Transport & Trucking Australia Issue 139

www.truckandbus.net.au Issue 139 2022

BUDGET ELECTRIC TRUCK FROM CHINA

ISSN 2206-1495

9 772206 149012 >

39

SCANIA’S 770 HP V8 HINO’S NEW 700 SERIES ISUZU’S NEW N SERIES IVECO DAILY E6 FIRST DRIVE

$9.50 incl. GST

New N Series.

The Next Generation of Safety.

Advanced Emergency Braking Our new N Series trucks are the next generation of Isuzu safety. They come standard with features like advanced emergency braking that can recognise pedestrians, a lane departure warning that sounds if the truck starts to drift, and a distance warning system to alert the driver if they’re getting too close to the vehicle in front. So they’re designed to keep every road user safe. Pre-order yours from your nearest Isuzu Dealer or visit isuzu.com.au to explore the range.

Safety features are for driver’s assistance only. Responsibility for the vehicle (including maintaining control, awareness of surroundings, and following road rules) remains wholly with the driver.

Warranty is subject to the conditions outlined in the IAL New Vehicle Warranty. For further information please visit isuzu.com.au or contact your local dealer. FSA/ISZS632

CONTENTS CONTACT DETAILS

FEATURES

PO Box 7046 Warringah Mall NSW 2100

14 EIGHT IT ALL UP

www.truckandbus.net.au admin@truckandbus.net.au Enquiries 02 9938 6408 Follow us on Twitter #truckandbusnews Follow us on Facebook at Truck and Bus Australia

Publisher Jon Thomson admin@truckandbus.net.au Editor in Chief Jon Thomson Art Director Fiona Meadows fiona@kududesign.com.au Advertising Sales Jon Thomson Mobile 0418 641 959 admin@truckandbus.net.au Editorial Contributors Barry Flanagan, Mark Bean, Warren Caves, Peter Barnwell and Joel Helmes

Scania is the only truck maker of any note still producing a V8 engine in a heavy duty truck. The V8 is a trademark for the Swedish maker, and while some may have predicted the demise of the big bent eight, not only has Scania breathed new life into the concept, it has produced a truck that delivers superlative performance and efficiency in an effortless and relaxed manner. We took one for a spin recently and came away with a big smile on our dial.

20 NO MANUAL INCLUDED

Hino has lifted the game with its new flagship 700 Series models, offering more refinement, better safety and performance, revised engines and as a mark of the time, only an automatic or AMT when it comes to transmissions, with not a gear stick to be found, which is no bad thing. We had a drive in two versions of the 700 and found the new Hino Heavy to be a very good truck.

26 SAFE HANDS

For years the auto industry told us that safety doesn’t sell, but as more and more fleets are demanding better and more foolproof safety systems in their trucks and cars in a bid to ensure the safety of their workers and to protect them against negligence claims, truck makers in particular are delivering vehicles packed with the latest safety tech. Its taken market leader Isuzu A little longer to climb aboard the safety train, but now it has with its new N Series.

32 JAC BE NIMBLE

Chinese truck maker JAC is back in Australia after a disastrous first try a decade ago. This time however it is an altogether different proposition, eschewing traditional diesel power to be one of the first battery electric trucks to be offered in Australia and the first one from China. We took one for a drive to see how it measures up.

38 THE NEW DAILY

Iveco’s announcement that it will shut down its local assembly operations here in Australia has put more focus on the company’s imported offerings and the most popular vehicles in its range, the Daily van and cab chassis truck. The latest Euro 6 compliant Daily is an excellent offering that will surely have to shoulder even more of the load for the company in the future. We had the chance to drive both during a brief test in Melbourne recently and found that they have pretty broad shoulders and should have no trouble coping with that extra reliance Iveco will demand.

44 FUEL FOR THOUGHT

The start for Freightliner’s Cascadia in Australia has been at best a steady paced one, at least not what any pundits believed could pan out for the USA’s top selling prime mover. With all of the challenges, Daimler truck bosses have taken a steady approach and believe that evidence of it’s strong fuel economy, along with a change in the way the industry is regarding Freightliner and a freeing up of supply will help deliver a big boost for the brand in 2022 and beyond. We take a look at why the Cascadia has seen a cautious start and at one operator who reckons it’s the most economical bonneted truck he has ever run.

50 HEAVY LIFTING

As some long forgotten PM or politician of note once observed, there are lifters and leaners in this world. You may or may not subscribe to that theory but when it comes to it, then Adelaide City Crane Trucks are clearly amongst the lifter category. We take a look at City Cranes and its fleet of Isuzus.

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56 LCV – AN OLD DOG WITH A LOT OF NEW TRICKS

You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, says the old maxim. However Toyota’s ageing 70 year old workhorse LandCruiser, is proof that you can give an old dog new life and make it work. in an era of increasingly automated motoring There are only a few things that are certainties in life. As they often quote, it’s usually only death and taxes, but you can add another - Toyota’s 70 Series LandCruiser.

60 COMPANY CAR – HYUNDAI STARIA

There was a time, not that long ago, when commercial vans and the people mover/ mini-bus variants based on them, were utilitarian, noisy, ill handling, workhorses with barely any creature comforts or concessions to the conveniences we have come to expect in cars and even trucks. We take a look at Hyundai’s latest people mover offering the Staria, which reverses all of those old van vices.

DEPARTMENTS 04 BACK TRACKS

Musings from the Editor

06 HIGHWAY 1

News and info from all over

64 MONEY

Paul’s latest advice on finances

THE ALL-NEW 700 SERIES HAS ARRIVED THAT’S ANOTHER HINO

SAFER, CLEANER AND BUILT FOR THE FUTURE

The all-new 700 Series rewrites the rules in safety, emissions, performance and comfort. It’s our safest truck ever, with XAVIER_HINO37908.25

an enhanced Hino SmartSafe package featuring driver assist technologies that take an active focus on protecting all road

users. Designed to meet Euro 6 exhaust emission standards, it’s the cleanest Hino heavy-duty yet. Delivering increased

performance with more engine power ratings, a wider range of axle configurations and the choice of a true automatic or

automated manual transmission. With an eye catching new interior and exterior, offering improved comfort and functionality targeted squarely at the driver. The all-new 700 Series is the truck of the future, here today. Find out more at hino.com.au

WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?

W

ell what a year it has been, and we thought 2020 was a doozy!

It’s fair to say that 2021 has been an even bigger disaster than 2020 and it seems we aren’t quite out of the woods yet.

Despite all that the Australian truck industry is incredibly buoyant, recording near record sales ( or even actual record sales, the figures weren’t finalised by the time we went to press).

Tell people outside the business that the industry is near record levels, and at first they look askance. But then when you outline the realities, such as consumer demand, online shopping, the construction boom and so many other factors, they start nodding with a look of newfound awareness on their faces.

The only reason for the record not being broken will be down to the global shortage of components, and in particular silicon chips. Truck makers tell you that order books are full and backed up until well into 2022, and that if only they could get more trucks the numbers would be up.

Is it sustainable? Well we don’t know, a long time ago we gave up on reading the crystal ball, so it is difficult to say.

However with the order book so full and buyers having to wait as long as they are being forced to, then at the very least, we will have another year of sunshine in which to make more hay.

So with the industry enjoying such strong demand is it the time for the Federal Government to finally mandate a Euro 6 equivalent standard in order to lift the standard of the entire industry?

The reality is that most of the major OEMs are now selling either a totally Euro 6 line up or a majority of their ranges are compliant. So if you look at the ones with an all Euro 6 offering you get Scania, Mercedes Benz, MAN, Iveco, DAF and a bunch of others. All of these brands have been selling up gangbusters, so there is clearly no resistance to the technology. If you look back to when Euro 5 was coming, the argument against it

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was the added cost and issues that would come from the more complex technology, neither of which presented a challenge or a hurdle to growing sales and demand. So quite frankly, there can’t be an argument mounted against Euro 6 when it is already selling strongly, despite any government mandate forcing it.

So why mandate it when it is already happening naturally? Well that’s fine, but we need a level playing ground and we need to lift everyone up to the same standard and we need to make our trucks even cleaner to ensure we don’t kill this big ball we all have to exist on.

It wouldn’t be as though we are forcing the issue with makers that aren’t offering full Euro 6 line ups. They all have access to it and they are forced to sell only that standard in other parts of the world.

Paccar offers Kenworth’s for sale here with Euro 6, even though non Euro 6 Kenworths are also sold, but it has access to its own Euro 6 MX engines as well as Euro 6 Cummins powerplants.

Similarly Mack uses what are Volvo engines despite the badging on the cam cover, so Euro 6 is no great stretch for that brand and many of its trucks already comply.

So come on fellas, pull the digits out and mandate it. We have been waiting for the certainty it will bring for way too long.

We are becoming the laughingstock of the developed world and we need to fix this anomaly sooner rather than later.

Speaking of global standards, then don’t even start us on vehicle widths. Our rules mean that our trucks are more expensive because widths have to be tweaked down to meet our anachronistic dimension rules.

The European and US rules allow a 2.6 metre maximum width for trucks and buses. Australian rules impose a 2.5 metre max width. That 100 mm difference is no safety issue, it has been recommended to happen for years by Austroads, the research organisation operated by the Commonwealth and state transport department.

The ATA and the industry has consistently made the case that 2.6 metre

wide trucks should have been considered but the government continues to avoid the issue and delay it to the distant future.

It’s not as if our roads are narrower.

Australian standards mean that lanes on our roads are generally 3.5 metres wide and sometimes down to 3.3 metres, so that is not an issue. Besides if you’ve driven in Europe or in the UK then you’ll know lane space is not overly abundant.

Come on Canberra, you keep saying we lead the world in a whole range of things, it’s time to just match the rest of the world and make it easier, better and less expensive to own and operate trucks in Australia.

Enough of that lets talk about this issue.

We have a bunch of interesting yarns for you to consume over the holidays, starting with the mighty Scania 770hp V8, which we road test on a tough run up the hills from Melbourne to Bendigo and back.

This ‘Grunter’ is now the highest power on road prime mover available in this country and is an extremely impressive bit of kit.

Along with that we have a first road test of JAC’s E55 electric light duty truck that the Chinese maker is hoping will leapfrog the issues the brand suffered when it unsuccessfully launched its diesel trucks here a decade ago, and jump straight to a zero emission future.

We road test Hino’s new flagship 700 Series heavy duty model, taking two examples for a drive and we also take a close look at Isuzu’s recently updated market leading N Series models, with the hope we can road test these very soon.

There is also a road test of Iveco’s new E6 Daily van and light truck.

We have some operator stories that give an insight into how others run their fleets and in our Light Commercial section we road test Toyota’s 70th Anniversary LandCruiser 70 series, which for a few foibles is a surprisingly endearing and likeable piece of machinery.

All that and a whole lot more, so enjoy the read and here is to a much better 2022.

JON THOMSON

510HP THERE WILL BE TORQUE TH E ALL- N EW S H OGU N 510

Introducing the all-new 13 Litre Shogun 510, the most powerful Japanese HD truck in Australia.

A truck that combines the best of Daimler technology with Japanese reliability, and a suite of class-leading safety features.

With 2500Nm available from just 800rpm the Shogun 510 delivers big torque for those with big jobs to do.

Available in prime-mover and tipper spec, the Shogun is not only the most powerful – but the safest – with Advanced Emergency Braking including pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, driver fatigue management and adaptive LED headlights – all covered by a class leading 5yr/500,000km warranty.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE POWERFUL SHOGUN 510 AND ITS SUITE OF CLASS-LEADING SAFETY FEATURES VISIT FUSO.COM.AU

*Approximate figures. Detailed power/torque curve available on spec sheet.

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END OF THE LINE – IVECO TO SHUT HISTORIC LOCAL MANUFACTURING PLANT

AFTER 70 YEARS Iveco’s truck

rumoured with many industry pundits

manufacturing arm’.

assembly plant at Dandenong will

wondering how the Italian owned

cease manufacturing trucks In June next year, as another Australian vehicle manufacturing operation is set

operation could be viable given the volume for its locally built product, particularly since the demise of

Iveco currently employs approximately 120 workers in its manufacturing

to shut down.

The shutdown of local Iveco truck

the Australian developed and built versions of its ACCO model.

production will leave only Volvo’s Brisbane operation and Paccar’s

However Iveco in its statement it said that as part of its ‘global

Bayswater factory in Melbourne’s East as the only remaining local

transformation process’, it will develop what it is calling a

vehicle assembly plants.

The cessation of local Iveco manufacturing has long been

Customisation and Innovation Centre (CIC) along with related changes that will ‘impact its Australian

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operation along with a team of around 25 engineers involved in local research and product development, the remainder of the 250-strong workforce are involved in sales, product support and marketing functions.

Customisation operation.

The Dandenong manufacturing plant was opened in 1952 under the control of International Harvester manufacturing trucks and light utility vehicles for many years, when the IH brand was the market leader in trucks. Iveco purchased

It is understood that there will be

International’s Australian operation, including the Dandenong plant from

job losses at the Dandenong facility, but Iveco is not saying how many

the ailing American company in 1992.

Many parts of the historic facility

will go, although it did say some staff will transfer into the new

are now heritage listed and it is understood Iveco will continue

to operate from there with the

its key selling points in the Australian

CIC set to use part of the existing

and NZ market’.

manufacturing plant.

“Historically, our most unique value

The factory originally covered around

proposition has been our ability to

34000 square metres and has

customise and specialise vehicles for

produced more than 230,000 vehicles

our market, leveraging the expertise

since 1952, and while it pumped out

of our local engineering team and the

2000 new trucks in its first year of

local facility,” he said.

operation in recent times the plant

“By further enhancing this service, we

has built well less than half that

believe there is considerable potential

volume each year.

to provide additional value to existing

TTA sought comment from the

and prospective customers, while

remaining local truck makers. A Volvo

growing the CIC’s capacity and scope

Group spokesman told us that while it

of work.”

does not comment on opponents, the

Michael May said the decision

company has been actively expanding

to move to local customisation

its local component supplier chain in

of fully imported vehicles was a

recent times and has invested heavily in its Wacol plant to expand production with a focus on Queensland based suppliers.

Iveco said it would move to fully import its heavy duty range from its Spanish advanced manufacturing facility in Madrid and it anticipates this will take place from the end of June 2022.

Iveco already fully imports its light, medium and selected heavy duty trucks as well as its Daily based minibus and its off-road models to Australia.

The company said the decision to fully import its heavy duty range will allow it ‘to more closely align model year introduction timings with that of its parent company in Europe’.

It cited as an example, the fact that it will now be launching the new S-WAY model in Australia according to the global launch plan.

Iveco said its new S-WAY model for Australian and New Zealand will have ‘undergone thousands of hours and kilometres of validation testing on

natural progression of Iveco’s ANZ transformation.

“Given our brand’s long history of manufacturing in Australia, this next step towards customisation strengthens our ability to remain agile and responsive to demanding regional requirements,” he said.

