Truck of the Year Australasia

12/03/2024

Announcing the 2024 Truck of the Year Australasia! On stage, New Zealand Trucking magazine’s Dave McCoid and PowerTorque Magazine’s Tim Giles

12/03/2024

Excitement is building! The 2024 Truck of the Year Australasia will be announced today at 11am NZST! Tune in to watch the award presentation live from the TMS Teletrac Navman Technology | Maintenance | Safety Conference & Exhibition!

There are three strong candidates for the title in 2024:
Scania Super
Volvo Electric Heavy-Duty Range
Western Star X-Series

Watch this space!

PowerTorque Magazine
New Zealand Trucking magazine
Deals on Wheels NZ
FOCUS on Transport and Logistics
Western Star Trucks Australia and New Zealand
Penske Australia & New Zealand
Penske New Zealand
Penske Trucks Australia
Volvo Trucks
Volvo Trucks New Zealand
Volvo Trucks Australia
Scania Group
Scania New Zealand
Scania Group Australia
International Truck of The Year Award

29/02/2024

The latest issue of FOCUS is live! The Hino 700 is our cover star while we have some great articles on MAN, Isuzu, UD Trucks, DAF, TruckStore...and LOTS more! You can read the magazine online or download a PDF here:
https://buff.ly/4bZ1tzZ

22/02/2024

Which truck will win the prestigious title of Truck of the Year Australasia for 2024? Will it be the Scania Super, Volvo Electric Heavy-Duty Range or Western Star X-Series? We’ve already introduced you to the two Scandinavians in the line-up. Now it’s the turn of the X-Series which, according to Western Star, is “the most tested” truck in its line-up – ever.

The range – lighter, safer, stronger, and more spacious than any Western Star before –comprises the 47X, 49X, and Australian-exclusive 48X.

Highly versatile, the 47X has a short, sloped bonnet that yields payload flexibility, a set-back front axle, and choice of power with the Cummins L9 or the Detroit DD13 Gen 5, either the Detroit DT12, Allison fully automatic, or Eaton Fuller manual transmission, and various sleeper options.

The toughest of the tough, the 49X is powered by the 500-600 hp DD16, has up to 200+ tonnes GCM capability, and is available with multiple cabin options, including the largest cab on the Australian market, the 72” Stratosphere sleeper.

Designed specifically for Australia, the 48X is powered by the 450-525 hp Detroit DD13 Gen 5 or 500-600 hp DD16 engine, features a set-forward front axle, and has a bumper-to-back-of-cab (BBC) measurement of 113.5 inches.

The safety features are super impressive. They include Active Brake Assist 5, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, side guard assist, tailgate warning, brake hold mode, an improved visibility package, and a RollTek driver’s seat with rollover restraint and a seat-mounted airbag.

But, as the judges agree, the most remarkable feature of this range is probably its looks. As Dave McCoid enthused in this report on its launch: “In recent years, the Star has patiently awaited its platform rebirth and at the Brisbane Truck Show last year, there it was, in living tin. If looks could kill, X-Series would be John Wick.”

The winner will be announced at the New Zealand Trucking Association and National Road Carriers, Transport Maintenance and Safety event in Christchurch on 13 March 2024. Should it be the John Wick of trucks? Or do you fancy one of the other two?

Western Star Trucks
Western Star Trucks Australia and New Zealand
PowerTorque Magazine
New Zealand Trucking magazine
Deals on Wheels NZ
FOCUS on Transport and Logistics
International Truck of The Year Award

21/02/2024

Last week, we announced the three finalists in the 2024 Truck of the Year Australasia competition. Over the next couple of days, we will introduce you to each of the trucks. Yesterday, we introduced you to the Scania Super; today we’re going to tell you all about Volvo’s Electric Heavy-Duty Range.

The big news with this range is that it is the current International Truck of the Year. That’s a seriously big deal because it’s the first time in the history of the International Truck of the Year award – whose roots date back to 1977 – that an electric truck in series production has won this prize.

Why did the International Truck of the Year jurors pick it? Well, the journalists praised the performance, the seamless acceleration, the quietness, and the vibration-free behaviour of the highly efficient electric powertrain of the FH Electric, based on two or three electric machines of 330 or 490 kW continuous power, coupled with the latest generation I-Shift gearbox. Equally crucial in the winning score of FH Electric for regional cargo transport was the vast offer of axle configurations for tractors and rigids, the availability of four cab versions, and the modular portfolio of battery packs – from two to six – according to the transport mission requirements.

This truck is pitched at heavy regional and metro distribution – think Foodie’s and Countdown city routes. Three synchronous 163kW (222hp) electric motors take power from up to six 90kWh batteries, and deliver 2400Nm (1991lb/ft) of continuous torque. Range is entirely dependent on what you’re carting, where, and the terrain between, but don’t think you’re saddling one up for your Brisbane–Melbourne run.

