February 14, 2019
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CHEAP AND CHEERFUL: Chinese carmaker Great Wall Motor has launched its second flagship EV under its new ‘ORA’ electric car brand: the ORA R1. In China, the subsidised price of the ORA R1 ranges R120 000 to R156 000. A 33 kWh battery gives a range of up to 310 km. The ORA comes with a three-year or 120 000 km guarantee for the whole vehicle, and an eight-year or 150 000 km guarantee for core components. .
BAIC SELLS BEST: The latest survey by JATO Dynamics shows BAIC’s EC was the world’s best-selling electric car in Q1. BAIC sold 25 630 EC units in the first quarter, up an impressive 260%. All the sales were in China. The new Nissan Leaf sold the second most units at 22 124 (up 47%), while the Tesla Model S came in third place with 11 450, down six percent. China led global electric vehicle sales in the Q1, with 83 600 evees sold in Q1, compared to 46 500 in Europe (up 74%) In South Africa, Baic as yet only sells its petrol cars, which it assembes at Coega in the Eastern Cape, 60% of which are exported to Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, and 40% sold through 17 BAIC dealerships in South Africa.
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Hard labour lorries New Arocs range meets the specialised needs of construction and distribution industries MERCEDES-BENZ Trucks introduced models of the Arocs rigid truck that marketing manager at Mercedes-Benz Trucks, Christo Kleynhans, said are all focused on meeting the specialised transport needs of the distribution and construction industries. He said Merc’s product strategy allows the three-star brand to precisely match the interests of customers to a truck. “All-purpose vehicles are becoming a thing of the past, that’s why the new range of Mercedes-Benz trucks uses a common platform to develop a custom-tailored vehicle series for specific segments,” he said in a statement. Driver assistance Merc raised the bar for construction trucks with a comprehensive range of standard safety equipment in the Arocs. A driver airbag, lane keeping assist and Merc’s Attention Assist are standard equipment and a first for the distribution segment. The Attention Assist system monitors the driver steering and lane keeping behaviour. A “monotony value” is calculated on the basis of the driver activities. This assumes that the attention paid by the driver falls due to the monotony of the driving situation with increasing journey time. If the driver exhibits active driving behaviour, for example by operating the direction indicators/accelerator/engine brake/retarder, this has a positive effect on the “monotony value”.
Two tippers For construction fleets, two Arocs models are available — the 3336K/36 Tipper Chassis and the Arocs 3236B/51 8x4 Mixer Chassis. Both will be sold with the S-Cab ClassicSpace, which is designed for in solo operation in shorthaul applications. At launch only the 265kW (360hp) 12,8-litre OM460 Euro III engine will be available with further engine outputs planned for later. For the first time in a construction vehicle the engine output is transferred as standard by an automated Mercedes PowerShift 3 transmission. The driver can choose between Standard, Economy, Off-road and Manual driving modes.
The new Arocs now sets the standard for rigid trucks, offering driver assistance, higher payloads and a proven engine. PHOTO: MOTORPRESS
If the limit values for attention stored in the system are reached after a defined driving distance, the driver is warned by a visual signal (yellow popup with stylised bed symbol and a message “Please take a break”) and a short audible signal on the instrument cluster. The pop-up menu is displayed until the driver acknowledges the warning with the OK button or deactivates attention assist. The warning is repeated every 15 minutes. Long and short haul Two new Arocs will be launched for dis-
tribution — the Arocs 2636L/57 6x2 and the Arocs 3345/48. Drivers can pick from two cabins, an M-Cab for short haul, and an L-Cab ClassicSpace for national long-distance deliveries. The Arocs is powered by the OM460 engine — a 12,8-litre inline six-cylinder engine, Euro III engine that is mapped to produce either 265kW (360hp) or 330kW (450hp). The new configuration with exhaust gas turbocharger and unit pump line injectors obtains high torque at low engine speeds and across a wider engine speed range contributing to much im-
proved driving characteristics and a significant increase in fuel efficiency. Kleynhans said all the components of the powertrain on the new Arocs are produced exclusively by MercedesBenz and the trucks’ total cost of ownership is further optimised by longer maintenance intervals and long service lives for the engine, transmission, and clutch. The new Arocs for distribution come standard with a one-year/unlimited kilometre complete vehicle warranty and a five-year or 650 000 km standard warranty on the powertrain.
