relayed and many tall tales drawn out. At the entrance to the room

World Skills Ireland 2022 held at RDS

where the best apprentices in Ireland are selected to compete for the national title of World Skills Ireland apprentice.

where the event was held an appropriate sign was displayed - “A re-union of Tall Tale Tellers & Knights of the Highway”, capturing the occasion perfectly.

The World Skills Ireland 2022 com petitions took place from 13-15 September in the RDS Simmonscourt Arena, Dublin. Formerly known as the Apprentice of the year, these competitions are aimed at promoting skills, apprenticeship careers and opportunities for young people. This is

The skill area of Heavy Vehicle Maintenance (HMV) was sponsored by Bus Eireann/Dublin Bus, where 6 apprentices competed for the coveted silver medal. The trainee technicians were put through various tasks involving engines, transmissions, fuel and diagnostics, brakes, steering and suspension and auxiliary hydraulic systems. The standard was exceptionally high from all competitors and this was reflected in the skill and knowledge on show.

Pictured were the HVM apprentices competing – from left to right: Anthony Greenan (McElvaney Motors), Michael

Niall estimated that between all the long serving drivers present, at least 300 million kilometres had been travelled, with most of the attendees still behind the wheel.

The

Sean Murtagh

Chadwicks Group appoints David Parsons as new National Transport & Logistics Manager

has been made as part of the firm’s full-service strategy to meet customer needs in an increasingly demanding market. He assumes the position having previously worked with Aramex Ireland as Commercial Manager in Road Freight & Logistics.

Chadwicks Group, Ireland’s leading builders’ merchants, has appointed David Parsons as its new National Transport & Logistics Manager.

The appointment comes during a period of sustained growth for Chadwicks Group and

David will lead the day-to-day transport function across the branch network and the strategic fleet management programme for the business. He will oversee the transfor mation to digital operations and the implementation of paperless operations and route optimisation to enhance the

service offering and reduce carbon footprint as part of Chadwicks Group’s commitment as part of its sustainability agenda. David will also be responsible for developing and synergising the services of third-party suppliers and own account fleet of approximately 200 vehicles around the country.

David has 25 years’ experience in the trade and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Transport Management from Loughborough University, as well as a Certificate in Transport Management from TUD.

Text: Jarlath Sweeney – editor@fleet.ie

Daly (Cronin Commercials), Ciaran Nugent (McCarthy Commercials), Sean Maloney (Galway Truck & Van), Killian Naughton (Murphy Commercials) and Kieran Sterry (Colm Burns Commercials).

second photo features overall winner Anthony Greenan (centre) with Denis Brazil (TuDublin) and Joe Scott (Bus Eireann).

One of the most popular events in the Irish logistics industry’s calendar, the Freight Transport Association Ireland (FTAI) Transport Manager Seminar, made a welcome return with a successful event at The Johnstown Estate hotel in Enfield, County Meath on October 19. The well attended conference, which was supported by DAF Trucks Ireland, Brigade Electronics, Calor, ENPROVA, Logistics Associate Apprenticeship Transport Operations and Commercial Driving Apprenticeship, heard from an array of speakers covering diverse topics.

Noting the disruptions to the transport industry due to myriad of issues including Covid-19, the realignment of supply chains, and post-Brexit challenges, Aidan Flynn,

FTA Ireland Transport Manager Seminar 2022

Chief Executive of FTA Ireland and chair of the event commented that the sector has a reputation for resilience. “The preparation for Brexit and the experience of the Covid epidemic have served us well as we grapple with operating in an environment that has seen record energy price increases, instability in the supply of energy, increased operational costs, and wage increases that are challenging the sustainability of our indigenous central service providers.”

On the focus of the Transport Manager seminar, Aidan added: “Decarbonisation is a key theme today because it is essential that businesses plan for and embrace the changing operational requirements to meet EU obligations in the coming years. As an industry we have a challenging journey to reduce our emissions as demands for our services increase in line with a growing population. We in the FTAI have been leading the way with engagement with members and our influence with stakeholders as we establish and support a fair and managed transition. The FTAI Alternative Fuels Working Group has been established for over three years and our TruckSafe standard has incorporat ed fuel efficiencies and environmental standards as part of our member annual compliance audit.”

Minister of State at the Department of Transport Hildegarde Naughton provided the keynote address. “Government has long recognised the importance of a fully functioning supply chain,” she said.

“The recent crises of Brexit, the war in Ukraine and Covid-19 have put the spotlight on the strategic role that the sector plays. The Ukraine crisis continues to affect oil markets bringing a sustained increase in the price of fuel which has implications right across our economy.” Talking about the measures the

government had taken, including the reduction in excise duty on fuel which has now been extended until the end of February 2023, and the Licensed Haulage Emergency Support Scheme, she said Government will continue to monitor fuel prices closely in the period ahead.

“We commit to an ongoing dialogue with our stakeholders regarding the pressure that [hauliers] face.”

On the subject of alternatively fuelled HGVs, Minister of State Naughton welcomed recent developments in battery electric vehicles from truck man ufacturers, saying it made it easier for Government to invest in solutions with greater certainty. “We’ve already had the Alternatively-Fuelled Heavy Duty Vehicles Purchase Scheme and the Low Emissions Vehicle Toll Incentive Scheme. It is my hope that we will be able to expand these measures for HGVs as new alternatively fuelled vehicles come to the market over the next number of years.” Noting that biofuels have a role to

play

as an interim solution, the Minister of State added that her department is currently looking at how tax measures on biofuels might further support decarbon isation goals.

Key contributors to the establishment of Freight Transport Association Ireland (FTAI), receiving Tipperary Crystal in recognition of 10 years of FTA Ireland at the Annual Transport Manager Seminar 2022 are pictured (L/R) Tom Wilson, Former General Manager of FTA Ireland; Niall Cotton, President of FTA Ireland, Head of Operations, UK & Ireland BOC Gases Ireland; Hildegarde Naughton, TD Minister of State at the Department of Transport; Philip Scallan, Chairman of FTA Ireland Board of Directors and Aidan Flynn, Chief Executive of FTA Ireland.

Aidan Flynn, FTA Ireland and Hildegarde Naughton TD Minister of State at Department of Transport

Aidan Flynn, CEO, FTA Ireland

E XPANSION OF D UBLIN A IRPORT AND IMPLICATIONS FOR FREI g HT

MOVEMENT

Simon Fagan, Head of Capacity Planning and Economic Regulation at Dublin Airport outlined the development programme for coming years at the airport. While passenger volumes have recovered well after Covid-19, they are still 20% down on 2019 figures of 32.9 million and are not expected to fully return until 2024/25. Nonetheless the Airport is planning to be ready for the capability to handle 40m passengers by 2030 with an aim of developing Dublin as connection hub. With the opening of the new North Runway this summer, the area where there is a capacity deficit is in the number of piers, stands and gates

Freight remains important to the airport with annual tonnage in 2022 expected to be around 160,000 tonnes. Air freight accounts for just 1% of total freight tonnage, but represents 35% of the value of all freight shipped to / from Ireland. Most is high value freight such as pharmaceuticals, express/dangerous goods and perishables. There are presently 123 dedicated cargo flights weekly with an even split of inbound and outbound freight volumes.

One of the challenges facing the airport is access to the dedicated Cargo Operations which moved to the West Apron in 2017. However the opening of the North Runway has meant airside access is now a significant challenge. A proposed solution which has been approved by the Commission for Aviation Regulation and is currently awaiting planning approval from Fingal County Council is the development of a 1.1km Western Underpass which would cross under Runway 16/34 and 4 taxiways. Simon said the Airport is hopeful the project could be delivered by 2026 if approval is granted.

T RUSTED T RADER

Lorna Kelly, Senior Manager, Customs and International Trade at BDO, outlined the benefits for businesses of having Authorised Economic Operator (AEO)

status. A Trusted Trader operator (AEO Holder) is a company who is involved in international trade that complies with World Customs Organisation or equivalent supply chain security standards (ROI – Trusted Trader AEO). Being part of the Trusted Trader program allows priority at physical checks, easier access to Customs Procedure, and reductions or waivers to Customs related Guarantee requirements.

DAF T RUC kS – D RIVE TO D ECARBONISATION

As one of the sponsors of the Transport Manager Seminar, DAF Trucks had a selection of its latest products outside the venue, including a CF Electric and a HVO powered CF. Adam Bennett, DAF Trucks UK EV & Sustainability Manager, outlined the steps being taken by the manufacturer towards a zero emissions future. Currently that involves a mix of HVO, PHEVS, BEVS and Fuel Cell vehicles depending on size and usage. Adam explained that DAF sees Hybrid trucks as suitable for city centres, offering

fuel savings and CO2 reductions. Trials of CF Hybrid vehicles are currently in operation. Hydro-treated Vegetable Oil fuelled vehicles can offer up to 90% CO2 reduction compared to to diesel. With regards to Fuel Cell vehicles, these are still in the experimental stage, he said, with issues to be addressed around the generation and storage of the gas.

Currently DAF’s focus is on battery electric vehicles, with customers today able to order five different models. Up to 500km can be achieved by the XD range depending on model, with the capability to recharge at up to 350kW

Looking to the future Adam estimates that BEV trucks will achieve TCO parity with ICE vehicles by 2025, with Euro VII legislation due by 2028 likely to increase the price diesel trucks. He estimates that by 2027 Hydrogen trucks will be possible, with Hydrogen trucks set to achieve TCO parity versus diesel by 2030.

I NDUSTRIAL D ECARBONISATION

Aisling Sands, Technical Director, Kingspan UK and Ireland outlined the work being undertaken by the concrete manufacturer to help it achieve net zero. Steps included measures such

as LED installation, sensor lighting systems, upgrading machinery and energy performance contracts, as well as generating more renewable energy onsite and buying more certified renewable energy from the grid.

Aisling also explained how Kingspan’s latest QuadCore LEC insulated panels technology has up to 50% lower

Hildegarde Naughton, T.D., Minister of State at Department of Transport

Lorna Kelly, Senior Manager, Customs and International Trade, Trusted Trader

Aisling Sands, Technical Director, Kingspan UK and Ireland

Adam Bennett, DAF Trucks UK EV & Sustainability Manager

Video message from Marie Donnelly, Chairperson of the Climate Change Advisory Council.

Niall Cotton, President of the FTAI outlined the key achievements of FTA Ireland over the past 10 years.

embodied carbon, thereby also helping customers move toward net zero.

FTA I RELAND M EMBER DECARBONISATION RESULTS

Conor Molloy on behalf of Enprova outlined that in 2021 FTAI members saved 1,724,296 Litres in fuel in reduced L/100km. That equates to 5,466 tonnes of CO₂ avoided. Under the Enprova scheme FTAI Members received €135,796 for reducing their CO₂ emissions, while a

Strategy 2021-2030, the target is to reduce road deaths by 80% from 141 to 72 or lower by 2030, and to reduce serious injuries by 80% to 630 from 1,259. He acknowledged that the downward trend is declining at a lower level than it should be, with 1212 dead so far this year, and an increase in the number of serious injuries. The Action

total of €1,170,475.10 was paid out by Enprova to fleet operators.

Conor explained that Ecofleet is now under TruckSafe Green Standard and encouraged members to book their teams for Green Standard training in January. He also outlined some tips to #ReduceYourUse in transport including avoiding reducing speed, avoiding repeat journeys and empty running, encouraging staff to walk, cycle, car share or use public transport, and to consider AFHDV grants for alternatively fuelled vehicles from TII (Transport Infrastructure Ireland).

HYDROTREATED V E g ETABLE O IL

Magnus Hammick, COO, Green Bio on behalf of Certa outlined the benefits of using Gd+ 100% renewable diesel. Gd+ is refined to a higher level than diesel, is clean, odourless, and totally mixable with diesel. It offers better serviceability with fewer DPF issues occurring. Gd+ is made from waste plant oils, not virgin crops and is combined with a patented additive. ISCC certified, it is cleaner, more efficient and lasts longer than diesel, producing 92% less CO2, 21.5% less NOx and 83% less particulate matter

gOVERNMENT R OAD S AFETY

S TRATE g Y 2021-2030

Brendan Walsh, COO of the Road Safety Authority (RSA) explained that under the Government Road Safety

Plan involves 50 high-impact actions and 130 support actions using a partnership approach with shared responsibility. 22 different entities feeding into this approach. Brendan highlighted a continuing need for education, in particular for young male drivers.

In relation to 2021 enforcement activity, 24% of the 17,701 vehicles inspected roadside had major defects, of which 4% had dangerous defects. Over 12,000 tachograph and licensing infringements were detected, but on a positive note the percentage of vehicles to pass the CVRT test first time was up, at 74% compared to 72% in 2020.

A N gARDA S IOCHANA - WOR k R ELATED VEHICLE SAFETY

Inspector Ross O’Doherty of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau outlined the activities of the force in improving road safety. One significant development from next month will be the introduction of a new drug testing

system with results available in about five minutes. Other recent technology enhancements include updated mobility devices as in phones with ANPR which enable 95% of all penalties to be issued

instantly, while increasingly cameras are being mounted to patrol cars

With regards to road traffic accidents, on average about 15-17% involve HGVs, though Inspector O’Doherty noted that prosecution figures against HGV drivers was falling which is a positive sign.

N ATIONAL F LEET DATABASE

Tom O’Brien Technical Claims Manager & Data Protection Officer at the Motor Insurance Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) gave an interesting presentation about the establishment of the National Fleet Database. With an estimated 7.9% of vehicles in Ireland uninsured, this is costing about €70-80 million every year and adds about €30-35 on each motor policy. The new database will take data from Motor Third Party Liability

(MTPL) database and the National Fleet Database (NFD) to give a comprehen sive central insurance database that’s accessible by the Dept of Transport, Gardai and MIBI.

Text: Cathal Doyle – cathal@fleet.ie

Photos: Paul Sherwood

Inspector Ross O’Doherty, Garda National Roads Policing Bureau – An Garda Siochana

Brendan Walsh, COO, Road Safety Authority

Magnus Hammic, COO, Green Bio of behalf of Certa

Conor Molloy, ENPROVA

Tom O’Brien, Technical Claims Manager & Data Protection Officer, Motor Insurance Bureau of Ireland

SHAW COMMERCIALS

In November 1997, Shaw Commercials first opened the doors to the ‘Red Diamond’ of Renault Trucks in Castlebar, County Mayo Fast forward to today, Shaw Commercials has evolved to provide a premium product combined with a solution based service that is entirely customer focused There has been a revolution in the business landscape over the past 25 years but we have remained focused and closer to our customers now more than ever Shaw Commercials is the leading commercial vehicle distributor for the West of Ireland Incredibly, Shaw Commercials is now celebrating 25 years in business The journey has been hugely rewarding, but would not have been possible without a team of dedicated and very talented staff, according to company founder and Managing Director Mick Shaw “Our customers trust us to get them from place to place; safely, efficiently, and on time There is growing demand for the Renault Trucks range for multiple sectors of the commercial vehicle market, including the Master van and the newly added Trafic van Given the growth that we have experienced in recent years, we have added a new LCV centre to enable an improved service for our LCV customers where turnaround times are managed to precision and vehicles are back on the road working for our customers.”

Celebrating 25 Years in the

s a m e T e c h n o l o g y a n d c o m m u n i c a t i o n s h a s b r o u g h t u s c l o s e r t o o u r c u s t o m e r s , n o w m o r e t h a n e v e r R e n a u l t T r u c k s h a s t r a n s f o r m e d t h e c o m m e r c i a l v e h i c l e s e c t o r a n d i s n o w a p r e m i u m b r a n d t h a t i s a f f o r d a b l e a n d y e t e x c e p t i o n a l l y e f f i c i e n t a n d e c o n o m i c T h e t e a m a t S h a w C o m m e r c i a l s t h a n k y o u a n d a l l o u r c u s t o m e r s f o r 2 5 g r e a t y e a r s W e h o p e t h a t t h r o u g h o u t t h a t t i m e t h a t w e h a v e h e l p e d g r o w y o u r e n t e r p r i s e s a n d m a k e y o u r j o u r n e y a p r o s p e r o u s o n e t o o

Pictured at the handover of four new Renault T High 480 tractor-units to Brian Cunningham Transport are Aiden McTigue and Conor Geraghty of Shaw Commercials and Adrian Cunningham, Brian Cunningham Transport, Castlebar.

SERVICE PARTNER TO

SCHMITZ CARGOBULL

Shaw Commercials is proud to say that it is a service partner to Schmitz Cargobull trailers

“We have built a strong reputation in the commercial vehicle sector and the maintenance of Schmitz trailers is an excellent fit for our many customer needs in the region To find the right trailer for your transportation tasks from box vans, temperature controlled transport to swap systems: Schmitz Cargobull has the product range that supports daily transport operations, combined with a back up service that is second to none, ” explained Mick.