“This move will also ensure that we are in a position to offer the market the very latest in Iveco performance, comfort and safety innovation, in the most timely fashion, and at the same time, capitalise on our design and validation engineering expertise and customisation capabilities.”

Iveco said that over the coming months it will continue to engage with its employees who may be impacted by the announcement, and will provide appropriate support to the involved workforce.

The company said that the CIC will be a business unit that will ‘further leverage Iveco’s local engineering and manufacturing expertise, transforming the company’s focus towards the

HYUNDAI’S INNOVATIVE hydrogen fuel cell electric XCIENT trucks will be on Kiwi roads as soon as next year, following a bold move by local NZ importer Hyundai NZ. The first of Hyundai New Zealand’s five new fuel cell electric XCIENT trucks arrived in Auckland in November ahead of a local hydrogen demonstration program in 2022.

Hyundai NZ will convert the Swiss specification XCIENT 6x2 to righthand-drive and have a body locally fitted ahead of field demonstrations in the second quarter of 2022.

New Zealand is just the third country to have access to these trucks, following Switzerland and South Korea. Hyundai NZ has initially taken the Swiss specification to get the programme underway early.

“As a Kiwi owned company, we are big believers of implementing alternative fuel technology here in New Zealand,” says Andy Sinclair, Hyundai NZ general manager.

“We have championed this through the introduction of NZ’s first hydrogen-powered SUV, NEXO, in 2019. Now with the XCIENT FCEV, we have an opportunity to help fast track the large-scale adoption of alternative green fuels in the New Zealand road freight sector.”

local roads and highways and had

customisation and innovation of its

input and development from Iveco’s

vehicles for local markets’.

local engineers and specifically

It said that promoting innovation will

selected customer partners, ensuring

be a key aspect of the CIC, allowing

it is designed and then tested to meet

it to work more closely with Europe

the needs of the local ANZ market’.

and local partners to ‘explore areas

The company also said this will

such as alternative propulsion

include a further iteration of its

solutions, digitisation, connectivity

imported dual control ACCO model for

and autonomous driving’.

the local waste market.

It added that the CIC is being

The XCIENT FCEV has a Siemens supplied electric motor which receives power from two 90kw fuel cells and a 72kWh battery pack. (72kWh). The

In what is a huge announcement for

developed to better assist its

battery is continuously charged from the fuel cell. The XCIENT FCEV has

the company Iveco Australia and New

customers and body-builders –

Zealand managing director, Michael

particularly those with complex body

a clean and quiet motor and the only emission from the process is water.

Compared to an equivalent diesel truck, Hyundai estimates each XCIENT

May, said that by focusing on the

types – to achieve a more streamlined

Customisation and Innovation Centre,

design and body fitment process for

the company would ‘strengthen one of

their vehicles.

The Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell is the world’s first mass-produced heavy-duty truck powered by hydrogen. Hyundai NZ will work with local partners in the freight sector to determine where the trucks will operate regionally. This demonstration will give insights into how the trucks fit into timetables, capacity, maintenance schedules, refuelling, drivability and user-training specific to New Zealand.

FCEV will save 50 tonnes (based on 80,000km per year) of CO2 emissions per year.

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RETURN TO SENDERS - AUSSIE POST FIRST TO TAKE UP FUSO eCANTERS IT’S OFFICIAL, Fuso’s recently launched eCanter electric truck

a fleet of more than 3000 of them currently in use, most of which are

have been keen to have the truck in

for its electric mobility leadership.

our fleet. Daimler Trucks is a good

“Australia Post is setting a great

has been embraced by arguably Australia’s largest truck fleet, Australia

the new electric trikes, being adopted

choice for Australia Post in the fleet space with a large network and focus on safety,” concluded James Dixon.

example with deployment of the eCanter, demonstrating that you can get the job done in a sustainable

The eCanter is equipped with

way,” Müller said.

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

“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

Post is the perfect first Australian customer for the eCanter.

synchronous motor. Power output is rated at 135kW and 390Nm of torque

“Daimler is thrilled to partner with such an iconic brand as Australia Post

can be delivered the moment the accelerator pedal is pressed.

businesses in major capitals in two body configurations and will be supported

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

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

by the Daimler Trucks network.

city and the suburbs,” he added.

test running with a maximum load,

“Since working with Daimler Trucks on the pre-production eCanter, we

Fuso Truck and Bus Australia Director, Alex Müller, applauded Australia Post

in addition to real world driving in overseas markets.

Post, with the giant operation placing an initial order for 20 of the battery electric light trucks.

As we have predicted the eCanter will, in the initial stages be taken up in Australia, by the big image conscious fleets, desiring to be seen as 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 when Daimler Trucks announced that Australia Post would 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, initially agreeing 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

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for post delivery services, replacing the Honda Postie bikes it’s 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

the new benchmark in six-cylinder performance With a massive 2700Nm of torque the benchmark for 13-litre six-cylinder engine performance has just been reset. With a standard rating of 75,000kg, and generating maximum torque at low revs, it’s well equipped to take on the most demanding task with a minimum of fuss.

Throw in Scania’s renowned fuel efficiency and advanced safety features, including side curtain airbags, and luxury interior and you’ve got a package fit for the only business that matters. YOURS.

For more information on the all-conquering 540hp simply contact your nearest Scania branch/dealer.

VICTORIA Scania Campbellfield Tel: (03) 9217 3300 Scania Dandenong Tel: (03) 9217 3600 Scania Laverton Tel: (03) 9369 8666

NEW SOUTH WALES Scania Prestons Tel: (02) 9825 7900 Midcoast Trucks Coffs Harbour Tel: (02) 6652 7218

QUEENSLAND Scania Richlands Tel: (07) 3712 8500 Scania Pinkenba Tel: (07) 3712 7900

SOUTH AUSTRALIA Scania Wingfield Tel: (08) 8406 0200 WESTERN AUSTRALIA Scania Kewdale Tel: (08) 9360 8500

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CHASING RUBBISH – NEW LOCAL BUILT FRONT LOADER CF TO TARGET WASTE MARKET THE VOID that has been left in the waste collection market since Iveco

Kenworth Airglide suspension and locally sourced Meritor tandem axles

scrapped its locally designed and developed Acco in favour of a heavier,

with disc brakes were fitted to the body builder-friendly chassis and

adapted imported model, has seen a number of truck makers clamouring

provided significant weight saving for this excellent new product,” said Rubio.

to grab a piece of the action.

The latest is Paccar which says

Adaptation and validation of this hardware set, including software

it has utilised its five decades of local engineering expertise with its

integration for DAF’s latest generation of safety systems, was completed with assistance from Paccar Australia’s local supply chain network. All parties involved focused on producing a product to achieve industry-leading

Kenworth range and applied that resource to its DAF Euro 6 range, to produce an optimised variant, specifically for the waste industry.

Paccar said that after almost two years of planning and design work by the local engineering team, the new lightweight DAF CF 340 FAD, is entering service to demonstrate its attributes with some of Australia’s prominent waste companies.

“With a strong focus on producing a low tare-weight solution to optimise payloads, we’re confident we’ve got a fantastic transport solution for waste management,” said Felipe Rubio, DAF

tare weight to maximise operator payload, a huge consideration for the waste transport industry.

“That’s what sets us apart, being able to use Paccar Australia’s unique engineering and manufacturing capability to produce quality products specifically designed for the Australian market,” Rubio said.

“The result is exceptional, the team

a driver rating system is another key feature. The truck evaluates the driver behaviours and provides live

years of manufacturing Kenworth trucks in Australia, at the same time producing the 70,000th truck at the

driver performance feedback, which

Bayswater facility.

can be used to significantly improve fuel efficiency and reduce vehicle maintenance costs.

“It is both exciting and important that the new light tare-weight model be built in Australia, because if nothing

Fleets can further reduce fuel and

else, the past 18 months of an

maintenance costs, as well as track vehicles and vehicle performance, with Paccar Connect. Driver and fleet information is made available via live tracking on desktop computer or mobile devices through easy-to-read and fully customisable dashboards

economy dealing with COVID-19 has shown that Australian manufacturing is not only vibrant, but essential in creating jobs for Australian families,” Fellipe said.

“We hope that Australian operators continue to buy local products and

and detailed reports that provide convenient and timely insights. Paccar

support local suppliers and workers.”

Like all DAF trucks, buyers of this

Connect can also share vehicle data with third-party fleet management

new light tare-weight model can take confidence that it is fully supported

by Paccar Australia’s extensive sales,

applications, and is now on sale at DAF dealers.

Euro 6 emissions compliant product

systems, seamlessly integrating Paccar vehicles into businesses.

This truck will be the latest DAF product to be built at Paccar’s Bayswater production plan, alongside existing CF MX-11 and MX-13 powered prime mover models, and

Trucks Australia general manager.

with all the latest safety technology;

Kenworth’s entire Australian model

The release of the DAF Euro 6 model range in 2020 provided significant improvements in the areas of

offering exceptional performance and fuel efficiency, manoeuvrability, driveability and driver comfort with

range. In 2021 Paccar celebrated 50

performance, fuel efficiency and

exceptional payload capability for the waste industry. This is something we

driver safety over the Euro 5 model range, which had successfully seen the DAF CF75 FAD establish a strong presence in front loader and hook lift applications in the waste industry.

Building on these attributes, Paccar Australia’s engineering department worked with DAF’s engineers in

at Paccar Australia have delivered a

are extremely proud of,” he added.

DAF’s modern and powerful Paccar MX-11 Euro 6 engine has been mated to an Allison 3200 Series 6-Speed automatic transmission to provide the best balance between performance, efficiency and durability. Rated at 340

the Netherlands to produce a local version of the DAF CF 8x4 cab chassis that was both lighter and more manoeuvrable specifically for the

horsepower (251 kW) and providing

waste sector.

driveability at low engine speeds

The primary focus for Paccar Australia’s engineering department

with higher loads.

To help drivers and fleets maximise the fuel efficiency of this new engine,

was the rear end.

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a maximum torque of 1500 Nm, the engine and transmission combination provides maximum torque and

parts and service dealer network located throughout Australia.

The DAF CF 340 FAD is positioned to be well received by the waste transport industry, either in front loader, rear loader or hook lift

New Dainler Truck Financial Services CEO Greg Cubitt, with Daimler Trucks Australia boss Daniel Whitehead

INDEPENDENCE DAY – DAIMLER TRUCK NOW A SEPARATE CORPORATION DAIMLER TRUCK officially became an independent company on 1st December, forming a separate operation from its former parent company Mercedes-Benz passenger

provided by Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, the same finance company that delivers finance for MercedesBenz passenger vehicle customers.

From now on, Daimler Truck Financial

The creation of a dedicated financial services company for Daimler Truck and Bus customers is also a welcome development, says Whitehead.

car division. The truck operation is now an independent global

Services will be wholly dedicated to truck and bus customers, through the

commercial vehicle manufacturer which it says will allow for a sharper

established Daimler Truck and Bus dealer network.

vehicle and the finance requirements they need for their business are also unique. We are excited that Craig

focus on commercial vehicle customers.

Experienced commercial vehicle finance executive, Craig Cubitt, has

and his entire team will now be able to focus solely on our truck and bus

The company also says it will offer

Daimler Truck says that the global changes will enable its business to continue delivering class-leading

been appointed chief executive officer of the new organisation that will be based at Daimler Truck and Bus

customers and provide them with the best and most innovative commercial

Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner and Fuso

headquarters in Mulgrave, Victoria.

vehicle financial products and services,” he said.

including something it calls, Fast Track Finance, which offers a fast streamlined approval process, as well

trucks and buses into the future as it moves towards zero emissions.

The move has also seen Daimler

Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific president and CEO, Daniel Whitehead, said the independence of

Craig Cubitt said the Daimler Truck Financial Services team, which has extensive industry experience in

Truck and Bus Australia Pacific grow

Daimler Truck is a big plus.

Australia, is perfectly positioned to

its workforce as it takes on previously shared internal services, but says that the big news for customers is the

“We are excited that Daimler Truck is now a standalone global entity because we know that independence

deliver the best products and services to Daimler Truck and Bus customers.

“We aim to be a truly customer-

creation of a new dedicated truck and

will make us more nimble and

bus finance company; Daimler Truck Financial Services.

Previously, Daimler’s commercial vehicle finance offerings were

enable us to continue making the investments needed to develop the best trucks, buses and associated services of the future,” he said.

focused organisation that puts our truck and bus customers at the centre

“Running a fleet of trucks or buses is very different to operating a passenger

of everything we do,” Cubitt said.

“Our new structure as a stand-alone finance company means we can serve

our truck customers and dealers better than ever before.”

Daimler Truck Financial Services says that it offers a wide range of financial solutions, including business asset loans, hire-purchase, and lease products, as well as some unique innovative solutions that are not available anywhere else in the industry. two unique and exclusive products

as the popular Daimler Guaranteed Buy Back program, which provides customers a guaranteed future value on their Daimler truck right from the beginning of their contract.

The company says that the Daimler Guaranteed Buy back is unlike traditional loans, as it also offers several options at the end of contract including the option to hand back the truck or alternatively, the customer can choose to retain the truck or trade it in for a new one.

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ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND

IVECO TO CLOSE DANDENON G

/ INDEPENDANCE DAY AT

VIEWS FROM ACROSS THE

GLOBE

DAIMLER / AUST POST BUY S eCANTER / DAF CHASES RUBBISH

ISUZU TECHS SELECTED TO REPRESENT AUSTRALIA IN VIRTUAL WORLD TECH COMP Isuzu has wrapped up its annual National Technical Skills Competition

virtually on home soil, with Australia’s team set to undertake the tough

Darwin, before going on to complete a dual trade qualification specialising

competition is always very, very high… but I’m quietly confident of

with 47 of its best automotive technicians battling it out for the

e-Competition in Brisbane.

The company said that the NTSC this

chance to represent their Isuzu dealership and Australia at Isuzu

year challenged technicians with a series of Interactive Virtual Online

in diagnostics for both electrical and mechanical faults. He joined Tony Ireland Isuzu in 2012 as the leading

our chances this year,” Jason said.

“Going over to Japan in 2018 was an experience of a lifetime, being in the

hand at its Townsville workshop.

Motor’s I-1 Grand Prix.

Isuzu says the top two technicians

Diagnostic tests with results tallied up against a 60-minute written exam

testing centre there and having all of Isuzu Motors watching you compete…

from the NTSC will form Australia’s I-1 GP team, and they are now

and each tech’s personal scores from their Isuzu Technicians Guild

looking ahead to the challenge of an international I-1 Grand Prix e-Competition—which has been refreshed in a new virtual format due to COVID-19.

The I-1 GP finals have traditionally been held at Isuzu Motors head office in Japan, with each country’s qualifying team flying in with a coach to compete in both ‘individual’ and ‘team’ finals.