The truck does have some limitations – with all its batteries, it weighs 12.5 tonne. But it’s also a ground-breaking truck, which has been named the best in the world. Is that good enough for it to be named the 2024 Truck of the Year Australasia? What do you think?

The winner of this year’s competition will be announced at the New Zealand Trucking Association and National Road Carriers, Transport Maintenance and Safety event in Christchurch on 13 March 2024.

PowerTorque Magazine
New Zealand Trucking magazine
Deals on Wheels NZ
FOCUS on Transport and Logistics
Volvo Trucks
Volvo Trucks South Africa
International Truck of The Year Award

20/02/2024

Last week, we announced the three finalists in the 2024 Truck of the Year Australasia competition. Over the next couple of days, we will introduce you to each of the trucks.

The first is the Scania Super, which could be the last combustion engine family for the Swedish truck maker. The Super boasts a new single head, twin-overhead cam construction biofuel-capable engine and a new Opticruise transmission and rear drive – which were five years in the making. Scania says an 8% improvement in fuel consumption can be expected at the get-go on like-for-like work.

The key to Super is downspeeding, and to facilitate that, engineers have reset the bar on 13-litre engine torque output with 2800Nm (2065lb/ft) between 900 and 1400rpm from the 418kW (560hp) unit at the top of the range. The Swedish giant is also saying it’s the most durable powertrain ever.

The new engine and transmission are not the only thing which has changed on the Scania Super, there’s also a new fuel delivery system from the diesel tank. The new fuel system is claimed to pull 97% of the fuel from the tanks compared to the 85% which could be practically used in the past.

The winner of this year’s competition will be announced at the New Zealand Trucking Association and National Road Carriers, Transport Maintenance and Safety event in Christchurch on 13 March 2024. Should it be the Scania? What do you think?

PowerTorque Magazine
Scania Group
New Zealand Trucking magazine
FOCUS on Transport and Logistics
Deals on Wheels NZ
Scania South Africa
International Truck of The Year Award

13/02/2024

Which truck will win the prestigious title of Truck of the Year Australasia for 2024?

The finalists have been announced! There are three strong candidates for the title in 2024:

Those contenders are:

Scania Super
Volvo Electric Heavy-Duty Range
Western Star X-Series

We will introduce you to these new trucks over the next couple of weeks. The winner will be announced at the New Zealand Trucking Association and National Road Carriers, Transport Maintenance and Safety event in Christchurch on 13 March 2024.

Watch this space!

New Zealand Trucking magazine
PowerTorque Magazine
Deals on Wheels NZ
FOCUS on Transport and Logistics
Western Star Trucks
Volvo Trucks
Scania Group
International Truck of The Year Award

09/11/2023

This is an INCREDIBLE competition aimed at truck drivers! Enter NOW! You can win big bucks!

New Zealand Trucking magazine

03/07/2023

16/06/2023

What GREAT truck pics!

09/06/2023

The truck drivers in Africa really have it tough...

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08/06/2023

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08/06/2023

BREAKING NEWS: HINO AND FUSO TO MERGE

Daimler Truck, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation, Hino Motors and Toyota Motor Corporation have concluded a Memorandum of Understanding on accelerating the development of advanced technologies and the merging of Fuso and Hino.

It’s early days yet, but Fuso and Hino will merge “on an equal footing” and collaborate in the areas of commercial vehicle development, procurement and production. They will build “a globally competitive Japanese commercial vehicle manufacturer”.

The two former rivals will work together to achieve carbon neutrality. They will also cooperate when it comes to connectivity, autonomous driving and e-mobility.

We shall watch this development with great interest…

Hino Motors
Daimler Truck AG
FUSO Trucks Southern Africa
International Truck of The Year Award
Australasian Truck of the Year

08/06/2023

Our latest issue of Deals on Wheels hits the shelves today! Grab your copy today or take advantage of our subscription special at www.dealsonwheels.co.nz/subscribe

08/06/2023

Ever wondered how hydrogen engines work? This excellent infographic from Cummins Inc explains this technology extremely well.
Cummins Africa Middle East

08/06/2023

Downloaded the Astron Energy FleetCard app yet? You can enjoy easier route mapping, discounted diesel and access to the largest fleet card network in South Africa. Download on the Google Play Store now: https://buff.ly/3J1FV91

05/06/2023

This is a wonderful initiative! Truck drivers deserve all the accolades they can get. Well done, IVECO

IVECO and The Road Freight Association’s competition is back for a third year! If you employ a truck driver worth celebrating, then this is for you. Let us know why they deserve to be honoured and they could win a satisfying R50 000, as well as the title of “South Africa’s Favourite Driver".

Entries close 2 September 2023.

https://buff.ly/3aZvsJW

IVECO
IVECO

05/06/2023

Founded in 1951 by Tom Croft, T. Croft has grown to become an iconic and major transportation for...

05/06/2023

19/05/2023

DAF has a showstopper of its own this year in the form of the brand new XG+ 660, the biggest design project in DAF Trucks Australia's history.