17 minute read
HIGHWAY 1
RETURN TO SENDERS - AUSSIE POST FIRST TO TAKE UP FUSO ECANTERS
AS WE HAVE PREDICTED in our road test of the new Fuso eCanter in this issue, Fuso’s recently launched electric truck will be taken up in the initial stages of its time on the Australian market, by the big image conscious fleets, with a desire to be seen as an organisation taking a stance against emissions, and who have the resources to pay a premium and to install charging equipment. That being the case, it was no surprise that Daimler Trucks announced that Australia Post will be the first customer for its eCanter in Australia. The government owned postal service is the first local fleet to sign up for the eCanter and has initially agreed to take on 20 of the electric trucks, continuing the electrification of its fleet, with the first arrivals hitting Australian roads in October. Australia Post is the largest operator of electric vehicles in Australia, with a fleet of more than 3000 electric vehicles currently in use, most of which are the new electric trikes being adopted for post delivery services replacing the Honda Postie bikes it has used for decades. “With the significant growth in parcel volumes, more vehicles are required in our network,” said James Dixon, general manager, networks for Australia Post. “It makes good sense to add electric vehicles as part of this requirement. Not only will these eCanters fit our needs in this delivery category, but they will also contribute to our science based target to reduce emissions by 15 per cent by 2025 from a FY19 baseline,” James Dixon added. According to the media release from Daimler, the eCanters will operate across the Australia Post and StarTrack businesses in major capitals in two body configurations and will be supported by the Daimler Trucks network. “Since working with Daimler Trucks on the pre-production eCanter, we have been keen to have the truck in our fleet. Daimler Trucks is a good choice for Australia Post in the fleet space with a large network and focus on safety,” concluded James Dixon. The eCanter is equipped with advanced pedestrian-sensing emergency braking technology, a collision mitigation system, lane departure warning and Electronic Stability Program for optimum safety. Daimler Truck and Bus president and CEO, Daniel Whitehead, said Australia Post is the perfect first Australian customer for the eCanter. “Daimler is thrilled to partner with such an iconic brand as Australia Post on a journey towards carbon neutral freight transportation in Australia,” Whitehead said. “The Fuso eCanter’s active safety features, zero local emissions and near-silent operation make it perfect for parcel and letter deliveries in the city and the suburbs,” he added. Fuso Truck and Bus Australia Director, Alex Müller, applauded Australia Post for its electric mobility leadership. “Australia Post is setting a great example with deployment of the eCanter, demonstrating that you can get the job done in a sustainable way,” Müller said. “The eCanter is a vital proposition for any company that is serious about reducing emissions,” Müller added. The eCanter uses six liquid-cooled lithium ion batteries mounted in its frame to store 82.8kW/h of electricity and feed a permanent magnet synchronous motor. Power output is rated at 135kW and 390Nm of torque can be delivered the moment the accelerator pedal is pressed. The eCanter, which has a Gross Vehicle Mass of 7.5 tonnes, became the world’s first small series electric production truck in 2017. It has been the subject of a rigorous testing regime around the world, including a six-month Australian test running with a maximum load, in addition to real world driving in overseas markets.
MAY DAY - IVECO BOSS ANNOUNCES MANAGEMENT SHAKEUP
IVECO BOSS, MICHAEL MAY ANNOUNCED A MAJOR SHAKE-UP AMONGST SENIOR STAFF IN AUGUST, WITH A NUMBER OF ORGANISATIONAL CHANGES THAT HE SAYS, WILL ALLOW THE COMPANY TO ‘FURTHER STREAMLINE OPERATIONS AND BETTER RESPOND TO CUSTOMER NEEDS’.