The company says that in essence, the competition remains the same, with individual and team events taking place. However, this year each technician will be competing

Questionnaires held earlier in 2021.

In Australia, the top two technicians were picked from a competitive field, with only a seven per cent difference in combined scores separating first and tenth place.

Harry Minnis, who only started his apprenticeship with Brisbane Isuzu Eagle Farm in 2016, fresh from high school, was this year’s Australian NTSC winner, scoring 100 per cent during the second virtual failure diagnosis test.

place in the 2018 I-1 GP in Japan.

Jason scored the highest mark in this

The other member of the top two Jason

year’s NTSC Technical Knowledge exam, earning him his spot on the 2021 Australian team.

“The NTSC tests are definitely getting harder each year, and this year’s was daunting at first being fully virtual, but it’s come out to be a well-polished

Peterkin, began his apprenticeship

competition.

in 1995, working for his father in

“The level of experience and

Harry Minnis

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Isuzu says that with a combination of smarts and on-the-job experience, Jason is recognised as one of Australia’s best technicians when it comes to Isuzu’s 4JJ1 engine series.

This isn’t his first time for Peterkin in the I-1 GP circuit—he’s competed several times in the NTSC and took home an honourable team fourth

I’m looking forward to getting out there again sometime in the future.”

Isuzu Australia Limited national service technical manager, Brenton Cook, congratulated all entrants and the type two technicians for their achievements so far.

“As always, it’s fantastic to see the level of talent that comes out of events like this and the broader I-1 GP event program. We couldn’t be prouder of the results achieved this year and the technician’s commitment to being the best they can be.

“A hearty congratulations to all participating technicians, but to our Top two technicians Harry and Jason, well done and good luck in the final round,” said Cook.

Jason Peterkin

ALLISON has announced a groundbreaking deal with one of the leading truck competitors in the grueling Dakar Rally, to help develop electrically-powered trucks for the Dakar rally and other rally events.

Allison announced the three-year partnership agreement with Team

transmissions limit traction at low speeds. That’s why our team switched

in the converter, which helps protect the truck’s drive motor from shock

for commercial and defense vehicles, Allison is a leading designer and

in 2018 to an Allison fully automatic transmission. Knowing how effective

loading associated with torsional forces in the driveline.

manufacturer of conventional, electric hybrid and fully electric

and robust Allison’s transmissions are, it is great to have the company’s support with our plans to go electric,” said de Rooy.

In the most recent running of the Dakar Rally vehicles equipped with Allison transmissions dominated the

A further benefit is made possible by self-learning algorithms in Allison Automatics, which continually optimise engine speed and torque level. This helps maximize efficiency and minimize energy use in electric motors.

vehicle propulsion solutions. Allison recently expanded its presence in the EV sector by bringing the eGen PowerTM series of electric axles to the truck and bus market. These e-Axles are fully integrated electric powertrains that replace conventional

top ten in the truck division.

While the new electric truck is under

driveline components including axles,

Team de Rooy’s new Iveco electrified truck will use Allison’s 4000 Series fully automatic transmission with

development, Team de Rooy will enter the 2022 Dakar Rally with dieselpowered Iveco trucks equipped with

engine, transmission and propshaft in medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

The e-Axles can fit into existing

This ambitious project was affirmed

retarder. This is suitable, like all Allison Automatics, for all medium-

Allison fully automatic transmissions, supplied and supported by Drive

chassis configurations with minimal modifications and this compact

at Team de Rooy’s premises near Eindhoven, in the Netherlands. Gerard de Rooy, the managing director of

and heavy-duty commercial engines and all fuel types and electric motors.

Allison’s 4000 Series is also being

Line Systems (DLS), the official Allison Authorized distributor for the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg,

confguration will allow for extra space for battery packs in the truck.

De Rooy Transport and owner of the

integrated with an electric motor in

Iceland and Turkey.

truck rally team, has won Dakar, as both team owner and driver, in 2012 and 2016.

Hyundai’s XCIENT hydrogen-electric heavy-duty truck, which went into production in 2020.

Team De Rooy will also drive the Classic DAF trucks “dubbelkop” (translated: Twin Head), driven by Jan

“Dakar and other rally raids are really

De Rooy believes, the Allison torque

De Rooy, Gerard’s father. This Classic

tough on mechanical components, especially the suspension, axles and gearbox. On hard surfaces, severe

converter, which multiplies torque at launch, will enable its electric rally raid truck to utilise a smaller and

truck is also equipped with Allison fully automatic transmissions. The “dubbelkop” has two complete power

vibrations go through the whole driveline and consequently through

less powerful drive motor to optimize range and efficiency, and to perform

packs equipped with two Allison transmissions on board.

the entire rally truck, hour after hour, causing damage. On loose

well when powering up sand dunes.

It says that another advantage is the

As well as being the largest global manufacturer of medium- and heavy-

sand traditional clutch-operated

dampening effect of the fluid coupling

duty fully automatic transmissions

de Rooy, a multiple-winner of the truck division of the world-famous Dakar Rally.

Testing is scheduled to start on an electrified truck with a conventional Allison transmission in early 2022, ahead of the vehicle’s competition debut at the Dakar Rally in January 2023.

“Pioneering and innovation have been in Allison’s DNA since its foundation in 1915 and the electrification era is no different. On and off-road, and even in the sand dunes, we are helping our customers transition from solutions which are available now – combining our conventional transmissions with an electric motor, for example – to designing fully integrated electric axles, providing the same maximum levels of reliability, performance and driveability,” said Edgar Lips, Senior OEM Account Manager, Allison Transmission.

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New Model

SCANIA IS THE ONLY TRUCK MAKER OF ANY NOTE STILL PRODUCING A V8 ENGINE IN A HEAVY DUTY TRUCK. THE V8 IS A TRADEMARK FOR THE SWEDISH MAKER, AND WHILE SOME MAY HAVE PREDICTED THE DEMISE OF THE BIG BENT EIGHT, NOT ONLY HAS SCANIA BREATHED NEW LIFE INTO THE CONCEPT, IT HAS PRODUCED A TRUCK THAT DELIVERS SUPERLATIVE PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY IN AN EFFORTLESS AND RELAXED MANNER. WE TOOK ONE FOR A SPIN RECENTLY AND CAME AWAY WITH A BIG SMILE ON OUR DIAL.

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T

he 40 km/h road works speed limit was positioned at the very foot of a long steep climb on the Calder Freeway heading west toward Bendigo. It was the sort of baulk that would have committed many a truck hauling a B-Double and 62 tonnes up a steep incline to a slow and grinding climb.

However this was no ordinary truck.

Underneath us was 16.4 litres of throbbing 90 degree V8 diesel producing an industry topping 770hp and 3750 Nm of torque - deep, throbbing, hill killing, load hauling torque.

In a world that has recently been marked by a move to down size and down speed engines, to reduce fuel consumption and to increase efficiency, this 770hp beast stands out as a beacon for high horsepower, under stressed, big engines.

As they say at Mt Panorama there is no substitute for cubic inches.

The interesting thing is that Scania is one of those truck makers that has been championing the down-size concept.

Its 13-litre six cylinder, which we road tested in the previous issue, is a startingly good example of just that. However the reality is they are not mutually exclusive concepts. Both can be intelligent choices depending on application, weights and

end goals and there is a lot to be said for an easy, loping under stressed high horsepower donk that doesn’t have to work as hard as a smaller engine.

Of course the temptation is to use all that extra power and torque on the end of your right foot pushing down on that throttle pedal, and if you do that any truck like the Scania 770 will use more fuel. But more about fuel use and efficiency a little later.

When we were invited to Melbourne to drive the new Scania flagship, after months of lock down and very little chance to test drive any trucks, it was an opportunity we had to grasp with both hands. With a few exceptions we hadn’t had the chance to climb behind the wheel of a proper ‘big’ truck for many months, so there was a degree of excitement when climbed up into the Scania cab.

Scania says it was able to squeeze that extra power and torque out of the V8 with a new free spinning, ball bearing equipped, fixed-geometry turbocharger along with bigger injectors. This has meant faster engine response and better more efficient combustion, and we are told that they have reduced the overall weight by 75kg compared with the previous flagship Scania V8 donk.

The engine’s exhaust manifolds have also been the target of some focus from Scania engineers, with new lighter and more efficient one piece cast iron manifolds for each bank of cylinders, and these are part of the reason the big banger sounds so bloody good.

When you fire this thing up it sounds much like most big diesels , but when you move away with a good dab of throttle that thrum from the V8 and the familiar gutsy, harmonic pulse note that only comes from an engine with two banks of cylinders is there to fill your ears with a glorious mechanical symphony.

When we took off from Scania HQ the hard acceleration away from standstill elicited those marvellous audio notes as the 16.4 litre powered up to haul its 62 tonnes away with impressive ease.

The impressive performance of the V8 is enhanced further by being mated to the excellent Scania Opticruise 12-speed AMT, and given that power and torque the final drive in the test truck was specced with a nice tall ratio at 3.07:1. The tall diff helps with fuel efficiency and given the ample power and torque of the 770, it has the ability to use this ratio without being a laggard on hills and climbs, while running on the flat at not much more than idle speed.

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Alongside us on the day of our test was Scania’s Ben Nye who has really been the driving force behind the 770 horse V8 within the company, mounting the case for the truck and working closely with Sweden to develop the spec for Australia.

Speaking with Nye reveals a level of enthusiasm for all things automotive and a real passion for the Scania V8 that is reflected in how well the V8 performs and how well it is tailored to the task.

The test truck was very new, in fact it had just a shade over 800km on the clock when we entered the details in our new Quallogi Electronic Work Diary (the first time we had used the non-paper log book system) before setting off.

Wheeling out onto the Western Ring Road and getting up to speed meant that we soon felt the benefit of another upgrade to the big Scania in the form of its new electric over hydraulic steering and its air bag front suspension. Ben had mentioned the new steering spec before we had departed but that didn’t prepare us for just how good the new system is in real life. It is direct without being twitchy, well damped, comfortable, with the right amount of assistance and above all

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precise. Unlike steering in other current prime movers the Scania electric system means the driver is not chasing the rig all the time, you can steer a track down the road with ease and confidence.

That might not seem like too big a deal, but steering input and the focus drivers have to place on it can be one of the most fatigue inducing parts of the act of driving a vehicle. Research by car maker Mercedes-Benz decades ago revealed that a vehicle’s steering could influence up to 40 per cent to a driver’s tiredness on a long trip, and depending on such things as the level of steering input needed, and even the size of the steering wheel, this could be dramatically reduced.

Certainly in the relatively few short hours at the wheel of the Scania 770, the comfortable steering and ease of operation meant we still felt fresh when we stepped away from the truck back at Campbellfield, after around 300km.

The cabin of the 770 is, like all Scanias, a haven of comfort and calm, with excellent finishes throughout the truck’s interior, sitting high above the road below.

Climb up the steps and slide in behind the wheel and it almost feels car like. The

cockpit wraps around the driver’s seat with every switch and control easy to see and use, while the steering wheel is compact, with a flat bottom and a range of control buttons and toggles for cruise control, information screen scrolling and a bunch of other functions, again all easy to use and understand, located on the wheel..

The Scania New Generation cockpits have established themselves as, if not the best in the industry, then very close to it.

It is pretty obvious that you are driving a V8 because a V8 logo is prominent around the interior, featuring on the dash, on the seats and even on the floor mats. It is an evocative engine configuration, and as we mentioned earlier, Scania is the only truck maker still selling the V8 dream, so you can understand the proliferation of the V8 image.

Controls all fall easy to hand with two stalks on either side of the steering column controlling vital functions. On the right hand stalk are the controls for the transmission along with the retarder, while on the left hand stalk are the controls for the wiper/washers and indicators.

Fire the big V8 up and it throbs beneath you, not intrusive but there with its obvious power humming away. Select

D on the right hand stalk and squeeze the throttle and that V8 burble fills your senses, powering away from a standstill with consummate ease.

If the Scania people had not produced the weighbridge ticket indicating the 62 tonne total weight, then you wouldn’t have believed it. The power and torque handles the task so easily that it felt as though the gross was much less.

Powering on to the motorway from the entry ramps demonstrated the impressive torque of the V8, quickly melding in with the traffic and never being a slow moving burden on the vehicles around it.

It quickly becomes apparent how good the new electro-hydraulic power steering and front airbag suspension really are.

Maintaining lane position on multi-lane motorways is often a task, but not with the new Scania. Often in recent times, electronic lane keeper warnings become a nuisance as minor lane departures caused an annoying beeper sound. The interesting thing was that in the V8 Scania there were virtually none of these in the 300kms we covered at the wheel of the truck. That is really down to the precision and accuracy of the steering and the true

tracking of the truck.

With all of our brief test drive taking place on multi-lane motorways, we are keen to sample the new 770 on some two lane country tarmac to reinforce our feeling that this is possibly the best steering and suspension system we have ever experienced in a truck.

The trip out to Bendigo is basically just one big climb, with some ascents steeper than others. However it seemed no issue for this powerful Swede. With a Scania camera car accompanying us for much of the drive, the effortless climbing prowess of the 770 even surprised the Scania PR at the wheel of the car, who was impressed when he realised the big B-Double was still close to the legal limit, despite being part way up a stern climb.

With the AMT 12 speed managing the cogs, the Scania always seemed to be in the right gear with the engine in the optimal torque band. In top at just under the legal limit, the big V8 mated to the 3.07 final drive allows the truck to lope along at around 1200 to 1250 rpm. On the hills the engine digs deep and maintains good pace, even with the high diff ratio and even on the toughest hills, it never

drops lower than ninth gear.

With the adaptive cruise set at 95 and the hill overrun function set with a 10 km/h limit above that, the Scania was easy to control and manage coming off the hills. The system manages the speed very efficiently and seamlessly. The excellent Scania four-stage retarder allows the driver extra resources for slowing the truck, and again there are few retarders in the market that can match the performance of the Scania system.

With so many climbs, and with a pretty high gross, the fuel consumption was at around 1.61 litres per km (or 61.8litre/100km) which was very encouraging, particularly with the odo reading only 1065km by the time we stopped for lunch on the Western outskirts of Melbourne at the Calder Truck Stop.

We would love to have the chance to drive it on a long flat run with the engine better run in and a little freer, when we reckon the V8 would amble along, maintaining high gears and low revs, to produce a fuel figure above 2km per litre.

It goes without saying that Scania, which is very diligent with its commitment to lower emissions and better efficiency, has

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made the 770 V8 fully Euro 6 compliant, and it does this without the need for EGR, relying solely on SCR. That is good and bad news for some, good because in hot Australian conditions EGR can be a problem for engine heat. Bad, because of the well-publicised shortages of AdBlue, but that is a short term issue.

If asked to sum up the Scania 770 V8 in just one word, then that word would be effortless. The V8 never seemed stressed, overtaxed or struggling. It was relaxed, easy and comfortable, doing its job with great aplomb.