The new Schmitz Cargobull transport refrigeration unit is more economical, quieter and lighter than ever before The benefits of precise temperature management, the best heat output and reduced defrosting cycles remain unchanged long maintenance intervals and increased uptime at low cost, either for Single Temp and Multi Temp versions Shaw Commercials also provide Thermo King and Carrier Transicold cooling units to suit customer preferences

Whether operating one vehicle or a larger fleet, Shaw Commercials is the best choice for all trailer needs

“We offer Repair and Maintenance (R&M) contracts to ensure that your trailers are always driven in perfectly maintained condition The range of different service modules offered can be tailored to your precise needs, so you’ll always be safe on the road with low, manageable rates We also offer contract hire on certain Schmitz Cargobull trailers which provides you a high level of flexibility, ” he added.

2022 has been a busy year at Shaw Commercials on the contract hire of new trailers to leading hauliers across Ireland to ensure uninterrupted supply of goods for their customers throughout the UK and Europe

Schmitz Cargobull offers the highest standard of quality and durability which stands out from other alternative trailer brands

Pictured at the Schmitz Cargobull stand at the IAA Transportation 2022: from left to right: Leoni Nathaus - Director Region Northwest Europe, SchmitzCargobull,Sebastian Terhechte - Interim Managing Director Schmitz Cargobull UK & Ireland, Paul Ó Ceallaigh - National Key Account Manager Semi-Trailer & Rigid Truck Bodies UK & ROI, Mick Shaw, MD Shaw Commercials and Andreas Schmitz - MD Schmitz Cargobull

24/7 ROAD SIDE RECOVERY SERVICE

Shaw Commercials provides a 24/7 Commercial Vehicle Roadside Recovery Service, across the West of Ireland for the truck, van, bus, and trailer sectors "With an unrivalled choice of recovery equipment at our disposal and IVR certified technicians, we have provided this essential back up service to customers over the past 25 years We operate a 6x6 Foden ex military recovery truck with a twin winch boom converted by Rydam Universal, a Volvo FH16 Boniface Wrecker and Landoll low loader for carrying out heavy recoveries For LCV recoveries, we operate two tilt and slides and a new accident unit ready to join our recovery fleet," concluded Mick

Having built up a loyal customer base over the years, Shaw Commercials are on call 24/7 and are ready to help whatever the situation

RENAULT TRUCKS' DEALER OF THE YEAR 2022

Shaw Commercials has been awarded the Dealer of the Year 2022 by Renault Trucks at the recent annual conference at the Trident Hotel in Kinsale, County Cork Renault Trucks has achieved 12 5 % market share in the HGV sector both in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and recorded 60% growth in the LCV sector for 2022

“

We are very proud and grateful for this award and thank all our staff and customers for being part of this 25 year journey, ” stated Mick on receiving the award from Harry Nash MD, Setanta Vehicle Sales Limited and Carlos Oliveira Rodrigues MD Renault Trucks UK & Ireland (pictured)

CVRT

AT SHAW COMMERCIALS

An established CVRT testing centre for LCV, HGV, trailers, tractors and more, Shaw Commercials is open 18 hours daily, Monday to Friday (7:00am 1:00am) CVRT tests can also be booked online!

From LCV and HGV Testing, to ADR, Safe Load Pass Certification, SQI Conversion Services, Seatbelt Certification, Tachograph Calibrations and Replacements, Weight Plating, Speed Limiter Plating, Pre testing, 13 Week Inspections and Fast Tractor Testing, Shaw Commercials really is the one stop shop for all CVRT needs

Pictured; Harry Nash - MD, Setanta Vehicle Sales Limited , Mick Shaw - MD, Shaw Commercials and Carlos Oliveira Rodrigues -MD, Renault Trucks UK & Ireland.

You are invited to participate in a survey to explore the feasibility of converting certain parts of the curriculum into a format that can be delivered in a blended learning environment (i.e., part classroom based and part online learning).

Open Call for Feedback on CPC Periodic Training for Drivers

We want to engage with as many drivers and trainers as possible to get input into what aspects of the curriculum could be suitable for adaptation and to gather views on how to improve the accessibility of the programme.

The survey will be available online from early November and instruc tions on how to take part in the survey will be featured in Fleet Transport’s weekly newsletter in the upcoming weeks. It will also be available to access through approved training centres or via some employers and/or industry representatives.

Thank you in advance for your par ticipation in this survey which we expect will provide valuable insight into how we can improve the training programme.

The RSA regularly reviews the Driver CPC Periodic Training to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of participants and achieves road safety objectives. As part of the National Road Safety Strategy, we have committed to improving the accessibility of Driver CPC Periodic Training. The EU Directive covering periodic training of drivers allows for member states to improve and modernise training practices with the use of technology, however it also states that a substantial amount of the required training must be carried out at an approved training centre.

Road crashes are a leading cause of worker fatalities.

Visit

The RSA, HSA and An Garda Síochána have developed a dedicated resource portal providing the essentials on safe truck fleet operations.

The presentations, podcasts and dedicated links to guidance material focus on topics such as transport operations management, vehicle management, driver management, chain of responsibility and medical fitness to drive.

drivingforwork.ie/safe-truck-fleet-operations/

If you’re driving for work, you’re at work.

The fleet management marketplace has long been fragmented and fleet managers have historically been poorly served by a crowded patchwork of hardware, telematics and dashcam software providers.

Commercial drivers and fleet managers were getting a raw deal. They weren’t being served by suppliers that valued their user experience or that were tapping into the enormous potential of new technologies.

The developments of the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence, for us, was an opportunity to speed up, deepen and enrich the critical collabora tion between often remote and mobile teams. But they weren’t being harnessed to empower drivers and fleet operators.

That’s why in 2016 CameraMatics was born with the aim to automate safety and performance for companies who operate vehicles and a mobile workforce.

When we started, road safety, customer service and user experience were the three key watch words for us. I would now add sustainability as central to that list. We see ourselves supporting drivers, fleet managers and the transport sector in their move towards a sustainable transport future.

Our vehicle operations cloud platform is defined by the needs of the drivers, fleet managers, and safety and training managers who use it to collaborate and digitise manual processes and deliver on the transfor mational promise of these cutting-edge

technologies.

What are the main benefits of vehicle camera systems and how is the acceptance of their use?

The CameraMatics system utilises advanced telematics data and HD video footage to establish a collaborative relationship between fleet manager and driver.

Our vehicle operations cloud is used to:

n Centralize fleet performance data

n Digitize insurance claims and risk management

n Automate driver coaching

n Warn drivers early of collision hazards

n Alert drivers to distracted driving behaviour caused by fatigue, smoking or phone use

In the early days some drivers understandably had concerns about vehicle cameras, related largely to privacy, however those have dissipated over the years as it became clear how these systems are being deployed by fleet operators to improve driver safety and exonerate them from frivolous or fraudulent insurance claims.

How do your systems comply with TfL’s Direct Vision, CLOCS & FORS regulations?

Humans, their safety and quality of life, are the heart of CLOCS, FORS and Direct Vision standards. Humans are

One to One with Mervyn O’Callaghan, CEO CameraMatics

also at the heart of everything we do at CameraMatics, it’s the reason we began this journey in the first place – to help make life for those who work in the transport industry, and for the rest of us road users a safer and more sustainable experience.

Our all-in-one platform records 360-degree surround vehicle video footage complete with essential data such as time and date, GPS location, vehicle speed and g-sensor readings. Our AI (artificial intelligence) powered cameras can be positioned anywhere on the vehicle to eliminate blind spots and accurately identify and alert drivers to vulnerable road users and other hazards. UHD In-cab monitors give drivers a vibrant HD view of any cyclists and pedestrians along the side of the vehicle.

When you combine these cut ting-edge capabilities in the way we have, with the human at the heart, you have one of the most advanced risk mitigation tools available on the market. It is through this we can support drivers, site foremen and fleet managers to minimise risk, and to maximise safety to operate their vehicles in a sustainable way in compliance with CLOCs, FORS and Direct Vision.

What is the vehicle driver experience? How is the footage recorded, monitored and accessed?

Our system has been designed to empower commercial drivers and enhance the driver experience. Vehicle cameras are discreet and unobtrusive, AI triggered alerts and warnings provide

Since establishing CameraMatics, how has the company evolved?

them greater response times to road hazards, while HD in-cab monitors and cameras ensure crystal clear visibility.

Our driver app enables drivers to complete paperwork and report road incidents remotely, and auto-captured video footage of harsh driving events provides independent evidence of any road incidents or near misses to accelerate training and incident investi gations.

Footage of road incidents is stored on our cloud, with notifications being sent to the fleet manager on the case of an incident.

By exhibiting at trade and public events, what are the main benefits, besides sales?

The main benefit is the opportunity to engage with customers and the wider industry and raise our profile as a company.

How did your involvement with truck racing come about and what is the feedback from there?

Transport and professional driving can be a tough but very rewarding industry. For example, it was hugely impressive to see some of our very best drivers and commercial fleet operators step forward, not without taking some personal risk, to deliver humanitarian aid to Ukraine this year.

Commercial driving is demanding on both drivers and their vehicles. They need rugged, resilient and reliable technology and personally I couldn’t think of a better way to showcase our technology than in the tough, adrenaline fuelled world of truck racing.

Truck racing is a fast-paced reactive sport, the crystal-clear HD quality cameras, gives pit-crew members a clear view of what the driver is seeing, allowing for more critical pit-lane feedback and in the moment, decision making by the driver.

Steve Powell is a great advocate and ambassador of our product, and we use our partnership with Powell’s Motorsport to make sure we are always innovating and leading our industry in innovation.

What are the costs involved – are they mostly fleet related/packaged?

Our prices are very competitive but will vary depending on the number of vehicles. We offer an all-in-one solution that includes hardware and our cloud software platform on a monthly contract.

How significant is the Catalpa Underwriting deal?

The fleet insurance industry is undergoing a radical digital transfor mation and insurers are taking the opportunity to digitise their claims process and applying new technology to facilitate customer engagement. Smart brokers and agents like Catalpa are moving quickly to integrate new tech nologies into their operations resulting in higher customer satisfaction, a leaner process with reduced follow-ups and recalculations or litigation. Through our partnership with Catalpa, we are able lower the risk profile of fleet operators which in turn delivers them lower insurance premiums and operating costs.

With Jarlath Sweeney

Continental launches Generation 5 tyre range

Under the tag line ‘Lowest Overall Driving Cost’ the new Conti Hybrid HS5 and HD5 tyres, the new Van Ultra series, smart digital fleet solutions, and future trends and technologies were highlighted.

Changes in consumer behaviour and the rapid growth in online shopping have led to the transport sector becoming the largest branch of the goods handling business in Europe. Regional transport is increas ingly growing in importance, and the vehicles involved have to demonstrate the ability to absorb significant wear and tear. Frequent braking and pulling away again, manoeuvres in tight situations and various load states on changing road surface conditions challenge all vehicle components daily. As the direct contact point between the vehicle and the road, the tyres play a fundamental role.

D EVELOPED TO MEET DIVERSE CUSTOMER RE q UIREMENTS

The new premium tyres from Continental have been designed to meet these challenges with cutting-edge developments: innovative treads, rubber compounds and state-of-the-art casing constructions deliver greater mileage, durability and traction combined with optimised rolling resistance and reduced noise. Tests have shown that the new Conti Hybrid Generation 5 tyre provides

up to 20 percent higher mileage than its predecessor (depending on the tyre size).

The rubber compounds used by the Conti Hybrid Generation 5 tyre line have been developed specially to meet the exacting demands of regional transport. The treads, with their two-layer con struction (cap base) and innovative compounds enable high mileage and considerable robustness while also optimising rolling resistance in regional transport use. This also has a positive impact on fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions. Both the Conti Hybrid HS5 for the steer axle and the Conti Hybrid HD5 for the drive axle offer top-class

performance in all weather conditions, even with reduced tread depths towards the end of the tyre life. A robust tread with new, full-width 3D matrix sipes takes the credit here.

The 0° belt casing on the Conti Hybrid HS5 in 315/70 R22.5 format brings additional stability, a uniform wear pattern and optimal re-treadability to the steer axle. A long steel belt cord runs over the radial casing in the direction of travel. This construction optimises pressure distribution in the contact surface, especially under varying load conditions. The newly developed tread structure

At a race track near Seville in Southern Spain, Continental Tyres showcased its Generation 5 tyre range and associated technologies. Trade press representatives from throughout Europe were invited to attend practical performance demonstrations, presentations and workshops hosted by expert representatives.

of the Conti Hybrid HD5 protects the tread and casing against stone damage. Center grooves with increasing cavities in the second half of the tyre’s service life combined with special stone ejectors prevent stones becoming embedded.

Various braking and steering tests were conducted on the Andalucía race circuit to demonstrate the positive impact of the latest developments, on a range of engine powered and battery electric HGV’s and vans.

N EW DELIVERY VAN TYRE FOR YEAR ROUND USE

The general trend toward electric mobility in the transport industry and the increase in inner-city deliveries has significantly changed mobility habits and requirements. Vans are commuting longer distances more frequently, entailing stop-and-go driving in cities. All these requirements are reflected in the design of these new Ultra-series tyres. The new VanContact A/S Ultra range which is now produced in four sizes in a diameter of 16 inches can be installed on vehicles frequently used for delivery services and trade businesses, such as the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Volkswagen Crafter and Fiat Ducato, as well as on smaller vans like the Mercedes-Benz V-Class or Volkswagen Transporter 6. The range will be further expanded next year to include other sizes of 15-, 16- and 17-inch diameter.

New fillers have been added to the rubber compound that reduces rolling resistance – an important factor for low fuel consumption and reduced CO2 emissions. At the same time, the functionalised polymers in this new compound provide for high mileage in both summer and winter use. The “snow

traps” – small bars in the tread grooves – are also aimed at winter use, holding the snow in the grooves and thus offering good friction with the snow on the road. They also stabilise the profile and contribute to precise handling and high mileage. The smart 3D sipe was developed to achieve good grip when driving on snow and on wet roads, by stabilising the tread blocks, thereby providing for short braking distances.

Vans operated in urban areas can’t avoid hard tyre contact with roadside curbs. To ensure the sidewall is ruggedly resistant to such tough conditions, a scuff rib has been applied around the entire sidewall. Its “brick pattern” protects the sidewall against damage and thus contributes to robustness.

Continental’s engineers have also developed a new, clearly visible tread depth indicator for the new VanContact A/S Ultra which displays the tyre’s remaining tread depth much better than on previous ranges.

ContiConnect 2.0: Predictive Maintenance Delivers Greater Efficiency

With the road haulage industry facing greater cost pressures than ever before, highly efficient fleet management is increasingly essential for logistics companies to be successful in an extremely competitive marketplace. Under-inflated tires are a frequent reason for breakdowns and service calls.

ContiConnect 2.0 sensor monitors the health of tyres, thereby enhancing safety, reducing tyre wear, increasing uptime and avoiding costly breakdowns, lowering maintenance costs, and optimising fuel savings. The upgraded tyre management tools are designed to make fleet management efficient, convenient, sustainable and future-fo cused. The new On-Site App brings ContiConnect 2.0 directly to the user’s smartphone, making it extremely user-friendly.

Road transporter operators can proactively schedule maintenance work and workshop visits. This helps them avoid unplanned breakdowns or having to take trucks off the road. The data provided by the tyre sensors is expected to save fuel and avoid early tyre replace ments and on-road breakdowns or blowouts, leading to a reduction in CO2 emissions.

TA k E A STEP INTO THE FUTURE

Continental’s intelligent tyre comes

complete with a pre-mounted sensor which constantly monitors the pressure and temperature of the tyre and transmits the information in real time to the ContiPressureCheck system. The data can then be displayed in the driver cabin or sent directly to the operator’s head quarters via a telematics system.

The sensors mounted inside the tyre can also be purchased separately and retrofitted. However, ordering Continental’s intelligent tyre with the premounted ContiPressureCheck tyre sensor not only saves on resources for installation, but Continental also guarantees the optimum positioning and mounting of the sensor.

Continental currently provides a Standard package for tyre pressure and temperature measurement, and in the near future will offer an advanced version that can capture a range of additional data such as tread depth and tyre condition.

Text: Joe O’Brien – contributor@fleet.ie

National Ploughing Championship 2022 - returns to grass roots!

