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Business Fleet Africa
EDITION 18 October 2022
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Table of Contents
3 Editorial
Business
4 Understanding various financing options
TransportandFreightIndex
6
The South African logistics sector continues
to improve
News
8 International News
10 Industry News
16 Technological advancements
18 Technology
Intheheadlights:HCVFleetVehicles
20
Mercedes-Benz Trucks unveils eActros
LongHaul
22
Mapping out a global zero emissions truck
rollout
24
Development of Mercedes-Benz GenH2 in
full swing
25
SVI launches B6 armouring for Hino 500
26
Iveco showcases variety of innovative
solutions
27 Volvo Vista winners crowned
28 Hino receives platinum award
FleetOwnerSuccessStory
30
Volkswagen showcases range of ID.Buzz
possibilities
31
Enviro Automotive showcases EC35 electric
panel van
SupplyChainandLogistics
33 Standardisation in management systems
34 Rhenus expands their capabilities
Energy
35 The shifting automotive energy mix
FleetManagement
36
Crane operators able to lift their game with
assistance from Ctrack
Intheheadlights:LCVFleetVehicles
38 Volkswagen launches all-new Polo Sedan
39
Ford launches completely re-engineered
Everest
40
Mitsubishi launches special edition Triton
41 Nissan’s Crossover icon returns
42 Mitsubishi’s Xpander upgraded
44 Honda BR-V takes on an SUV form
46 Reinventing a French icon
IndustrySales
47
Commercial vehicle sales contract
year-on-year
48 Buyers Guide
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October2022 | BUSINESS FLEET AFRICA
WWW.BUSINESSFLEETAFRICA.CO.ZA
Editor
Reuben van Niekerk
reubenvn@vodamail.co.za
082 837 8801
Editor-at-large
Suzanne Walker
suzanne.walker3@gmail.com
083 3789 664
Contributors
Roger Houghton
houghtonr@mwebbiz.co.za
082 371 9097
Publisher
Jacques Wilken
jwilken@mweb.co.za
083 299 7312
Road Impression Editor
Charl Wilken
cwwilken@mweb.co.za
083 297 1837
Advertising and Marketing
Charlene Kruger
charlene@businessfleetafrica.co.za
076 807 4613
© 1997 WCM Media CC
Disclaimer
While all reasonable precautions
have been taken to ensure the
accuracy of information supplied,
neither the editor, the proprietors,
nor the publishers can accept
responsibility for any inaccuracies,
damages, or injury which may arise
there from.
Trade shows are back
I was fortunate enough to attend two trade shows in Germany
recently, Automechanika in Frankfurt and the IAA in Hannover.
It was the first time that both these shows were presented
following the global COVID-19 pandemic. What was impressive to see was how quickly
things have progressed in the last few years despite COVID-19, global supply chain
shortages and hard lockdowns around the globe. A virtual world filled with zoom
meetings seems to have been good for productivity, especially when it comes to the
development of new technology.
While the products showcased at these international trade shows might not always
be relevant to the South African automotive market, these events are always a good
barometer of where the industry is headed.
The global automotive industry is well and truly ready for emissions free mobility,
with all the major OEMs and aftermarket suppliers presenting solutions to make this
possible. Companies like Bosch have developed the tools necessary to look after
these vehicles and charging solutions were showcased in abundance. Big players like
Continental and Schaeffler have seen this new era as an opportunity and presented a
variety of innovative solutions aimed at working with OEMs or supporting consumers
in the aftermarket.
Electric commercial vehicles not ready for South Africa, yet
Unfortunately the latest electric commercial vehicles still fall short in terms of the
range and load carrying capabilities that South African users require, especially when
it comes to long haul operations. However, things are progressing at such a rapid rate,
with on going research into battery technology and fuel sources such as hydrogen,
that I believe the range conundrum will be sorted sooner than later.
South Africa is getting left behind
Both these trade shows and the products exhibited placed a big emphasis on zero
emissions vehicles and the eco systems surrounding them.
Unfortunately back home, the introduction of a 10ppm sulphur content cap and
1 percent benzene limit in petrol, which was planned for September 2023, has been
delayed until July 2027, according to the Government Gazette.
The knock on effects of this is that in future many manufacturers who are already
producing vehicles according to Euro 6 standards might no longer be able to supply us
with a full range of products that can work in our market, with our dirty fuel.
If government can’t even get this right, especially now that we are importing most
of our fuel, how long will it take them to approve the legislation necessary to make
alternatively powered vehicles with electric or hydrogen drivetrains feasible for local
introduction. I fear that the industry could be severely constricted by copious amounts
of red tape.
We would love to hear from you
As we continually refine the offering that is Business Fleet Africa, we would love to
hear what you would like to see more, or less of. Please feel free to drop me an email
with any comments or suggestions, the details are alongside.
Reuben van Niekerk
Editor
Editorial
EDITORIAL

The running of a transport business in
South Africa very often sees operators
working with extremely fine margins
and in order for these businesses to
remain profitable management needs to
constantly evaluate the vehicle financing
options that are available to fleets and
operators.
“External and internal factors are
always changing, so the best way for a
particular business to pay for their mov-
able assets, including trucks and trailers
might not be the same way that they did
it a few years ago,” says Derick de Vries,
Executive Head of Standard Bank Fleet
Management.
New vehicles and trailers are expen-
sive purchases and with interest rate
increases now a common occurrence
it is vitally important for transport
operators, purchasers and business
owners to have a thorough understand-
ing of the various ways of financing
these assets.
A lack of expertise regarding the
various financing options will often see
operators delay the acquisition of new
vehicles, simply out of fear of making
the wrong decision, which more often
than not leads to operators being left to
utilise outdated and unreliable equip-
ment, which could have a detrimental
effect on safety, employee wellbeing and
even your bottom line.
Outright purchase
An outright purchase is the most basic
way of financing an asset. It comprises
utilising cash reserves or funding raised
by other means to buy a vehicle. This
offers numerous advantages including
freedom to choose suppliers or to
negotiate better discounts as well as a
lower overall purchase price, with no
monthly fees or interest rates payable.
Buying equipment outright means
that you are not tied into any specific
ownership period and can buy and sell
vehicles as operational requirements
change. In addition these vehicles can
be added to the balance sheet as an
employed asset.
The disadvantages of this method
will most probably include a reduction
in working capital as well as possible lost
opportunities to invest cash elsewhere
and it will be your responsibility to
dispose of the vehicle via sale or auction
when the time comes to upgrade.
Instalment sale
Historically, especially in South Africa,
instalment sales have been one of
the most popular ways of paying for
vehicles.
The advantages include that a rela-
tively small upfront payment in the form
of a deposit is required and then the
revenue generated by the vehicle can
very often cover the monthly payments.
The interest rates can in many cases be
fixed for the full period of the agreement
or floated against factors such as the
prime lending rate.
Choosing an instalment sale allows
immediate use of the vehicle and
ownership is transferred once the final
instalment has been paid.
Understanding various
financing options
BUSINESS

The financing period and monthly
instalment are fixed which can be a big
advantage in an uncertain economy
and also allow for easier budgeting and
control.
While an instalment sale has always
been very popular it does also come
with some disadvantages. As owner-
ship is only transferred once the final
payment is made, vehicles cannot be
disposed of at the owner’s discretion
until the loan amount is settled, however
the risk of the residual value still resides
with the user.
Leasing
In recent years leasing has grown in
popularity as it affords operators the
use of vehicles without the need to own
them. Without having to invest large
amounts in vehicles companies can gain
access to the equipment needed to
meet increased demand, with agree-
ments tailored to their exact needs and
usage requirements.
Full maintenance leasing
Extended leasing agreements, which
very often include maintenance and
insurance are now a popular way of add-
ing vehicles to fleets as it consolidates a
number of expenses relating to vehicles
into one payment. However very often
these agreements, especially when
maintenance is included, will stipulate
maximum usage and it is therefore
imperative to do your homework in
order to determine if this suits the needs
of your business. In many cases there is
a sweet spot, so if your usage is below
that you will be paying for something
that you don’t need or alternatively you
could be penalised for excessive use.
It is important to keep in mind that
no matter which method you choose
it will have an effect on your operating
costs, tax payments and ultimately your
profits, so it is vital to educate yourself,
if necessary with the help of expert
consultants, on the various options
available and do the due diligence in
determining which is the best solution
for your business.
“The various options all have their
advantages and disadvantages but it
is clear that there is no such thing as a
once size fits all solution and in many
cases larger operators will finance their
vehicles using a combination of these
options depending on their current
needs or financial situation,” concludes
de Vries. BFA
5
“The various options all
have their advantages
and disadvantages but
it is clear that there is
no such thing as a once
size fits all solution and
in many cases larger
operators will finance
their vehicles using a
combination of these
options depending on
their current needs or
financial situation.”
– Derick de Vries,
Executive Head of
Standard Bank Fleet
Management