Ford introduces strong 2-litre and 10-speed gearbox BYD IN EUROPE: Witness transport writer Alwyn Viljoen in a BYD electric bus, the Chinese brand that is now targeting fleet customers in Europe with three full electric commercial vehicles. The first trucks available to European customers are the T6 with a 7,5 gross vehicle mass. The second is the Q1M Yard Tractor (46 tons GCWR) which is designed for airports, ports and distribution centres. BYD is also selling the T3 van, which has a payload of 800kg. All BYD electric vehicles are powered by ironphosphate batteries which give a range of over 200 km. While ironphosphate batteries do not hold as much electricity as lithium-ion batteries, requiring more and heavier batteries per vehicle to get over 200km range, they are more cost-efficient in large vehicles than the lithium-ion batteries used by Tesla, Nikola and Einride in their commercial vehicles.
Staff at Ford’s plant in Silverton celebrate the first new Ranger to come off the line. PHOTO: QUICKPIC
FLUID ELECTROLYTE BATTERY: Meanwhile at Purdue University in the U.S. researchers have announced a new type of battery that has no degrading membrane and uses water and an ethanol or methanol solution to create fluid electrolytes to power vehicles. When the battety is flat, the fluid electrolyte is drained and the battery refilled in minutes. The researchers plan to use normal fuel stations to drain the spent electrolyte and recharge it, using solar or wind power, after which the recharged electrolyte can be pumped back into other batteries. .
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NEW 2,0 BI-TURBO AND 10 GEARS Selected range-topping models, including the Ranger Raptor, will be powered by the all-new 2.0 Bi-Turbo diesel engine assembled at Ford’s Struandale Engine Plant in Port Elizabeth.
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This unit produces 157 kW and 500 Nm of torque — up by 10 kW and 30 Nm compared with the current 3.2 TDCi — and delivers up to a nine percent improvement in fuel efficiency when combined with the advanced new 10speed automatic transmission. This puts Ford’s two-litre just 50 Nm shy of the bigger V6 engines that makes 550 Nm in the Mercedes-Benz X-Class and VW Amarok. Hill said some of the Ranger’s derivatives will feature a 2,0 Single Turbo version, which makes 132 kW and 420 Nm, mated to the same 10-speed transmission. The plant will continue making the 2,2 and 3.2-litre Duratorq TDCi engine and existing gearbox for farmers and miners who feel these block provide more than ample power for their needs. Ford will also continue the line-up of
single cabs, super cab and double cab body styles, but with freshened design cues. The range-topping Ranger models boast what Hill said are industry-defining safety features on the Wildtrak, such as Pre-Collision Assist and Active Park Assist. SYNC 3 with Navigation remains one of the Ranger’s technology highlights as a fully featured infotainment system with intuitive voice control. ENRAPTURED WITH THE RAPTOR Hill said after the launch of the ‘standard’ new Ford Ranger models, the workers will shift their focus to the Ranger Raptor, which is set to create an entirely new segment in the pickup market when it makes its debut. “There is a lot of excitement and hype around the Ranger Raptor, and this exhilarating new model will occupy a white
space in the pickup market when it goes on sale in the second quarter of this year, creating the first-ever true performance model in this crucial segment,” Hill states. “We can’t wait to get the Ranger Raptor to market, enabling our customers to experience unrivalled off-road performance, cutting-edge technologies and the most muscular design yet seen in this class.” Some of the defining features of the Ranger Raptor include Position Sensitive Damping (PSD) shock absorbers exclusively manufactured by FOX, and an advanced Terrain Management System (TMS) that includes an exciting Baja mode for fast off-road driving. It also boasts a toughened reinforced chassis, powerful all-disc braking system and specially developed BF Goodrich tyres. — WR.