After a two year Covid-19 enforced hiatus, the National Ploughing Championships were back with a renewed vigour for 2022. Returning to the same Ratheniska site in County Laois as used previously, a total of 277,000 people thronged the walkways, stands and exhibition areas for the three day rural extravaganza, a number which included a record one day attendance of 115,000 on the second day. While some prominent brands from previous ‘Ploughings’ were absent this year, plenty of motoring, transport and machinery exhibitors took the opportunity to showcase their latest products. Fleet Transport was there to get a flavour of what was on show.

INEOS

Launching in Ireland at the Ploughing was the INEOS brand with the new -renadier, a rugged 4x4 designed for on and off-road terrain. Available in 2 seat and 5-seat N1 Commercial specs as well as more passenger oriented 5 seater versions, the Grenadier is distributed in Ireland through Orangeworks Automotive with a showroom at Carton House in Maynooth. Managing Director Dave Bassett was very pleased with the high interest in the new off-roader which is built in France.

g OWAN AUTO

The Gowan Group had a major presence at the Ploughing Championships, with seven of the nine brands it distributes in Ireland represented.

DS AUTOMOBILES

Star of the Citroën stand was the striking new C5 X available in petrol and hybrid versions, while the company also had its full range of commercial vehicles on display. Keeping interested visitors informed were Marketing Executive Cathal Lannigan, new Marketing Manager Trevor Hunt, and Managing Director of Citroën Ireland, Colin Sheridan.

F IAT, F IAT P ROFESSIONAL & J EEP

The all-new DS4, just arriving into Ireland, was the main attraction on the DS stand, while the DS7 also had plenty of interest from visitors. Marketing Executive Mark Brennan was on hand with all the information about the growing French marque.

Since coming under the Gowan Auto network as well as now being part of the Stellantis Group globally, the three former FCA brands are experiencing a surge in growth in Ireland, with new dealers being appointed and new products generating fresh interest. Senior Multibrand Marketing Executive for FCA-Honda, Jennifer Moran, and Zone Sales Manager for Fiat Professional, Philip Cullen were pictured alongside the newly launched Fiat Scudo mid-sized van, while the Fiat 500e and Jeep Compass PHEV were also attracting a lot of interest.

P EU g EOT

The new 308 took centre stage on Peugeot’s stand with the all-electric e-Partner also garnering a lot of interest. Digital & CRM Manager at Peugeot Ireland, Ciaran Cusack was the go to man on the stand.

C ITRO ë N

The new Movano large van and the stylish new Astra brought visitors to the Opel display. Representing the brand were Emma Toner, Marketing Director Opel Ireland, Stephen Briggs, Dealer Principal, Opel Mullingar, Alexis Moore, Retail Network Development Manager, Opel Ireland, Denise McNally, Sales Distribution Administrator, Opel Ireland, Kim Cummins, Cummins Motor Group, Portlaoise, Patrick Costigan, Area Sales Manager, Opel Ireland and Ken McKinley, Aftersales Development Manager, Opel Ireland.

It’s an electric offering from Chinese brand ORA, part of Great Wall Motors which will be familiar to Irish people through the pick-ups sold here for a number of years. Managing Director Pat Ryan explained that the Funky Cat will be priced from €32,000 after grants, and there will be a choice of two battery sizes of 48kW and 63kW with respective ranges of 300km and 420km. Three dealers in Dublin, Cork and Limerick are lined up to sell ORA vehicles.

Naturally the Land Cruiser, a firm favourite with the farming community, was the star of Toyota’s stand - after a period of unavailability the company was pleased to advise that it now has a supply of new Land Cruiser Commercials in the country. Also gathering a lot of interest was the new Proace City Electric. Keeping the visitors updated were Toyota Ireland’s Lauren Hennessy and Carol Hughes.

gROUP - S UBARU & ORA

The van racking system specialist had a number of its dealers and outfitters on stand displaying the broad range of products available. David Keogh of Pro Van, Cork, and Donal O’Sullivan and Charlie Begin of Vanfit Solutions Ltd offered expert advice to visitors.

C ARBERY P LASTICS

Two all-new products attracted a huge amount of interest on IM Group’s site. One was the Subaru Solterra, the first all-electric offering from the Japanese manufacturer. Arguably the star of the show though was the rather wonderfully named Funky Cat.

The leading manufacturer of liquid storage solutions had a selection of products on display including a new liquid fertiliser transport tank. Jill Turner and Pio Ronan were busy demonstrat ing over the three days.

O PEL

TOYOTA

IM

S ORTIMO

Among the items displayed on the Brigade Electronics stand was a MAN TGX fitted with Brigade’s 3 camera MDR digital recording system, Cornerscan ultrasonic detection system and Backchat left turn audible warning alarm. Raza Bajalan, Paul Collins, Chris Ewing, Mark Lee and

The Dundalk-based, world-wide renowned manufacturer of truck mounted forklifts had a selection of its products on display including the eSeries NX electric forklift. Gareth O’Reilly, Martin Kellett, Edel Moroney and Michael O’Reilly kept stand visitors updated on all the latest technology.

RID g ESTONE

B RI g ADE E LECTRONICS

Jordan Jenkinson were showcasing the technology.

M ODERN T YRES

Shane Byrne, Darragh Byrne, Jamie Burns and Tommy Kinsella were providing expert advice to stand visitors to Ireland’s largest retail tyre company and specialist in tyres, brakes, batteries, exhausts and wheel alignments.

M ANITOU

The French manufacturer of forklifts, cherry pickers, telehandlers and other heavy equipment is celebrating 50 years in 2022.

Kevin Shannon, Roy Graham, Glyn Wallace, Robert Shannon, Rebecca Harris and Callum Lowrie were marking the occasion.

M OFFETT E N g INEERIN g

B

As well as products for the agriculture sector, the Japanese tyre manufacturer showcased its range of truck and trailer tyres. Cathal Murtagh, Conor Burns, Shane Landers, Ger McNamara and Colm Conyngham represented the brand.

gLEESON S TEEL & E N g INEERIN g / gLEESON T RUC k B ODIES

Reporting a busy and successful show were David O’Brien and Tomás Gleeson of the Thurles, County Tipperary based steel fabrication business and truck body manufacturing company and supplier of Hiab products including this Multilift skip loader.

Text & Photos: Cathal Doyle – cathal@fleet.ie

The rate of vehicle related fatal incidents at work reported to the health & Safety Authority is a cause for concern. In recent years, in the region of 50% of reported fatal incidents involved vehicles associated with activities such as loading/ unloading. These incidents occurred across five broad sector categories, being Transportation & Storage, Agriculture, Construction, Manufacturing, and Waste Management. This rise in the rate of incidents points to a need for more effort in managing workplace vehicle risks.

The operation of practically every workplace involves some element of vehicle activity. In some premises this activity will be very apparent, par ticularly those with their own fleet of vehicles and mobile work equipment. For other workplaces it may be less apparent and confined to the activities of visiting vehicles, such as collections and deliveries, or simply employees travelling to and from work using their own cars. In many businesses, employees will travel for work outside of the work premises in their own or in company-owned vehicles. It is probably fair to say that because vehicles are such an inherent element of the activity of many businesses

they can be taken for granted, and the risks associated with them are often overlooked. The bottom line is that every workplace should have a section of their safety statement dedicated to a transport and vehicle operations risk assessment.

Vehicle safety in the workplace must be competently managed. The size and form of the management system will vary depending on the size of the operation. Every employer is urged to be aware of the risks arising from vehi cle-related activity at their workplace. They should assess what is the level of vehicle activity involved in the running of their organisation, and commit to better managing vehicle movements and operations in their businesses.

A typical vehicle safety management system should address the following:

1. Definition of the policy and rules for the management of vehicles at the workplace and identification of a responsible person for managing vehicle safety.

2. How to carry out and record risk assessments - this means writing down the most significant hazards, identifying who is at risk and listing the safety precautions which should be in place.

3. Determine the training needs of the workforce and the preventative maintenance programme required for ensuring ongoing workplace vehicle safety. Any changes to vehicles, workplace or personnel which might have implications for the safety of the system must be allowed for.

4. Employees who may be affected must be kept fully informed of the system and of any changes to it.

Managing Transport Operations & Vehicle Risks

5. Details of how acceptable standards for workplace vehicle safety are achieved and should also be included in the site-specific Safety Statement.

The Health & Safety Authority has a broad range of resources on its website to assist businesses to put procedures and measures in place to manage transport operations and vehicle risks. These resources consist of guidance material, e-learning courses, information videos, sample policies, check sheets and posters. These are available to access free of charge at https://www.hsa.ie/eng/ Vehicles_at_Work/

TOP 10 WOR k PLACE T RANSPORT SAFETY T IPS

Control entry to your workplace.

Keep pedestrians and vehicles apart. Eliminate vehicle reversing, where possible.

Provide clearly marked pedestrian walkways.

Mark and signpost vehicle only areas.

Make sure all work areas are well lit.

Keep traffic routes free of obstructions / mark permanent obstructions.

Provide impact protection to vulnerable parts of the workplace such as lamp posts and columns.

Provide and wear high visibility personal protective equipment.

Accompany visitors.

Stuttgart headquartered Daimler Truck’s commitment to pursuing the goal of complete CO2-neutral transport was demonstrated at packed press conferences held prior to the official opening of IAA Transportation 2022 in hannover.

Highlighted among a broad portfolio of fully electric vehicles was the heavy-duty, battery-electric MercedesBenz eActros LongHaul long-distance truck, which the manufacturer presented to the public for the first time. With a range of around 500 kilometres on a single battery charge, the new 4x2 trac tor-unit is capable of megawatt charging with series production planned for 2024.

Another innovation at the trade show was the battery-electric MercedesBenz eActros 300 in a tractor version, for flexible heavy-duty distribu tion transport. In addition, Daimler Truck introduced the battery-elec tric Mercedes-Benz eAtego for the medium-duty segment.

The company announced that by 2030, commercial vehicles that are CO2-neutral in driving operation should account for up to 60 percent of Daimler Truck sales in EU30 markets.

Karin Rådström, CEO Mercedes-Benz Trucks confirmed: “We are continuously expanding our portfolio of battery-elec tric trucks. Our focus is on offering clear advantages to our customers. Therefore, our electric trucks are specifically designed for e-mobility, giving them better drivability, energy efficiency and durability.”

eActros LongHaul with over 600 kilowatt hours of battery capacity

The Mercedes-Benz Trucks eActros LongHaul series will have three battery packs providing an installed total capacity of over 600 kWh, and two electric motors as part of a new e-axle that generates a continuous output of 400 kW and a peak output of over 600 kW. In addition to the tractor unit, the company will also produce rigid

IAA Transportation 2022

Daimler Trucks exhibits sustainability credentials at IAA Transportation 2022

variants of the eActros LongHaul which is designed so that the vehicle and its components meet the same durability requirements as a comparable con ventional heavy long-distance Actros. That means 1.2 million kilometres on the road over a period of ten years. The eActros LongHaul will be the first all-electric series-production vehicle from Mercedes-Benz Trucks to be man ufactured from start to finish on the existing assembly line at the Wörth plant in Germany. The batteries used in the eActros Long Haul employ lithium-iron phosphate cell technology (LFP) and can be charged from 20 to 80 percent in well under 30 minutes at a charging station with an output of about one megawatt. First prototypes are already undergoing intensive testing and the eActros LongHaul will be tested on public roads this year. In the coming year, near-pro duction prototypes will go to customers for real-world use testing.

IToY Truck Innovation 2023 Award

The development work which has gone into the Mercedes-Benz eActros LongHaul truck was also acknowledged at the IAA, when the vehicle was awarded the prestigious “ Truck Innovation 2023 Award”. It was presented by the International Truck of the Year (IToY) jury, which is made up of 24 experienced commercial vehicle journalists from European trade media (including Fleet Transport editor Jarlath Sweeney). Karin Rådström, CEO Mercedes-Benz Trucks, received the award from Gianenrico Griffini, Chairman of the IToY jury, at a special ceremony at the Hanover Messe. Factors influencing the vote were the innovative overall technological concept with LFP battery technology and the new e-axle, as well as Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ high development speed.

Test drives

Visitors to the impressive Daimler stand had an opportunity to experience e-mobility in practice through 45

minute test drives in the eActros around Hannover. It was hard not to be impressed by the smooth operation, seamless acceleration, and quietness of the vehicle. The single pedal operation, together with an array of driver friendly controls and access to data, combined with exceptional visibility and high-qual ity mirror cameras, make a very strong case for the transition to battery electric power.

FUSO Next generation eCanter in more variants for multiple applications 5 years of experience with the eCanter combined with feedback from customers worldwide based on more than 6 million electrically driven kilometres were incorporated into the development of the Next Generation eCanter. The result is an electric light-duty truck offering customers more flexibility for various applica

tions between 4.25 and 8.55 tonnes of permissible gross vehicle weight (GVW). With the two cab variants and a total of six different wheelbases from 2,500 mm to 4,750 mm, the Next Generation eCanter is aimed at use in light con struction and horticulture, as well as in inner-city distribution transport and for municipal tasks. To meet different application requirements, a new modular battery concept offers customers three options with a range of up to 70 km, 140 km, or 200 km on a single battery charge. Sales are due to commence in Q4 2022, with series production of the FUSO Next Generation eCanter to follow in 2023.

The eActros LongHaul truck has a range of around 500km”

“The Next Generation FUSO eCanter comes in two cab variants with six different wheelbases”

Interview with Friedrich W Baumann, MAN Truck & Bus Executive Board Member at IAA Transportation 2022

Walking around the halls of the IAA 2022, we see a significant change in focus by many manufacturers from ICE powered vehicles to Battery Electric and other alternative energy sources. Can you tell me where MAN is currently on that journey?

As you say, the show is quite different from four years ago and the commitment to finding sustainable transport solutions is very much to the forefront for everyone, including MAN. The decarbonisation of freight transport, the digitalisation of logistics and the shortage of truck drivers pose fundamental challenges for transport companies. So for future CO2-free and intelligently networked transport we are introducing the prototype of the fully electric large-series truck which will go into production from 2024. With a range of up to 800 kilometres and megawatt charging capability, the new eTruck will have the versatility to cover all common transport segments covered by diesel trucks today. Its production with be in tandem with the conventional trucks on a series production line [which] makes the transition from diesel to electric par ticularly flexible.

In the conventional ICE product range we are also introducing new vehicles with even lower fuel consumption and emissions. It ’s important that we also continue to develop and innovate in this area as there will still be requirement for these vehicles in some geographical and application sectors. Overall however, I would expect to see at least 50% of our production to be e-vehicles by 2030. What additional challenges does the shift to electric vehicles mean in terms of after sales support and training for dealer field technicians?

Obviously sales and service must go hand in hand, so comprehensive training programs will be rolled out to ensure that technicians have the tools and knowledge to support the new vehicles in our customers’ fleets to minimise

downtime. The shortage of young people willing to be trained as technicians has been a challenge in recent years, but I would be hopeful that the transition to electrification and digitisation will mean that the requirement to ‘get the hands dirty ’ will reduce and encourage more people to see this as an attractive career path. Real time support from our service support departments will also be increasingly important to optimise fault diagnostics and repair time.

Charging infrastructure and extended range for e-vehicles are fundamental to the success of this technology. In your view what needs to happen there?

That goes without saying and as manufacturers we are investing heavily in product development, but I think the politicians and legislators needs to do more to help ensure the infrastructure develops at the same pace to ensure our customers have the confidence to make the switch to e-mobility. To achieve the range levels we are targeting, there needs to enough megawatt charging stations throughout the transportation networks.

As announced last year, the joint venture between TRATON (of which MAN is a part), Daimler and Volvo plans to install and operate at least 1,700 high-performance green energy charge points on, and close to, highways as well as at logistics hubs across Europe. The parties are committing to invest €500 million, which is the largest charging infrastructure investment in the European heavy-duty truck industry to date.

However, the MAN Lion City 12 E electric city bus demonstrated the pos sibilities, with a journey across Europe from Poland to Limerick in Ireland earlier this year for the Bus Euro Tests

Can you provide on update on the work MAN is doing with regard to Platooning and autonomous driving vehicles?

Autonomous driving is for the transformation to sustainable freight

transport.

flexibility

and efficiency by detaching transport processes from statutory driving and rest times, and a reduction in unattrac tive driving tasks on long distances, are increasingly important.

The platooning technology is primarily based on proven assistance systems that are already successful ly used in standard MAN vehicles. These include the  ACC adaptive cruise control, EBA emergency braking system, serial radar and a serial camera. The concept enables one vehicle to follow another precisely without the driver of the second vehicle having to do anything. From my point of view Platooning does not offer enough benefits to become globally utilised but is an excellent platform in which to simulate and test the requirements for fully autonomous driving.

Our ATLAS-L4 project, for example, is already working on the concrete imple mentation of autonomous hub-to-hub transport, and by the end of 2024 Atlas-L4 will be the first truck to drive autonomously on a German motorway.