TRANSPORT AND FREIGHT INDEX
The South African logistics sector con-
tinued to improve during the month of
August, building on its strong Q3 perfor-
mance. The Ctrack Transport and Freight
Index (Ctrack TFI) grew by 2.0% in August
compared to July, which represented
a 12.9% improvement compared to a
year ago, and an improvement on July’s
revised 9.0% year-on-year growth rate.
The annual comparison is, however,
still influenced by a low base of compar-
ison, as the August 2021 Index was still
under pressure due to the aftermath
of the riots in KZN and Gauteng during
July 2021. During August the Ctrack
Transport and Freight Index was able to
surpass March’s pre-flooding level.
Despite many challenges that remain
a reality for the sector including high fuel
prices, rising interest rates and the nega-
tive impact of regular load shedding, the
logistics sector proved to be largely resil-
ient. Four of the six segments measured
by the Ctrack Transport and Freight
Index increased on an annual basis
during August, with the star performer
once again being Road Freight, followed
by Pipeline Transport, Air Freight and
Sea Freight. The remaining segments
including Storage and Handling and Rail
Freight returned declines. The latter
has been on a downward spiral for five
consecutive months, reflecting ongoing
challenges in the rail sector.
“We have had a couple of months
without any major disasters and the
majority of the segments measured by
the Ctrack Transport and Freight Index
have benefitted from this stability in
the general transport environment.
However, further policy restraints,
inflationary impact on tyres, parts and
servicing items do remain a concern for
the Road Transport Industry and can
restrict further growth and recovery,”
says Hein Jordt, Chief Executive Officer
of Ctrack Africa.
While the broader economic en-
vironment has a real effect on all the
sectors measured by the Ctrack Transport
and Freight Index, there are still vastly
different trends evident in each of these
sub-sectors. These trends are partly a
reflection of specific infrastructural chal-
lenges (notably in rail freight), while other
factors such as government policies,
management, efficiency and adaptability
also play an important role in the perfor-
mance of the various sub-sectors.
Road Freight was the best performing
sub-sector during August, with a notable
increase of 28.6% compared to a year
ago, a continuation of a positive growth
streak that emanated in January 2021.
While the number of heavy trucks on the
N3 and N4 toll routes declined by 2.7%
during August, StatsSA reported that
Road Freight payload for the country as
a whole has shown continuous growth,
with a 34% improvement on an annual
basis. The sector has been a beneficiary
of the on going underperformance of
the rail industry but has also been able
to capitalise on the evolving trend of
parcel delivery, driven by increases
in the popularity of online shopping.
According to the StatsSA land transport
survey, income generated from parcel
delivery has increased by 108.7% since
January 2018.
The Rail Freight component declined
by 8.9% year-on-year during August, the
fifth consecutive month of decline, which
can be attributed to large-scale theft of
copper cables, insufficient maintenance,
The South African logistics
sector continues to improve
Graph 1
Ctrack Transport and Freight Index % change on year ago
Ctrack

economists.co.za
Ctrack Transport and Freight Index
Change on a year ago
Aug-14
Aug-15
Aug-16
Aug-17
Aug-18
Aug-19
Aug-20
Aug-21
Aug-22
Feb-15
Feb-16
Feb-17
Feb-18
Feb-19
Feb-20
Feb-21
Feb-22
Nov-14
Nov-15
Nov-16
Nov-17
Nov-18
Nov-19
Nov-20
Nov-21
May-15
May-16
May-17
May-18
May-19
May-20
May-21
May-22
30%
20%
10%
0%
-10%
-20%
-30%
Ctrack economists.co.za
%
4,4%
12,9%
Graph 2
Ctrack Transport and Freight Index components (% change on year ago)
Ctrack

economists.co.za
Road freight
Pipeline
Air freight
Sea freight
Rail freight
Storage –13.9
–8.9
5.4
13.0
18.1
28.6
30
–20 –10 0 10 20 %

7
Table 1 Change in Ctrack Transport and Freight Index in August 2022
August 2022 Tables
Percentage change between Rail Road Pipeline Sea Air
Storage and
handling
Ctrack Freight
Transport Index
August 2022 vs August 2021 (y/y) –8.9% 28.6% 18.1% 5.4% 13.0% –13.9% 12.9%
August 2022 vs July 2022 (m/m) –0.4% 2.7% –2.2% 2.1% –4.9% 5.1% 2.0%
Quarter to August 2022 vs. Quarter to May 2022 (q/q) –4.9% 7.0% 19.4% 13.2% –10.1% 2.1% 4.3%
Note: The row highlighted in blue is the main Ctrack Transport and Freight Index values used.
Source: Ctrack and economistscoza, TNPA, StatsSA, SARS, N3 and N4 toll concessions, ACSA, ACOC, IATA.
lack of locomotives and corruption.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula recently
commented that the Department of
Transport is working with the Department
of Public Enterprises to get trucks off the
road, by moving at least 10% from road
onto rail within the next five years. The
White Paper on National Rail Policy was
approved by cabinet in March 2022, and
tabled in parliament, seeking to enable
the government to implement the ambi-
tious policy choices it has made, including
radical structural reforms that not only
seek to restore the competitiveness of
the railway system but also enable private
sector participation through concessions.
The transport of liquid fuels via
Transnet Pipelines (TPL) increased in the
past three months, with the pipeline
component of the Ctrack Transport and
Freight Index growing by 18.1% during
August compared to the same period
last year. South Africa’s own production
of fuel has been on a downward trend
recently with four oil refineries closing
their doors. South Africa once relied on
imports for hardly a third of its refined
fuel, but the situation has changed
notably and bigger volumes of final
products are now being imported and
transported via pipeline to the Gauteng
market on a regular basis.
The Air Freight sector showed signs
of strain during August and declined by
4.9% on a monthly basis, the second
month of decline; however, it is still
tracking 13.0% higher than a year ago.
This is in line with global trends as de-
mand comes under increasing pressure
due to higher inflation and interest rates
globally, which is impacting trade flows
and demand for imports and exports.
Sea Freight grew by 5.4% in August
compared to a year ago, driven by a
strong recovery in container handling at
various ports in recent months. Storage
and handling remained under pressure
in August, declining by 13.9% on an
annual basis, reflecting generally lower
inventory levels in the economy.
The Ctrack Transport and Freight
Index and GDP growth.
While the first quarter’s real GDP growth
was stronger than expected, the econo-
my lost momentum in the second quarter
due to the impact of the KZN flooding
during April, regular load shedding, higher
inflation and rising interest rates.
Encouragingly, the transport sector
outperformed the broader economy
during the second quarter, increasing
by 2.4% compared to the previous
quarter seasonally adjusted vs. a 0.7%
contraction in overall real GDP growth.
Despite many headwinds currently being
experienced by the broader economy,
early indications are that the transport
sector might outperform South Africa’s
GDP once again during the third quarter.
The August 2022 Ctrack TFI (119.2)
increased notably compared to the June
index level (114.8), signalling a further
recovery in the transport sector in Q3.
However, September has been a partic-
ularly challenging month for the South
African economy, due to load shedding,
which will have an overall dampening
effect on the broader economy.
“There is no doubt that South
Africans and the South African economy
is currently under pressure due to a
variety of factors, so it is heartening
that the transport industry as a whole
continues to rise above these challenges
and outperform the countries GDP,”
concludes Jordt. BFA
Ctrack Transport and Freight Index
Change on a year ago: Road vs Rail Freight
Rail vs Road Freight indices (2016=100)
140
160
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Ctrack economists.co.za
Rail Freight
Road Freight
Jan18=100
Jan-18
Jan-19
Jan-20
Jan-21
Jan-22
Jul-18
Jul-19
Jul-20
Jul-21
Jul-22
Apr-18
Apr-19
Apr-20
Apr-21
Apr-22
Oct-18
Oct-19
Oct-20
Oct-21
StatsSA
Land
transport
survey
Graph 2
Comparison between payload for rail and road freight transportation
Encouragingly, the transport
sector outperformed the broader
economy during the second quarter,
increasing by 2.4% compared to
the previous quarter seasonally
adjusted vs. a 0.7% contraction
in overall real GDP growth.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Mercedes-Benz Vans and electric vehicle
manufacturer Rivian has announced
the signing of a Memorandum of
Understanding to initiate a strategic
partnerships, which will see the two
companies cooperate on the production
of electric vans.
The companies intend to establish a
new joint venture with the purpose of
investing in, and operating, a factory in
Europe to produce large electric vans for
both Mercedes-Benz Vans and Rivian.
The goal is to build an all-new electric
only production facility leveraging an
existing Mercedes-Benz site in Europe.
The companies envisage production
optimised vehicle designs for efficient
manufacturing on common assembly
lines. The aim is to produce to large
vans, one based on the Mercedes-Benz
electric-only platform and the other
based on the second-generation elec-
tric-van, Rivian Light van platform.
The joint venture mirrors the common
objectives of Mercedes-Benz vans and
Rivian, with both companies planning to
rapidly scale the production of electric
vans to help the world transition to clean-
er transportation. By working together,
they will be able to leverage operations
synergies and substantially improve cost
efficiency to help make the vans more
affordable for commercial customers
driven by total cost of ownership. BFA
Mercedes-Benz Vans and Rivian move to
partner on electric van production
Volvo Trucks will deliver fully electric heavy-duty trucks to
Amazon in Germany by year-end. The 20 Volvo FH Electric
trucks are expected to drive more than one million road
kilometres annually, fuelled with electricity instead of diesel.
Heavy goods vehicles and other commercial vehicles make
up around 36% of Germany’s domestic transport emissions,
which makes road transport decarbonisation an important
issue to address.
“Big actors in the transport business play a key role in
leading the industry’s efforts to lower its carbon footprint.
Therefore I´m glad that Amazon is working with us to help
reduce their emissions in longer and heavier transport as-
signments,” says Jessica Sandström, Senior Vice President of
Product Management at Volvo Trucks.
Volvo Trucks started the series production of heavy-duty
electric trucks in September this year and the availability of
electric trucks for inter-city and regional haulage marks an
important milestone for decarbonizing road transport.
“Globally we now have six electric truck models ready to
order and in series production to meet the increasing demand
for decarbonizing goods transports. This is an encouraging step
forward for reducing climate change impacts,” added Sandström.
The electric versions of its most important product range –
the heavy-duty Volvo FH, Volvo FM and Volvo FMX trucks – will
play a vital role in reaching Volvo Trucks’ global target that
in 2030 50% of all-new trucks sold will be battery or fuel cell
electric. These electric heavy-duty trucks can operate at a total
weight of 44 tonnes and the three models mentioned represent
around two thirds of the company’s sales.
For Amazon, the trucks will replace their diesel counterparts
and play a key role in electrification initiatives through its
transportation chain.
“Amazon is committed to decarbonizing its fleet, and the
middle mile has been a notoriously hard-to-abate sector,”
explains Andreas Marschner, Vice President Transportation
Services Europe at Amazon. “That’s why welcoming these
electric heavy goods vehicles from Volvo into our fleet is such a
critical milestone. We’re operating one of the fastest-growing
commercial transportation electrification programs, and we’ll
continue to invest and innovate to decarbonize and deliver
packages to customers with zero emissions.” BFA
Volvo to supply Amazon with 20 heavy-duty electric trucks

