Total cost of ownership is the key driver in fleet management and transport operators – both short and long-haul – are facing crippling fuel bills that are likely to grow a lot worse in the coming months.

Keeping the fuel cost under control is the prime mover behind the introduction of a range of Euro V option for the Quester and Croner heavy and medium duty haulers by UD Trucks Southern Africa.

The upgrade boasts enhanced features that will improve uptime, enhance efficiency, and optimise Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), all while lowering the vehicle’s environmental impact and retaining benefits from previous models.

Emerging

The new Euro 5 range has been introduced in other fast-growing and emerging regions around the world that are moving to adopt more stringent international emission standards in a bid to cut pollution and improve air quality. In most markets, as in South Africa, UD Trucks’ new Euro 5 range has been introduced ahead of these regulations to better prepare businesses for the switch to a cleaner fleet.

Filip Van den Heede, UD Trucks Southern Africa, Managing Director says: “In today’s world, sustainability is more important than ever. COVID-19 is also placing more emphasis on a more sustainable approach to driving a post-pandemic recovery.

“Modern and efficient logistics are vital to keep the world moving in these fast-evolving times, and our latest launch will ensure greater resilience for businesses while ensuring environmental impacts are minimised.

Sustainable

“In South Africa, in particular we see a wider customer base opting for a more sustainable and at the same time more fuel-efficient logistics solution and UD Trucks being the market leader in the Euro 5 market with Quon is now expanding the offering with Quester and Croner, in line with being a challenger in the industry.”

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) global energy review 2021, global energy carbon emissions are projected to rebound in the post-COVID era to grow by 4,8%. This would represent the largest single increase in over a decade. Emissions from transportation alone are at risk of increasing global emission levels by more than 1,5%.

Emissions

Moving towards cleaner fleets is imperative. Euro 5 reduces NOx emissions by about 43% compared to Euro 4 and significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the vehicle through cleaner emissions.

Van den Heede went on to say, despite the diesel quality in Southern Africa not being Euro V specification, the trucks are more than capable of operating on the lower quality and still produce very significant overall fuel savings.

As the first truck manufacturer to introduce Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology in 2004, UD Trucks’ new Euro 5 range features SCR technology to significantly boost environmental protection and fuel economy. With these benefits, SCR technology is proven to be more reliable when compared to other emission control technologies for reducing NOx emissions.

“Uptime is also boosted with a stable and expanded AdBlue supply network,” he says.

AdBlue is a safe-to-use diesel exhaust fluid used in vehicles with SCR technology to reduce harmful gases from being released into the atmosphere

*AdBlue is available at all authorised UD Trucks dealerships and may also be available at fuel stations, workshops and online.”

Cluster

Aside from featuring a Euro 5 system with SCR technology, the new range of Quester and Croner also features a new instrument cluster with real-time fuel coaching. This enhancement provides drivers with immediate and specific feedback on driving techniques that are more fuel efficient.

Quester has evolved and now is connected and business-ready with UD Telematics – a high-tech wireless communications system – that allows transportation companies to maximise efficiency with real- time vehicle tracking and geofencing.

Increased fuel efficiency with numerous features including ESCOT automated manual transmission that, combined with lighter tare weight and optimised driveline, can improve fuel economy by up to 10% compared to the previous Quester model.

Quester with ESCOT takes away the drivers’ need to shift an average of 1 000-1 500 times a day by automatically selecting the right gear at any given time. This leads to less stress and improves safety by allowing the driver to focus more on the road.

Productivity

Croner can be configured to suit specific applications and optimised for better productivity, while the aerodynamic cab design reduces the drag coefficient by 5% compared to previous models.

Croner’s cabin has been designed to put driver comfort first. It also comes with numerous active and passive safety features to protect the driver, cargo, and surrounding traffic.

“For 86 years, we have grown UD Trucks to be a truck brand of choice for our customers and this year in we celebrate 60 years of operating in South Africa,” say Van den Heede. “We are committed to leveraging smart and sustainable logistics solutions to provide ultimate dependability for our customers, business partners, colleagues and society at large.”