THE LATEST APPOINTMENTS took effect immediately across sales, aftersales, product development and marketing, and will assist the company to reposition itself in the lead-up to several exciting new model releases, whilst placing a renewed emphasis on customer support and the transition to zero emissions. Current Head of Sales – Truck and Van, Glen Dyer, has also assumed responsibility for the Bus and Special Vehicles portfolio. Glen Dyer joined Iveco earlier this year from Mercedes Benz vans where he has extensive senior experience in the commercial vehicle industry. Iveco’s former head of Legal Counsel, Marot Baker has been appointed to the newly created position of head of customer services. Ms. Baker joined Iveco in 2016 and the company says she has a substantial understanding of the business and the needs of customers. Current Iveco head of network Development, Ella Letiagina, has had her role expanded to include product and marketing. Ms Letiagina joined Iveco in January and brings a wealth of automotive and management experience to the role. Prior to joining Iveco Letiagina was Network Commercial manager for Mitsubishi Motors Australia and prior to that worked in a range of roles with the Volkswagen Audi Group in Belarus. Iveco stalwart Marco Quaranta, has also assumed the position of strategic relations and Industry relations manager, with a focus on propulsion, while experienced Iveco product manager, Emiliano Foieri has been promoted to the product management lead. Amongst the reorganisation are also two key departures with long term Iveco staffer Steve Heanes and more recent arrival Damon Paull, who joined the company in January 2020, both leaving the company to ‘pursue other career opportunities’. Iveco managing director, Michael May, said the organisational changes come as part of a broader strategy that would simplify reporting, and assist to strategically align the company to meet new goals. “This is a unique time in Iveco’s history with many new opportunities on the horizon for our brand,” Michael May said. “Iveco is transitioning to offer an enhanced range of products and support solutions for our customers. These structural revisions will allow us to more efficiently meet our objectives and to reach the high expectations we’ve set for ourselves as a company. “The changes also empower our team to react more nimbly to market conditions, and builds a new way forward for Iveco by providing further means to differentiate ourselves.” Michael May acknowledged the contributions of both Heanes and Paull. “Steve Heanes worked with Iveco for almost 30 years and contributed strongly to the company in the senior fleet sales roles he held, while Damon Paull also had a significant impact in the role of marketing manager during his tenure,” Michael May said. “I thank Steve and Damon for their service and wish them every success in their future endeavours.”
Iveco product manager Marco Quaranta
IVECO SETS COURSE FOR SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT
IVECO AUSTRALIA, HAS SIGNALLED THAT ITS RECENT REORGANISATION OF SENIOR EXECUTIVES WHICH SAW A NEW POSITION WILL HELP FACILITATE THE ITS TRANSITION TOWARDS MORE SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS BEYOND ITS CURRENT EURO6 MODEL RANGE.
IVECO HAS SAID that the decision to appoint a dedicated resource to enable the transition is part of a broader global initiative, and has resulted in long-time senior Iveco product manager, Marco Quaranta, taking on the role of strategic projects and industry relations manager with a focus on propulsion. In the new position, Marco Quaranta will be heavily involved in setting up the necessary internal infrastructure and associated support systems to back Iveco’s future alternative fuel ambitions according to the company. Iveco says that Quaranta will also act as a resource for customers who are looking to take their first steps in reducing the carbon footprint of their fleets. In addition, Quaranta will play a role in meeting and liaising with key industry stakeholders and advocacy groups to further promote Iveco’s alternative fuel capabilities, the company said. Marco Quaranta said that there is growing interest from customers wanting to know more about their options when it came to alternative fuels for commercial vehicles. “During my short time in the role, I’ve already had many discussions with customers who are curious of their options to reduce the impact of their vehicles beyond what Euro6 can deliver,” he said. “Alternative fuelled vehicles are not new to Australia with some manufacturers including Iveco having offered natural gas-powered vehicles quite some time ago. Unfortunately this fuel never reached its full potential here due to the lack of refuelling infrastructure,” he said. “At the time, the interest in natural gas was being driven by high diesel prices, but once prices stabilised, CNG and LNG-powered trucks became less attractive, and demand dropped. “This latest interest in alternative technologies is stronger and not born from a desire to save costs, but rather, to reduce emissions – that’s the driving factor.” Marco Quaranta said that natural gas remained an opportunity in the alternative fuels space, as it emitted far less particulate matter and virtually zero nitrogen oxides compared to diesel, however the market interest seemed to be also oriented towards electric propulsion. “In Australia, natural gas vehicles are still a viable consideration – they offer a reasonable range and would work well with the right infrastructure in place,” he said. “If the source of the gas comes from landfill capture, this adds an additional ‘green’ element, making the fuel even more attractive. There are several biomass facilities operating in this country and Iveco is in a strong position to reintroduce gas-powered trucks and vans here if demand grows. “In Europe thanks to more government support for operators and refuelling facilities, natural gas-powered vehicles are popular and make up a considerable portion of the overall commercial vehicle fleet,” he said. In relation to electric vehicles technology, Quaranta said the technology was rapidly advancing. “I believe that electricity is the fuel of the future for commercial vehicles. For local pick-up and delivery, refuse collection and other back-to-base applications it’s battery power, but ultimately for longer distances it will be hydrogen technology that’s used to recharge electric fuel cells,” he commented. Mr Quaranta said that behind the scenes Iveco Australia was advanced in evaluating and implementing the necessary processes, infrastructure and support services required to introduce alternative-fuelled models, including products available to it under its joint venture with Nikola Corporation. “With our Iveco joint venture partner Nikola BEV / FCBEV, heavy-duty solutions are becoming a reality, in fact our production facility at Ulm in Germany recently completed a 12-month phase of design, testing and validation on the models and prototype vehicles are at an advanced stage of development. “Bringing the vehicles down under will be the easy part; the challenge is the preparation for the launch. Fortunately for Iveco, we have a highly experienced, local engineering and validation team with the skills and link to our central engineering teams to test and develop customised solutions for the unique ANZ market requirements. “Iveco ANZ will continue to explore and invest in this space with our local engineering skills seeking to leverage Universities, alternate fuel bodies and the broader network to add value to the alternative propulsion push for the region.”