DAF’s New Generation XD series has
been elected International Truck of the
Year 2023. Harald Seidel, President of
DAF Trucks, received the prestigious
award during an award ceremony at
the IAA Transportation in Hanover,
Germany. The XD series, including a
full array of fully electric variants with
ranges of over 500 kilometres on a
single charge. Was officially unveiled at
the IAA.
Based on the International Truck of
the Year (IToY) rules, the annual award
goes to the truck introduced into the
market in the previous 12 months,
making the most significant contribution
to road transport efficiency. This judg-
ment relies on several critical criteria,
including technological innovation,
comfort, safety, drivability, fuel econo-
my, environmental ‘footprint’ and Total
Cost of Ownership (TCO).
Summing up the jury vote,
International Truck of the Year Chairman
Gianenrico Griffini commented: “With
the introduction of the new XD series,
DAF has delivered a state-of-the-art
distribution truck that sets a new bench-
mark in its class. The truck range signifi-
cantly improves direct and indirect vision
thus safety, a key factor for distribution
vehicles. Also, the vehicle’s efficiency
and driver comfort are introducing a
new standard in this segment.”
In addition, the 24 jury members
praised the performance of the new,
highly efficient powertrains of the
XD, featuring the powerful PACCAR
MX-11 engines with ZF TraXon auto-
mated gearbox with advanced pre-
dictive features. The announcement
of a series of brand-new, fully electric
powertrains also impressed the jury
committee. BFA
Volta Trucks, the leading and disruptive
full-electric commercial vehicle man-
ufacturer and services provider, has
completed a rigorous programme of
hot weather testing of its full-electric
16-tonne Volta Zero.
Taking place over six weeks at the
purpose-built Nardo Technical Centre in
Southern Italy, the hot weather testing
programme was designed to ensure that
the Volta Zero will deliver outstanding
levels of reliability and durability when
series production of customer specifica-
tion vehicles starts early next year.
The vehicle development team at
Volta Trucks completed more than
2 500km of customer-focused driving cy-
cles at motorway, town and city speeds.
Undertaken in temperatures of up to
39 degrees Celsius during the day and
28 degrees Celsius at night, the air condi-
tioning system and thermal manage-
ment of the battery and powertrain of
the Volta Zero have been fully evaluated
and pushed to the extremes to ensure
optimum operational reliability.
Although unlikely to be experienced
in its natural urban surroundings, testing
has also been undertaken on coarse
dustier surfaces, which provided an even
tougher challenge for the Volta Zero’s
chassis, pushing the vehicle’s suspension,
steering, traction control and braking
system beyond the expected limit of
normal customer usage. In addition, dust
accumulation was studied for cabin and
load box ingress, as well as how it sits on
components such as lights, wipers and
panels.
The Volta Zero is the world’s first pur-
pose-built full-electric 16-tonne vehicle
designed for urban logistics, reducing the
environmental impact of freight deliveries
in city centres. Designed from the ground
up with an operating pure-electric range
of 150 – 200 kilometres.
In November 2021, Volta Trucks
announced Europe’s largest purchase of
full-electric trucks with DB Schenker’s
order of 1 470 vehicles. This followed
Petit Forestier’s order of 1 000 Volta
Zeros. Volta Trucks now has a total order
bank of around 6 500 vehicles, with an
order bank value of circa €1.4 billion. BFA
Volta Zero undergoes hot weather testing
DAF XD awarded International Truck of the Year 2023
9