It is clear the new 770 Scania V8. Is one helluva good truck. It is not going to suit everyone or every fleet, but it has a tremendous amount of appeal and will deliver terrific performance and many hundreds of thousands of stress free and effortless kilometres to any operator who puts the money down for one. We look forward to a longer extended test at some time in the future.

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SCANIA 770 V8 SPECS: Engine: Power: Torque: Emissions: Transmission: Fuel: AdBlue: Front axle: Front suspension: Rear axles: Ratio: Rear suspension: Brakes:

Scania DC16 770 16.4-litre 90-degree V8 770hp (566kW) at 1900rpm 3700 Nm (2730ft/lb) at 1000-1450rpm Euro6 (SCR) Scania GRSO926R, overdrive 12 speed, Scania Retarder 1030 litres 146 litres tanks Scania AM640S Air front springs, 7500kg capacity with anti-roll bar Scania AD200SA Axle housings, Scania RB662/ R660 Differentials 3.07 with power divider and diff locks Scania four bag air suspension, (19000kg capacity) Scania electronically controlled disc brakes EBS with integrated ABS and Traction Control Electronic park brake.

DAF CF FRONT LOADER

Always Delivering on Productivity The DAF CF 340 FAD has been engineered and built in Australia to deliver a new low tare weight option specifically for the waste industry.

With a powerful and efficient MX-11 Euro 6 engine, and featuring a full suite of the latest safety technology, DAF is your perfect waste partner.

PURE EXCELLENCE

Road Test

HINO HAS LIFTED THE GAME WITH ITS NEW FLAGSHIP 700 SERIES MODELS, OFFERING MORE REFINEMENT, BETTER SAFETY AND PERFORMANCE, REVISED ENGINES AND AS A MARK OF THE TIME, ONLY AN AUTOMATIC OR AMT WHEN IT COMES TO TRANSMISSIONS, WITH NOT A GEAR STICK TO BE FOUND, WHICH IS NO BAD THING. WE HAD A DRIVE IN TWO VERSIONS OF THE 700 AND FOUND THE NEW HINO HEAVY TO BE A VERY GOOD TRUCK. 020 www.truckandbus.net.au

T

he rain was bucketing down as we headed south from Sydney along the M6 Motorway during the ‘Big November Wet’ . This is a notorious piece of road that often finds itself suddenly bathed in thick fog and the combination of the heavy rain and foggy conditions made the going absolutely treacherous.

We were at the wheel of Hino’s latest 700 Series, which due to Covid, had been launched ‘virtually’. We were now having our first drive of the new Hino Heavy Duty, the flagship of the Hino fleet.

The particular vehicle we found ourselves piloting through the mist, was the 700 FS2848, configured as a Tipper Dog and with the latest Hino 13 litre 480 hp engine mated to the ZF Traxxon 16 speed AMT. As the nomenclature reveals the 2848 refers to the fact that the truck has a 28 tonne GVM and the engine is rated at 480hp.

On a day of incessant rain we were taking things carefully, splashing through the puddles as we tacked our way south from the Hino HQ towards Wollongong.

It had been a number of years since we had taken a truck down the challenging Mount Ousley, a descent that is challenging for any truck, not to mention climbing back up it on the return run.

As we said the fog, rain and mist on the M6 was a challenge but ensconced in the Hino cabin, we were at least dry, warm and cocooned away from the nasty weather outside.

Inside the cab is one area that has had the wand waved over it and with, what seems to be Hino’s new trademark, a stylish ochre brown interior, which we first saw in the 500 Series. It is a real change from the boring greys and blacks that normally pervade the cabs of Japanese trucks, in fact the cabs of trucks of any nationality.

The cockpit has been has been transformed with not just the colour but the wrap around design and the carbon fibre look finish to the instrument surrounds and central console.

The dash is very simple and extremely well laid out. There are minimal switches and the instruments are large and easy to read with the right amount of information. More automotive designers need to take a look at the Hino dash, because increasingly they either forget or overlook the fact that the driver is usually rolling down the road at around 100 km/h or 26 metres per second, and the more complex the dash and controls the more

likely focus will be taken off the road and the hazards ahead. It’s not rocket science, and that’s the point, in a rocket in space you could take your eyes off the ‘road’ to attend to complex switches and instruments, you simply can’t in a truck on a busy road at 100km/h.

While the new Hino 700 looks a lot like the old one it replaces, under the skin it is a very different truck with all new interior structures and exterior panels. Hino says it was necessary to give longer rearward travel for the driver’s seat but also to give a 15mm lower hip point for the driver, with the former benefiting taller pilots and the later helping shorter ones.

The new cab design, allowed for the latest gen electronic architecture to fit, thanks partly to a new dash, which has given more room for componentry.

That has enabled Hino to expand its SmartSafe suite which has already found favour with customers in the brand’s 300 and 500 series models.

The safety features include pre-collision system with autonomous emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning system and vehicle stability control.

The 700 also includes such things as the new Driver Monitor camera, which is positioned in the moulding on the A-pillar.

This system is designed to detect driver fatigue by scanning the eye and head movement and will warn if the driver looks to be dozing or at the very least displaying inattention.

The Driver Monitor is also integrated with the Lane Departure warning giving the driver a warning if the system detects the truck is wandering within the lane.

As we splashed our way South, the Hino heavy was impressing with not only its new cab but also the way it was responding and tracking in the rugged conditions. It was so wet and miserable that it was virtually impossible to take photos of the truck, which is why pics of the tipper dog unit in this story are on dry roads, they were taken a week or so after our test.

The test we really wanted to throw at this 26 tonne unit was the Mt Ousley descent. Engaging the retarder with the wand on the steering column gives an impressive amount of slowing power, and we used a Kenworth with a single trailer in front of us as a guide. The Kenny driver was constantly on and off the brakes, trying to drag it back to a manageable and legal pace. In the Hino however, we

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were comfortable retarding our progress using only the wand, moving it between the levels to slow it up or to let it run. The Kenny appeared to be lightly loaded with not too much on the open trailer so both trucks were grossing similar weights.

It was extremely confidence building, and the more we used it the more confident we were in its ability to manage the speed of the Hino on steep downhill runs.

Once at the bottom the Hino was pointed toward Port Kemba, in an environment that is truck central. Plenty of similar tipper dog rigs and lots of B-Doubles and single semis, all battling the wet and slippery roads. The Hino tracked and steered very well and always felt well tied down and manageable.

Above all it was easy and comfortable to drive, with the 16-speed Traxxon AMT making the Hino a very user friendly truck. Couple that to all the safety systems and for fleet operators needing trucks at the bottom end of the heavy sector, this

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would be an ideal choice.

The Hino 13 litre is a nice, flexible and very driveable engine, which at 480hp is a little on the conservative side these days, with a lot of manufacturers, including notably Japanese rival Fuso, pushing their 13 litre units up past 500 hp. Speculation is that market leader Isuzu may have a 500 plus flagship in the not too distant future, but that is yet to be confirmed.

Hino however has resisted pushing up and locked this engine in at a safe and happy 480 horses.

Just how good that engine and transmission package performed under heavy climbing, we were about to find out.

Ahead lay the return ascent of Ousley, and we have to say the Hino held its own and impressed with its honest effort and the deep well of torque that allowed it to crest the top still holding ninth gear. It was a strong effort that underlined the fact that if Hino wanted to uprate the power on this engine it would not be too much of a struggle.

Watch this space, we reckon a higher horsepower Hino may be on the horizon.

Back in Sydney’s southern outskirts the traffic and the stop-start at the various intersections, further tested the 13-litre driveline. All to soon we were back at Hino and parking the 13litre. We had a best average fuel burn of 2.5km/ litre which given the conditions and the number of heavy climbs and descents along with the weight we were hauling was a pretty good result.

We’d organised to step straight out of the 13-litre FS and into the new nine-litre 700 Series FR, using Hino’s superb newish sixcylinder that first debuted in the 500 Series about three years ago. It has since been further uprated to meet the equivalent of Euro 6 emissions The FR test truck was specced as a heavy rigid tautliner and although the architecture and appearance, the systems and interior design are the same for the nine or 13-litre models, the new cab can

“ABOVE ALL IT WAS EASY AND COMFORTABLE TO DRIVE, WITH THE 16-SPEED TRAXXON AMT MAKING THE HINO A VERY USER FRIENDLY TRUCK”

sit lower on the smaller nine litre. In fact around 120mm, which clearly means it is less of a climb up into the cockpit. This is an important aspect for drivers who are in and out of the cab all day, doing metro delivery runs, with the lower climb height making it a much easier truck to live with.

It is easy to identify the engine spec from the outside with the smaller engine 700s featuring a three-bar grille and the 13-litre versions having a four-bar grille.

The new cabs now have a four-point suspension system, which certainly is something that benefits the ride and overall NVH in the cab. We felt it and appreciated it in the 13-litre on our trip to the ‘Gong, and it was equally appreciated in our city work in the nine-litre.

With the lower entry on this truck also comes a better and safer climb up by staggered steps, on both models, while there is also a redesign of the front access flap to pre-check vital fluid reservoirs.

The nine-litre interior, apart from being

closer to the ground is very similar to its big brother.

Like the bigger truck, there is a seveninch multifunction display that can be scrolled through to give a variety information to the driver, accessed by toggle switches on the steering wheel.

In fact the entire dash is easy to access and read and now that Hino no longer offers a manual trans in the 700, the designers did not have to grapple with where to place a gear stick. In the ninelitre, mated to an Allison six speed auto there is a touch pad control, while the 13-litre had a rotary dial on the dash to select gears.

In terms of creature comforts, all 700s come with climate control aircon/heating as standard, while there is a full-width bunk behind the seats that is enough for drivers to rest on, or to store baggage etc. but is not really designed for a comfortable night’s kip.

Fire the nine-litre up and there is very

little vibration or rattle. This is a very sophisticated diesel, which when we first drove it in the wide cab 500 impressed us, and led us to say that it was the closest thing to a European engine we’d ever experienced in a Japanese truck. That was of course before Fuso put the 13 litre in its Shogun, but that is a European engine.

This truck was an FR 2632 6x2, which following the same nomenclature code indicates that it had a 26 tonne GVM with the 320hp version of the nine-litre. The truck had the standard wheelbase with a 14-pallet tautliner curtain-sider.

The Hino people had loaded it to 18 tonnes with a bunch of IBCs in the back.

With the engine purring in the background, we touched the Allison selector pad and moved away, negotiating the back streets of Taren Point on our way north, this time heading for a loop around the metro areas of Sydney. We were emulating the sort of conditions and work schedule that a truck of this spec would

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“ IT IS QUIET, EASY TO USE, SAFE AND ABOVE ALL ECONOMICAL”

normally tackle.

The rigid nine-litre was a lot more manoeuvrable than its tipper dog sibling and in and out of the traffic, with its flexible engine and efficient shifting auto, it proved a breeze to guide around the wet roads of the Southern suburbs.

In fact the big rigid was almost car like in its ease of operation and nimbleness. The shifts from the Allison were smooth, quick and well timed and it proved the perfect package for the sort of work this truck would be tasked with.

With the Allison programmed and mated to the Hino’s engine management computer the gearbox always seemed to have the truck in the ideal rev range in the ‘eco’ band from 900 to 1500 rpm.

Hino has given the 700’s a new braking system that melds with its new safety suite. There is now an Electronic braking system that provides a much faster signal to the modulators and sits alongside and compliments the fall-back pneumatic signal line. Disc brakes haven’t made it on to the agenda with Hino yet, but the 700 uses highly efficient tapered-roller drums and they work just fine.

The nine-litre’s 320hp is aided by its 1275Nm of torque which peaks between 1100 and 1600rpm and has a Jacobs brake as standard. It’s mated to Allison’s 3200, six-speed automatic torque converter transmission.

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Underneath the rear of the rigid was a standard Hendrickson HAS rear tandem boasting adjustable dock-height settings, while Hino now fits cross axle diff locks as standard, selected by a switch on the dash, making it a handy way of avoiding being hung up on ramps and gutters, particularly when unladen.

ISRI suspension seats are now standard for drivers making the comfort factor in the Hino even better, with plenty of adjustment in both the seat and the steering column, while the seat belt is attached to the seat, making it a lot easier and comfortable to use.

Vision from the revised Hino cab is excellent, with good all round sight lines and a strong selection of mirrors and cameras to deliver the extra spatial awareness to the driver. The mirrors are electrically powered and heated covering every angle, while the cameras gave extra coverage to the sides and behind, with the display on the central seven inch infotainement screen in the middle of the dash.

With a Jake brake as standard, coupled with the six speed Allison, the FR also offered excellent retardation without the need to go for the service brakes. Like its big brother the Jake is activated by a wand on the steering column, but with just the one level not four like the ZF equipped retarder.

We all know how well the Jake works, and with the intuitive nature of the

Allison in down shifting when needed, the whole package is excellent. This is further enhanced by the brake blending switch, which combines the Jake with the service brakes. With this selected pushing the brake pedal also automatically brings on the Jake to assist, it is very good.

A day and bit driving the rigid 700 FR around Sydney’s increasingly crowded and fraught roads showed us what a good truck this is for tackling this sort of work.

It is quiet, easy to use, safe and above all economical, with an average of just over 3 km per litre.

It’s little wonder that the Japanese brands dominate this sector, and with trucks like the new 700, using either the nine or the 13-litre engine, Hino is going to sell a lot more heavies, particularly with even more new variants on their way, and potentially a 500 plus hp version down the track, not to mention a hybrid model to come.

Hino and Fuso now have the best artillery on this battlefield, despite the fact that Isuzu has an advantage in territory and ascendency.

However the real winners in the technology and refinement race the three Japanese brands are fighting are truck buyers and in particular truck drivers. Life as a driver in a truck like the new Hino 700 would be very comfortable thank you very much and we’d gladly put our hand up to do just that in one of these.

ABS Driver & Passenger Airbag Reverse Camera Sensor AM/FM Radio-USB-Bluetooth Air Conditioning Power Windows Remote Locking Regen Brakes

New Product

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FOR YEARS THE AUTO INDUSTRY TOLD US THAT SAFETY DOESN’T SELL, BUT AS MORE AND MORE FLEETS ARE DEMANDING BETTER AND MORE FOOLPROOF SAFETY SYSTEMS IN THEIR TRUCKS AND CARS IN A BID TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THEIR WORKERS AND TO PROTECT THEM AGAINST NEGLIGENCE CLAIMS, TRUCK MAKERS IN PARTICULAR ARE DELIVERING VEHICLES PACKED WITH THE LATEST SAFETY TECH. ITS TAKEN MARKET LEADER ISUZU A LITTLE LONGER TO CLIMB ABOARD THE SAFETY TRAIN, BUT NOW IT HAS WITH ITS NEW N SERIES.