Finally how is MAN progressing with the TGE van range, which is based on the VWCV Crafter?

We’re very happy with the success of the TGE which as you say is basically the VW Crafter with a MAN badge. It fits nicely into our overall product portfolio and enables our existing customers to source their service vans from the same dealers. At the same time it has actually helped introduce some new customers to the wider MAN product range.

The launch of the fully electric MAN eTGE models at IAA, in addition to the conventional drive systems, is a natural progression of the series.

Text:

Joe O’Brien – contributor@fleet.ie

The potential of fewer accidents due to human error, more

Scania premiered its new electrified tractor-unit for regional transport operations, together with solutions for digital and connected services as well as its charging programme.

The Swedish brand’s purpose is to drive the shift to a sustainable transport system heading for 100% electric transport. Fourteen vehicles, largely zero-emission catering for most applica tions, were exhibited.

“In our electrification journey, we are leaving city limits behind us and heading onto intercity motorways. We have recently delivered an electrified timber truck to a customer in northern Sweden.

stated Christian Levin, CEO Scania Group.

To enable these long-distance motorway transports, Scania is preparing for megawatt charging to charge trucks for 45 minutes per 4.5 hours of travel. In the coming years the electrified share of Scania’s vehicles is expected to grow sig nificantly, to the extent that by 2030, 50 percent of its total vehicle sales volume will be electrified.

“As we ramp up vehicles with zero tailpipe emissions we are increasingly focusing on other sources of emissions. Scania once again shows the way by setting the most ambitious supply chain decarbonisation targets in our industry. We’ve identified four “hotspots” –

Scania outlines the future of transport – Sustainable & Electric DAF Trucks

batteries, steel, aluminium and cast iron –which together account for more than 80 percent of carbon emission emanating from the supply chain. By 2030 we will cut emissions from these hotspots with 60-85 percent,” he added.

“Scania Super, the new (and final) powertrain for combustion engines, (demonstrated) delivers fuel savings that typically will reach eight percent for long-haulage customers. We can hereby both deliver on our decarbon ising targets and create value for our customers. Driving the shift entails assisting customers in taking steps towards transitioning to electric fleets. Therefore, a complete system of services is on display here - from analyses to complete charging solutions. Going forward, we offer a total turnkey solution for our electrified customers. A solution that is scalable for the future. There are no longer any excuses not to start the transition to zero-emission vehicles,” concluded Christian.

DAF Trucks has introduced the next phase of its product renewal programme with the launch of the New Generation DAF XD & XDC distribution and construction trucks, together with a completely new range of fully electric powertrains for the New Generation DAF XD & XF series, offering over 500 kilometres on a single charge.

“With the all-new modular EV-powertrains, DAF once again takes the lead in zero emission transport, offering premium fully electric truck solutions to its customers,” stated Harald Seidel, DAF Trucks’ President.

DAF Trucks had a dominant position in Hall 21 creating a podium for its all-new award winning product line-up, including the DAF XF, XG & XG+ (IToY 2022) and the newly crowned DAF XD

series (IToY 2023).

DAF is also expanding the product range of the successful New XF model line-up. New within the range are a Day Cab and a Sleeper Cab, which complement the existing Sleeper High version.

“With the expansion of a full range of chassis and cab variants for the New Generation XD, XF, XG and XG⁺ trucks, DAF offers the most advanced trucks on the market for distribution, vocational, heavy duty and long-haul applications,”

added Harald.

The innovative DAF XD and XF Electric trucks will be assembled on a brand-new production line in Eindhoven. The advanced DAF Electric Truck Assembly will start series production in 2023.

*More details on the newly launched XD & XDC series are featured as the Cover Story in this edition.

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

And that is a very real token of the fact that we now can electrify all heavy transport applications,”

demonstrates industry leadership at

Volvo Electric Trucks Full range from 16-44 tonnes available to order today

Volvo Electric trucks minimise CO₂, noise and air pollution and enable high-capacity regional transport in areas with strict sound levels and emission regulations.

To simplify the transition to electromobility, our trucks are offered together with solutions for charging, route and range planning, energy status and more.

For more information on our electric range of trucks please contact your local Volvo Trucks dealer.

Visit volvotrucks.co.uk/electromobility

SAIC MAXUS continues to make a big impact across Europe. The Chinese automotive manufacturer had a strong presence at IAA Transportation 2022 Show showcasing its latest line-up of electric vehicles, including one of its newest additions, a new D7.5 Light Truck.

Speaking about the brand’s inaugural presence at IAA Transportation, Jack Zhu, SAIC’s General Manager for the Europe Region said: “IAA Transportation is the leading trade show for transport, commercial vehicles and logistics and the focus on innovation and climate-neu tral logistics at this year’s show is an important conversation to contribute to. For MAXUS’ debut at IAA Transportation, we are placing our expanding range of EVs in the spotlight with a fully electric

is evidence of this ambition. Our stand at IAA Transportation 2022 comes at an important time for the MAXUS brand and signals the growth of MAXUS across Europe.”

SAIC MAXUS is currently available in 73 countries globally and has established over 400 sales dealers across Europe, helping MAXUS’ growing presence in the European market. SAIC has sold over 390,000 EVs globally in H1 2022 with more than 10,000 electric van orders achieved this year to date.

The MAXUS impressive stand featured five of its electric vehicles including the popular eDELIVER 3 and eDELIVER 9 eLCVs, and the MAXUS MIFA 9 (MPV), the T90 EV (electric pickup) as well as SAIC’s latest project, the MAXUS D7.5 Electric Light Truck.

SAIC MAXUS debuts D7.5 Electric Light Truck at the IAA Transportation 2022

charge. Charging times will vary, with a DC charge taking 1.5 hours and an AC

stand. As one of the most innovative and progressive electric commercial vehicle brands in Europe right now, SAIC MAXUS takes its leadership role in the sector seriously. We are committed to making MAXUS the leading commercial EV brand in Europe and our strong presence at trade shows across Europe

With a driving range of up to 213km (full loaded), the currently named D7.5 EH300 Electric Light Truck features a three-seater single cabin, with a GVW of 7490Kg. A 127.74 KwH CATL Lithium battery provides the vehicle with a maximum speed of 90km/h, a peak power of 60/110Kw and a peak torque of 635/1200Nm. This latest MAXUS commercial also has a maximum charging power of 102Kw for a DC charge and 22Kw for an AC

charge taking 11 hours. As yet the D7.5 chassis/cab is only available in LHD.

Speaking about the new vehicle and future goals for MAXUS, Jack Zhu said: “As evidenced by our ever-expand ing range of EVs, the MAXUS brand is extending beyond LCVs and our long-term goal is to be as relevant to the passenger and heavy goods vehicle markets as we are right now to the light commercial fleet market. To achieve this, innovation, R&D and design will remain the cornerstones of our ambition and we will continue to invest significantly across all three areas.”

Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), the name behind the MAXUS brand since 2010, is the largest automotive group in China and is ranked 68th in Fortune’s Global 500 list. Senior representatives from SAIC Motors flew into Hannover for the event and were joined by dealers and partners from key markets within Europe.

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

IAA Transportation 2022 was the perfect platform for Iveco to launch the new zero-emission battery-elec tric eDAILy and its sister flagship, the heavy-duty Nikola Tre 4x2 tractor-unit battery-electric vehicle (BEV). The brand also featured a preview of its fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) for urban, regional and long-haul missions – the eDAILy FCEV light commercial vehicle and the Nikola Tre FCEV 6x2 heavy-duty truck.

Luca SRa, President, Truck Business Unit, Iveco Group, commented on the extensive 4,300 sq.m stand: “We at IVECO want to drive the road of change. We have strengthened our commitment to move society forward by partnering with our customers and powering the trans formation of our industry. To do so, we have refocused our strategy, expanded our skills and reinvented our product and service approach. We have the ambition to be the most reliable partner

efficiently and profitably while respecting our environment. To drive the road of change, we committed to a precise roadmap to sustainability, which will see IVECO move towards net zero carbon by 2040 through an all-range multi-energy approach. And today, with the eDAILY we take another step towards our goal by further broadening the perspective of zero-emission transport”.

17 vehicles represented the Italian brand’s latest alternative propulsion solutions and dedicated integrated services. A further 29 vehicles were exhibited in the outdoor area, showcasing Iveco Group’s full line-up covering all light, medium and heavy commercial vehicle applications as well as people mobility.

eDAILY, the electric version of the iconic DAILY, is offered with the full range of body variants – van, cab and minibus, from 3.5t to 7.2t. It features a 37kWh fully modular battery with the opportunity to install different types of ePTOs up to 15kW. This means that it can power refrigeration units, cranes and other applications such as waste collection and aerial platforms.

IVECO shared the stage with two strategic partners in its path to decarbonisation: Nikola Corporation and Hyundai Motor Company.

IVECO and Hyundai unveiled a working prototype of eDAILY FCEV equipped with Hyundai’s 90 kW hydrogen fuel cell system and 140 kW e-motor, and a battery pack by FPT Industrial, the powertrain brand of Iveco Group. The 7.2 tonne GVW prototype has been tested in Europe, confirming a range of 350 km, maximum payload of 3 tonnes, and a refuelling time within 15 minutes. While the eDAILY BEV is best suited to short journeys, the eDAILY FCEV will be ideal for deliveries requiring a

eDaily H2

long range with high payload.

The IVECO S-WAY offering now comes with a new Cursor 13 490 hp Euro 6D diesel said to improve overall fuel efficiency by up to 4%.

and full-line player for our customers. We want to provide them with trustworthy, sustainable and intelligent transport solutions so they can run their business

The Nikola Corporation announced the official opening of orders for the European 4x2 tractor-unit version of the Nikola Tre BEV and presented a prototype European-spec Tre FCEV 6x2 tractor. These first-gener ation vehicles, are capable of ranges of approximately 500km and 800km respec tively.

Also on display were three Special Edition vehicles which brought together IVECO’s heritage and innovation to interest today’s customers. The Turbo Star Limited Edition of the IVECO S-WAY pays homage to one of the brand’s most iconic, innovative and commercially successful trucks, while two rather special Dailys offer a unique combination of past and future as they take inspiration from two iconic OM vehicles from the ‘50s & ‘60s - the Tigrotto and the Leoncino. The Leoncino special edition is a vintage interpretation of the new eDAILY, while the Tigrotto is a variant of the 4x4 Daily.

& Photos: Jarlath Sweeney – editor@fleet.ie

IVECO innovates in alternative propulsion to lead drive towards zero emissions in road transport

eDAILY

Nikola

At the IAA, Volvo Trucks took the wraps off a completely new, fully electric rear axle, one that will free up space for more batteries allowing for longer range capabilities for Volvo’s battery electric trucks.

The Swedish manufacturer has the widest offering of battery electric trucks

IAA Transportation 2022

in the industry, with six different models in serial production. Depending on the model, the range is up to 440 km on one charge.

The new e-axle allows even more batteries on the truck by integrating the electric motors and the transmission into the rear axle. More batteries mean longer range, which creates opportunities to provide electric solutions for even long-distance transport. On the fuel cell electric trucks that will be introduced in the second half of this decade, the additional space comes in handy for installing other components.

“This is a breakthrough for electric

Tevva launches 19-tonne hydrogen-electric truck

Electric and hydrogen truck producer Tevva unveiled its 19-tonne hydro gen-electric truck and announced its strategy for Europe at the IAA Transportation show. The company partnered with some customers to showcase its range of full-electric and hydrogen-electric medium-duty (7.5t to 19t) zero-emission truck solutions designed for the European market.

As with the 7.5t hydrogen-electric model, the 19t variant benefits from the company’s revolutionary dual energy system, combining lithium-ion batteries and a hydrogen fuel cell range extender. The truck is expected to have a range of up to 500km depending on the number of hydrogen cylinders specified, and can be refilled in 10 minutes.

Tevva is pioneering a practical hydrogen fuel cell application that is unique to medium-duty trucks. By adding a hydrogen fuel cell range extender that replenishes the battery throughout the day, Tevva eliminates range anxiety and this technology can replace diesel trucks on all routes. The dual energy system also futureproofs Tevva and its customers as Europe transitions away from fossil fuels and looks to decarbonise the transporta tion sector.

Tevva Founder & CEO Asher Bennett explained: “We are on a mission to make sustainable trucks accessible at scale, and

trucks and a clear signal that there will be a huge demand for public fast-chargers for heavy trucks in the near future, not least along highways,” said Jessica Sandström, SVP Global Product Management at Volvo Trucks.

Volvo Trucks has a three-path strategy to reach zero emissions; battery electric, fuel cell electric, and combustion engines that run on renewable fuels like biogas, HVO or even green hydrogen.

“Different technical solutions are needed to tackle climate change, since the availability of energy and fuel infra structure differs between countries and regions and also between different transport assignments,” concludes Ms. Sandström.

believe our technology will empower the transport sector and the governments of Europe to meet their net-zero goals. By embracing hydrogen, we can rethink the energy mix in transport, reduce strain on our electricity grid and accelerate electric truck adoption. Through Tevva, the future is within range.”

Volta Trucks’ Volta Zero debuts in Germany

Following a number of invitation-on ly customer events, the full-electric Volta Zero was on public display in the significant German market for the first time. Volta Trucks presented a road-going Volta Zero Design Verification prototype vehicle in its own sustainable city environment booth and a Volta Zero was also available for customer evaluation and feedback. On

hand were a number of Volta Trucks experts covering the product and the ‘Truck as a Service’ subscription model, including vehicle charging, together with experts covering the subsidies and incentives available for customers moving to zero-tailpipe emission fleets across European markets.

Chief Executive Officer of Volta Trucks, Essa Al-Saleh, said; “We see significant

commercial traction in Germany for the full-electric Volta Zero thanks, in part, to the progressive mindset of German fleet owners and generous subsidies and incentives from the government to motivate the transition to zero tailpipe emission trucks.”

*See page 8 for exclusive interview with Volta Trucks’ founder Carl-Magnus Norton

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

Volvo Trucks has unveiled a new, fully electric rear axle

SAFER THAN EVER INTRODUCING THE NEW FUSO CANTER

IAA Transportation 2022

A-Z of Exhibitors at the IAA Transportation –Hannover Messe, Germany Part I

ALLISON

Allison Transmission, a leading designer and manufacturer of conventional, electric hybrid and fully electric vehicle propulsion solutions, presented the new eGen Power 130S, adding to the eGen Power family of fully electric axles. Key components of the 130S including the new suspension systems, V-rod brackets, brakes, wheel ends and axle spindle, designed specifically to support the heavier 13-tonne gross axle weight rating, which is often required by commercial vehicles. The 130S uses a single motor to generate 225 kilowatts of continuous power, with a peak power of 325 kilowatts, and 26,000 Nm of torque at the wheels. It also features a two-speed parallel axis gear.

BOSCH

Founded by Robert Bosch in Stuttgart in 1886, the company now employs over 400,000 people worldwide. Looking to the future, Bosch says that carbon reduction is not the only challenge that the transport industry will face in the coming years - freight volumes will likely increase by 40% at the end of this decade and could triple by 2050. Bosch is focused on the products - hardware and software - to help improve efficiencies and reduce cost while at the same time reducing carbon in the atmosphere.

BYD – Build Your Dreams

Two new all-electric trucks from Chinese manufacturer BYD have been introduced into Europe - the ETM6 7.5-tonne urban delivery truck and the ETH8 19-tonne truck designed for logistics and waste collection, designed with European customers in mind.

BYD welcomes strategic localised European partnerships to deliver high levels of regionalised customer service and support, bringing products that suit individual markets.

CUMMINS

A combination of small steps and leaps is how best to deal with the elimination of carbon from the atmosphere according to Cummins. A number of new tech nologies featured included the fourth generation hydrogen fuel cell medium and heavy duty trucks and buses. Cummins, which has a manufacturing base in Darlington, England, is working closely with truck manufacturers to bring concept trucks to serial production. In the meantime, the USA headquartered technology leader continues to develop and improve its diesel engine line-up.

DAIkIN

Daikin Transport Refrigeration revealed the Exigo Electric, an engineless drive system specifi cally designed to be future-ready, with the intention of delivering clean and flexible engineless drive capability. The units can be powered by an external electrical supply coming from either trailer systems equipped with energy storage (batteries), or generation systems like e-axles, hydrogen fuel cells and solar panels.

DEkRA

For almost 100 years, DEKRA has been striving for more safety and security on the road. The German organisa tion’s portfolio ranges from vehicle inspections to claims settlement, industrial and construction inspection, safety and security consulting, and the testing and certification of products and systems. A recent survey by the organisation revealed that 1 in 5 commercial vehicle drivers are still not wearing a seat belt.