INDUSTRY NEWS
Suzuki continues sales success
Truck and trailer body building company Serco has intro-
duced a smart trailer system developed in partnership with
South African technology specialists Ikhaya Automation.
Features include real time on board weighing, making
it possible for operators to identify axle overloads and
thus prevent possible fines and delays. The smart system
sends an alarm when axle limits have been exceeded,
enabling adjustments to be made.
Integrating with the trailer’s EBS system, it records
mileage and sends alerts when the vehicle is due to be
serviced. By monitoring supply air pressure to the braking
system, leaks and damaged airbags can be detected,
contributing to a safe and efficient running trailer.
Door opening sensors and temperature probes can be
added and these integrate with auxiliary systems such as
tyre pressure monitoring and GPS tracking to enhance the
performance of a transporter’s fleet management system.
Ensuring a trailer is running optimally using smart
technology helps reduce running costs and minimise
breakdowns while improving vehicle safety. BFA
Suzuki Auto South Africa this week sent a special note of thanks
to its dealer network for its stellar performance in September,
when the brand sold 4 364 new vehicles. This number is close
to its overall best sales and firmly entrenches Suzuki as one of
South Africa’s top three best-selling vehicle brands.  
Of the overall sales, the Suzuki dealer network sold 3 135
units or more than two- thirds of all the vehicles. “When a
brand is growing as quickly as Suzuki is growing now, it can
easily lose its connection with its customers. And while a brand
can invest in its marketing and communications, the ultimate
connection is between the dealer and the customer.  “That is
why we are so immensely proud of our dealer network, who
have managed to maintain a very high level of customer satis-
faction and repeat business,” says Henno Havenga, Manager of
Auto Dealer Sales at Suzuki Auto South Africa.  
Suzuki grew in recent months to 84 dealers, with our newer
dealers in both the large metros and in smaller towns and
cities.  “At our Dealer of the Year Awards earlier this year, Suzuki
dealers in rural towns and regions like Queenstown, Vredenburg,
on the West Coast and Mokopane won awards alongside large
dealers in areas such as Bryanston, Johannesburg and in Durban,
Durban South and Cape Town.  “This means that our customers
are guaranteed a great experience, regardless of where they buy
their new Suzuki,” says Havenga.  
Swift the top-seller
In September, the Suzuki Swift was the top-selling new
Suzuki through the dealer channel. Dealers sold 829 new Swift
models, and the government, rental and fleet division added a
further 503 units for total sales of 1 332 Swift models.
Other models that performed well include the Vitara Brezza
(736 units), the S- Presso (340 units) and the Suzuki Dzire
(417 units).
The same vehicles proved popular to fleet, government
and vehicle rental buyers. In total, Suzuki sold 1 227 vehicles
through these channels in September. BFA
Smart trailers contribute to transport efficiency

11
Ampcontrol have partnered with Aeversa to offer smart charging
solutions for electric fleets. In the past years, Aeversa has
developed EV charging services and has decided to expand its
solution by offering customers intelligent charging software. This
partnership makes it possible for Aeversa to tackle key challenges
in the South African market, such as grid constraints and power
outages, thanks to Ampcontrol’s smart charging management
software. Ampcontrol and Aeversa are already successfully work-
ing together on a last-mile delivery project and are enthusiastic
about the multiple projects already in the works.
“We are excited to work with one of the market’s most
driven, forward-thinking CaaS companies. The challenges
Aeversa is tackling in the South African market speak deeply
into the technology behind our software, and we are eager to
keep evolving our product for these extreme conditions,” says
Joachim Lohse, CEO and founder of Ampcontrol. “The level of
technology and thought in Aeversa’s solutions, in combination
with our software, will streamline the development of electric
vehicle projects in the country.”
“Ampcontrol’s software solutions provide the energy
management tools that Aeversa use to give local fleet owners
the confidence that a large-scale EV fleet transition is possible,
despite the country’s constrained electrical grid,” says Reando
Potgieter, Co-founder and COO of Aeversa.
“The V2G and programmable charging schedules allow vehi-
cle fleets to play a large role in helping South Africa’s power grid
to stabilise. Aeversa sees its business of helping South African
fleets transition to EVs as a responsibility and a privilege. We
are excited by this international partnership, as it is a perfect
example of innovative technology that drives change,” adds
Potgieter. BFA
Aeversa to partner with Ampcontrol
Volvo Trucks has commenced series production of the electric
versions of the company’s most important product range,
its heavy-duty trucks: Volvo FH, Volvo FM and Volvo FMX.
These trucks can operate at a total weight of 44 tonnes
and the three models represent around two thirds of the
company’s sales.
With these new additions, Volvo Trucks has six electric truck
models in series production globally – the broadest electric
truck line up in the industry.
In South Africa, local customer, KDG Logistics, recently
signed a Letter of Intent to purchase two Volvo FM 4x2 Electric
Truck Tractors. These units are expected to arrive during the
second quarter of 2023, and will be used by KDG Logistics, an
auto carrier, in a port-to-factory operation in Durban.
“This marks the first steps locally in embracing electric
vehicles as part of sustainable transport solutions here in South
Africa,” says Waldemar Christensen, MD of Volvo Trucks South
Africa. “Volvo Trucks and our customers are taking on the
challenge to embrace zero tailpipe emission transport despite
a lack of the necessary infrastructure and legislation to drive
more progress in this area locally.”
Series production of Volvo’s heaviest electric trucks will
start in the Tuve factory in Gothenburg, Sweden and next
year the factory in Ghent, Belgium will follow. Volvo produces
the electric trucks on the same line as its conventional trucks,
which gives high production flexibility and efficiency gains. The
batteries are supplied by Volvo Trucks’ new battery assembly
plant in Ghent.
Volvo Trucks’ electric line-up of six truck models covers a
wide range of applications such as city distribution and refuse
handling, regional transport and construction work. BFA
Volvo Trucks commences series production
of heavy electric trucks

INDUSTRY NEWS
A new addition to the Mercedes-Benz e-portfolio, which will
enter production in the second half of 2023, is the eActros as a
tractor unit.
The eActros 300 is particularly suitable for use in
heavy-duty distribution transport and is based on the same
technology as the eActros 300 as a solo vehicle or an articu-
lated train. The vehicle with an M cab can tow all European
semi trailers, taking into account the maximum permissible
overall towing length.
As with the eActros 300, the technology is based around
the drive unit, an electric rigid axle with two integrated electric
motors and a two-speed transmission. The two engines mount-
ed centrally on the rear axle generate a continuous output of
330kW and a peak output of 400kW. The direct torque supply
of the electric motors, coupled with the two-speed transmis-
sion, ensures powerful acceleration.
Three battery packs, each with an installed capacity of
112kWh result in a range of 220 kilometres. With careful driving,
recuperation can recover electrical energy and increase range.
As with all eActros models, safety equipment includes
the external Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System in accordance
with legal requirements, Active Brake Assist with pedestrian
detection and S1R turning assistant.
The turning assistant utilises the MirrorCam display, which
is installed in the eActros in the place of conventional mirrors.
This second-generation mirror camera system is able to assist
the driver in many situations out on the road thanks to 10cm
shorter camera arms per side and new image parameters for
an even more realistic representation of the surroundings. BFA
Mercedes-Benz Trucks launches eActros tractor
When shopping for new tyres have you ever considered the
expiry date on the tyre? Tyres do in fact have a five-year war-
ranty expiry date. “Most vehicle owners probably don’t know
this fact and wouldn’t even consider it to be an issue,” says
Vishal Premlall, national director of the Tyres Equipment Parts
Association (TEPA), a proud association of the Retail Motor
Industry Organisation (RMI).
He says it’s important that consumers know what to check
for when it comes to purchasing tyres since it is a costly but
essential purchase. “By asking the right questions and under-
standing what you should be looking for there’s less chance
you’ll be duped into buying a compromised part which could
impact your safety,” says Premlall.
The age of a tyre can be determined by looking at the
sidewall of the tyre for the following markings:
DOT U2LL LMLR 5107
51
Manufactured during the 51st week of the year
07 Manufactured during 2007
While second-hand tyres may only be imported for re-treading
purposes, the direct resale of imported second-hand tyres in
South Africa remains illegal. The incidence of the illegal sale of
imported used tyres has unfortunately exploded in recent years,
with more and more second-hand dealers springing up. Premlall
says consumers need to be wary when considering these dealers.
“Prudence would not see a legitimate tyre dealer selling
tyres after the five-year warranty expiry date, unless there is
a valid reason to do so,” he says. “The most important issue
surrounding tyre age is the manner of storage of the tyres. So,
while a tyre may look to be in good condition it could in fact
have internal aging which is not always evident.”
Premlall says where tyres have been kept in a cool
environment indoors and out of direct sunlight, the aging
is limited to the correct rotation of the tyre on the shelf to
reduce polymer memory in the rubber compound. This is
quite the opposite where a tyre has been subjected to high
temperatures, direct sunlight and left in one position for an
extended period of time.
“If you notice your tyres have reached the five-year mark,
the best course of action would be to visit the nearest tyre
fitment centre and have the condition of the tyres assessed.
The dealer may see safety critical issues with the tyres that you
may have overlooked. In the event of a report of visible aging,
there should be no hesitation in replacing the tyres immediate-
ly,” explains Premlall.
Ensuring tyres are in good condition needs to be a priority
for all drivers, particularly since many of our roads are in poor
condition. “It’s not worth skimping or trying to cut corners
when it comes to tyres. We are not sure how many deaths
on our roads are directly related to tyres not fit for use,”
he concludes. BFA
Did you know that tyres have an expiry date?