Aus Post gets eCanters / Shake up at Iveco / 500hp plus for Shogun / Hino-Allison e axle tie up
FUSO’S NEWEST heavy hitter is coming to Australia with Daimler’s Japanese brand set to debut a 510hp version of its flagship Shogun, joining Japanese market leader Isuzu in the 500hp club, a factor that is sure to put the pressure on Hino to match its Japanese counterparts. The new 13 litre Fuso Shogun is set to arrive in Australia next month boasting 510hp and 2500Nm thanks to its use of the Daimler family 13 litre and Fuso tells us that it will be the best performing Japanese truck in Australia with a big torque advantage. In fact the new Shogun 510 will boast 245 Nm more than Isuzu’s Giga and produces it 200rpm lower at 1100rpm. It also has the same maximum power as the Giga but it again comes 200rpm lower at 1600rpm. Fuso says the Shogun 510 will increase the breadth of the Fuso Shogun prime mover and rigid model range that already includes 8-litre and 11-litre options. The company says that the truck was developed specifically for Australia in response to requests from local customers for a ‘true high-performance Japanese heavy duty B-Double capable truck’ and added that it has been several years in the planning. The proven Daimler OM471 sixcylinder engine is mated to the Daimler 12-speed AMT making the most of the engine’s strength and torque band. The advanced six-cylinder engine, features an asymmetric turbocharger and meets Euro 6 emissions standards, well in advance of the protocol being mandated in Australian regulations. Fuso says its engineers have carried out extensive testing of the Shogun 510 since 2017, including an outback Australian test of an initial prototype, as well as durability testing in South Africa and an additional productionready test in Australia and New Zealand. The arrival of the Fuso 510 joining Isuzu’s 510 Hp Giga means that Hino’s recently launched new 700 series is lagging its two opponents with its 13 litre engine delivering peak horsepower of just 480hp and only, 2157Nm of torque, however Hino personnel have hinted that a higher horsepeower 700 could be on the horizon.
AUTOMOTIVE LIGHTING company, Lazer Lamps, has announced it is breaking out of the bar, the light bar that is, by launching its first every round LED light, to augment its extensive range of advanced LED light bars. Since the company was started back in 2010 Lazer has produced light bars exclusively, capturing a strong market share across all sectors with innovative designs and superior performance and on the back of success in motor sport, particularly with the Toyota Gazoo Racing Le Mans team, which used Lazer to win the famous 24 hour race last weekend in France. The new Lazer Sentinel is the first foray into producing a ‘conventional’ round lamp combine distinctive highend product design, with superior lighting performance and build quality. The Lazer Sentinel is a range of 9“ round driving lamps available in either Standard or Elite.
THROW THE SWITCH -IVECO AND NIKOLA START ELECTRIC TRUCK PRODUCTION IN EUROPE
HYDROGEN FUEL cell truck making start up, Nikola, and its European partner Iveco, have announced they’ve started gearing up for zero emission truck production at the Iveco plant at Ulm in Germany, as part of their plan to have trucks on the road in Europe next year. The two companies will commence production of the Nikola Tre in the Ulm plant later this year with the first 25 battery electric trucks to be delivered to European pilot customer, the Port of Hamburg early next year. Nikola is supplying the electric drive train and Iveco S-Way chassis to create the Tre for European operations. While small scale series production is scheduled to start this year, the companies say that the plan is for the plant to 3,000 zero emission trucks per year in the medium term.