DHOLLANDIA

In order to support future growth in the UK and Irish markets, Dhollandia has invested in an 81,000 sq ft production facility on a 5.5-acre site in Wrexham where dedicated lifts for these countries are now produced. Among the upgraded products on display at IAA, was the Luton spec lift (500-750 kg). It features a new-style aluminium platform with optional anodised finish, galvanised columns, a toggle switch at the top of the column, and roll stops.

ENgINIUS

ENGINIUS presented a world first at the IAA in the form of ‘CITYPOWER’ which is the name of its new hydrogen truck based on the MercedesBenz Atego. With a payload of 9-tonnes, a range of 500 km and a refuelling time of thirty minutes, the CITYPOWER is an emission-free, low-noise replacement for diesel vehicles without having to sacrifice instal lation space, performance, and range.

FPT Industrial

FPT Industrial, the powertrain arm within the Iveco Group, showcased its advanced tech nologies and components for IVECO’s new electric vehicles. They included the Battery Pack

Jarlath Sweeney, Sean Murtagh and Joe O’Brien reporting

and Central Drive featured in the new eDAILY, and the eAxle for the new Nikola Tre, which has entered production at the Iveco factory in Ulm, Germany. It also promoted its full powertrain offering on a dedicated stand in Hall 21.

gOLDHOFER

Along with the STEPSTAR semi lowloader, Goldhofer presented its new TRAILSTAR air-suspen sion trailer at the ‘22 exhibition. The three to five-axle air-sus pension trailer offers transpor tation companies maximum flexibility and top-quality engineering combined with minimum deadweight. The new design allows optimal use of the loading area length and low loading centre of gravity.

gOODYEAR

Goodyear, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary, will have a 100% sustainable tyre by 2030. In fact it is well on its way to that, as currently its tyres are 63% sustainable. Goodyear has just completed a 30,000 km tour of Europe, visiting customers and gaining feedback. Having spoken to a broad range of customers on various topics, Goodyear discovered that 80% of large transport operators would match any Government funding, euro for euro. Most operators were putting KPI’s in place to be able to measure and demonstrate their carbon reduction. Goodyear are.

MAN TRUCk & BUS

Munich’s MAN Truck & Bus has not been slow or shy about laying out its position when it comes to future development of its electrically powered commercial vehicles. Like some other manufacturers, it is further ahead with development of bus models than truck models. Currently there are 350 City electric buses in service with a further 1,300 on order. In terms of trucks MAN sees a substantial rise in demand for e-trucks from 2025 . It is confident that the TCO of an electric vehicle will be similar to that of today’s diesel powered vehicle.

qUANTRON

QUANTRON unveiled its long est-range hydrogen and electric trucks based on newly developed platforms. A world premiere was given to the QUANTRON QHM FCEV Heavy Truck, a tractor unit based on a MAN TG designed for long-dis tance transport with a range of up to 1500 km. The unit stands out with exceptionally large hydrogen tank capacities of up to 116 kg, which are fully integrated in the chassis behind the cab.

SORTIMO

One highlight was an innovation on the popular Sortimo 5th generation racking system (SR5), which will be available from spring 2023 as an extremely lightweight and robust aluminium

variant, (SR5A for short). It is made from 100% recyclable aluminium, which is also used in the aerospace industry to withstand even the highest stresses, as well as being par ticularly corrosion resistant.

SONO

In cooperation with its various partners, Sono Motors presented a state-of-the-art solar solution for refriger ated trailers, E-Buses and E-Transporters for the first time. The Solar Bus Kit which reduces CO2 emissions and fuel consumption was highlighted. In addition to CHEREAU, three new Sono partners displayed different trailer prototypes with SONO’s solar integration.

THERMO kINg

Among the many new products on the Thermo King stand was the fully electric (E-Series) refrigeration unit designed for battery electric vehicles in the 3.5 to 7.5 tonne sector, which is powered directly by the LCV’s battery. The patented power distribution and management controls optimise the supply and demand of power to deliver optimal temperature-con trol performance and minimise the impact on the vehicle’s autonomy.

VALEO

Valeo, which has a research centre and factory in Tuam, has fully embraced the challenge to reduce and eliminate carbon from the atmosphere, claiming that never before has the automotive industry known such a rapid pace of innovation. At the IAA it introduced a new inverter for heavy vehicles and an upgraded system for ‘last mile’ vehicles, including e-bikes and scooters. Details of a new air-con systems that will help extend the range of electric vehicles were also outlined.

ZF

Having purchased Wabco in 2020, ZF’s Commercial Vehicle activity now accounts for 20% of its business. While confident about the future, challenges remain, such as semi-conductor supply, continued lockdown in China and the war in Ukraine. The South Germany based hi-tech firm made two predictions about the future of road transport, namely that fuel cell development will be a game changer, and secondly that the importance of trailer operation will become critical to savings for companies. It suggested that up to 18% fuel savings can be achieved by more targeted tractor/trailer connectivity.

Jarlath Sweeney, Sean Murtagh & Joe O’Brien

One of the highlights at the recent IAA Transportation 2022 in hannover was the reveal of the new heavy-duty, long-haul eTruck from MAN. Based on the award-winning, latest generation TGX flagship model, this heavy-duty tractor-unit is defying the odds in the electrification of top end commercial vehicles, with its 600km+ range distance. But not only is MAN producing the hardware, a whole suite of software solutions and services are also provided with the customer offering. National, regional and urban applications will be catered for, using the same advanced emission-free technology. In addition, the German truck, van and bus brand is preparing for forthcoming megawatt charging standards which will be required for heavy long-distance electric transport to operate successfully.

With the MAN eTruck, road transport

CO2 per year over 120,000 kilometres. Road transport companies also benefit, because the electric truck uses the energy much more efficiently, saving up to €7,000 per year in comparison.

The fully electric MAN eTruck will silently roll out into the marketplace in 2024. Thanks to its high charging (megawatt) capacity and short battery charging times, the eTruck will be suitable for heavy-duty, long-distance transport with a daily range of between 600 and 800 kilometres, and in the future, even up to 1,000 kilometres.

In advance of the ramp-up of electro mobility in its heavy commercial vehicle segment, MAN’s diesel and electric powered trucks will be manufactured on one assembly line at Mannheim - despite the complexity of fitting different components. The workforce has been trained and is prepared for the new electric technology. In addition, investments are also being made in the MAN plant in Nuremberg. From 2025, around 100,000 battery packs are to be produced here annually in in-house large-scale series production.

New MAN eTruck anchors eMobility Experience

new era, with its 360 degree eMobility Consulting programme which offers advice on suitable vehicles, and also includes consideration of custom er-specific operating conditions, cost optimisation, route analysis and fleet optimisation. MAN Transport Solutions will also recommend the right charging infrastructure and is also working on a globally comparable plug-in charging system with other main stakehold ers. MAN is also committed to the expansion of the charging infrastruc ture, with its parent company, the TRATON Group part of a joint venture with Daimler and Volvo Group to jointly establish at least 1,700 high-performance

is set to become more sustainable and CO2-free. At a special eMobility Experience at the MAN Test Track near Munich, IToY jury members were presented with interesting facts and figures as well as experiencing exclusive test drives of prototype MAN eTrucks. For instance, compared to a diesel truck in long-distance transport with an average consumption of 27 litres, a single electric truck can save up to 100 tonnes of

MAN gained valuable experience with the first generation eTGM, with the small series truck now well proven in everyday use by transport companies - over 1.5 million kilometres have been covered in numerous European countries since 2019. With the second generation of batteries in the IBOY 2023-winning MAN Lion’s City E city bus, it was also possible to set a range record in practical use of over 550 kilometres with one battery charge. In addition to range, MAN’s battery development focuses on crash safety, durability as well as vibration and temperature resistance.

MAN Transport Solutions is already preparing transport companies for this

charging points on or near motorways and logistics hubs throughout Europe. The partners are investing a total of €500 million for this purpose.

According to estimates by the industry association ACEA, 42,000 charging stations are needed. Assuming 350,000 electric trucks on European roads by 2030, a charging capacity of 37 terawatt hours per year based on renewable energies would be required. This corresponds to the average annual power generation of around 6,000 wind turbines.

*A further deep dive into the eMobility Experience will feature in Fleet Transport next time.

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

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Dennison Fast Parts - Dedicated to keeping trailers on the road with expanding stock portfolio

Within a short walk of the former Dennison Trailer factory at Fishery Lane in the Naas Industrial Estate, Dennison Fastparts’ recently constructed, purpose built spare parts and components sales premises indicates the constant progress and investment made by the Dennison Trailer Group. Dennison Fastparts has been in the business of sourcing and supplying quality OEM and branded parts to road transport companies all over Ireland, the UK and Europe for over two decades. In the past year, a number of new agencies have been secured, together with product additions to the already broad range of parts in stock that are ready for immediate delivery. The new facility also houses the R&D Department and workshop facility.

“Currently we are official agents and stockists for all the leading marquee brands. We carry a comprehensive stock of all trailer parts to keep the modern (and not so modern) fleet on the road, from the axle and suspension systems of SAF-Holland, Meritor, JOST and GIGANT,

to the braking systems of Haldex. Knorr Bremse and WABCO. We also carry lighting products from Aspoeck, Truck-lite and Hella, as well as the body components from JOST including landing legs and kingpins, while not forgetting Pommier Mudwings, Langver Curtain Tensioners, Ecco Safety Lighting and Camera Systems,” said John Browne, Fastparts Manager Ireland & UK.

As Ireland’s largest stock of Daken storage boxes, Fastparts stocks an even bigger selection of Tool boxes, front and top loading Fire Extinguishers Boxes and Double Cabinets, mounting brackets and ADR Boxes, driver kits and refill packs, more recently the complete range of Daken’s Zen range of stainless steel and powder coated steel tool boxes. “As well as Stainless Steel and Powder Coated Light Panels,” added John.

The ever expanding Fastparts catalogue now features VALK trailer parts including axle and suspension components. And to further expand the JOST line-up, a whole portfolio of fifthwheels, including repair units, are included, as well as twist lock components. John also mentioned that the company has taken on the agency for Commercial Body Fittings

(CBF), the UK’s leading wholesaler and distributor of commercial vehicle body hardware.

“We also carry a large stock of flooring for trailers, ranging from Keruing in 28, 35, 40 & 50mm thicknesses to Laminated and Wisadeck Sheeting. Being

part of the Dennison Trailer Group we know what our customers need, whether its any of the aforementioned parts and components, while we also supply a range of branded mudflaps, branded mudwings, air-bag, bespoke lighting kits that are available ex-stock as well, as are electrical, hydraulic and air system components.”

“Speed of response and availability of stock are critical to operators. That is why Dennison Fast Parts offers a single source of high quality, approved parts by reputable manufacturers for all makes of trailer – fast! “Whether for a fleet or a single trailer, we are available throughout Ireland and the UK via our highly responsive Fast Parts operation, designed to get parts to you whenever and wherever you want them,” concluded

John.

SAF-Holland: The German Group is one of the main internation al manufacturers of chassis-related assemblies and components for trailers, trucks and buses

Meritor: Global supplier for commercial vehicle manufacturers for specialty industries with a wide range of aftermarket solutions from drivetrain to brake systems

JOST: Designs and man ufactures fifth wheels, landing gear, kingpins and turntables (axles) for road transport. Other brands within the Group include Rockinger and Tridec.

gigant: Part of the German Krone Group, Gigant produces a wide range of rigid axles for large-scale production and individually for heavy-duty applications

Aspöck Systems : For 45 years, Aspöck Systems have brought light to the roads and are therefore Europe’s leading manufacturer for pre-fabricated lighting systems for all types of towed vehicles.

VALX: VALX (axles) has become a member of FUWA K-Hitch Australia PTY. LTD. From the moment of introduction in 2010, VALX growth performance has been double digit.

Daken: Toolboxes and components manufacturer, made by injection moulding which guarantees dimensional precision and solidity. Recognised for their reinforced structure

Commercial Body Fittings: Established in 1970, Bilston based CBF is the clear market leader in manufacturing and distributing to the commercial vehicle body building industry

FLEET MARITIME

A recent study has shown that for the 2023 Summer tourist season Cruise Ferry and Ro-Pax ferry sailings into the ports of Rosslare, Dublin and Cork will reach one hundred per week. Capacity will be further enhanced by the intro duction of larger tonnage on some routes.

The largest increase in passenger numbers is expected to arrive at Rosslare Europort. Brittany Ferries will replace the Viscentini standard Ro-Pax vessel ‘Connemara’ operating its Rosslare/Bilbao and Rosslare/Cherbourg services with the substantially larger e-Flexer ‘Galicia’. Stena Line will replace the chartered Freight Ferry ‘Seatruck Panorama’ with a vessel with significant passenger capacity ahead of the summer season enabling to offer six sailings with passenger and car capacity into Rosslare each week from Cherbourg. DFDS is expected to continue its current trial service of offering passenger accommo dation on its Dunkirk to Rosslare service and a change in one vessel currently operating on the route would enable passengers to be accommodated aboard five sailings a week.

Following the sale of the Ro-Pax ferry ‘Epsilon by Italian owners Caronte & Tourist to the Polish Eurafrica Shipping company, in March 2022, it is unclear whether this vessel will remain in Irish Ferries service after the current bareboat charter agreement terminates this month. It has been speculated that an extension to the agreement might be reached enabling the vessel to remain with Irish Ferries until a date in spring

2023. The use of a replacement vessel with larger passenger facilities might mean that Irish Ferries may not have to use the high-speed ‘Dublin Swift’ on the Holyhead/Dublin route.

No vessel changes are expected on the long-established route linking Roscoff in Brittany and Cork Harbour operated by Brittany Ferries for 2023. Ahead of that season the Cork Port Company is in active discussions with

Ferries capture rising passenger numbers

as well. Total passenger capacity aboard the vessels arriving at Irish Ports will be more than 140,000 each week and car capacity for 59,000 vehicles. The study does not include the capacity aboard the Stena Line and P&O vessels operating from Great Britain into Belfast and Larne ports.

Almost all ferry companies operating in European waters are reporting a significant uplift in passenger numbers with many services carrying numbers similar to those pre-Covid, and some doing even better. The problems in the car hire business with an inadequate

the ferry operator about the installation of Electric Vehicle plug-in Points at the Ringaskiddy Ferry Terminal.

Current estimates are that there will be approximately 114 weekly passenger carrying ferry arrivals in Republic of Ireland Ports in Summer 2023. All of these except for the fourteen sailings operated by Irish Ferries using the ‘Dublin Swift’ ferry will carry trailer traffic

supply of cars throughout most of Europe has been a significant factor in moving tourists to taking their cars with them on ferries as, of course, have the congestion and luggage issues at many European airports. The reduction of the number of flights through major hubs including Amsterdam and Heathrow has been a further stimulus to ferry travel.

S HIPPING & F REIGHT N EWSLETTER – Compiled by Howard Knott – howard@fleet.ie

WB Yeats berthing Dublin

Brittany Ferries Armorique wearing new logo

Denmark based Clipper Group has sold its Seatruck Ferries holdings Ltd. Subsidiary to CLdN Group. Clipper Group’s main activity has been in the dry bulk cargo business and Seatruck has been its only Ro-Ro activity. The sale is subject to regulatory approval by the Irish Competition Authority, and this is expected to be in place before the year end.

Luxembourg based CLdN, has developed a significant presence in the Irish marketplace over the last thirteen years and now operates a five times weekly Dublin/Rotterdam service, a three times weekly Dublin/Zeebrugge service, twice weekly from Dublin to Santander along with a twice weekly Cork/Zeebrugge service. Connections are made across the terminal at Rotterdam and Zeebrugge to CLdN services to a range of Scandinavian and Iberian des tinations including Gothenburg, Porto, and Esbjerg. Most vessels sailed on the Irish routes have a garage capacity of between 4,000 and 8,000 lane metres.

Seatruck was founded in 1996,

CLdN to acquire Seatruck Ferries from Clipper Group

commencing operations between Warrenpoint and Heysham and, following its takeover in 2002 by Clipper Group expanded to establish Dublin/Heysham and Dublin/ Liverpool services. Like the services operated by CLdN, Seatruck operates basically an unaccompanied trailer service, with very limited driver accom modation. The current Seatruck schedule offers sixteen sailings a week from Dublin to Liverpool, six a week between Dublin and Heysham and eleven sailings a week between Warrenpoint and Heysham.

The Seatruck fleet currently consists of eight vessels, two of which are chartered out, the ‘Seatruck Panorama’ sails for Stena Line from Rosslare to Cherbourg and the ‘Clipper Pennant’ sails for P&O from Dublin to Liverpool.