YOU’RE BUSY
SO WE’LL KEEP
THIS SHORT:
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HINO. We’re all business.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
This year sees FAW Trucks celebrate
29 years in South Africa and during
that time they have become a fixture in
the South African commercial vehicle
industry.
FAW Trucks offer a line up of vehicles
that are robust and which represent an
excellent value for money proposition
with derivatives in the extra-heavy,
heavy, medium and light commercial
market segments.
Built locally for local conditions
Since its local introduction FAW Trucks
has always been committed to South
Africa and its people. This was backed up
by a decision in 2012 to invest locally and
open a manufacturing plant in Coega,
Gqberha (formerly Port Elizabeth).
At the time this investment was one
of the largest by a Chinese company
in South Africa. The plant, which was
built at a cost of R600 million covers
30 000m2
features a state of the art
training facility, a body shop and a paint
shop. In 2014 the first vehicle rolled off
that assembly line and they have never
looked back.
The FAW Trucks manufacturing
facility is a substantial employer in the
Eastern Cape, providing large amounts
of employment to residents of the local
Gqberha community both in its own
facility as well as within those of local
suppliers on which it relies.
The FAW Trucks manufacturing facil-
ity has gone from strength to strength
and earlier this year the 8000th
locally
assembled vehicle rolled of their Coega
assembly line.
FAW Trucks has enjoyed remarkable
growth due to its reputation for offering
quality products that are able to cater to
the unique usage requirements of South
African commercial vehicle buyers. A big
advantage is their ability to easily refine
that offering thanks to the presence of
a local manufacturing facility. FAW has
let its products speak for themselves
and the result is a brand that regularly
outperforms its major competitors on
the sales charts.
Exceptional value for money
FAW Trucks continue to offer local
buyers a range of vehicles that have the
durability and longevity to make it in the
tough South African working environ-
ment while at the same time being
affordable both in terms of purchase
price and total cost of ownership. By
achieving those targets the FAW Trucks
product offering continues to represent
excellent value for money.
“Highlights from our 29 year local
history include the launch of the FAW
13.160 flat nose model in 1999, the
launch of the J5 in 2005 and the launch
of the 8.140FL in 2015. This model was
critical in FAW Trucks becoming an
established player, particularly in the
heavy vehicle segment of the commer-
cial vehicle market. A proud heritage
indeed,” says Yongjun Li, CEO of FAW
Trucks South Africa.
In the first quarter of 2021, the
Chinese brand took the top spot in the
Heavy Commercial segment of the South
African market for the first time and to
date they continue to maintain a strong
foothold in the market by continuously
outselling a number of more established
brands
After sales is critically important
when it comes to customer satisfaction
and retention. In 2018 FAW Trucks
received the Most Improved Award
in the commercial vehicle category of
the NADA Dealer Satisfaction Survey
and have continued to rank highly in
subsequent surveys, with a silver award
at the most recent announcement. This
survey rates the relationship between
manufacturers and dealers, which is
critical for the growth and longevity of a
brand. BFA
FAW celebrates 29 years in SA

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TECHNOLOGY
Hyundai awarded for autonomous
hydrogen mobility concept Trailer Drone
Hyundai Motor Company won its first Luminary honour at Red
Dot Award: Design Concept 2022 with its autonomous hydro-
gen mobility concept. The Luminary honour is the highest level
of recognition accorded at the Red Dot Award.
Trailer Drone is a hydrogen-powered container transporta-
tion system capable of operating fully autonomously. With the
number of intelligently packaged hydrogen tanks tailored to the
journey profile, the flexible and efficient Trailer Drone delivers
more than 1 000 km of sufficient range from a single charge,
comparable to existing container transportation systems. BFA
A big push towards hydrogen
Cleaner ICE engines
Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab),
the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and
Florida International University have
demonstrated the first real-time mea-
surement, using lab-based methods,
of free radical particles reacting under
cosmic conditions, prompting elemen-
tary carbon and hydrogen atoms to
coalesce into primal benzene rings.
A type of free radical called the
propargyl radical (C3
H3
·
) is extremely
reactive due to its propensity for
losing an electron, and has been
implicated in soot formation for
decades. Researchers believed that the
recombination of two free propargyl
radicals, C3
H3
·
+ C3
H3
·
, gave rise to the
first aromatic ring, benzene. They
believe that the finding could lead to
cleaner combustion engines. Having
more efficient petrol engines, analysts
say, is still important, because it may
take another 25 years before we can
replace the entire fleet of petrol cars
with electric vehicles (EVs). BFA
Trialling a hydrogen-
powered prime mover
Australian-based Pure Hydrogen Corporation
has entered into an arrangement with PepsiCo
Australia to trial a hydrogen-fuelled prime
mover at one of PepsiCo’s manufacturing sites
in Brisbane. Pure Hydrogen will supply PepsiCo
with a Hydrogen Fuel Cell 160kW 6x4 Prime
Mover (HFCV Prime Mover). The company
will also provide additional hydrogen fuel
as required, including refuelling along with
arranging repair and maintenance services.
Pure Hydrogen is working to establish
itself as not only a supplier of hydrogen-
fuelled trucks, buses, hydrogen generators
and storage pods, but also as a supplier of
hydrogen fuel. BFA

17
BMW leads HyCET project consortium
The German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) approved the funding
application for the consortium research project HyCET (Hydrogen Combustion Engine
Trucks) led by the BMW Group. Other HyCET project partners include DEUTZ, DHL
Freight, KEYOU, TotalEnergies Marketing Deutschland and the Volvo Group.
The research project aims to demonstrate the sustainability potential of trucks with
hydrogen combustion engines for transport logistics and publicly accessible hydrogen
filling stations.
With its shorter filling times, high payload and versatility, combined with its
attractive range, hydrogen is regarded as a promising fuel for transport logistics. The
use of green hydrogen produced from renewable energies could thus enable CO2
-free
long-distance logistics in the future. Due to the low emissions from hydrogen combus-
tion, the trucks are also considered as zero-emission vehicles under EU regulations. BFA
Toyota and Kenworth tout fuel cell capabilities
Toyota Motor North America and
Kenworth Truck Company have
proven the capabilities of their joint-
ly designed heavy-duty, Class 8 fuel
cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) as a po-
tential zero-
emissions replacement
of diesel-
powered trucks with the
completion of their operations in
the Zero- and Near-Zero Emissions
Freight Facilities (ZANZEFF) Shore to
Store project.
The primary goal for the project
was to closely match the performance
of diesel-powered drayage trucks
while eliminating emissions. The
baseline for the Toyota-Kenworth
T680 FCEV truck, codenamed Ocean,
was a 2017 diesel engine operating
over 300km a day. Kenworth designed
and built the Class 8 T680 FCEVs,
while Toyota designed and built the
powertrain’s fuel cell electric power
system powered by hydrogen. The
Ocean trucks reduced Greenhouse
Gases (GHG) by 74.66 metric tons
of CO2
per truck annually compared
to the baseline diesel engine. Shore
to Store provided one of the largest
real-world, proof-of-concept test
cases to show the practical applica-
tion of hydrogen-powered fuel cell
technology at scale. BFA
Quantron unveils long range
hydrogen and electric trucks
At the IAA Transportation show, Quantron presented a family
of hydrogen and battery-electric trucks. As part of a strategic
partnership, Quantron has developed an FCEV Heavy Duty
Truck together with Ballard Power Systems.
The Quantron QHM FCEV incorporates the FCmove-XD
120 kW fuel cell newly developed by Ballard and the inte-
grated eGen Power 130D E-axle from Allison Transmission.
In addition, Quantron offers an optionally available aero
package for all QHM FCEV trucks which has been designed to
improve the operating range by a further 10%.
A semitrailer tractor version on the same basis is also
available. The Quantron QHM FCEV 60-2 000 and Quantron
QHM FCEV 44-2000 offer exceptionally large tank capacities
of up to 116 kg, which are fully integrated in the chassis and
positioned behind the cab. This will enable ranges of up to
1 500 km with a single H2
tank filling. BFA
Loop introduces 120kW fuel cell system
Loop Energy, a designer and manufacturer of hydrogen fuel
cells for commercial mobility, unveiled its new 120kW fuel
cell system at IAA Transportation 2022. Loop Energy said that
this new product can achieve fuel-cost parity with diesel by
up to eight years earlier than previously possible.
The 120kW fuel cell system, the S1200, builds on Loop
Energy’s existing technology to provide an additional effi-
ciency gain of 20% when it generates electricity. The S1200
is designed to deliver up to 60% in net system efficiency.
(Net system efficiency includes power consumption of the air
compressor, coolant pump, and other system components;
the gross design efficiency of the underlying Loop fuel cell
stack is up to 65%).
This efficiency enables an electric vehicle powered by
a Loop Energy fuel cell to deliver up to 54% fuel-to-wheel
efficiency compared to the typical fuel-to-wheel efficiency de-
livered by a diesel-engine-powered vehicle of 20% to 25%. BFA