HINO AND ALLISON ANNOUNCE JOINT COLLABORATION ON E AXLES
HINO HAS ANNOUNCED an agreement that will see the truck maker use transmission maker Allison and as its e-Axle development partner for Class 6, 7 and 8 Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) trucks. The two companies announced at the ACT Show in Long Beach that they have signed the framework for a comprehensive strategic Joint Collaboration Agreement (JCA) that they say will build on the long-standing partnership the two companies share with conventional transmissions. The statement from the two companies said that through the agreement, Hino will integrate Allison’s eGen Power 100D e-Axles into its vehicles as the two companies collaborate to build what they say will be ‘a truly differentiated product for end users’. The companies say that low volume production is intended to start in early 2023. “This is an exciting development as we continue to expand our electrified product portfolio in support of our promise to provide the most reliable and valued propulsion solutions in the world,” said for Allison’s vice president of North America Sales, global channel and aftermarket, Rohan Barua. “We are pleased to continue our longstanding relationship with Hino Trucks in delivering innovative solutions for our mutual customers. “Just as the Allison 2000 and 3000 Series are the standard transmission offering in the conventional dieselpowered Hino vehicles, the next generation of Allison commercial EV powertrains will power Hino’s BEV trucks, delivering the same proven performance, reliability and durability that the combination of the HinoAllison brands represent,” Barua said. Hino announced its Project Z in October last year and it has continued collaborating with Allison to design BEV solutions for the North America Medium and Heavy Duty commercial vehicle market. Allison said that as a part of the work being undertaken with Hino and other customers, it announced the launch of its new e-Axle, which will be added to its eGen Power family - the eGen Power 100S. The company says its eGen Power 100S incorporates several of the core components offered in the eGen Power 100D, but packages these elements into a lighter and more compact design best suited for class 6 and 7 medium-heavy vehicles, along with a tandem configuration for heavy duty class 8 6x4 trucks. Under the terms of the JCA, Allison said Hino will be the first global OEM to integrate the eGen Power 100S, ensuring a partnership in Class 6 through Class 8 vehicles. “We are pleased to formalize our collaboration with Allison on the integration of their eGen Power electric axles into Hino’s class 6, 7 and 8 BEV line up,” said Hino’s senior vice president of customer experience, Glenn Ellis. “It is especially exciting to be the first OEM to integrate the eGen Power 100S into our class 6 and 7 BEV trucks, representing another critical step in Hino’s Project Z, Path to Zero initiative we announced late last year. “Whether our conventional dieselpowered products or our next generation electric propulsion platforms, our mutual customers expect reliable and durable solutions from the Hino and Allison partnership. I’m confident we’ll continue to deliver that promise,” Ellis added. The company said its eGen Power 100S complements the eGen Power 100D and the eGen Power 130D, expanding its e-Axle portfolio to cover multiple vehicle applications across medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. The single and dual motors respectively integrate with a multispeed transmission, eliminating the need for additional driveshafts and support structures. With each motor capable of delivering continuous power of 212 kilowatts and peak output power of 324 kilowatts, and claims the eGen Power 100S, 100D and 130D are among the most power-dense propulsion solutions in their classes. Allison claims the architecture is tuned for high gradeability and high top speed without sacrificing efficiency, maximizing vehicle range and minimizing downtime during charging. It also adds that the eGen Power product family is designed with fleet customers in mind and are engineered to be 100 per cent maintenance-free for the life of the vehicle, which it says significantly reduces downtime and enhances its total cost of ownership advantage.
COMMAND RESPECT COMMAND RESPECT
THE SHOGU N RANGE
Respect is earned, not given. And for that reason, the Fuso Shogun range continues to provide some of the most powerful, fuel efficient and intuitively safe heavy duty trucks in Australia.
With a range of powertrains spanning from 360hp/1400Nm to a thundering 510hp/2500Nm, the Shogun draws on the latest in engine technology from Daimler backed by proven Japanese reliability. Available in 6x2, 6x4 and 8x4 rigid, as well as prime mover and tipper spec – there is a Shogun for every job. As a Shogun driver, you get access to class leading safety including Advanced Emergency Braking with pedestrian detection, driver fatigue monitoring, active cruise control and adaptive LED headlights – all backed by Fuso’s class-leading 5 year warranty as standard.
If you’ve got a challenge, we’ve got the Shogun for the Job.