In a statement from CLdN announcing the acquisition it said: “The Seatruck operation will continue to run under the Seatruck Ferries brand with the existing management team lead by Alistair Eagles. Seatruck Ferries has shown great resilience through the challenges caused by COVID-19 and Brexit, where the company has consol idated its market-leading position on

the Irish Sea. Operating profit improved in 2021 and earnings are expected to further improve in 2022 as the joint impacts of COVID-19, Brexit and driver shortages are expected to accelerate growth in the unaccompanied trailer sector”.

The only overlap between the CLdN and Seatruck services is on the Liverpool/ Dublin leg of the CLdN Santander/ Liverpool/Dublin operation. In making the Liverpool call CLdN has used the stevedoring and Terminal facilities operated by P&O at the Port.

(As an aside, the 1998 built Ro-Ro vessel ‘Arrow’, a vessel that was in the ownership of and sailed for Seatruck prior to the building of the first four vessels of its current fleet in 2008, has recently been bought by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company IoMSP for a reported €9 million. The vessel has been chartered over several years as a back-up on its Douglas/Belfast service. Another recent sale was the former CLdN vessel ‘Valentine’ which has, for the last year been on charter to the Interislander service, operated by New Zealand’s Kiwirail has now been bought by that company).

As the 2022 Cruise call season draws to a close a high degree of satisfaction is reported by those involved in the first full year of transferring most of the cruise calls that would have been made to Dublin Port to the Dublin Bay Anchorage off Dun Laoghaire. Over 80 vessels anchored there, transferring passengers to and from Dun Laoghaire using ship’s tenders. Most took coach tours also took the Dart suburban rail to the city and beyond and others stayed in the town. Several smaller vessels, mostly of a similar size to the Car Ferries that had operated the Dun Laoghaire/holyhead route before the arrival of the Stena hSS ferry, moored alongside the Carlisle Pier within the harbour, while other expedition type vessels called to Dublin Port close to the Point Village. All indications are that the arrangements worked well, and the operators hope for another successful year in 2023.

The Stena Ports owned Holyhead Port welcomed thirty-seven Cruise liners in summer 2022 with a total of 55,000 passengers on board using a similar anchoring off arrangement. However, Stena Line Ports has announced that in 2023 cruise liners will again be able to berth directly in the port again. This being made possible due to the conclusion of a deal to buy the former aluminium site in Holyhead, that also includes the multi-purpose deep water terminal at the port being taken over by the Swedish port operator. This will allow the company the ability to open the

iona

berth for cruise liners again.

Commenting on the expansion of the company’s facilities at Holyhead Port, Ian Davies, Head of UK Port Authorities & Stena Line Ports said: “The new deep-water jetty will provide an excellent option for cruise operators that plan on providing their passengers with the opportunity to explore the fabulous Welsh coastline and Snowdonia National Park next year. We look forward to returning to pre-pandemic levels when the jetty was last in operation with 52 cruise ships calling into the port in 2018, providing passengers with the ability to use Holyhead as convenient base to explore this picturesque part of the country.”

2, typical of the cruise vessels visiting Irish ports in 2022.

Star Legend sailing from Dun Laoghaire’s Carlisle Pier.

Bounce back in Irish Sea calls by Cruise Liners

Deep Sea shipping rates continue to head south

Shipping Consultants, Drewry, has issued a set of figures which indicate that, except for freight rates for containers being shipped in Transatlantic trades, freight rates are dropping fast from the peak that they reached in summer 2021. At that stage there was massive Port congestion, mainly at Far Eastern and US West Coast Ports, but also at ports in Northwest Europe including Rotterdam and hamburg.

The drop in rates reflects an overall drop off in demand for consumer goods in Europe, while in the US the massive delays in vessels being worked at West Coast Ports have been reduced by the diversion of many ships to Ports on the Atlantic Coast. This has meant that containers are moving more freely

end to end which speeds the equipment turnaround and enables vessels to operate more efficiently. Significant difficulties do remain with unpredict able closures at Chinese Port cities as Covid-19 lockdowns are imposed with no advance notice.

Drewry reported that the average freight rate on all deep-sea markets for a 40ft. dry container on 6 October 2022 was $3,686 which is 64% lower than the same week in 2021, but this rate remains significantly higher than cargo owners were paying pre-Covid-19. The average rate in 2019 was $1,420, 160% lower than the current rate.

In the first week of October average freight rates on the Shanghai to Rotterdam leg dropped by 13% or $717 to $4,274 per container, while in the

Samskip and CLdN cut carbon from vessels

European door-to-door shipping and transport company, Samskip has commenced carbon capture systems aboard two of its container vessels. The 803 TEU ‘Samskip Endeavour’ which normally sails on the Ireland/Rotterdam service, and the similar ‘Samskip Innovator’ operating North Sea routes, both currently operate on bio-fuel, which already reduces its CO2 emission levels by 90% compared with conven tional fuels.

Due for commissioning in early 2023, each Samskip installation will feature a gas cleaning unit behind the ship funnel, with recovered CO2 pumped to a 10mW CO2 battery set, housed in ISO tank containers and carried on deck. Charged during the voyage, these batteries are unloaded in port, with the system installers Value Maritime trunking them to CO2 consumers such as greenhouses for discharge and use to stimulate fruit and vegetable growth, then returning them empty for the next voyage.

Value Maritime’s Commercial manager, Laurens Visser said that with

such installations Ship Operators can remain compliant while using lower cost, higher-sulphur fuel, for example. Other operators may be planning for future regulations on CO2 and want to ensure that the technology they choose has been proven in service.

Like Samskip’s ‘Samskip Endeavour’, another regular caller to Dublin Port is CLdN Brexit Buster, the 8,000-lane metre, ‘Delphine’. The 2018 built vessel will, in December 2022, be fitted with a pair of tilting Rotor Sails. With this technology the operators expect to achieve a fuel and emission saving of between 7 and 10%. CLdN will evaluate

reverse direction the rate was $967, a drop of 4% in the week. Though rates on North Atlantic services did increase slightly during the week, Drewry expects them to fall significantly over the coming few weeks.

Two other significant factors in the reduction in cost of the seaborne leg of International Supply Chains is the reduction in fuel costs with the price of Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil dropping in the last four months from just over $1,000 a tonne to $620, with other fuels following a similar pattern, and the drop-in vessel charter rates as the Lines can make more effective use of their fleet. Added to that is the fact that significant volumes of new tonnage are about to come onto the market following a deluge of orders from shipowners over the last two years.

the Rotor sails in operation and expects to then fit them to many of the other existing vessels in its fleet along with the vessels currently under construction. The company has now placed an order for two further vessels of a similar design to the Delphine for delivery in 2025 and incorporating a technically advanced powertrain.

These new vessels, built in South Korea, will be equipped with two LNG dual fuel engines as well as two electric propulsion motors. In full electric mode the ship could achieve a cruising speed of 16 to 17 knots. CLdN has stated that both ships will be future proofed to allow expansion or integration of technical advancements as time moves on. Compared with Delphine before the Rotor Sails are fitted, the new vessels will further reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions by 40% and be NOx TIER111 compliant.

CMA CGM Amerigo Vespucci operated on Asia/Europe services

CLdN Delphine will be fitted with Rotor Sails.

Samskip Endeavour will be fitted with CO2 capture equipment.

In spring 2022 cargo owners shipping containers on services operating through Dublin Port were experiencing extreme difficulties. This was particularly the case on cargo moving to and from Deep Sea markets and using feeder services to connect with hub ports in Europe.

For these cargoes the port congestion in Asian and European locations disrupted shipping schedules proved very difficult for export cargo owners to plan delivery of containers to the Port for shipping and leading to severely congested terminals and the need to impose demurrage charges. Shippers using containers for European traffic were also caught up in delays. Despite this, however, cargo volumes shipped through the port continued to increase as Covid-19 lockdowns eased. Major works were being undertaken

on the internal road network within the port and the Dublin Port Company has now completed work on the first phase of the Dublin Inland Port located between the M50 and M2. This facility was opened in February 2022 and is being operated by the Irish Continental Group’s Terminal Division (DFT). That company also got a vehicle booking system fully into operation, planning to eliminate queues at the terminal gates and to move containers more quickly.

As the year has progressed the road developments have been completed and significant volumes of empty containers have been transferred from the Port estate to outside locations, reducing congestion in terminals. Both Marine Terminals (MTL) which operate on the South Bank Quay site, and the DSG Terminal, formerly known as Portroe, are in the final stages of installing and implementing Vehicle Booking Systems. These terminals have also extended their gate opening hours, opening at 05.00, Monday to Friday, closing at 18.00 in the case of MTL and 18.30 at DSG. Both terminals are open between 08.00 and 12.00 on Saturday, while DSG is also open between 13.00 and 20.00 on

Changing of the Guard at Waterford Port

Having completed A seven year term as CEO of Waterford Port Frank Ronan passed the baton to David Sinnott on 1 October. Announcing the change, the Port Company Chairman Des Whelan said: “The Board of Directors look forward to welcoming David Sinnott to Port of Waterford. The Board is confident that David will continue to build on the progress of the port in recent years. David has the relevant experience and

skills to provide strong stewardship at the Port and we wish him every success. The Board and I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Frank Ronan for his excellent work at port of Waterford over the last seven years and we wish him the very best for the future”.

Prior to taking up his new role David Sinnott had held several roles with Carl Zeiss Vision including that of Director of European Supply Chain.

Sunday. DFT opens its gates between 08.00 and 19.00, Monday to Friday and 07.00 to 13.00 on Saturday.

Through discussions facilitated by the Irish Exporters Association and directly, several cargo owners are in active discussion with the terminal operators and shipping lines to find ways to further smoothen the flow of goods through the port and to extend the effective use of such facilities as the external empty container storage facilities.

The Dutch based specialist dredging company, Van Oord has now commenced Capital Dredging work to facilitate the creation of two new riverside berths in Dublin Port. This work is a part of Dublin Port Company’s Masterplan2 project, and the areas being dredged all lie within the current port walls and comprise the creation of the new Berth 52 and Berth 53, along with localised widening of the navigation channel in the vicinity of the Poolbeg Oil Jetty. The dredged material is being dumped in a designated area close to the Burford Bank, some 6.7 km from the Port entrance. The building of the new berths will enable larger container vessels to operate to and from Dublin Port to meet growing traffic needs.

Dublin Port makes progress both above and below the surface

I was reading the other day that the producers of semi-conductors in Taiwan and in China are now facing market problems and having difficul ties in shifting their ever-increasing production. This is all down to the fall-off in demand for laptops, smart phones and other devices that had peaked during the early months of COVID-19 lockdowns but has fallen as work patterns return to something more normal.

This should mean that the auto industry which, even before Electric Vehicles (EV) began to be produced at scale, was forced to slow production due to a shortage of microchips, can now forge ahead to produce vehicles in volume. But is there a market for the current specification of vehicles or will buyers hold off until they see better technology and lower prices? And, of course, will there be a highway infra structure that works for large volumes of EVs, hydrogen powered vehicles and more?

Thinking about the EV infrastruc ture, I cannot help feeling deeply frustrated that the powers that be can talk endlessly about switching transport away from fossil fuels but appear to be very relaxed when it comes to ensuring that the necessary electric power is available to enable this to happen. Why,

for example, is the roll-out of smart electric meters so slow? The delivery date for our such meter at home, promised for 2021, has now slipped back to 2024. In the meantime, might it nor be an idea to send all consumers a sheet setting out the peak and trough times for electricity usage allowing the customers help the suppliers? Why delay on encouraging householders and, more significantly warehouse and other industrial and office building users, to install as many solar panels as possible on their roofs by putting in place a proper system to enable them to sell excess power back into the grid or, indeed, to their neighbours? It also seems strange that the Irish Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, which is a body announced last March to enable the fast-tracking of approval of all aspects of installation of a comprehensive wind farm network off the Irish coastline, will not get into action for a year after that announce ment. Indeed, the process of seeking a Chief Executive for that body has only just begun. While the Government Agencies involved may seek to keep things simple, perhaps, by not changing them, it is surely up to politicians at both Government and Local Authority level to kick things on.

Only if there is some certainty about the constant availability of electric power can operators of all forms of transport equipment make rational decisions about future investment that will help enable Ireland to meet its emission

targets.

Perhaps a signal of just how urgent a major development of electric power availability might be was indicated by the news last week of the first flight of a battery powered light freight aircraft. The builders expect to deliver the first of 50 such aircraft ordered by DHL in about two years’ time. This aircraft will be able to fly for an hour, re-charge while the cargo is discharged and re-loaded, and half an hour after landing will be on its way again.

Fast moving airfreight systems also came to mind during a conversation with Dan Irvine at Shannon Airport when we spoke about the service now being operated through the airport by Cargolux. It flies a Boeing 747 in from Seattle, discharges some containers, re-loads and heads off to its Luxembourg hub. Once there, freighters are turned around in two hours or less before the plane heads out again to destinations spread across the globe. It’s a massively efficient system at Luxembourg and shows just how well a cargo focused airport can operate.

Could Shannon fulfil the role of Ireland’s airfreight hub? Would there be a net benefit for Irish cargo owners if all freight moved through Shannon? Would the residents of Portmarnock sleep better at night without all those freight aircraft overhead?

This must be a whole new, and serious discussion.

From Where I’m Sitting – Howard Knott – howard@fleet.ie

Is future transport electric powered?

And is airfreight Shannon routed?

No doubt every road transport company owner in the country is currently reviewing his/her cost base and considering all non-essential spending so that if and when a downturn occurs they are best placed to face financial challenges. Non-essential spending usually encompasses a host of additional services that can and should add value to a business, but if the bottom line is under immediate and severe attack such as expenditures can be off-set, allowing the owner to either totally ignore or attempt to allocate some of their time to doing the job themselves.

A good example of this is the financial management and financial planning in a business. If the book-keeper is maintaining adequate data, producing invoices, paying suppliers, the banks being reconciled and annual accounts organised and filed on time, where is the extra benefit to the business of having detailed financial monthly data? Particularly when those running the business and know the ups and downs of all activities, managing all functions, even when the real pressure is on!

In a recent case an accountant came across a small business that had incurred

a €400,000 external loss and a €100,000 internal loss in the one year. It only came to light when the annual accounts were being produced and was down to the simplest of internal controls having not been implemented or suggested. The owner had been present through the period but lacked the guidance of a professional; implementing basic control systems and how they are to be monitored.

Professional advice in any business is not just for compliance but as a means to see where can the business do better. If the business is at the peak of the sector, then profes sional advice can be benefitted from on how to maintain or leverage best wealth generation results from that position. The only certainty in transport and logistics is that change will happen. Being in a position to benefit from change arises in businesses that have the best resources available to them to allow that to happen.

Few of us can be good at everything, some that can come close to it but normally the best people for the job is the person that has the qualifica tions, experience and interest. Most people will give it their all, no matter what they do, and if one can get that commitment and that both parties can benefit from the results, then a team can be gathered around the table that will push the business forward regardless of the economic conditions emerging.

To answer the question professions are only worth it if the fit of expertise, experience and knowledge best matches what is

required and best avail of their profes sional advice in the manner with both parties working together for a common goal. That’s applicable to financial, legal, taxation or engineering advice and expertise. It’s a simple question at the end of the day, did the fee charged make the business more profit in the short, medium or long term or did it save it from losses?

Text: Donal Dempsey – donal@fleet.ie

Within a gathering of hauliers the conversation will often drift towards, “what’s coming next”. Of course, we can never predict the future or what trends may be coming but for sure, the reduction of carbon in the environment will feature in all plans, which may impact us all, professionally and personally, in a way we never expected.

Maybe the best way to get a feel for how inaccurate trying to predict the future can be, is to look to the past. Let’s go back to 2018. Our economy was booming, we were of the view that Ireland had its climate situation in hand, fuel prices were affordable, staff shortages were a feature of business, but manageable. Then up pops COVID-19. While the initial impact on road haulage was limited at the start, there were operational challenges. As the crisis continued, the disruption to supply chains started to impact on the delivery of new vehicles and spare parts. Then a seemingly almost comical event, a container ship blocking the Suez Canal, compounded matters further. Inflation was starting to creep up, in spite of all

Government agencies telling us that it would subside in a few months.