ROAD SIGNS
Technology
Bridgestone Guayule Tyres
After a decade of research, Bridgestone is starting to create
tyres with a new, more sustainable source: a desert shrub
called guayule.
Firestone Firehawk tyres from the Bridgestone-owned
Firestone brand containing guayule rubber debuted at the
Indianapolis 500 in May, and were used for the first time in rac-
ing conditions at the IndyCar Music City Grand Prix in Nashville
in August. Guayule is a heat-tolerant source of natural rubber,
says Bridgestone. Natural rubber, extracted from guayule’s
branches, bark, and roots can be farmed with existing crop-row
equipment. BFA
Flexible Hydrogen-filling Hose
The Bridgestone Group developed a flexible hydrogen-filling
hose capable of containing high-pressure hydrogen based
on its technologies for ultrahigh-pressure hoses for water jet
applications.
A plastic material suited for containing hydrogen gas is
used for the inner layer. For the reinforcement layer, steel wire
with impressive tensile strength is wound in six tiers to form a
layer that endures the high pressure of hydrogen gas. Further,
optimising the material and winding pattern of steel wire also
produces strength to endure high pressure and flexibility for
usability. BFA
Shape Projecting Headlights
Ford engineers in Europe are testing headlights able to project
various shapes onto the road to reduce distraction. Head-up dis-
plays already project vital information within the driver’s line of
sight, so engineers aim to do the same with a vehicle’s headlights.
Ford’s prototype system can cast light to denote directions,
speed limits, or weather information onto the road ahead. “This
can help drivers keep their eyes on the road instead of glancing
at screens,” Ford said, adding that even briefly looking away
from the road at normal speeds means covering a significant
distance blind. BFA
Lighting Hardware Integrated into Body Panels
Automotive supplier Magna recently unveiled lighting hard-
ware that can be integrated into vehicle body panels. Named
Breakthrough Lighting, it will be ready for production in 2023.
Magna showcased their Breakthrough Lighting on a ther-
moplastic liftgate dubbed the Litgate. The same hardware can
be applied to other vehicle panels if they’re made from similar
thermoplastic material. The demonstration setup has lighting
elements roughly where you’d normally find conventional
taillights, but they remain hidden until illuminated. Customers
can choose from an extensive colour palette for these lights. BFA
The shape of things to come
(Credit:Bridgestone)
Magna’s “Litgate”

NIO Air AR glasses for in-car entertainment
NIO officially launched the NIO Air AR Glasses it created with
augmented reality (AR) tech company Nreal, in China last month.
The electric vehicle maker announced the information on
its mobile app and announced that the AR glasses are available
for pre-order in limited quantities on the NIO Life online store.
Its deliveries are set to begin later this year. NIO Air AR Glasses
are built on Nreal Air and can project a 130-inch screen from an
equivalent distance of four meters and support a 3D display. BFA
A new EV battery design from Korea
Lithium-metal batteries promise to achieve high energy densi-
ties by replacing the graphite anode with a pure lithium metal,
but the biggest problem is dendrite formation which reduces
the lifespan of the battery. However, scientists in South Korea
say they have found a solution.
The experimental cells retained 82.5% of their capacity after
over 500 cycles at high-current density. The result led the team
to believe that a high-capacity battery will have a longer life and
a fast recharge. At present, Li-metal batteries can barely make
it after 50 cycles. BFA
Ford’s files patent for external airbags
Ford has filed a patent application for an external airbag
deployed from behind their vehicle’s grilles during collisions.
Like conventional airbags, the external airbag would use pyro-
technics to deploy and inflate, triggered by sensors detecting a
collision. In this case, though, the airbag would be mounted in
a vehicle’s front-end structure, deploying from behind the grille
and covering the leading edge of the hood.
Ford said this system could be used in most types of private
passenger vehicles, including cars, SUVs, crossovers, pickup
trucks, and minivans, as well as taxis or buses. BFA
Detecting movement inside a stationary vehicle
Volvo’s EX90 electric SUV (set to debut on November 9) will be
the first vehicle on sale with a new monitoring system designed
to detect movements, such as those of a sleeping toddler, in
the interior, including the boot. The system is activated every
time the owner attempts to lock the vehicle and determines if
the vehicle is empty of people or pets before it applies the lock.
The system relies on radar sensors mounted around the
cabin, in the overhead console and roof-mounted reading
lamps, as well as in the boot. It can detect sub-millimetre
movement to warn a vehicle’s owner if a child or pet has been
left inside. Toyota recently announced a similar system, though
Toyota’s version is still in the concept phase. BFA
Goodyear’s airless tyres
Goodyear is developing airless tyres. The company recently
announced that prototype tyres had completed 75 000 miles
of testing at speeds up to 160 km/h, in temperatures ranging
from scorching heat to snow. Some of that testing has been
done with a Tesla Model 3 at Goodyear’s Luxembourg proving
grounds, the company said in a statement.
Also called non-pneumatic tires (NPTs), airless tyres have
lower maintenance requirements than conventional tyres
and are better able to handle heavy loads, according to
Goodyear. BFA
(Credit:
NIO)
19

NEW MODEL
Following the launch of the eActros 300/400 for
heavy-duty distribution in 2021, Mercedes-Benz is
continuing to expand their offering with additional
battery electric models.
At this years IAA Transportation in Hannover,
Mercedes-Benz showcased a variety of new
applications for the eActros including the eActros
LongHaul.
In terms of payload, distance and routes,
heavy-duty long-haul transport is the most
demanding segment of road freight transport and
it also presents the biggest opportunity for CO2
reductions.
“However, customers in this segment are still
the most hesitant as they remain steadfast in their
demands around range, charging and upfront
costs. Mercedes-Benz understands that in order to
overcome these concerns we will need to provide
perfect vehicles and holistic solutions. The core
of the Mercedes-Benz Trucks concept for battery
electric long-distance transport is to offer custom-
ers a holistic solution that encompasses vehicle
technology, consulting, charging infrastructure and
servicing,” said Karin Rådström, CEO Mercedes-
Benz Trucks.
Next generation styling
The LongHaul has been designed from the ground
up as an electric truck. With clear contours and
an LED light strip in the front area, it provides
a preview of the design language of the series
production vehicle and in the coming year, near-se-
ries prototypes will be sent to various customers for
testing.
Extended range
The eActros LongHaul features three battery
packs that offer an installed total capacity of over
600kWh. Two electric motors, as part of a new
e-axle, generate a continuous output of 400kW and
a peak output of over 600kW. The result is a range
of 500km when carrying a load of 42 tonnes, which
represents a significant improvement over models
like the regular eActros, which currently offers a
range of 220km.
In addition to the tractor unit, rigid variants of
the eActros LongHaul will also be available, offering
unveils eActros LongHaul

customers numerous other possible use cases for
fully electric transport.
Development engineers at Mercedes-Benz Trucks
are designing the eActros LongHaul so that the
vehicle and its components meet the same durability
requirements as the comparable conventional heavy
long-distance Actros, which means it has been
designed to be able to do a minimum of 1.2 million
kilometres on the road over a period of ten years.
The eActros LongHaul will utilise lithium-iron
phosphate cell technology. These batteries are
characterised, by a long service life and more usable
energy. The batteries can be charged from 20 to 80
percent in less than 30 minutes via a one-megawatt
charging station.
“It was important for us to develop a truck spe-
cific battery. The LongHaul is fitted with a Lithium
iron phosphate battery and the result is energy
consumption that is around half of that of a diesel
vehicle, which equals substantially less operating
costs,” added Rådström.
eTrailer for extended range
Electrified trailers are a great option for significantly
increasing the range of electric trucks. Tech company
Trailer Dynamics developed the eTrailer together
with Krone. It features an axle built into the trailer,
including batteries, which support the towing vehicle
with additional power. Depending on the capacity, a
range of more than 800 kilometres could be possible
with the eActros LongHaul on one battery charge.
Hitting the road
We had the opportunity to sample a variety of
Actros models on a short route around Hannover.
Driving the eActros back to back with its diesel
counterpart was an enlightening experience as it was
astonishing how rudimentary the experience of the
diesel powered vehicle now felt. Acceleration of the
eActros is certainly brisk for a vehicle this size and
linear as it picks up speed. With only two gears, the
driver’s workload is substantially reduced and the
driving experience is also much smoother. In addition
various levels of regenerative braking also change the
way in which the truck is driven and allow for almost
one pedal driving.
Despite the launch of the eActros LongHaul with
its range of 500km, Mercedes-Benz understand that
this solution is still not suitable for many operators,
such as those in South Africa. It is for this reason that
they are continuing with development of fuel cell
solutions.
“We believe that at this stage a total solution
will include both options, with the fuel cell making
sense for longer, more demanding routes,” conclud-
ed Rådström. BFA
21