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W

hen market leader Isuzu launches a new model , the Australian truck industry pays attention, particularly when it is the latest incarnation of its immensely popular top selling N Series range.

Isuzu claims that the new N Series is “the safest Isuzu ever developed for Australia”.

The new N Series is a much safer range of trucks, and it has joined the other Japanese makers in delivering a safety package that clearly the industry is demanding.

The new Isuzu N Series is late to the safety party and comes to market with a safety package, a couple of years behind its two Japanese rivals. At the 2019 Brisbane Truck Show, Isuzu executives told the trade press that they didn’t believe that Isuzu customers were prepared to pay for the full

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safety suite that its opponents had recently introduced. However that was three years ago, and the world changed, and clearly the sales improvements the safety packages have delivered to Hino and Fuso surely indicated to Isuzu management that customers are prepared to pay and want the benefits the latest safety tech delivers.

That change in philosophy has led to Isuzu delivering a full safety suite in the new N Series because buyers, particularly large fleets, are increasingly indicating they are keen to protect themselves against OH&S claims when trucks are inevitably involved in road accidents.

Isuzu didn’t get to the top and maintain its market supremacy for the past 33 years or more by maintaining the status quo or ignoring market signals. The Isuzu team are a savvy bunch and they obviously saw the writing on the wall. It is just a great

thing that all three Japanese truck makers now have similar levels of safety.

While the launch of the new N Series came at the end of the lockdowns, it was still too difficult to hold an actual media event live, so like so many other truck makers over the past two years, Isuzu hosted a virtual online event. We are all praying that very soon we will be able to be in the same room with truck company bosses to pick up the nuances and be able to fire questions face to face rather than screen to screen The N Series is a critical truck for Isuzu, delivering the greatest volume and helping it maintain a massive advantage over its light and medium duty opponents.

The heart of the new N Series improvements is its suite of advanced safety technology and driver aids which the company is calling Isuzu Intelligent

Safety. However along with the safety systems there are also improvements to towing capacity on some models, a revised interior and an expanded offering in Isuzu’s Ready-to-Work range, with a new tipper and another Tradepack model with more models expected next year as well and a new six year warranty.

Isuzu is calling its safety technology Advanced Driver Assistance System, or ADAS, featuring as it does Advanced Emergency Braking system (AEB) with Forward Collision Warning (FCW); Lane Departure Warning system (LDW); Traffic Movement Warning (TMW); Distance Warning System (DWS); and Auto Lighting System (ALS) as well as a bunch of other safety system initials and acronyms.

The essence and nerve centre of ADAS is based around a Hitachi stereo 3D

camera, which Isuzu claims is very accurate in object detection, as well as speed and depth perception in daylight or night operation. Fuso and Hino both use a radar and camera combination and arguments will rage on about whether the dual lens system is better than the radar camera operation, but it is clear both do the job we understand.

The Isuzu dual-lens Hitachi camera is mounted inside the truck’s cab in a central dashboard position and isn’t attached to the windscreen which Isuzu says ensures it doesn’t obstruct the driver’s view.

Isuzu claims this system works better in urban operations, with the camera delivering a better field of vision detecting objects at a lower-height like children and animals while driving, again emphasising that it is tailored to operators working in urban operations.

The dual lens camera system informs the control of the Advanced Emergency Braking system and the Forward Collision Warning (FCW) which Isuzu says is better at detecting and judging depth perception with three-dimensional objects like vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles.

The Front Collision Warning system will alert the driver If the FCW system determines a collision is likely, and depending on the scenario in front it will deliver either audio and visual alerts, before the autonomous braking system kicks in to help avoid or at worst ameliorate the effects of a crash Isuzu says that the system will work to avoid a crash up to 50km per hour ( or in a. speed differential of up to 50km/h) while reducing the impact of a collision at higher speed differentials.

Isuzu says that the system also works

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well in darkness at night The new Isuzus also get Lane Departure Warning which is run through sensors detecting and monitoring the vehicle’s path down the road and the lane markings and road edge. The system again sounds audible and visual alerts if the truck begins moves across line markings or across the road edge.

Isuzu says its new Distance Warning System (DWS) will ensure the truck is maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle ahead with the ability for the driver to pre-set a minimum distance setting that suits the application and environment.

The company claims the system has been ‘intuitively programmed’ to rule out a

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constant barrage of alarms at low speeds and in dense traffic and only kicks in at speeds over 30km per hour.

There is also TMW or Traffic Movement Warning which monitors stationary vehicles ahead and alerts the driver when forward traffic movement is detected more than five metres from a truck’s stopped position.

The other key component in the intelligent safety suite on the new N Series 4x2 range is its Auto Lighting System (ALS which automatically adjusts headlight and taillight brightness to meet changing conditions.

Some models in the new range also include a customisable speed limiter

which can be set at the dealership), while there is also a new cab-tilt warning device, along with suspension seats in selected narrow-cab models.

The latest incarnation of its 4x2 N Series trucks will offer operators not only the brand’s famous promise of reliability, but the next generation of truck safety with the introduction of.

There are a number of other features and cosmetic changes to the range, particularly in the cabin, including new seat cover material and cabin appointments, while there is also a new CAN converter circuit and connector, making it easier to fit a fleet management or telematics system.

Ironically Hino announced last week

“IN TERMS OF WORK-SMART FEATURES TO KEEP DRIVERS SAFE AND COMFORTABLE, AND CAPACITY TO GET THE JOB DONE, WE BELIEVE OPERATORS WILL SEE A HUGE DIFFERENCE”

that it would be adding an integrated telematics system to various trucks in its line up.

While the exterior hasn’t changed dramatically there is a new headlight assembly including integrated foglamps and a different overall appearance.

“Isuzu’s data shows that most businesses needing a light-duty truck operate in urban settings, including freight movement in cities and residential areas, business-tocustomer service or delivery, and operators needing their trucks on site within metro areas,” Spaltman said.

Isuzu has also adjusted the towing capacities by up to 500kg with the new N Series offering up to 4,500kg for

models fitted with 4HK1 engines (including the NPR, NQR and NPS models), and 4,000kg rating for all other models in the range.

Isuzu claims its dealers will match the towing increase with genuine towbars and a selection of 50mm or 70mm towballs rated to the truck’s capacity as an optional accessory.

The light end of the market has always been sensitive to the need for bodies to be added to cab chassis models and Isuzu says it is continuing to expand its range of Ready to Work models that come equipped with a range of bodies including tipper, traybacks, freightpacks and tradepack line-ups expanded, while saying

more models are on the way next year.

“We are pleased to offer customers the next generation of safety in lightduty trucking with our updated N Series range,” Isuzu’s national sales manager, Les Spaltman said.

“In terms of work-smart features to keep drivers safe and comfortable, and capacity to get the job done, we believe operators will see a huge difference between owning a new Isuzu N Series truck compared with any other similar truck out there,” he added.

We will be aiming to give you a rundown of the driving and performance of the new N Series range as soon as we can climb aboard the trucks for a steer.

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New Model

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CHINESE TRUCK MAKER JAC IS BACK IN AUSTRALIA AFTER A DISASTROUS FIRST TRY A DECADE AGO. THIS TIME HOWEVER IT IS AN ALTOGETHER DIFFERENT PROPOSITION, ESCHEWING TRADITIONAL DIESEL POWER TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST BATTERY ELECTRIC TRUCKS TO BE OFFERED IN AUSTRALIA AND THE FIRST ONE FROM CHINA. WE TOOK ONE FOR A DRIVE TO SEE HOW IT MEASURES UP. www.truckandbus.net.au 033

I

t is fair to say that the last time JAC trucks were sold in Australia the brand neither gained many plaudits or many buyers.

For one of the first, if not the first Chinese truck to be sold in Australia the light duty JACs did not impress with build quality, finish or performance. However that was ten years ago and things have changed dramatically.

Some might be philosophically and morally offended by the stance China has taken on the world stage in recent times and in particular the trade sanctions it has imposed on certain Australian products, but the fact is China is a World player and it is only a matter of time before its automotive products carve out a place in our market.

For those with long memories or who are students of history, the early Japanese offerings attracted similar derision and contempt from the truck cognoscenti in Australia. However the Japanese proved fast learners and the

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quality improvements, reliability and cost effectiveness led to the position they are in today, where the three leading brands from that country command 50 percent of the Australian truck market, and even more of the car market.

Now, it may be a stretch to imagine Chinese brands could be in a similar position in 20 or 30 years, but the fact is the steep learning curve the Japanese climbed so quickly, is still just as steep and Chinese brands are ascending it at an even faster rate.

The area that Chinese brands are attacking with gusto is zero emission.

The World’s most populous nation may not be everyone’s favourite and they may still be massive emitters, but one thing about a control economy is that the government doesn’t offer incentives to manufacturers it offers commands instead.

This writer well remembers the first gen JAC trucks that arrived here in 2011 and just how ordinary they actually were.

However a decade on the newest JAC to

hit our roads is a very different proposition and instead of having a diesel engine sitting under the cab, there is a bank of batteries and electric motor driving the rear axle.

Back a decade ago the JAC appeared to have a, how can we put it? Perhaps, a ‘faux’ Isuzu cab design, some might be so unkind to say it was a copy. We understand there may have been some sort of licencing agreement. But the look was about the only similarity between them.

Quality and finish were not shared features.

The latest JAC, is now distributed by Brisbane based BLK Auto, the local distributor of BLK buses, headed up by the man who was the original pioneer of JAC ten years ago, Jason Pecotic.

Pecotic reckons the JAC brand has evolved dramatically in that time, and when we spoke with him on the small stand they had at the Brisbane Truck Show, he was insistent that we try the ‘new’ electric JAC. The truck still bears a passing resemblance to newer Isuzus, but let’s face

CLIMB INTO THE CABIN AND LAYOUT IS PURPOSEFUL AND WORKMANLIKE. it there are only so many ways you can cut the look of a white, light duty truck cabin.

Climb into the cabin and the layout is purposeful and workmanlike. There is nothing fancy about it. This is a pragmatic and basic truck cab that has been designed to do a job and do it with a degree of comfort. The interior is much, much better than its older siblings of ten years ago.

The fit and finish is better, the layout is better and the overall ambience is much more confidence inspiring.

1995mm wide cabin provides ample seating space. It has basic vinyl trimming and you really wouldn’t expect anything different , while it also boasts a multifunctional steering wheel and a small 8 inch touchscreen as part of its on-board equipment.

Of course there is no clattering old diesel to start. Just like other electric trucks you turn the key, press the start button and nothing happens, or at least it sounds like nothing happens. However that is the future we will enjoy with the electric

motor responding on demand when you pull the joystick style selector across and into D for Drive, just to the left of the driver’s seat.

In front of the driver is a simple LED instrument screen with a speedo on the left and a ‘power’ meter on the right, indicating whether you are drawing a lot of power under acceleration or load and how much regenerative charge is being fed back into the batteries under braking or deceleration.

It is a neat and well designed screen that also show how much charge remains in the batteries, an estimate of the truck’s range in kilometres, a gear indicator to show if the truck is in drive, reverse, neutral or park and a digital speed indicator.

In the middle of the dash is the eightinch LED Infotainment touch screen showing audio options, phone connection, Bluetooth options, etc. All relatively ease to use and operate and a big step up from previous JACs. We only had a day to sample the JAC EV55, to give the truck its proper model

nomenclature, so we mapped out a route to the north and west of the rambling Wales Bus and Truck operation in Sydney’s Smithfield, where BLK has a representative office.

With the key turned and the systems on, the screens alight in front of us, we selected D and eased away into the street, silently and without any fuss. The indicator showed that the truck had a range of around 200km. That is about 60 km more than the predicted range of Fuso’s eCanter, which we tested last year. However Daimler is far more cautious and conservative than its Chinese counterparts. We believe that in longer term running and in real world conditions the gap maybe a lot less, particularly over time as batteries degrade.

At the moment the electric vehicle situation, is akin to what it was like as the automotive world crawled its way forward from basic single cylinder chuggers of the early 1910s into vehicles that saw performance increase almost

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exponentially. All indicators are that electric vehicle performance and the weight, durability, performance and range of their batteries will improve rapidly in the next couple of years.

The JAC is driven by a permanent magnet synchronous motor delivering 130 kW and delivers maximum torque of 1200 Nm. On the road the JAC EV55 does everything extremely well. It sprints away from standstill even with several hundred kilos of load in the Pantech body. This is the sort of truck the likes of supermarket home delivery services, internet shopping deliveries, in fact any last mile distribution and city logistics providers and for that matter any city or urban based delivery operations will be seeking, as more and more pressure and desire to be seen as a zero emission provider is shouldered by these companies.

Just as MG has taken a price leading position in the car market with the cheapest electric passenger car in Australia, JAC is also betting on the fact that many smaller and even some larger fleets will look to a price leader, rather than a premium product when choosing an electric truck.

It is hard to compare prices for the two OEM protagonists in the light duty truck market, as you can’t actually buy a Fuso eCanter outright, with Daimler Trucks only offering them as a lease proposition.

With the eCanter the lease payments vary

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according to a whole range of factors, from the number you order, to the type of distances and mileage you expect to cover.

BLK Auto does however put a price tag on its JAC EV55 with a tag of $147,500 including a charger but plus on roads and GST for the 4.5 tonne GVM electric powered cab chassis truck. That means it can be driven on a car licence but there is also the ability to have it rated at 5.5 tonnes GVM if necessary.

BLK claims a 1.5 tonne payload capacity (when in the 4.5 tonne GVM model), but running fully laden, will reduce the range, as will less judicious use of the throttle. Given this truck sprints away from a standstill to 50km/h in around 8 seconds there will be plenty of drivers who will give it lots of right foot but may find themselves growing nervous toward the end of their shift when the range drops dramatically.

The truck is equipped with a 96.7kwh capacity Lithium Iron phosphate battery, which the maker says can be charged from empty to 80 per cent charge in around 1.5 hours and can be fully charged in two hours on the high capacity charger.

Driven with some degree of care and good management, the JAC EV55 performs just fine. It easily accelerates up to cruising speed with the same sort of quiet and effortless torque of other electric trucks we have driven. Coupled with the use of the regenerative braking and two

stage retardation, operated by a stalk on the steering column, the truck not only accelerates well but also slows and stops efficiently, with the braking process also putting charge back into the batteries.

Throughout our drive the truck felt comfortable and nimble in Sydney’s crowded traffic and shares a lot of similar characteristics and traits with the eCanter.

The steering is nice and direct with little free play or vagueness and the suspension and damping deliver a firm but compliant ride, even on some of Sydney’s rain affected outer suburban roads.

By the time we arrived back at home base the truck had covered just over 100 km and had around 90 km showing as the remaining range, so the quoted 200km was not far from reality.