Next on the agenda was the Russian/ Ukraine conflict. It almost made COVID-19 look like a picnic. Now the intensity of the ‘perfect storm’ arrived. Inflation became a real issue, labour shortages were real, affecting the service levels companies could provide and fuel prices were at levels that it looked like they could not be sustained. The backdrop to all this was Brexit. The efficiencies that new motorways, faster ferries and the single market brought over the previous decade were wiped out overnight. Expenses in terms of extra cost, increased journey times and a lot more administration compounded the difficulties overseas hauliers were facing. Does anybody feel like predicting the next five years? Unlikely! After a period of crisis, sometimes one or two people will claim to have predicted it, but even one of these events would have been difficult to predict. All during these happenings, Government bodies, the Central Bank, business trade associations and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) published statements every few weeks retracting their previous estimates. So, it is fair to say they don’t dispense wisdom, rather report the situation as it is. They are no different than the rest of us, their predictions are no more than a guessing game.

If someone is brave enough to have

a go at predicting what might happen in the next five years, where would they start? It is likely that the effect of climate change will be a feature. Maybe not so much physical climate change, but the changes in regulation that will be legislated for. Most people in the transport industry focus on the difficulties and expenses that will come with electrifying their fleets. Reducing carbon footprints will involve a lot more, some changes simple and some more complex. Most of the changes may come from customers as they will only select suppliers that can demonstrate in real terms how they are helping to de-car bonise their operation. Could we see a revisiting of drivers hours’ regulations? Remember they were written up in a time when trucks were a lot more difficult to drive, requiring more strength and physical effort for drivers. Will we see driverless trucks soon? Unlikely, but who knows.

While not tempting fate, it is unlikely that the next five years will be as challenging as the last. The road haulage industry is resilient and has never been found wanting when needed, Covid proved that. I have no doubt it will continue to be a support to wider industry and face the challenges presented. While the Government have been recognised for its support to road hauliers during recent crises, it must continue with that support, and more.

And the International Van of the Year Award 2023 goes to …..the Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo!

shape of the ID. Buzz Cargo has just been announced as International Van of the year 2023 (IVOT y ).

At a special awards ceremony at the H’Up Conference Centre on the evening of the press day of the IAA Transportation exhibition at the Hannover Messe in Germany, Dr. Carsten Intra, CEO, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV) was presented with the IVOTY 2023 trophy by Jarlath Sweeney, Chairman, IVOTY.

The 24 member pan-European judging panel comprised of expert van journalists collectively awarded the new all-electric Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles ID. Buzz 110 points, just ten marks ahead of its nearest challenger, the new Ford Pro E-Transit. The Renault Kangoo E-Tech Van, Nissan Townstar Zero-Emission and Mercedes-Benz eCitan were jointly placed in third position. The other shortlisted candidates included new models from the Fiat Professional Doblò & Scudo ranges. Coincidentally, the three podium positions were filled by electrically powered vans.

Internal combustion versions of the Renault Kangoo Van and Mercedes-Benz eCitan won last year’s IVOTY 2022 Award.

Complimenting Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Jarlath Sweeney, Chairman, IVOTY said: “It’s not too often that a totally new van concept comes around and immediately enters the marketplace. The new ID. Buzz is the case in point and has been duly honoured with this award, the highest accolade in the light commercial vehicle industry. Congratulations to Volkswagen

Commercial Vehicle‘s design team on creating this unique vehicle that’s perfect for the environmentally conscious urban environment. It certainly makes a statement with its futuristic and slick styling, yet harks back to the original Transporter T1, from 70 years ago, with its V shaped bonnet, prominent VW badge, and short overhangs.”

On accepting the IVOTY 2023 trophy, Dr. Carsten Intra, CEO Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles stated: “Our ID. Buzz Cargo is ‘The Van of the Year 2023’! The first order volumes from our markets show us that our new ID. Buzz Cargo is the right model for commercial customers at the right time. Highly emotional feedback wherever the ID. Buzz appears and last but not least: this new form of mobility gets the right acknowledgment. But the highest recognition is the vote from this highly respected jury: winning this important International Van of the Year Award is such an honour! On behalf of the entire Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles team, I would like to thank the jury members very much for this. We are extremely proud and see this confirmation of our work as a motivation to continue as before: to offer the right commercial vehicle for each of our customers.”

Now in its 31st year, the main criteria for the International Van of the Year Award are the vehicles’ contribution to the efficiency, safety, sustainability and environmental standards of the light commercial vehicle sector. To be eligible, the vehicle must be new, in series production by the end of the year for which it receives the award, and present a significant technological innovation. The election process was adjudicated independently by the RHA UK.

The Merits of the IVOTY 23 Winner

“ID. Buzz is beginning a new age, not only for a range of transporters from Volkswagen, but for all segments within LCVs. This van is something not seen presently in the LCV world. First of all it is closer to a passenger car – as dynamic in shape and in driving with extra comfort, and the same time it is a perfect LCV. “

“ID.Buzz is a very innovative vehicle with a high technical standard. A real innovation that currently has no competitor.  The electric range is also convincing, which is an absolute argument for a van.”

“Fleet Transport drove the new VWCV ID.Buzz Cargo in Copenhagen and we were impressed with the driveline for its smoothness and power delivery. Furthermore, the styling is really top notch. The looks point way back to the classic VW T1 and this together with the electric drivetrain means the ID.Buzz Cargo has everything in it to be a classic once again.”

“The first European BEV-only-LCV is a masterpiece of engineering, design and efficiency. It benefits from the well-known and proven Volkswagen Group MEB drivetrain that is used by five group brands. It is CO2-neutral from production and delivery, has the newest ADAS and connectivity onboard and provides excellent handling and high driving pleasure. “

“The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is setting a new standard in CV-business and represents a big step forward. For the first time a large OEM has realised a fully electric van on a dedicated EV-platform, while setting new standards in terms of efficiency, comfort and packaging.”

“A transformation from the most emotional people mover on the market to a cargo van full of references to the Bulli, yet contemporary in terms of efficiency and sustainability.”

A totally new light commercial vehicle concept from Volkswagen in the

Productivity is the main theme behind Ford Pro, the new name for Ford Motor Company’s light commercial divisions. The ‘blue-oval’ brand demonstrated that productivity focus at the IAA, with a selection of its latest solutions designed to maximise uptime and meet the service requirements of business customers. Ford Pro solutions comprise of a single platform integrating vehicles with software, charging and connected services – enabling commercial customers to reduce costs and optimise efficiency as they transition to electric vehicles.

“Spiralling costs are putting our European business customers under huge pressure, and the need for pro ductivity solutions has never been greater,” said Ted Cannis, CEO, Ford Pro at the event. “Ford Pro’s revolutionary single platform is designed to help our customers cut costs and streamline their operations as they make the switch to electric vehicles.”

Premiered at the Show was the all-new  E-Transit Custom, along with the next-generation Transit Custom range –including the next level plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and EcoBlue diesel-powered derivatives. Featuring next-generation battery technology, E-Transit Custom will offer a range of up to 380 km and 125kW fast charging capabilities.

The all-new Plug-In Hybrid version benefits from a new powertrain, similar to that used by the Ford Kuga Plug-In Hybrid. It  combines a 2.5-litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine with a 11.8kWh (usable) battery to deliver a targeted pure-electric driving range of up to 56km. It also offers 2.3kW of power for tools and equipment on work sites via  ProPower Onboard.

Customers can also specify Transit Custom with the latest generation of Ford EcoBlue diesel engines in 110PS, 136PS, 150PS and/or 170PS power outputs. The six-speed manual gearbox is available with an optional mechanical

limited-slip differential for enhanced traction. In addition, a high-efficien cy eight-speed automatic gearbox is introduced, which offers a maximum towing capacity of 2,500kg and is available in combination with a new all-wheel drive system, available on Transit Custom for the first time.

All-new Transit Custom has been redesigned from the ground up and features an extensive range of new customer experiences to enhance pro ductivity, such as the Mobile Office option with innovative tilting steering wheel. Key features and derivatives include:

n All-new vehicle architecture with lower cargo floor height, sub-2m overall height and independent rear suspension

n Four size variants – L1 or L2 lengths, with H1 or H2 roof heights

n Panel van, double-cab-in-van, kombi and L-shaped bulkhead body styles n Standard 5G modem and 13-inch SYNC 4 touchscreen

n Five specification levels - Base, Trend, Limited, Active, Trail and Sport

All next-generation Transit Custom vehicles are fully integrated with the Ford Pro platform of software and connected services. “Our all-new E-Transit Custom is going to help more small businesses than ever transition to all-electric. And for those businesses not yet ready or able to go all-electric, the all-new Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid and EcoBlue variants will still boost productivity, supported by an all-new architecture and the Ford Pro ecosystem of intelligent, connected solutions,” said Hans Schep, General Manager, Ford Pro, Europe.

The all-new Transit Custom will be built by Ford Otosan in a state-ofthe-art new plant in Turkey. Customer

deliveries of Transit Custom with EcoBlue powertrains are set to begin in mid-2023, with other variants available from later in the year.

Ford Pro Upfit Integration System streamlines digital conversions

Half of all Transits sold in Europe feature some kind of conversion, and many of these modifications require integration with the vehicle’s electrical system – including the addition of controls and displays – which can be challenging and time-consuming for converters. To streamline this process

Ford Pro has developed an Upfit Integration System, a first-to-market digital solution that is introduced in Europe on the all-new Transit Custom. The new system features an interface module that allows seamless connection to the vehicle’s electrical system, and also enables conversions to be controlled via the 13-inch SYNC 4 touchscreen rather than bolt-on switchgear. This allows conversions to be delivered more quickly and efficiently, as well as potentially improving reliability and safety as converters will not have to modify the cab area or splice into factory wiring to fit controls.

In addition, as sales leaders of the pick-up segment in Europe, new versions of the Ranger Raptor performance truck and Ranger Wildtrak both featured prominently.

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

Ford Pro reveals fully revised Transit Custom range plus all-new E-Transit Custom

Renault showcases extent of its expertise in all-electric vans

Ever since Renault won the International Van of the year award 10 years ago with the commercial launch of the all-electric Renault Kangoo in 2011, the French brand continues to develop and innovate zero-emission vehicle technology. Following on from the launch of the latest Kangoo E-Tech Electric and upgrades to the Master E-Tech Electric is a first ever emission-free version of the Trafic Van. As with the other electric vans in the range, no compromises have been made compared to the electric van’s petrol/diesel siblings, boasting the same level of features, diversity, and customisation to suit customer needs.

The Trafic Van E-TECH Electric still boasts storage options that are best-in-class for load length, modularity, and customisa tion:

n It is either 5.08m or 5.48m long and 1.967m or 2.498m high

n Its load volume ranges from 5.8m3  to 8.9m3

n The load length can extend up to 4.15m (on the extended L2 version featuring the ‘through load’ bulkhead)

n It comes with a 90kW motor with a 750kg towing capacity and can carry up to 1.1 tonne

n The 52kW battery has a range of 341 km WLTP

Renault also launched the innovative and unique Hippie Caviar Motel, built the new Kangoo L2 E-Tech Electric. This converted van is designed to serve as a camper van that can cover 285 km and takes only 30 minutes

to recuperate 170 km of battery power, ready for more adventures. The 90kW (120hp) motor runs off a 45kWh battery that can plug into 80kW DC outlets.

A selection of clever storage solutions provide plenty of room for sports gear both inside and outside the vehicle. Fold down the back seat into a bed and enjoy the night sky through the large panoramic roof. The roof rails are perfect for transporting gear for watersports, skiing and other activities. The all-electric show car is perfectly in line with Renault’s strategy to reduce CO2 emissions over a vehicle’s entire life cycle, through the use of recycled and recyclable materials, such as the cork and recycled tyres for the shelves and flooring.

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

Pictured at the reveal of the new vehicles are Heinz-Jürgen Löw, Head of Renault’s Light Commercial Vehicles Unit and Louis Morasse, Director of the Renault Commercial Vehicle Design range

A selection of world premieres by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles of the ID. Buzz family, International Van of the year 2023 (IVOT y ), included a refrig erated variant and a paramedic conversion. These were joined at the IAA in hanover by a range of more than 30 new models, including a taxi version of the Multivan and a mobile e-bike workshop Crafter conversion.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles highlights versatility of IVOTY

ID. Buzz Paramedic vehicle:

2023 ID. Buzz Cargo

A near-production concept, produced by Bösenberg, has room for three people, with the cargo space designed for use as a doctor’s workspace and storage for medical equipment. The paramedic equipment is also incorporated and run from a separate battery system.

ID. Buzz Cargo with box body:

A box body has been added by Veth Automotive, increasing the load capacity from 3.9m3 to 6.0m3 and enabling a payload of 680kg. The sides and back of the box can be fitted with conventional doors, sliding doors, or roll-up shutters,

giving couriers flexibility in accessing packages. The inside of the box features a hard-wearing, non-slip floor.

ID. Buzz Cargo refrigerated vehicle: This refrigeration conversion by Wükaro is designed specifically for last mile deliveries. The concept combines electric drive with an electric cooling system, comprising of a low-profile 230V cooling unit on the roof, with a flat ceiling evaporator, four lithium-ion batteries and an inverter. The batteries are housed within the wheel arches to save space and together supply up to eight hours of charge. With a payload of 390kg, it is perfect for frozen food deliveries, restaurant takeaways or as an ice cream van.

ID. Buzz Cargo as Miele Service Van:

With “paprika red” paintwork, the col laboration between CS/Würth and VWCV was created for Miele. The cargo space has been fitted out with a unique shelving system tailored to service technicians’ specifications for storing materials, spare parts and tools for the Miele customer service personnel. A centre console with integrated folding table serves as a workplace for the driver in the passenger compartment.

Pictured at the reveal of the new vehicles are HeinzJürgen Löw, Head of Renault’s Light Commercial Vehicles Unit and Louis Morasse, Director of the Renault Commercial Vehicle Design range Text & Photos: Jarlath Sweeney – editor@fleet.ie

ID.Buzz Cargo in Pick-Up form

The Vito range from Mercedes-Benz Vans is one of the more familiar sights on the roads, and with good reason. The model line has served all manner of people and businesses with a selection of options only equaled by the range possible applications - and more recently the electric Vito has added to the versatility of the 1-tonne van range.

As we move into the electric vehicle age the Vito is well placed to take on a starring role. Mercedes-Benz Vans has been developing and refining the electric Vito since the first prototype, known as the E-Cell, was driven back in 2009,. This is worth mentioning because many seem to believe that we suddenly have a wealth of electric vehicles available overnight. In fact Mercedes-Benz has been to the forefront in the development of Electric Vehicles (EVs) for over two decades now.

already familiar with the model and have already been running diesel Vitos.

‘With the fitting of a new, longerrange battery, owners of the latest Mercedes-Benz all-electric eVito panel van can now service customers roughly double the distance away without the need to stop-and-charge. A boon to courier companies, urban distributors and those servicing customers within city and outer suburban environments, this ability to travel a longer distance is made possible by a 70 percent higher battery capacity compared to the previous variant. In operational terms, owners can now match sustainability with greater productivity to an extent that was not possible previously’

As stated the Vito is a well proven and refined vehicle. The e-Vito enhances the driving experience further as, with all EVs, it’s quieter and smoother than the ICE engined versions. The FWD Vito van feels solid on the road with the battery pack enhancing the centre of gravity. The 85 kW motor developing 300 Nm of torque means the van moves quickly and makes the e-Vito comparable to the diesel equivalent.

e-Vito

The front wheel drive panel van has been constantly developed since that original prototype, and the latest upgrade can now offer operators a 66 kWh battery that extends the possible range to over 300 kilometres. The new range-extended e-Vito will certainly widen the potential customer base for the brand, and could help to encourage those sitting on the fence to make the move and plug into the future. This may be especially true if those people are

The claimed range in real terms would, from our test drive, seem to be accurate, although this range is of course achieved by adopting a prudent driving style, and making good use of the recuperation system. By using a small paddle lever mounted behind the steering wheel the driver can increase or reduce the amount of roll or recupera tion delivered once the accelerator pedal is released.

The stated range of just over 300 km is ample for many operators, and for many it’s also irrelevant, as they do not cover that distance during a day’s work. However, what is of greater importance

for these operators is the carrying capacities offered with the e-Vito. Here the e-Vito performs as well as its diesel fuelled sibling. It’s comes in two wheelbases with vehicle lengths of 5140 mm and 5370 mm and cubic capacities of 6.0 and 6.6 m3 respectively. Payloads are relative to the size of the battery packs on board and can nevertheless deliver either a payload of 807 Kg or 772 kg.

With operators increasingly comfortable with the range of EVs and learning to work within the charge/ distance parameters, the next question often asked relates to the charging time necessary. Here the e-Vito scores well with 6.5 hours need to charge from 0-100% via a 7.4 kW AC charger. When using a 50 kW DC charger the e-Vito battery will be replenished from 10-80% in a very respectable 50 minutes.