During the recent IAA Transportation show in Hannover,
Business Fleet Africa was able to sit down with two key
figures in the Daimler Trucks organisation, with the aim
of
determining how they envisage the rollout of zero
emissions vehicles.
“Electrification has really come to play, we now have a
full range of emission free vehicles including a full range for
urban use. The Actros 300 tractor unit was born from request
for a vehicle that can pull all kinds of trailers. The Actros 300
LongHaul is a big step in the emissions free journey as the
longer distances present a big potential to save on emissions,”
said Karin Rådström, CEO Mercedes-Benz Trucks.
“Even though we have a broad range of electric vehicles,
we are still developing other technologies. Fuel cell vehicles
offer advantages when it comes to range and they are also
considerably lighter, making them better suited for load
sensitive customers,” said Rådström.
“With many markets not able to supply stable green electrici-
ty, the path to zero emissions might be guided by the type of en-
ergy that is available. It is going to be interesting to see how the
energy sector develops, as different countries will take different
directions in terms of infrastructure relating to green hydrogen
or green electricity and the cost associated with both types. That
will drive demand and this is why it is very important to have
products ready to meet these demands,” added Rådström.
The recently launched E-Actros LongHaul has a range of
500km, but for many markets like South Africa that is still not
sufficient. “I think cell technology will improve and with that the
range will also improve. For now we have solutions like the eTrail-
er, which can boost range to 800km. For this reason I also think
Mapping out a global
zero emissions truck rollout
Andreas von Wallfeld, Head of Daimler Trucks overseas
markets and Karin Rådström, CEO Mercedes-Benz Trucks.
INDUSTRY NEWS

that the overlap between electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles
will be substantial, with fleets employing a variety of solutions
according to their needs,” says Rådström.
“The benefits of electrifying trucks are immense, for
instance the silence is amplified in trucks and that opens up a
whole new world of possibilities for inner city and urban use at
night for example. If more trucks are able to operate at night,
this could have a positive effect on daytime traffic patterns. In
terms of performance, things like acceleration are much more
evident in a truck and it offers a completely different driving
experience,” adds Rådström.
“Truck buyers are very rational and will go for technology
that makes sense, therefore any product that we bring to
market needs to be competitive. For example we are testing
autonomous vehicles but I still think it will be at least 10 years
before we see a vehicle without a driver,” reveals Rådström.
“In terms of the aftermarket we expect maintenance costs
and needs to be lower with less moving parts, however we
have a strong dealer network and their financial viability is
important. Even though maintenance requirements might be
lower, we think that customers will prefer to go to the dealer
with their electric vehicle as they are more dangerous to work
on and in some cases require specialised equipment,” conclud-
ed Rådström.
Andreas von Wallfeld, Head of Daimler Trucks overseas
manages 120 markets that make up the overseas regions and
has seen some markets jump from Euro 3 to electric vehicles,
skipping a few steps along the way.
“We will keep investing in our internal combustion portfolio
as long as necessary as we need to remain competitive in terms
of fuel consumption and total cost of ownership for the users
that still rely on these products. However, we believe that in
developed markets 60 percent of trucks will be zero emissions
by 2030,” said Wallfeld.
Countries like South Africa that are lagging behind in terms
of clean fuel legislation could face limitations in terms of the
vehicles that are able to operate in our market on our fuel. “The
higher the emissions class, the better the offering. We will not
be able to continue to offer a full combination of vehicles rang-
ing form Euro 3 to Euro 6 indefinitely,” commented Wallfeld.
“Despite slow progress by governments, as is the case in
South Africa, there is a big push from customers for Euro 5
and emission free vehicles. It is actually our customers and big
business that is driving this change despite the fact that their
country might only require Euro 2 or 3,” said Wallfeld.
“Currently the battery electric and hydrogen dual strategy is
ideal because we are not sure exactly what is going to happen
in all the markets, particularly when it comes to long haul
operations,” concluded Wallfeld. BFA
Karin Rådström, CEO Mercedes-Benz Trucks
23

INDUSTRY NEWS
Mercedes-Benz Truck understands that
fully electric vehicles like the eActros will
not necessarily suit the needs of every
customer or market, with charging infra-
structure and range the major limitations
Therefore Hydrogen fuelled vehicles
remain central to the Mercedes-Benz
Trucks zero emissions strategy and they
plan to expand their range of vehicles
to include series-produced trucks with
hydrogen based fuel cell drives in the
second half of this decade. Hydrogen-
based drive systems can in many
cases be a better solution especially for
flexible and demanding applications in
the important segment of heavy-duty
transport and long-haul applications.
When choosing their vehicles, transport
companies make rational purchasing
decisions based on total cost of owner-
ship and are unwilling to compromise
on their trucks’ suitability for everyday
use, tonnage and range and therefore
Mercedes-Benz aims to offer its custom-
ers optimal vehicle solutions for a full
range of applications.
Additional reasons to rely on a
second-zero emission drive technology
are the availability of an adequate
infrastructure and sufficient green
energy. Mercedes-Benz Trucks believe
that this energy requirement can only
be covered with a combination of
green electricity and green hydrogen
as hardly any country will be able to
supply itself with green energy alon in
future.
Therefore Mercedes-Benz Trucks
sees advantages in terms of costs and
technical feasibility of the hydrogen
infrastructure, as well as longer ranges,
flexibility and shorter refuelling times for
customers, especially in tough long-haul
operations and notably in terms of total
cost of ownership.
Development in full swing
The first Mercedes-Benz GenH2 truck
fuel-cell prototypes are already under-
going rigorous testing on the in-house
test track as well as on public roads.
Mercedes-Benz Trucks prefers liquid
hydrogen as in this state the enrgy
carrier has a significantly higher energy
density in relation to volume compared
to gaseous hydrogen. This means
that more hydrogen can be carried,
significantly increasing the range and
enabling comparable performance to
that of a conventional diesel truck. The
development objective of the produc-
tion ready GenH2 truck is a range of up
to 1 000 kilometres or more. This will
make it suitable for a particularly flexible
and demanding applications, such as
heavy-duty long-distance transport.
The GenH2 truck is based on the pay-
load, range and performance of the con-
ventional Mercedes-Benz Actros and the
aim is to offer a production variant with a
payload of 25 tons and a gross weight of
40 tons. Two liquid hydrogen tanks with a
storage capacity of 40 kilograms each and
a powerful fuel-cell system enable a high
payload and long range.
The fuel-cell system is to supply
two x 150kW and the battery is able to
provide 400kW on a temporary basis.
The 70kWh battery has a limited storage
capacity, but it is only needed for
additional support to the fuel cell, during
peak loads, such as when accelerating
or driving uphill with a heavy load and is
recharged with excess fuell cell energy
and regenerative braking. A pre-series
version, featured two electric motors
designed for a total of two x 230kW
and two x 1577Nm continuously or a
maximum of two x 330kW and 2071Nm.
In addition Daimler Truck is collabo-
rating with Linde on the development of
a new process for handling liquid hydro-
gen that involves an innovative approach
enabling even higher storage density
and refuelling compared to H2. BFA
Development of Mercedes‑Benz
GenH2 in full swing

