Capital Equipment News March 2018

TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS NEWS

First DAF XF105 Super Space Cab in SA Blue chip transporting solutions company, Mid West Bulk, has acquired the first DAF XF105.510 Super Space Cab in South Africa, which will be officially launched by Babcock,

the sole importer and distributor of DAF Trucks in southern Africa, in the country later this year. The new generation XF105 trucks, launched in Europe mid last year, is said to set optimal standards in transport efficiency and driver comfort, with new drivelines and aerodynamic optimisations resulting in up to 7% lower fuel consumption. “The DAF XF105.510 Super Space Cab offers the same low operating costs and high uptime that our customers are accustomed to from DAF XF105 trucks, but with the added advantage of a super spacious, luxurious cab, a highly attractive exterior, and the most powerful engine that DAF Trucks has brought into the country,” says Alec Jackson, sales executive at Babcock’s Transport Solutions division. “Mid West Bulk, part of the KZN-based West End Trucking group, is a highly reputable company and is regarded as a trendsetter in the industry, with easily one of

It will be officially launched locally later this year.

appearance, while maintaining all its dis- tinctive functional aspects. It has a choice of Space Cab and Super Space Cab, both with generous interior dimensions that provide more living, working and storage space. b

the cleanest and most polished looking fleet in the country,” says Jackson. The new DAF XF105.510 Super Space Cab was therefore a natural choice for Mid West Bulk. The DAF Design Centre in the Neth- erlands has given the XF105 a stylish

subsidies driving market change,” says Chandramowli Kailasam, Mobility Team Leader at Frost & Sullivan. “Europe is expected to switch to hybrid or full electric technologies in an active drive towards EU’s 20-20-20 target and to fulfil COP21 promises. In North America, however, awareness of hybrid- electric technologies is expected to be lower than natural gas powertrains as limitations in efficiency gains and recharging points impede adoption rates in the short term until 2020.” Strategic imperatives for growth in the electric truck market include: • Developing 250kW+ ultra-fast charging and battery swapping systems to make refuelling comparable to average diesel filling times; • New players looking to enter the market by devel- oping electric trucks with a range of more than 300 miles, autonomous driving functionality, and aerody- namically streamlined designs; and • Investment into battery pack manufacturing and vertical integration of the electric drivetrain will be common phenomenon as OEMs try to retain their technology exclusivity. “Full electric trucks in heavy-duty applications are still an ambitious proposition with significant strides required in battery capacity as well as price,” reasons Kailasam. “However, despite these challenges, electric trucks will find their place in applications such as refuse collection, yard trucks, urban parcel and delivery services, as well as regional hauling. Plug-in hybrids and conventional hybrids will also form part of the mix.” b

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