Four cars that will get students and pensioners ‘FAR’
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PRETORIA — Ford’s Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria has officially started building the new Ford Ranger, which has a raft of upgrades and refinements. “Following the investment of over R3 billion in our local operations and extensive upgrades to our plants over the past 18 months, we are delighted to see the first of the new Ford Ranger models coming off our production line,” said Neale Hill, managing director, Ford Motor Company Sub-Saharan Africa Region. He added the year Ranger Raptor will also be launched this year.
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Used VW Polo Vivo GP 1.4 Trendlines currently range in price from R64 000 to R69 000, making them excellent value.
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Used models of Volkswagen’s Up! 1.0 3-door currently list for R90 000 to R110 000.
Tata Bolt 1.2T XMS 5-door, used models of which sell from R90 000 to R120 000, depending on mileage and condition.
The hardy Toyota Etios 1.5 XS Sprint sells from R60 000 to R82 000 for used models.
ALWYN VILJOEN
that will get the at least 11 kilometres from each litre of petrol in city traffic, when driven carefully; and have space for friends and luggage in the back. Gumtree lists the best two-year-old vehicles under R130 000 and under R160 000. Among sub R130k cars, the Volkswagen Take Up! 1.0 3-door and the Tata Bolt 1.2T XMS 5-door offer
good value, while among the sub R160 k categorie is topped by the VW Polo Vivo GP 1.4 Trendline and Toyota Etios 1.5 XS Sprint. Because of their high sales numbers when new, the Etios and Vivo are popular among parts thieves, and may have higher insurance premiums in some areas. • alwyn.viljoen@witness.co.za
PENSIONERS and students have the same needs when it comes to their wheels — frugal, affordable and reliable — which abbreviates to “FAR”. The 2018 Gumtree Pre-Owned Car Awards lists four cars that have affordable parts when it comes to servicing;
Concrete mixer The Arocs 3236B/51 is an 8x4 concrete mixer with 35 ton Gross Vehicle Weight that can supply 8m3 of ready-mixed concrete on every trip. The Arocs 3336K/36 is a versatile tipper chassis with a short rear overhang featuring robust planetary axles, a double disc clutch, robust drum brakes, optimised for off-road use and a 16-speed Powershift 3 automated transmission with the “Off-Road Drive” programme as standard. Both the tipper and mixer chassis come standard with a one-year, unlimited kilometre complete vehicle warranty and a three-year or 250 000 km/5 000 hours standard warranty on the powertrain. — WR.
TRUCK SALES INCREASE IN JANUARY THE South African commercial vehicle market got off to a flying start in 2019, showing a 7,3% increase on January 2018’s results to reach 1 653 sales. This is according to the latest results released for January 2019 by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa), Associated Motor Holdings (AMH) and Amalgamated Automobile Distributors (AAD). Looking at the year-on-year comparison, Medium Commercial Vehicle sales grew by 24,6% to 552 units. Sales in the Heavy Commercial Vehicle segment increased by 6,5% to 327 units, while the Extra Heavy Commercial Vehicle showed a slight decline of 1,8% to conclude the month on 719 sales. Bus sales were down by 6,8% to 55 units. “We are very encouraged by the good start to the year,” said Gert Swanepoel, managing director of UD Trucks Southern Africa. “We foresee that certain macroeconomic influencers like the upcoming national elections and lower business confidence might damper sales up to July.” Swanepoel said that 2018’s positive results proved that the truck market is resilient, even amidst challenging economic conditions, and that businesses still choose to invest in new vehicles for their fleets as this past January’s results showed. “One concern is that the average age of the local commercial vehicle parc is too high, at around 12 years currently. In order to have a healthy and safe vehicle population, trucks need to be replaced every eight to 10 years or so, and this is a goal that the industry needs to work towards,” said Swanepoel. UD Trucks believe that more and more businesses are turning to modern smart logistics to ensure efficiency, productivity and profitability. Aspects like telematics are playing an increasing role in fleet and route planning, as the demand from consumers for faster turnaround times grow. “Growth in the logistics and transport sectors were some of the key drivers in 2018’s growth in sales, and we expect this trend to continue this year,” explained Swanepoel. “We do remain positive that 2019 will deliver another growth year for the commercial vehicle market.” — WR.