There is little doubt that the e-Vito will work for operators simply because what Mercedes-Benz has done is to take a well proven product, the Vito, and then applied a well-researched and well tested powertrain to the vehicle. This in simple terms should produce a vehicle that will meet its customer’s needs straight off the shelf.

yet another era dawns for the Iveco Daily range with the addition of an extensive line-up of electric models, badged eDaily. With the various types available from panel van, chassis cab and minibus, from 3.5tonnes to 7.2tonnes GVW, comes the whole package from customer consultation, finance, charging infrastructure, con nectivity, fleet management, remote diagnostics and upgrade downloads. All powered by 37kWh fully modular battery pack options that makes the eDaily suitable to all missions. As 75% of all Dailys sold, feature some type of body conversion, the installation of different types of ePTOs with up to 15kW, means that it can power refrigeration units, cranes, tall-lifts and other applications, and even the most demanding ones such as waste collection and tippers, as demonstrated at the eDaily Experience press event at the Iveco Village in Turin.

A whole host of well thought out and

developed programme of services, surrounding the eDaily will help customers ease their way to e-mobility. Dedicated electronic services include the eDaily Routing app, which interacts with the vehicle to predict vehicle range, required battery charges to reach the destination, and the precise arrival time.

The Iveco On Easy Daily app, integrated with the Iveco Driver Pal vocal assistant though Alexa, offers information specific to electric vehicles, such as vehicle health check, battery level, remote scheduling of recharge and preconditioning, navigation to recharging stations, etc.

At the recent IAA Transportation 2022 exhibition in Germany, Iveco and Hyundai revealed a working prototype of eDaily FCEV equipped with Hyundai’s 90 kW hydrogen fuel cell system and 140 kW e-motor, and a battery pack by FPT Industrial, the Iveco Group powertrain brand. Grossing 7.2 tonnes, this prototype has been tested in Europe, confirming a range of 350 km, offering maximum payload of 3 tonnes and a refuelling time within 15 minutes.

While the eDaily BEV is best suited to short journeys, the eDaily FCEV will be ideal for deliveries requiring a long range with high payload.

To further smoothen the transition to electro mobility, Iveco has introduced GATE - The Green & Advanced Transport Ecosystem, which was described as ‘an all-inclusive long-term rental model for its electric powered commercial vehicles, a package that will also include an exclusive and innovative EV-dedicated pay-per-use formula’.

In explaining the merits of the eDaily, Pamela Paratico, Brand Marketing Director, Iveco Truck Business Units said: ”It’s business as usual for customers of the electric Daily,” in that the latest zero-emission version “remains true to its heritage and professional DNA”.

While uniquely covering from 3.5 to 7.2 tonnes GVW, Pamela mentioned that one, two or three 37kWh battery packs can be specified over the range. For example, the 3.5 tonne version with one

battery pack covers 120km, two equals 235km, while the newly created 4.25 tonne model can accommodate three packs and bring it to 300km without charging, similarly with the 5.2 tonner, it can go 360km, while on the range topping 7.2 tonne can reach 180 km with 3 batteries (111 kWh).

Produced by FTP Powertrain Technologies, battery long life is guaranteed with an 8 year/250,000 km warranty. They have been tested at extreme temperatures from -30 to 50 C.

Over 200 variants of eDaily will become available and its broad selection can offer a payload of up to 4.6 tonnes and a cargo load volume of 20m3. In addition, it can tow a 3.5 tonne loaded trailer, subject to driving licence.

The roll out of the eDaily in sales terms begins in earnest early next year, with most European markets served initially, with Ireland part of the second

wave in quarter two. On the drive within the city environs of Turin, the 3.5 tonne, three-seat er 12m3 eDaily 35S14E with two batteries fitted (74 kWh) with maximum 140 kW/400 Nm felt at home, literally! With its three driving modes: Eco, Natural and Power! Together with three levels of retardation (stalk operated), con servative driving is assured and the range distance can be met with ease. As with all BEVs, the silence and driving comfort are appreciated.

W HY E DAILY?

Full Line: From 3.5 to 7.2 tonnes

Robust: Best in class body on frame chassis

Modular: Scalable and upgradable battery packs

Performing: 140 kW (I80hp) motor with long peak power

Versatile: Up to 15 kW ePTO & Interfaces for bodybuilders

Connected: Digital services and advanced assistance

Two very special Daily limited editions were on display at the Iveco Village, harking on the past in a futuristic manner as they take inspiration from two iconic OM vehicles from the 1950s and ‘60s, namely the Tigrotto and the Leoncino. These vehicles played a fundamental role in the world of road transport, leaving their mark on the booming economy of those years. The Leoncino special edition is a vintage interpretation of the new eDAILY, while

On October 18, FPT Industrial, the Iveco Group’s global powertrain brand, inaugurated its new ePowertrain plant, fully dedicated to the production of the brand’s electric range including electric axles, electric central drives and battery packs for light commercial vehicles, minibuses and buses.

This opening marks another important milestone for the brand in its decarbonization path and for its strategy of achieving net-zero emissions for its products and of all its industrial activities.

At full capacity, it will produce over 20,000 electric axles and over 20,000 battery packs per year for LCVs, minibuses and buses.

The landmark occasion was attended by the Mayor of Turin Stefano Lo Russo and the Councilor for Budget, Patrimony & Productive Activities Development of the Piedmont Region Andrea Tronzano, together with a delegation of professors and students from the University of Turin. The features of the new FPT Industrial plant, together with the Iveco Group’s business vision, were discussed during a moderated talk featuring Sylvain Blaise, President,

the Tigrotto is a variant of the 4x4 Daily. Officine Meccaniche or OM was an Italian car and truck manufacturing company, based in Milan and Brescia and was subsequently taken over by Fiat on the formation of Iveco.

Powertrain Business Unit, Iveco Group, Domenico Nucera, President, Bus Business Unit, Iveco Group, Luca Sra, President, Truck Business Unit, Iveco Group, and Annalisa Stupenengo, Chief Operations Officer, Iveco Group.

Text: Jarlath Sweeney – editor@fleet.ie Photos: Stefan Boman - IVOTY

FOR THE DAY AHEAD

RANGE NEW

RSA calls for organisations to sign up to European Road Safety Charter

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has called on Irish individuals and organ isations to sign up to the European Road Safety Charter (ERSC). The ERSC commits members to an EU target of 50% reduction in road deaths and serious injuries by 2030. By signing up to the charter, members get access to the resources and tools necessary to help them in the collective journey towards strengthened road safety culture across Europe.

Speaking at the launch event, Sarah Lynch, Policy Officer, Road Safety at the European Commission said: “The

Charter is the largest civil society platform on road safety. To date, more than 3,500 public and private entities have committed to the Charter and carried out road safety actions and initiatives targeted at their members, employees and the rest of civil society. Together, these various entities form a community in which members can share their expertise and actions, inspiring and learning from each other.”

As National Relay for the ERSC in Ireland, Sam Waide, Chief Executive of the RSA said: “The Charter is open to individuals and organisations across

Dublin to host major Fleet Summit

A major summit involving leaders from the European fleet and mobility industry will take place at the Convention Centre in Dublin on November 16-17.

Fleet Europe Summit 2022 will bring more than 1,000 key decision makers from the fleet and leasing industry as well as the fleet sector’s major suppliers for the event which is themed ‘Fleet Sustainability, for People, Planet, Profit’.

Areas being covered will include a discussion by the International Fleet Managers Institute (IFMI) on how to establish a sustainable fleet, a workshop

on alternatives to company cars for employees by the Smart Mobility Institute, and a Remarketing Forum with the focus on ED2 (Electrification, Distribution and Digitisation).

Delegates can look forward to pres entations by Cox Automotive, Macadam, TÜV Süd, Autovista, Manheim/RMS Automotive, Indicata, NGAGE, MyWay PRO, Cars2Click, Polestar and Hertz.

Leading figures from automotive and leasing companies will provide insight into the challenges facing mul ti-national fleets in Europe. They include Uwe Hochgeschurtz, COO of Stellantis

a range of sectors whether you are a haulage company responsible for large transport fleets, a vehicle insurance company, or an organisation whose employees drive for work. In fact, your employees don’t have to drive for work to take part in the charter. As more people take up active modes of travel you might have team members who walk or cycle to and from work, or your organisation might simply want to contribute to improving road safety in Ireland, playing your part in saving lives and preventing serious injury on our roads.”

Europe, Michiel van Ratingen, SecretaryGeneral of Euro NCAP, Vinzenz Pflanz, CBO of Sixt, Benno Kleinherenbrink, CCO of LeasePlan, Christian Schüler, CEO of Athlon, Markus Deusing, CEO of Alphabet, Bart Beckers, CCO and Deputy CEO of Arval, and Tim Albertsen, CEO of ALD.

Other areas to be covered include decarbonisation and sustainability, fleet safety, and the need to maximise business continuity in a changing industry.

Two new models from BMW highlight the evolving face of the motor industry at present. At one end is the new M3 Touring, an estate version of BMW’s high performance saloon. The first time BMW has produced a Touring version of the M3, it comes with the same 510hp

BMW’s contrasting new duo

6-cylinder engine with M xDrive all-wheel-drive enabling it to accelerate to 100km/h from rest in 3.6 seconds, but has added practi cality with a 500 litre boot capacity (extendable to 1,510 litres with rear seats down. Prices are from €148,005.

The i7 is the all-electric version of the new 7-Series - two plug-in petrol hybrids will follow next year. The i7 features a 101.7kWh battery and front and rear electric motors that develop 544hp. A range of up to 623km is possible while the i7 can fast

charge at up to 195kW. Available in Excellence and M Sport trims, prices start at €133,085.

An important new car for the Stellantisowned French brand, the new DS 4 is a cross between a regular hatchback and a crossover, with a quite distinctive and stylish design. Built on the Stellantis Group’s EMP2 platform it comes with a choice of a 130hp 1.5 diesel, and petrol versions with 130hp (1.2 litre) 180hp

DS 4 aims for the premium market

and 225hp (1.6 litre), as well as an E-Tense plug in hybrid version with 225hp.

The interior is suitably upmarket for a brand that sees itself competing against the German premium marques. It features lots of the brand’s signature diamond shaped motifs, and plenty of pleasing to the touch Alcantara and leather surfaces. There’s a 7” digital display in front of the driver and a 10” central touchscreen, while a detailed heads-up display is also

Citroën’s new flagship model arrives

We’re starting to see a new breed of car emerge that rides slightly higher than a regular hatch/saloon/estate, but is lower slung than the typical crossover. Citroën’s new flagship, the C5X, is one such model, with an appearance that mingles saloon and estate car stylings, but with a more upright stance akin to an SUV. Looks wise it works, the C5X is arguably the most stylish new car from Citroën for some time.

Power comes via a brace of petrol engines with 8-speed automatic trans mission - 130hp 1.2 litre and a 180hp 1.6 litre. Of interest will be a Plug-In Hybrid model which combines the 1.6 litre engine with an 80kW electric motor

giving a combined power output of 225hp. A range of up to 55km in EV mode is possible from the 13.2kWh battery.

Comfort is a strong theme of C5X with all versions featuring Citroën’s Advanced Comfort suspension and Advanced Comfort Seats front and rear. PHEV versions get Citroën’s active Advanced Comfort suspension. Further refinement can be added via optional acoustic (double glazed) windows for the front and rear doors. The C5X also scores strongly on space, both in front and rear headroom and legroom, as well as

available on higher spec versions. Boot capacity is 390 litres, expandable to 1,190 litres with seats down.

As you might expect from DS, an initial drive indicates a car that prioritises comfort over outright sporty handling, but yet feels quite taut compared to many crossovers on sale today.

There are five trim levels - Bastille +, Performance Line, Trocadero, Performance Line+ and Rivoli, with prices starting from €37,295.

generous storage compartments.

Four spec levels - Feel, Feel Pack, Flair and Flair Pack are offered. There’s a choice of 6 body colours and 5 two-tone offers featuring a black roof, and four interior trims. Prices start at €36,990 for the 130hp petrol engine and €47,300 for the PHEV model.

Text & Photos: Cathal Doyle - cathal@fleet.ie

A field of 37 candidates will contest the Irish Car of the year 2023 awards, in association with Continental Tyres.  The winners from the 2023 Irish Car of the year awards programme will be revealed at a gala event in The Westin hotel, Dublin, on Friday November 11th.

Voted on by jury members who are drawn from the Motoring Media Association of Ireland (MMAI), a group made up of 32 of Ireland’s most experienced motoring journalists, the Irish Car of the Year awards highlight for

Irish motorists the best cars that have been launched in the country this year taking account of the particular require ments of the Irish market.

Joe Rayfus, Chairman of the MMAI, said: “It has been a really tough couple of years for the motor industry, given the disruption of Covid-19 since 2020 and, then this year, there was the hugely disruptive semi-conductor supply problems that affected the completion and delivery to market of many new car models from all of the car brands. However, even if the total number of entrants for the 2023 awards is down on previous years, we still have an impressive crop of cars this year with the emphasis very firmly on electric mobility, with more than half of the entrants available as full electric or hybrid models.  The last two winners of Irish Car of the Year have been electric vehicles – the Kia

EV6 being the most recent winner for 2022 – the question on everyone’s lips this year is: will it be an electric vehicle again for 2023?”

Tom Dennigan of awards sponsor, German premium tyre brand Continental Tyres, said: “We are delighted to again support the Irish Car of the Year awards which recognises the best cars launched in Ireland each year.  It has been fascinating to see the ongoing drive towards electric mobility in Ireland, as each year, more and more new electric vehicles are launched here, giving the Irish motorist a huge array of choice when it comes to making the move to electric.  And with more than half of the eligible cars for this year’s awards falling under the electric banner, there can be no more stark indication of the revolution that is occurring in motoring today”.

Joe Rayfus, Chairman of the Motoring Media Association of Ireland, with Tom Dennigan of awards sponsor, Continental Tyres - pondering the electric question.

The idiosyncrasies of driving in Ireland

Are Irish drivers good drivers?

Well, it’s fair to say that we’re reasonably safe driversIreland has the fourth lowest road deaths per head of population in Europe. Certainly anyone who has driven abroad will know that other nationali ties can be far more aggressive and take bigger risks than you would typically see here. And although there is always room for improvement, the majority don’t speed excessively, adhere to drink and drug driving laws, and wear their seatbelts.

But good drivers - as in drivers who know and adhere to the rules of the road, while also being alert to potential dangerous situations? Maybe not quite so clear cut. Certainly we have a few unique characteristics about our collective driving that don’t appear anywhere in the RSA’s Rules of the Road and are likely to perplex anyone from abroad driving here for the first time.

For example, our reluctance to

drive in the left hand lane of three lane motorways. The rules are clear - you should always drive in the left lane unless you need to overtake a slower vehicle or vehicles, or unless the lane is blocked. However such is the deter mination of so many drivers to rigidly stick to the middle lane that the only obvious conclusion is that they believe this is correct practice. We don’t have many three lane carriageways in this country - which might be as well seeing as how little the inside lanes are used. Though of course they are useful for those middle lane aficionados who move left to undertake another vehicle before moving out into the middle lane again…

Another unique feature of Irish driving is our use of hazard lights to acknowledge a vehicle that has accom modated an overtaking manoeuvre by keeping left or moving on to the hard shoulder (normally followed by a retuning flash of the headlights by the driver of the overtaken vehicle). Nothing wrong with this, it’s nice to be nice as the man said, but for some car drivers, flashing the hazards seems to have become more important than actually executing the overtaking quickly and safely. I’ve seen violent lurches and drivers cutting in on the vehicle they are passing such is their eagerness to ‘thank’ the other driver. Some take it to the next level, acknowledging every vehicle they overtake regardless of whether they

assisted the overtake, and on at least two occasions I’ve seen cyclists pedalling well in on the hard shoulder getting the old ‘thank you’ from overtaking motorists.

A first time visitor to these shores might also wonder about our lighting up habits, particularly the preference for some to spare the life of their dipped headlights by driving with parking/ side lights only. Not quite as prevalent these days as in the past as daytime running lights (DRLs) have become more standard, nonetheless there are still plenty of drivers out there who seem to think that a pair of 5 watt bulbs can illuminate their vehicle sufficiently in poor visibility. Another peculiarity to this country is the penchant to combine parking lights with fog lights instead of dipped headlights, even when driving in full darkness.

We’re also a little unusual in that we take strong offence to being beeped at or flashed at. Whereas in most European countries it’s accepted as a means to alert another driver to a situation (and is practically compulsory if you’re in places like Italy), it can be a quick way to induce road rage here.

Ultimately though, these are relatively minor idiosyncrasies and we can be thankful that Ireland is a relatively safe country to drive in. Which is what’s important at the end of the day.

Text: Cathal Doyle – cathal@fleet.ie

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