Will JAC succeed this time with an electric truck? Perhaps, there is certainly not many reasons why the spec, price and performance would not appeal. However there is more to truck buying than just those three factors. Having enough dealers, overcoming the residual belief that Chinese vehicles don’t measure up and just plain uncertainty about JAC as a brand after its last foray to our shores, are all questions buyers will ask.

However with very competitive pricing and a spec that matches other electric trucks in this class, JAC might just convince buyers that it could be worth a chance.

Road Test

A

s we said back at the start of 2021, without the Daily, Iveco would be in a world of pain as a truck company in Australia, such is the reliance the company seems to have on the light duty cab-chassis truck/ light van range.

That seemed fairly flippant when we wrote it back In January, but now after the announcement that Iveco’s local manufacturing operation will be shutting down, the reliance on the Daily has only

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been further underlined.

Last year in 2020, Iveco sold 889 Daily light duty cab chassis trucks and 298 vans while it sold a total of 520 medium and heavy duty Eurocargos and Stralis models.

In 2021 the final figures weren’t in when this story was being written, but it looked likely that they would sell just under 1000 Daily cab chassis, around 450 vans, and a total of around 450 medium Eurocargos and heavy Stralis combined. All that only underlines that Iveco’s reliance on the

Daily is growing not shrinking.

For us the configuration of European sourced cab chassis trucks, derived from van designs, holds a lot of appeal. They deliver better ride thanks to the bonneted conventional design, with the cab sitting further back in the chassis and the driver and passengers not sitting directly over the front wheels.

So now months after the new Euro 6 compliant models hit the road in Australia we got the chance to sample both the

IVECO’S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT IT WILL SHUT DOWN ITS LOCAL ASSEMBLY OPERATIONS HERE IN AUSTRALIA HAS PUT MORE FOCUS ON THE COMPANY’S IMPORTED OFFERINGS AND THE MOST POPULAR VEHICLES IN ITS RANGE, THE DAILY VAN AND CAB CHASSIS TRUCK. THE LATEST EURO 6 COMPLIANT DAILY IS AN EXCELLENT OFFERING THAT WILL SURELY HAVE TO SHOULDER EVEN MORE OF THE LOAD FOR THE COMPANY IN THE FUTURE. WE HAD THE CHANCE TO DRIVE BOTH DURING A BRIEF TEST IN MELBOURNE RECENTLY AND FOUND THAT THEY HAVE PRETTY BROAD SHOULDERS AND SHOULD HAVE NO TROUBLE COPING WITH THAT EXTRA RELIANCE IVECO WILL DEMAND.

van and light truck in a day rambling around Melbourne, starting at the historic Iveco plant in Dandenong, that just weeks later would be the subject of the release announcing the shutdown of local manufacturing.

Of course that will have little effect on the Daily, it has always been fully imported. There are some who believe that throwing off the shackles of local manufacturing may free up Iveco and give it more price competitive vehicles.

It is also believed that in reality the trucks Iveco was turning out of the production line had little local content or input in recent times. So now the decision has been made, it’s time for the Italian company to get on with it.

First up we slipped behind the wheel of the Daily Van with the mid-range 50C assigned to use for our test. We say mid range because it sits between the smaller 35 S and the largest model the 70C. The numbers equate loosely to the GVM,

with the 35S having a GVM of 3800kg, the 70C a 7000kg GVM and the 50C a 4495kg GVM. That weight lets the 50C be driven with a car licence in Australia, but it can be uprated to a 5200 GVM for added payload driven on a truck licence.

That also makes the 50C a genuine heavy van with a payload of 1806kg which puts it on a par with the other large vans in the class from Renault, VW, Benz and Ford.

The new Daily is a smarter and neater

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looking big van, with all models now featuring a new three-piece front plastic bumper along with a smart new grille design Even within just the 50C variant you can order from a choice of two wheelbases, three body lengths and two roof heights.

Our test van had a 4100mm wheelbase, the middle length 7274mm body and the 1900mm high roof.

What that gives you is acres of room inside the cargo area, in fact 16 cubic metres and the load area can be accessed through the kerbside sliding door or through the rear barn doors, which naturally can be unlatched so that they fold back flat against the van, giving unhindered access for a fork truck.

The dual rear wheels do limit the width of the load area to 1032 metres so a lot of pallets will need to be slid in via the side door rather than through the rear, however it is a long load area which partly makes up for that inconvenience.

Driving all that and getting the load to the destination is an updated version of Iveco’s four-cylinder 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine specced to meet Euro 6 emission rules, a factor that makes the Daily more

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attractive to a lot of fleets looking to meet or bolster environmental credentials.

The 3.0litre we tested now puts out 155kW of power and 470Nm,and is mated to the eight-speed ZF torque-converter automatic. There is also a slightly cheaper variant with 132kW and 430 Nm mated to the six speed auto, further adding to the plethora of choices in the Daily line up.

The 3.0-litre has strong performance with the new variable geometry turbo giving an impressive flow of power and torque that can drive the van down the road at an impressive clip with some surprisingly swift acceleration.

Mated to that engine and complimenting it perfectly is the eight-speed ZF transmission that is amongst the best auto’s in the business, used as it is across a wide cross section of light commercials, passenger cars and even SUVs. That doesn’t mean it can’t cope with heavier load work, like it does in the Daily and it always shifts delivers smooth and well timed shifting.

The programming and mapping of the ZF has been targeted to nurture fuel efficiency with prompt upshifts to get the revs as low as possible as soon as possible.

It also downshifts on hills to aid engine braking on descent.

During our drive in the Daily 50 C van, fuel consumption was a creditable 12.3 l/100 km laden with around one tonne payload. That is a pretty reasonable result for a huge van with a very big frontal area and minimal aero treatment.

Power is fed to the ground via the rear wheels which also adds to the towing capacity that runs to 3500kg unbraked.

Inside the Daily, the cockpit is nicely designed and very comfortable for a day at the wheel. Importantly there is a standard steel bulkhead that separates the load area from the cockpit, ensuring safer conditions for front seat passengers and the driver. The bulkhead can be delete optioned or removed with a bit of a fiddle with screws removed.

The driver’s domain features a new instrument cluster while there is also a new 3.5-inch colour LCD screen that that is easier to read while displaying a range of information that is easily scrolled through to target eh info the driver needs.

There is also a new electronic park brake. It’s a strange choice for a workhorse like the Daily E6, but it works fine in

practice, as you’re able to load up the torque converter for smooth getaways on steep hills.

We also had the chance to test the 50C loaded with 900kg, or half of its payload, strapped down using four of the 14 tiedowns in the cargo area. As expected, the load improves ride comfort, particularly at the rear axle, while failing to burden the powertrain and suspension.

The standard-fit bulkhead separates cabin from cargo. As we said, it can be deleted, but it’s well insulated and reduces noise and drumming from the cavernous load area. The cabin of this updated Daily also adds new features to the standard and optional equipment list.

There is a big new, large Infotainment screen in the centre of the dash, with controls for all of the audio functions, navigation and reversing camera.

The interior layout is spacious and well designed with a range of storage nooks and shelves, drink holders and other handy holes for stowing all of the ephemera needed for a delivery driver or tradie, or for that matter a campervan driver living out of the back of the Daily.

The 50 C we tested was fitted with a

leather-wrapped steering wheel as well as a tyre pressure monitoring system, auto wipers, auto lights and automatic climate control all of which are part of an option pack.

Driving the 50 C Daily is a breeze. It has a good turn of speed, accelerates really well into the traffic flow and its handling is a real surprise. Sure it’s not a sports car but it is a whole lot easier to steer and stop than a cab over light duty truck with a similar GVM and payload.

The Daily E6 50C, you must remember is a commercial workhorse and is based on a ladder chassis that is sturdy and well suited to tough treatment. While the strong power plant and transmission match means it is a very satisfying commercial to drive, and above all does its job hauling cargo easily and well.

After a few hours in the 50C van it was time to climb aboard the Daily E6 70C single cab-chassis light truck.

There are two variants in the cab chassis model of the Daily and this one boasted the higher load rating, and was powered by the same 3.0-litre turbo-diesel and ZF eight-speed auto.

Our test truck carried a list price tag

of $80,707.

For that you get electric windows, heated exterior mirrors with electric adjustment and indicators, heightadjustable flat-bottom steering wheel, cordless mobile phone charging, daytime running lights, and keyless entry/ central locking all as standard.

The cockpit and instruments are the same as the Daily van as are its dual rear tyres, while the test truck was also fitted with a steel tray-body, with a couple of large lockable tool or storage boxes.

As we have said before, access to the cabin is a bit easier with a ‘conventional’ bonneted truck like this, than a cab over such as the Japanese makers sell. It is still a bit of a step up but not as far, and once in the cab, both driver and passenger have a more car like experience. Clearly with the engine under the bonnet in front of the cabin and not underneath, it means the cab height is a fair bit lower. We like it because it feels more comfortable and more controlled than in a cab over.

The climb into the cab is made all the more easy thanks to wide door openings, big grab handles, and for the driver, the new D shaped flat bottomed steering

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wheel that also aids entry end egress.

Like its van sibling the cab chassis truck version has a comfortable and spacious cockpit with terrific seating, including a suspension seat on the driver’s side. That, along with the better overall ride, means an even smoother conveyance that copes well with bumps and lumps without the driver and passenger being bounced around the cab.

On the back Iveco had provided a load that comprised two tonnes of steel blocks, so it was a good test of the Iveco’s performance. With a tare weight of 2489 kg and a GVM of 7200kg the Daily cab chassis as tested, had a substantial payload of just over 4700kg. to add to the overall practicality and flexibility, Iveco rates it with a GCM of 10,500kg meaning you can tow a braked trailer up to 3300kg.

Of course all that is based around the 7200kg GVM, which means drivers need to have a truck licence, however like the vans Iveco offers a de-rated 4495kg car licence compliant version.

The three litre turbo diesel is a

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remarkably flexible and a gutsy power plant that made light work of hauling that two tonne payload, thanks to the 470Nm of torque peaking at just 1500rpm.

Acceleration is willing and brisk around town with the truck having no problems keeping up with traffic. At cruise on the motorway or on the open road it is relaxed and easy, thanks to overdrive on the top two ratios of the eight speed auto, meaning at 110km/h the tacho reads 2000rpm. That of course means pretty reasonable economy for longer trips.

The handling and performance on the road is also excellent with the Daily’s steering delivering a nicely weighted feel and a very precise response, and again head and shoulders above the handling equation of the cab overs. As mentioned it is quite literally more car like in all its characteristics and from that point of view we reckon it is safer and far less tiring to drive.

The pulling power on hills was impressive, easily coping with anything thrown at it. The three mode ZF auto

offers Eco, Power and Manual options and allows the driver to easily switch between the three. When you need that extra zing selecting Power on steeper climbs provides noticeably better performance, but equally Eco is more than adequate across a range of conditions. Manual mode allows that extra control that is sometimes needed, for instance down hills on steep descents where holding a lower gear can assist engine braking.

Out test in the truck was all too brief but the electronic reading on the dash indicated we had recorded an average of 14.8L/100km which given the loading and the spirited driving we managed, was a pretty strong result.

Overall the E6 Daily range, both van and cab chassis truck offer a great package and with the shutdown of local assembly operations Iveco is going to be even more reliant on this range which has become the staple of its Australian offering. In our opinion it is well worth a look and consideration if a light truck or large van is your need.

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Operator

THE START FOR FREIGHTLINER’S CASCADIA IN AUSTRALIA HAS BEEN AT BEST A GENTLY PACED ONE, AT LEAST NOT WHAT ANY PUNDITS BELIEVED WOULD PAN OUT FOR THE USA’S TOP SELLING PRIME MOVER. WITH ALL OF THE CHALLENGES, DAIMLER TRUCK BOSSES HAVE TAKEN A STEADY APPROACH AND BELIEVE THAT EVIDENCE OF IT’S STRONG FUEL ECONOMY, ALONG WITH A CHANGE IN THE WAY THE INDUSTRY IS REGARDING FREIGHTLINER AND A FREEING UP OF SUPPLY WILL HELP DELIVER A BIG BOOST FOR THE BRAND IN 2022 AND BEYOND. WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHY THE CASCADIA HAS SEEN A CAUTIOUS START AND AT ONE OPERATOR WHO RECKONS IT’S THE MOST ECONOMICAL BONNETED TRUCK HE HAS EVER RUN.

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he fact that Cascadia arrived here in the midst of the Covid 19 Pandemic, and all of the supply chain issues that caused around the world, was certainly a major contributing factor in the slow start for the much vaunted American. Couple that to the fact that it is America’s bestselling heavy and the demand issues that flow from that, which helped choke supply down to a trickle here in Australia.

However it wasn’t just the supply issues.

There were other influences in play.

Freightliner had been fighting the reputational damage its first gen Argosy inflicted more than a decade ago, thanks to previous Daimler truck management’s pushing the then new trucks into the Australian market too quickly, without proper local testing and development.

Those lessons were hard won and the current Daimler Trucks Australia management was determined that it would not repeat those errors and that the new Cascadia would not suffer issues as a result of not having had a proper long term test and development program, before it went on sale.

To cut a long story short there are a few gun shy operators out there who suffered with first series Argosy and they are still hurting and formed a fairly vocal chorus against the Freighliner brand.

That was a long time ago but reputations are hard to win back, because after all you only get one chance to make a first impression The mould for reputation is cast early and it is hard to overcome the weight of opinion, even if the problems and issues were years and years ago.

In the USA Cascadia’s key selling point is its frugal fuel economy, a factor that along with its quality and reliability has driven it to number one. Strangely enough until now that fuel efficiency may not have been a big enough incentive for buyers to at least consider Cascadia on their shopping list . In the past couple of years fuel prices have been low, and the imperative to worry about fuel economy has not been a top priority for many.

Now fuel prices have shot up again, more and more fleets are looking to the bowser and realising they need to do something to use less of that diesel.

Discussions TTA has had with Freightliner executives tell us that order books have strengthened significantly in the past few months as more operators have started to hear nothing but positives about the Cascadia, particularly when it

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comes to fuel economy.

Just as with its European siblings from Mercedes-Benz, the Freightliner benefits from the Daimler engine family and the wizardry the German giant’s techs have wrought on its fuel efficiency.

When we visited major fleet C. R England in the USA in 2019, they revealed that extensive testing and constant monitoring over several years had told its fleet managers that the Cascadia was head and shoulders above any of its prime mover opponents in America when it come to fuel consumption.

C.R England runs many brands including both Paccar brands, as well as Navistar, Volvo and Mack, and even some of Daimler’s other North American

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brand, Western Star.

However Cascadia is by far the largest part of its current truck park, with 90 per cent of the massive fleet of close to 4500 trucks wearing a Freightliner Cascadia badge.

Every aspect of C.R England’s operation is astounding when viewed through Australian eyes. For instance it uses somewhere around 24 million litres of fuel a month (six million US gallons). That roughly equates to a monthly fuel bill of around $US15 to $US16 million, so even a small improvement in fuel economy can deliver a substantial saving.

