Win this 7 gig memory stick
Gas electric truck sounds just too good
News to inspire professional drivers of all size vehicles in southern Africa
For a chance to win this memory stick with 7.45 Gigabytes of free memory, tell us the name of Timber 24's top female driver. SMS your name and answer to 073 062 4674 . See overleaf for details. The winner will be announced in the next edition. One entry per person and free SMSses welcome. Deadline to enter 1 5 June. Congratulations to Alfred Zambara! He won the mini fridge/warmer from FAW Trucks in our May edition.
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A gas turbine to load batteries that drives electric motors to carry more payload, can this be true?
FROM the U.S. comes a turbine truck that sounds almost too good to be true. For a $1 500 refundable deposit, the Nikola Motor Company promises to assemble -- in the next “three to four years” mind you -- a turbine-electric truck that uses almost no fuel while putting out more power. The Nikola truck, which to date exists only as a screen saver, will cost $375 000 (about R5,9 million at the time of print), and can be leased or bought. All this come with the typical hard-sell claim: “Due to high demand, the quicker you place a deposit, the faster you can get your Nikola One,” states the Nikola Motor Company, who also promises
free fuel for the first million miles to the first 5,000 orders. It is at this point where the Driver News detector for bullshit starts to make alarmed noises, but in all fairness, we will let you read the claims below to decide for yourself if this wonderful truck canbe true. After all, at the Geneva Car show a Chinese group had a super car using a similar turbine-charging system — which incidentally makes the same claimed power as the Nikola trucks. Electric stronger than diesel
Nikola’s custom electric motors operate at 95% efficiency; so when it comes to hills they are quicker going up, and they save money going down. While other trucks are losing energy and riding their
Nr 39, May 201 6
For now, the marvellos gasturbine electric Nikola truck exists only as a picture. Time will tell if promises to build it will come true. Photo: Supplied
brakes, Nikola One is capturing energy, recharging batteries — saving brakes, noise and money. The batteries need never be plugged in and drive electric motors that sends exactly the right torque to each of the six wheels, what sports cars called torque vectoring, to make the drivetrain so efficient. Regular updates
Nikola vehicles regularly receive over-the-air software updates that add new features and functionality. The average software update takes one to two hours to complete. No flat batteries
The Nikola truck’s turbine outputs nearly 400 kilowatts (kW) of clean energy straight to the batteries, keeping them charged.
This proprietary turbine has the ability to turn on and off within seconds — another first in the transportation industry. The turbine runs on diesel, gasoline or clean burning natural gas, which is the Nikola's preferred diet. The gas goes into a 570-litre tank for a claimed range of just under 2,000 kilometres. In the states, the company said it is building 50 planned Nikola CNG stations along interstate highways where the trucks can fill up. Bigger cab, more toys
Because there is no big diesel engine under the cab, the entire truck is lower and the cabin can be a third bigger and the pay load that much heavier. A large touchscreen links the truck to the world.
Uber getting legal in GP
Metered taxi drivers will not be able to complaining that Uber drivers do not pay for permits and will instead have to shape up their service
The Driver News has been telling taxi drivers to take note of the apps that Uber and other lift clubs use, because its keeps the passenger informed and empowered. Instead metered taxi drivers have been complaining Uber drivers are competing unfairly by not paying permits in GP. The complaints turned ugly when some perps started throwing stones at Uber drivers' cars last year. The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport
announced all Uber drivers must register as public transport operators, the same as any public operator on the proivince's roads. Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Ismail Vadi made the announcement at a meeting where a loud group of presumably angry Uber drivers chased him as he left the building. One man yelled: "Vavi, where are you going!?" Uber meanwhile also announced their drivers can now take cash payments. Before this, Uber has been
a credit card affair that kept many travellers out of these part-time drivers' private cars. Uber's sub-Saharan Africa GM Alon Lits invited any driver with a car to enlist with Uber, saying the drivers can benefit from their rating system that attracts passengers. The Driver News again advises taxi companies to adopt these apps, or fall behind in the race for passengers. Shooting other will not win more passengers, drivers who get good ratings from passengers will. - DR
Latest mini bakkie in SA aimed at 'last mile' deliveries and garden services
Suzuki launched a mini-bakkie to compete with the offerings from Daihatsu, Tata and Chana. Called the Suzuki Super Carry, the cab-over-engine bakkie can load 750 kg and turns in 8,6 metres. A made-in-India 1 ,2-litre petrol engine makes the 54 kW and 1 01 Nm, with a five-speed manual sending power to the rear wheels. It sells for R1 30,000, inclu-ding a three-year or 1 00,000 km
May 2016
warranty. Also check out a Hyundai H1 00, which lists from R11 9 000 on OLX, but can carry a two ton payload with a lotmore comfert on long roads. - DR.
Prices and competitors
- R1 29 900 Suzuki Super Carry (54 kW/1 01 Nm) - R1 54 995 Daihatsu Gran Max (71 kW/1 34 Nm) - R1 59 990 Tata Super Ace (52 kW/1 35 Nm)
The latest bakkie in SA is a Suzuki, but not from Japan, as this Super Carry is made at the giant Maruti Suzuki plant in India.
Meet one tough yet stylish driver from Msinga.
Her passion is driving trucks
Khonelaphi Khangwayini Ngubane’s childhood can be described as unconventional. The mother of four first began driving buses and trucks in 2002, when she was 36 years old. Growing up in rural Msinga, she defied the norm that girls should only study up to a certain point before preparing herself for marriage. While she is most grateful to her family for their full support in her choice of career, she refused to be counted amongst those girls who became housewives. Instead, she worked hard to pursue her
passion for driving heavy duty vehicles. After attending lessons with a driving school in Pinetown, she obtained a code 11 license and was later granted a code 1 4 license. Ngubane has been employed at Timber 24 for 11 years and is the only member of her family to drive heavy vehicles. Now 50, her fervent hope is to one day impart her years of expertise as a truck driver to other aspiring female truck drivers so that they too can experience the many wonders of the profession. -- Supplied.
Contact the drivers at The Driver News by SMS on 073 062 4674, e-mail us on thedriverdigest@gmail.com. see more on www.drivernews.co.za