The company told us that it believed that the Freightliner with its Detroit power train, both the DD15 engine and the DT12 AMT has proved to be

by far the best economy wise, and that Cummins was next best with other proprietary power trains further down that list, claiming the Cascadia is number one in fuel economy and that the next best was the other Daimler truck brand, Western Star, using the same Detroit driveline. That wasn’t just a feeling, C.R England backed all that up with figures.

As we said the message on Cascadia’s meagre thirst for diesel fuel is starting to spread in Australia as well and as more fleets start to give it a try, the stories are spreading up and down the Hume, Newell and Pacific as the ones who have bought into the Freightliner promise, start to not only see the benefits, but also become staunch advocates for the truck.

“ THE CASCADIA DELIVERS THE BEST FUEL CONSUMPTION I’VE HAD FROM OF A BONNETED TRUCK”

One such operator is the family owned and operated fleet of Ken Blanch Transport, based in Taree on the Manning River on the NSW Mid-North Coast.

Owner Ken Blanch says he has been particularly impressed with the Cascadia, especially when it comes to fuel.

Ken Blanch operates a fleet of nine trucks, made up of American and European models from four different manufacturers, carting a wide range of products up and down the eastern seaboard from its Taree base .

Ken Blanch Transport, handles a range of cargo, including delivering bricks, rooftop steel, fertiliser, timber and other items.

Ken Blanch founded the operation back

in 1989, starting with just one truck, a Ford LNT 9000, which Ken admits is a far cry from the cutting-edge Cascadia.

Asked about the difference between them, Mr Blanch simply says: “Trucks have come a long way.”

“The Cascadia delivers the best fuel consumption I’ve had from of a bonneted truck,” Ken Blanch told us.

Blanch says the fuel saving the Cascadia delivers compared to the bonneted truck it replaced is considerable.

“It does 0.6km per litre better and that is quite significant,” he added.

That means that the Blanch 126 Cascadia running a single trailer at 44 tonnes all-up, is returning an average of 2.4km per litre as opposed to around

1.8 for the next best on fleet.

If you do the maths on that, it is easy to understand the advantage that gives an operator. Take an average trip from Taree to Brisbane, a distance of roughly 600 km. At 2.4 km per litre the truck will use around 250 litres, while the other trucks at 1.8km per litre would swallow 333 litres of diesel. If fuel is at $1.45 a litre ( and that is pretty cheap) that represents a $120 saving each way or $240 for a return trip. If you do five return trips a week that is around $1000 a week, or $52000 a year, that is a figure not to be scoffed at.

Ken Blanch explained that he was attracted to the Cascadia thanks to its 16-litre Detroit DD16 engine and spacious cabin, which his regualar driver

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“ DAIMLER HAS ALSO PACKED THE CASCADIA WITH A FULL ARRAY OF SAFETY TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS AT THE CUTTING EDGE”

appreciates on longer runs.

While Cascadia is available with a choice of day cab, 36-inch, 48-inch and 60-inch cab options, Ken Blanch ordered its one with the 48-inch version, which has also been given a big thumbs up.

“The driver loves it,” Blanch said.

Blanch purchased the Cascadia from Mavin Truck Centre in Taree, and with the help of Steve Pinkstone from Mavin, Ken specified it with the 560hp/1850ft-lb version of the 16-litre Detroit DD16, mated to the DT12 fully automated 12-speed transmission.

Daimler has also packed the Cascadia with a full array of safety technology, which is at the cutting edge, particularly in the conventional truck class. The Cascadia’s safety tech includes a radar and camera-based Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS) that can automatically detect, and fully brake the truck for moving pedestrians in addition to vehicles.

It also has radar-based adaptive cruise control and a lane departure warning system in addition to Electronic Stability Program and a driver airbag.

But it’s advocates like Ken Blanch that will help spread the word and wind back any long held, and these days mistaken, apprehensions with the Freightliner brand, while the Cascadia’s fuel efficiency will also be a major factor.

With better supply from its US factories Freightliner may just be on track to give the opposition a bit to think about in 2022 and beyond.

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WHEEL LOAD WEIGHERS FOR SALE PAT SAW 10A SERIES I bk94dq

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Operator

AS SOME LONG FORGOTTEN PM OR POLITICIAN OF NOTE ONCE OBSERVED, THERE ARE LIFTERS AND LEANERS IN THIS WORLD. YOU MAY OR MAY NOT SUBSCRIBE TO THAT THEORY BUT WHEN IT COMES TO IT, THEN ADELAIDE CITY CRANE TRUCKS ARE CLEARLY AMONGST THE LIFTER CATEGORY. WE TAKE A LOOK AT CITY CRANES AND ITS FLEET OF ISUZUS.

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ray tops, tilt trays, self-loaders, semi-trailers, and arguably Australia’s biggest crane truck featuring a Hiab 800E7 crane, means that City Crane Trucks Transport and Crane Truck Hire, located just north of Adelaide’s city centre, offers a service like no other.

Running a fleet of more than 50 crane and transport trucks for hire, the locally grown business caters to industries from construction through to government projects, mining and local transport, with no job too big or too small for this full-service fleet.

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“Your biggest task is our easiest challenge,” said City Crane Managing Director, Bruno Simone.

“And we’re happy to take on anything with our fleet.

“But we’ve managed to get a foothold in the bigger jobs in the commercial and government sectors because of our compliance to standards.

“We invest a lot into this, making sure our inventory and business is up to standard, and that we’re continuing to buy and maintain the right equipment to allow us to take on a broad range of work.”

Compliance comes in many forms, but Bruno noted a key issue for any crane and transport hire company was avoiding any overloading situations, with weight distribution across the truck chassis an ongoing concern.

Needing a diverse line-up of trucks, from light-duty all the way through to heavy-duty prime movers, he’s found some favourites in Isuzu’s model range; from the metro-savvy NNR 45-150 with AMT sitting at the flexible driver 4,500 kg GVM point with 8,000 kg GCM capacity, to Isuzu’s heavy lifters in the GXD 165-350

“ HAVING THE RIGHT TRUCKS FOR THE JOB SIMPLY MEANS WE GET THE WORK WE WANT, WHICH LEADS US TO BUYING AND MAINTAINING THE FLEET”

Allison equipped automatic prime mover and FYJ 300-350 also with the Allison auto and featuring a 16,500 kg GVM and 30,000 kg GVM respectively.

That’s not to forget City Cranes’ medium-duty workhorses, the work-hard, die-hard FTR 150-260 Auto and FVY 240-300 Auto, sporting long wheelbases and rated to a GCM of 36,000 kg in the larger model.

This focus on purchasing equipment, carefully specified for application and updated with the latest bells and whistles in technology and safety standards, gives

City Cranes an edge over the competition, according to Bruno.

“Having the right trucks for the job simply means we get the work we want, which leads us to buying and maintaining the fleet… it’s a repeating cycle that gives us an advantage,” he explained.

“Our Isuzus are our versatile day-to-day trucks. They may start off in the morning helping with a house renovation, then deliver an air conditioner and are off to deliver scaffolding by the end of the day.

“At the moment they’re doing a lot of infrastructure and roadworks,”

Bruno added.

“We’ve put up around 85 per cent of the light poles around Adelaide so far, which is great in the sense that we’re helping to build up the city.

“We buy Isuzu based on their reliability and our relationship with the dealer… we started out with Isuzu and they haven’t let us down so far.”

Isuzu’s FYJ 300-350 8x4 and GXD 165-350 Auto Prime Mover are serious performers in the crane hire application, taking care of heavier day-to-day missions for City Crane Trucks.

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“THESE ISUZU TRUCKS HAVE GREAT POWER AND PAYLOAD SUITED TO THE JOBS WE’VE BOUGHT THEM FOR”

With generous power of 257 kW (345 hp) @ 2,000 rpm and torque of 1,422 Nm @ 1,400 rpm, the FYJ has grunt to get the job done. A supremely useful GVM of 30,000 kg and GCM of 45,000 kg makes for a tool that City Crane Trucks’ clients can trust to finish the job on time and safely—and on the right side of all Chain of Responsibility and compliance obligations.

“Our heavy rigids are fitted with a seven to nine metre tray with a crane attached, usually Palfinger, while our GXD prime movers are fitted with a variety of crane bogies,” Bruno said.

“These Isuzu trucks have great power and payload suited to the jobs we’ve bought them for, and that hasn’t changed after all these years of buying Isuzu—the range continues to provide what we need.

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“Our relationship with the dealership is great, every time I pick up a truck, I seem to put in an order in for a new one!”

This equates to quite a few Isuzu trucks, given Bruno started out in the year 2000.

He jokes he could be seen buying a new truck around every three months from the team at North East Isuzu —earning City Crane Trucks the title of largest transport and crane hire truck fleet in South Australia in the bargain.

Keeping customers close to home, the North East Isuzu dealership and account manager, Jason Pinneri, have ensured Isuzu remains a core part of Bruno’s fleet, focusing on key features that make the job easier (and safer) for drivers and the business.

Beginning at visibility, Bruno said the combination of Isuzu’s elevated seat

position and large windows remove the risk of blind spots around the vehicle, making it a safe bet working around crowded capital city streets.

The option of fully Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) or bulletproof Allison automatic transmission (depending on model variant) in City Cranes’ chosen trucks means operators can zip around Adelaide with less fatigue in heavy traffic and stop-start situations.

Where to from here, for a company that appears to have their fleet management down to a fine art?

“I’ll still be getting in an Isuzu truck once a week to do a run with the boys,” Bruno sums it up.

“I love to get out and see the customers and maintain the network that got me here.”

GET ALL THE LATEST TRUCK AND BUS INDUSTRY NEWS AS IT HAPPENS AT THE TRANSPORT INDUSTRY’S BEST NEWS WEBSITE

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F

YOU CAN’T TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS, SAYS THE OLD MAXIM. HOWEVER TOYOTA’S AGEING 70 YEAR OLD WORKHORSE LANDCRUISER, IS PROOF THAT YOU CAN GIVE AN OLD DOG NEW LIFE AND MAKE IT WORK. IN AN ERA OF INCREASINGLY AUTOMATED MOTORING THERE ARE ONLY A FEW THINGS THAT ARE CERTAINTIES IN LIFE. AS THEY OFTEN QUOTE, IT’S USUALLY ONLY DEATH AND TAXES, BUT YOU CAN ADD ANOTHER - TOYOTA’S 70 SERIES LANDCRUISER.

ew things have changed less than the LandCruiser 70 Series in our automotive landscape over the past four decades, even longer if you consider the couple of earlier evolutions which weren’t all that different.

Sure engines have changed, technology has crept in, safety is better and the styling has gone through a gentle evolution, but the basic premise is still the same.

In fact the two ‘Cruisers we had the chance to test recently are both special 70th anniversary editions, celebrating the legendary status of this icon of off roading. The celebratory models are part of a run of just 600 commemorative ‘Cruisers to mark the year when the rugged workhorses first hit the road, with many of them cutting their teeth and earning a reputation for being bullet proof on the rugged worksites of the Snowy Mountains Scheme in the 1950s.

These special edition models are the same mechanically as other 70 Series, with the main changes being styling and badge changes to give Cruiser aficionados a standout from the other 70s.

None of this comes cheaply, despite the well-established design with the 70th Anniversary special-editions setting you back $78,500 plus on roads for the wagon and $80,050 for the single-cab cab chassis.

There is also the dual-cab cab-chassis at $82,600 but we didn’t test this model.

Apart from the rugged and tough durability, you do get a reasonable level of equipment. The centre piece in the cabin is an updated 6.1-inch touchscreen multimedia system, with satnav and Bluetooth (but not Apple CarPlay or Android Auto), Cruise Control, airconditioning, power windows, vehicle

stability control with hill-start assist, front and rear differential locks, a snorkel air intake, 16-inch alloy wheels and a whopping 130-litre fuel tank capacity.

These are tough trucks and it’s not surprising that a lot of heavy off road caravans are seen being hauled around the

outback by 70 series Cruisers, given they boast a 3500kg braked towing capacity, while still maintaining a good load capacity on the tow vehicle, You can have your 70th Anniversary model in any colour, as long as it is French Vanilla, Merlot Red or Sandy Taupe, pretty self-explanatory tones really which will identify them against other 70 Series First up we loaded up the Wagon version for a long awaited and anticipated vacation on the NSW North Coast.

We covered almost 3000 km in the mighty wagon and while initially being a little astounded at how little these things have changed over the last few decades, the longer we drove it the more we loved it.

By comparison with other 4WD wagons on the market this is a raw and bare bones experience. It is noisier, less padded and just more real. Initially this can be a bit jarring but we got used to it and in the end enjoyed the immersive experience of it.

You really feel like your inputs matter and you really are driving the vehicle, instead of being driven, which is often the feeling a lot of vehicles deliver these days.

Under the bonnet is the much revered and admired Toyota 4.5 litre turbo diesel V8, mated to a traditional five speed manual. You remember those don’t you? A manual box which requires you to grab that long whippy gearstick and row it through all five speeds. It is fun and a lovely box to use, slotting between gears with ease and precision, while the weighting on the clutch pedal is just right.

That V8 not only produces 151kW of power and 430Nm of torque but it delivers the most fantastic engine note and will rev easily up to just below it red line at around 4000rpm. There is a lot to be said for this engine in terms of driveability and operator enjoyment but economy is not one of its strong suits. It does tend to drink pretty heavily, but more of that latter.

The big V8 diesel is not only fun to drive but is well proven package delivering a long flat torque curve that again makes it ideal for towing heavy trailers, boats and caravans as well as for just heading up near impossible climbs and 4WD challenges.

Although most of our time in the wagon was on the black top, we did take some back track deviations, including an old coastal sand mining road that over the past few years has deteriorated into a pothole riddled, sandy off road challenge, with a couple of deep water crossings.

The Wagon handled them with absolute ease, powering through every challenge

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without an issue, and in fact going bonnet deep in a couple of water crossings. The snorkel air inlet is clearly essential in these situations. The 235mm ground clearance and 700mm wading depth also comes in handy in these situations.

The 4WD system is a part time system, with the Cruiser running rear drive normally. The dual range 4WD system is selected with an old style stubby second gearstick along-side the five speed shifter between the seats. There is no fancy pants selector dial here. If the going gets slippery you just shift it back into 4WD high and when you select low range it will quite literally crawl along and over almost any obstacle or challenge.

This is a vehicle that is at home in the wide open spaces not in inner city lanes, and with a 14.4 metre turning circle that is understandable. However this does have a downside when you are trying to tackle a tight and slippery uphill track, where a back and fill operation often needs to be mounted.

As we said the Cruiser has a bit of a thirst for diesel and we recorded fuel consumption of an average 12.9L/ 100km, during our test which included a lot of highway running and a slab of off road driving some of which was in low-range 4WD. Still with 130 litres of fuel capacity, at that rate you still have a range of just over 1000km or up to around 1200km if you are a bit more judicious and careful.

The Cruiser’s coil-sprung front live axle and its leaf-spring live rear axle, with its very solid and rigid ladder-frame chassis, ensures a degree of stability and control, whether tackling the outback or the Pacific Highway, and we have to say we were impressed with its road holding and handling no matter where we took it.

The steering is not the pin sharp style that we have become used to in many 4WDs but it is still good and really very appropriate for a vehicle designed to handle rough stuff. The wheel has a good balance and is a comfortable open-road cruiser.

With four wheel discs and ABS, the workhorse Cruisers have surprisingly impressive stopping power. The bite from the brakes is confidence inspiring and enhances the primary safety ensuring it helps you stay out of trouble.

The 70th anniversary model has some interior features of note, aimed at slightly softening that generally rugged cockpit, with black premium upholstery, woodgrain trim inserts across the dash and on

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the steering wheel, along with a leather trimmed steering wheel shifter knob. Of course there is also more of that 70th Anniversary badging throughout.

Storage in vehicles like the workhorse Cruiser was an afterthought in the old days, and even these days the lack of usable space means there is not a lot of secure stowage. There is the quite small glovebox, a pretty small console space between the seats, a couple of very small door pockets and two cup holders. You do find yourself cursing the lack of safe storage, but it is just what we have become used to.

In terms of exterior styling the 70th anniversary 70 Series has what Toyota calls a ‘black heritage grille’ with standout ‘TOYOTA’ lettering, along with a black front bumper (and rear on the wagon), black wheel-arch flares, and black 16-inch alloy wheels.

Along with that it also gets front foglamps and LED daytime running lights.

Toyota has a five star ANCAP rating for this LandCruiser, gaining that rating back in 2016. This is helped by the plethora of air bags and other features, including driver and front passenger airbags, curtain shield and driver’s knee airbags. Along with that it has brake assist, vehicle stability control, hill-start assist control, electronic brake-force distribution and active traction control. Some argue it needs more but we don’t. Including such things as AEB, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning and other electronic aids would be out of character with the purpose of this machine and just makes drivers lazy and inattentive. Driving the Cruiser wakes you up and makes you pay attention. Let’s keep it that way.

The wagon and ute are very similar in driving characteristics and we loved our time in both. The V8 burble is so endearing and the entire experience just grows on you.

Yep the Cruiser 79 Series is a throwback, old school if you like, but it is designed with a purpose in life. This is an uncompromising, tough, rugged piece of kit that won’t let you down in the middle of the Simpson or halfway up Cape York.

The fact that it does everything else you ask of it well enough to pass muster is more of a statement than the fact that it is so basic and raw.

It’s not for everyone, but then again it’s not meant to be. This a workhorse that is easy to love and we are very much in love with it.

“ THIS IS A VEHICLE THAT IS AT HOME IN THE WIDE OPEN SPACES”

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Company Car

B

ut the world has changed and thank heavens it has.

A lot of that change has been precipitated by mandated safety and crash governments that recognised that just because you’re a delivery driver, tradie, or a mini-bus pilot, your life and safety is not worth less than that of people in passenger cars and SUVs. So that leads us to the latest offering from Hyundai, in the form of its futuristically styled Staria people mover/ mini bus, a vehicle that is actually based on the Korean maker’s excellent Sante Fe SUV model and which delivers great handling, safety and creature comforts.

The Staria has since been joined by its commercial van sibling the Staria Load

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(which we will test and appraise at a later date), with the two new models replacing the popular, accomplished and successful iLoad and iMax. The iMax and iLoad are very different to the new Staria family, even though they were very good and capable vans that did the job very well. The dynamics of the Staria are a whole lot better thanks to the SUV based platform as well as benefitting from the ability to offer a choice of either 2WD or all wheel drive spec.

We cannot tell you how many times during our week with the Staria that random people would come up to us and ask ‘what is this? Wow it looks like a space ship!’.

It was a very interesting insight into how people react to new and fresh design.

It has sloping, wedge shaped front, with smooth faired in lines, LED light strip running around the front of the grille and a sharply raked screen. The frontal design then meets the low window line of the side windows, which quite literally deliver panoramic views for the occupants.

Then at the rear there are long LED light strips running vertically down each corner adding to that futuristic image. It is certainly different, and in a good way in our view.

Hyundai has also clearly put a lot of effort into the engineering of the Staria and not just plopped a futuristic looking body on a van platform.

Not only does the engineering of the Staria offer a variety of drive options on

THERE WAS A TIME, NOT THAT LONG AGO, WHEN COMMERCIAL VANS AND THE PEOPLE MOVER/ MINI-BUS VARIANTS BASED ON THEM, WERE UTILITARIAN, NOISY, ILL HANDLING, WORKHORSES WITH BARELY ANY CREATURE COMFORTS OR CONCESSIONS TO THE CONVENIENCES WE HAVE COME TO EXPECT IN CARS AND EVEN TRUCKS. WE TAKE A LOOK AT HYUNDAI’S LATEST PEOPLE MOVER OFFERING THE STARIA, WHICH REVERSES ALL OF THOSE OLD VAN VICES.

the Santa Fe platform, but it also means it delivers a lot of safety and handling benefits, as well as more low and zero emission driveline in the future.

While we have other models in the Staria range lined up to test drive in the future, our first test and the subject of this story was the top spec Highlander model Staria, which is priced from $66,500 plus on-road costs for the all-wheel drive 2.2 litre turbo diesel.

Staria can also be specced with the 3.5 litre V6 petrol engine and the base model comes as a front drive, as opposed to the rear drive layout of its iMax predecessor.

The top-spec Staria Highlander is very well equipped featuring nicely designed 18-inch alloy wheels, auto LED

headlights, LED daytime running lights, automatic wipers, proximity key entry, keyless start and a power tailgate.

Inside the cabin there are heated and cooled seats for the first row, a heated steering wheel, seating capacity for eight passengers, dual 10.25-inch displays, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (wired), power sliding doors, electric seat adjustment and six-speaker stereo.

The Staria hasn’t yet been tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, but as far as we can tell the Santa Fe it is based on has a five-star rating, so the Staria should meet those ratings, it is unlikely Hyundai would let the new model fall short. However it is our view that there is an over dependence on ANCAP and NCAP ratings in a system

that gives a lot of weighting to warning bells and alerts for a range of minor functions, and not enough attention to dynamics.

Dynamics aren’t an issue with the Staria, which for a vehicle of this size and application performs superbly in terms of handling, performance and comfort.

What it does boast in the safety department is a full compliment of the latest and greatest safety tech and equipment, including seven airbags with front, front-side, front-centre and curtain bags on both the A and B pillars. Along with that, they also boast tech features including AEB with pedestrian/cyclist detection and junction assist, Blind-spot assist, Lane-keep assist, Lane Following

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THE PRESENCE OF AWD GIVES THE STARIA A SURE FOOTEDNESS AND AGILITY IN SLIPPERY AND MARGINAL CONDITIONS, THAT 2WD VANS COULD NOT HOPE TO EMULATE.

Assist, Multi-collision brake, Driver attention monitoring, Safe exit warning, Rear cross-traffic assist and Surroundview monitor. Phew, was almost out of breath with all of that equipment is in the base model. The Elite also gets Safe exit assist and a 3D view surround-view camera, while the Highlander also receives a Blind Spot View Monitor, delivering a camera feed of what’s in your blind spot to the instrument cluster.

In terms of shifting people around and the potential as a luxury mini-bus the Staria offers a pretty compelling case for operators looking to make a splash and be noticed, because the Staria has a presence that others will struggle to match in this class.

Inside it has space for eight people (two

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in the front and three in each of the next two rows) along with room for plenty of luggage. The Staria brings a van practicality to the situation that is easy to like, with the rear cargo area boasting a wide and flat design for plenty of luggage or cargo.

Big sliding doors on both sides of the cabin make it easy to get in and out of, while the middle row seat backs can be tilted out of the way to allow access to the rear seat row.

In terms of equipment the base model doesn’t miss out on too much and are extremely well specced, with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and taillights, keyless entry, multi-angle parking cameras, manual air-conditioning (for all three rows), a 4.2-inch digital instrument panel, a leather-clad steering wheel, cloth

seat trim, a six-speaker stereo and an 8.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a wireless smartphone charging pad all as standard.

Not to shabby for $48,500 plus on roads On top of that the Elite gets keyless entry and push-button start, powersliding doors and a power tailgate, as well as leather upholstery, a poweradjustable driver’s seat, DAB digital radio, a surround view camera system with 3D view, tri-zone climate control and a 10.2inch touchscreen with in-built navigation but wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while the Highlander is even more impressive with a 10.2-inch digital instrument panel, dual power sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, rear passenger view

monitor and cloth headlining.

The Highlander starts at $63,500 for the petrol 2WD and ramps up to $66,500 for the diesel AWD. Above all Hyundai has done a great job on the interior design with some really nice touches throughout, including air conditioning vents for both rear rows, lots of usable storage and 10 cup holders with USB charging ports in all three rows.

In particular the massive huge centre console box between the front seats can take heaps of ‘stuff ’ as well as a couple of drink holders for front seat occupants and a two pop-out cup holders and a storage draw for the middle row as well.

For the front seat occupants there is also a wireless charging pad along with a pair of USB charging ports, more cup holders

built into the top of the dash and a couple of flat storage spaces atop the dash for small nick knacks and other items.

In terms of performance the 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel is a terrific powerplant delivering maximum power of 130kW at 3800rpm and 430Nm of torque between 1500 and 2500rpm, mated to an eight-speed auto.

The presence of AWD gives the Staria a sure footedness and agility in slippery and marginal conditions, that 2WD vans could not hope to emulate.

The Staria also boasts a very strong towing capability with a 750 kg unbraked capacity and 2.5 tonne for a braked trailer.

That would be attractive for luxury mini bus operators who can use it to offload luggage into a trailer if necessary.

Fuel consumption for a large van was equally impressive with the diesel engine returning 10.3 litre/100km during our time with the vehicle, which is slightly better than the 10.4L/100km promised by the average figures for the Staria.

The Staria’s long wheelbase delivers a well mannered and very responsive on road performance with a ride that is a step ahead of the vehicle it replaces, with direct, sharp and responsive steering that delivers excellent feel, not just for a people mover but for any vehicle.

Has Hyundai done a good job with the Staria? You bet! This is a really good vehicle no matter which way you cut it and it is going to win plenty of friends in the small bus and luxury transfer market for all manner of reasons.

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MONEY MATTERS PAUL CLITHROE INVESTMENT CHOICES CAN SUPPORT POSITIVE CHANGE AND HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY THE LATEST REPORT ON GLOBAL WARMING PAINTS A GRIM PICTURE. BUT INVESTORS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT CHANGE THROUGH THEIR PORTFOLIO.

W

hen the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its latest report, it made headlines globally.

No surprises there – the report pulls no punches on the need for urgent climate action.

As individuals we can feel powerless to bring about large scale change even though we may be doing our bit on a personal level by making eco-friendly choices.

As investors however we can collectively carry real clout, and demand for ‘responsible’ investments is growing rapidly. An industry report shows there is now a total of $1,149 billion held in responsible investments in Australia.

That’s over one-third of the value of the total managed funds market.

‘Responsible’ investments look for opportunities that embrace environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria that benefit people and the planet. That can include opting for investments that support the environment such as renewable energies, or screening out negative industries like, say, tobacco or gambling. A survey by the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia (RIAA) found consumers are especially keen to avoid investments associated with fossil fuels, human rights abuses and armaments.

The good news is that responsible investing doesn’t have to come at the cost of strong returns. The RIAA found Australian share funds with a responsible focus dished up 10-year returns averaging 9.0 per cent annually compared to the market returns (as measured by the ASX 300) averaging 7.8 per cent each year.

It’s a similar story with international responsible investment funds, which have achieved long term returns above the market average.

If you’re keen to invest in a way that supports the planet – and your own views on issues like social responsibility, there is a range of options to pick from.

A growing number of super funds offer responsible investment choices. There’s also a broad selection of exchange traded funds (ETFs) dedicated to sustainable investments including some that focus on overseas markets. Just be sure to take a close look at what the ETF is really investing in so you can be confident the fund’s underlying investments are among those you would choose to invest in personally.

Meantime, when it comes to money matters, honesty really is the best policy.

Millions of Australians have told a fib in order to get a discount on their life insurance policy, according to new research by Finder. The national survey found 20 per cent of Australians, equal to over 3.8 million people, have lied in order to get a cheaper policy.

Being a smoker is one of the biggest reasons for misleading a provider (9 per cent), as is mental health (9 per cent).

This is followed by the nature of one’s job (8 per cent), alcohol consumption (7 per cent), a pre-existing condition (6 per cent) and hobbies such as extreme sports (4 per cent).

When it comes to our personal finances, being open and honest pays off.

Whether you want to call it gilding the lily or pulling a swifty, insurance is one area where painting a less than accurate picture can leave you out of pocket potentially with zero benefit.

Lying on life insurance applications can be especially dicey. Premiums are based on the risk you represent. If you’re not 100 per cent honest with an insurer, any claims can be rejected. That can mean a waste of the money spent on premiums, as well as leaving your family in the lurch

financially if something happens to you.

Sure, coming clean with an insurance company – for any type of policy, can mean paying a higher premium. But that’s got to be better than paying good money for a policy that’s worthless because you weren’t entirely upfront.

The temptation to stretch the truth isn’t limited to insurance. I’ve also come across research that shows close to one in three home buyers can fudge their home loan applications. In today’s rapidly rising property market, fear of missing out may make it tempting to bend the truth on a loan application. However, the reality can be living with a loan you really can’t afford, and that can be a path to financial stress.

With millions of Australians doing their tax returns each year, sticking to the facts pays here too. The Tax Office uses sophisticated data matching technology that can show in a flash if you’ve underestimated income or fudged other aspects of your tax return.

In fact, the tax man is urging Australians to hold off slightly on lodging tax returns. It can take time for employers, banks, private health insurers, and government agencies to compile the details needed for the Tax Office to electronically cross-check details on your personal tax return. The pandemic means some of these details may not be finalised until later than usual July.

Waiting a little while can mean the prefilled aspects of your tax return are accurate, helping you get the right refund sooner. That’s a far happier outcome than copping a ‘please explain’ from the Tax Office if something isn’t quite right with your tax return.

Paul Clitheroe is Chairman of InvestSMART, Chair of the Ecstra Foundation and chief commentator for Money Magazine.

ALL IT TAKES At Kumho, we deliver a smoother, safer ride for you and your cargo – on tyres designed to perform in all Australian conditions. Whether it’s a light load or heavy highway haulage, our commitment to quality will deliver you great value and a safer tomorrow.

And like a circle, it never ends. We’ll continue to look for new ways to make your experience better. It’s just what we do.

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