25
SVI Engineering, leading specialist
manufacturer of armoured products,
has revealed an all-new B6 Stopgun V2.0
kit for the Hino 500 Series, developed
in response to a sharp increase in truck
hijacking incidents across South Africa.
While the new armouring package
shares its concept with the popular
Stopgun V2.0 kit already available for
bakkies such as the Toyota Hilux, Toyota
Land Cruiser 79, Ford Ranger and Nissan
Navara, it furthermore features a num-
ber of model-specific enhancements
making it suitable to a truck cab.
Nicol Louw, Business Development
Director at SVI, says clients contacted
the Bashewa-based company seeking
ways to reduce the risk of hijacking and
ultimately protect their drivers. Courier
companies, too, increasingly require a
method of protecting their cargo.
“According to the latest crime statis-
tics provided by the South African Police
Service for the second quarter of 2022,
the number of reported truck hijackings
across the country has increased by
nearly 25 percent year on year, and by
more than 150 percent compared with
the same period in 2020,” says Louw.
“Our new Stopgun V2.0 kit for the
Hino 500 represents a cost-effective B6
armouring solution that allows security
forces, mining companies and other
firms escorting valuables in transit to
counter this increased threat level,”
he adds.
The Hino 500 Stopgun V2.0 Kit
The semi-discreet kit for the Hino 500
offers cabin occupants B6 protection
against assault rifles, such as the AK47
and R1. Just like the version conceived
for bakkies, the Hino 500 package es-
chews the widely used double-door sys-
tem in favour of unobtrusive integrated
door armour, along with upgraded door
hinges to handle the additional mass of
the various armouring components.
The Hino 500 kit additionally gains
secondary bolt-action door locks as
well as an upgraded cab-tilting mech-
anism to ensure unhindered access to
the powertrain for servicing require-
ments. In addition, nose armour is
cleverly concealed behind the vehicle’s
standard grille.
A split windscreen is utilised, while
flat ballistic glass is likewise fitted to
each window frame to allow for fuss-
free replacement should damage be
sustained during an attack. In addition
to the aforementioned integrated door
armour, all pillars, all glass and part of
the firewall gain B6 bullet-resistant pro-
tection. The roof, too, is armoured, while
the underfloor section gains protection
courtesy of custom-fabricated armoured
steel plates.
Jaco de Kock, CEO of SVI, says the
company has a proud history of building
numerous types of armoured vehicles to
meet the varied needs of its clients.
“Our product catalogue includes
everything from civilian and security

vehicle armour to armoured guardhous-
es, bullet-resistant vests and mili-
tary-spec armoured personnel carriers.
We have even armoured locomotives
powering long trains of high-value car-
go through parts of Africa. And we’re
just as proud of the latest addition to
our range, the Stopgun V2.0 kit for Hino
500 trucks.”
De Kock says SVI is now taking orders
for its new Hino 500 Series armouring
solution, with the first production slots
at its factory outside Pretoria scheduled
for January 2023. The project build time
is two months.
Pricing
Hino 500 Stopgun V2.0 cabin armour
R544 779 BFA
INDUSTRY NEWS
SVI launches B6 armouring
kit for Hino 500 trucks

ROAD SIGNS
INDUSTRY NEWS
Iveco is delivering on its commitment
to reaching the target of zero carbon
emissions before 2040 with a full-range
and multi-energy approach that will rely
on bio-methane, battery electric and
fuel cell technologies to cover the full
spectrum of light, medium and heavy
commercial usage requirements.
At the recent IAA Transportation
fair Iveco unveiled the new zero-emis-
sions 100% battery electric eDaily and
heavy-duty Nikola Tre battery-electric
vehicle in its European 4x2 Arctic
con
figuration. Iveco also unveiled the
first beta version fuel cell LCV and heavy
truck in the form of the eDaily FCEV.
Iveco also showcased the new colour
it has chosen for its brand logo to signal
the strength of this ambition, by switch-
ing to the new Energy Blue shade.
The electric twin of the iconic Daily
is available with a full range of body
variants including van, cab and minibus,
from 3.5t to 7.2t. It maintains the Daily’s
signature features and is fitted with a
37kWh fully modular battery set that
allows range optimisation and makes the
eDaily adaptable to all missions.
The eDaily also caters for the
conversion market with the opportunity
to install different types of ePTOs up to
15kW, allowing it to power refrigeration
units, cranes and other superstructure
such as waste collection and aerial
platforms.
Iveco offers a full ecosystem of
services with the eDaily to help cus-
tomers find their way to e-mobility,
with dedicated e-services such as the
eDaily routing app. Integration with the
Iveco Driver Pal vocal assistant, offers
information specific to electric vehicles,
such as vehicle health check, battery
level, remote scheduling of recharge and
preconditioning, navigation to recharg-
ing stations and more.
Nikola presented a prototype Nikola
Tre FCEV in its European 6x2 Arctic
version the brands latest solution to
decarbonise regional and long haul
missions with vehicles that are intended
to increase performance, efficiency and
durability. The first generation-vehicles,
capable of ranges of between 500km
and 800km respectively will compete
in the toughest heavy-duty missions
against very well established fossil
diesel.
Iveco and Hyundai unveiled a working
prototype of the eDaily FCEV equipped
with Hyundai’s 90kW hydrogen fuel
cell system and 140kW e-motor. The
GVW 7.2ton prototype offers a range
of 350km, maximum payload of 3 tons
and a refuelling time of 15 minutes. The
eDaily FCEV will be ideal for deliveries
requiring a long range with high payload.
Iveco has extended its Iveco S-Way
offering with a version that features a
new 490hp and a complete offering of
smart services. It delivers outstanding
performance with the lower power
rating of the engine developed by FPT
Industrial. The vehicle is offered with a
specific configuration of options, which
can improve overall fuel efficiency by up
to 4%.
Iveco also showcased the Turbo Star
a special edition of the Iveco S-Way that
pays homage to one of the brands most
iconic, innovative and commercially
successful trucks. BFA
Iveco showcases variety of
innovative solutions

INDUSTRY NEWS
27
The winning team at the world´s largest
service market competition, Vista, has
been crowned. After a thrilling final in
Volvo Trucks’ hometown of Gothenburg,
Sweden, team Kiired Insenerid from
Estonia came out on top. They were
followed by teams from Denmark and
Sweden.
More than 16 000 technicians
making up 4 500 teams from Volvo
Trucks and Volvo Buses’ global dealer
network, participated in this year’s Vista
championship.
Vista stands for Volvo International
Service Training Awards. It started in
1957 and was originally a competition
for Volvo technicians in Sweden. 20
years later, by 1977 it had reached all
continents, attracting authorized Volvo
dealers from all over the world. Today
Vista is a biennial event and the biggest
competition for service market person-
nel in the world.
Vista is open to Volvo Trucks and
Volvo Buses dealerships and their techni-
cians worldwide. To qualify, participating
teams need to complete two parts
comprising theoretical and technical
questions.
Team South Africa, who was made up
of four service specialists and techni-
cians from Volvo Trucks Cape Town,
finsihed in a respectable 18th
position
out of the 43 teams that participated in
the world final.
“Our mechanics play a key role in
contributing to our customers’ success
by keeping their trucks on the road, and
Vista is a great way for them to improve
their workshop skills. I’m very impressed
by the technical knowledge of the teams
this year and the speed with which they
solved the challenges presented to
them,” commented Roger Alm, President
of Volvo Trucks.
The main objectives with the Vista
competition are to encourage compe-
tence development and to build team
spirit and pride. Highly skilled and mo-
tivated technicians enable Volvo Trucks
workshops to carry out fault diagnosis
and fix trucks’ problems ‘right first time’,
in a timely manner and to high quality
standards. These skills are key in helping
customers achieve maximum uptime
for their trucks. In the end, this leads to
improved customer service.
In the finals held in Gothenburg, 43
teams of technicians and service market
staff competed for two days to complete
six stations, on topics including CAN
Link fault-tracing, I-Shift and bodywork.
In addition there were two VR stations
with a focus on electric vehicles and
one assignment consisted of installing
an electric motor on to a truck. The
numbers of electric trucks and buses is
growing at a rapid rate and being able to
safely work with electric motors is an im-
portant skill for technicians in practically
every workshop around the world.
“Although the SA team did not walk
away from the competion with top
honours, invaluable lessons were learnt
that will benefit local customers,” said
Waldemar Christensen, MD of Volvo
Trucks South Africa.
“Vista is not only important for Volvo
Trucks’ aftermarket personnel, but is of
great importance for the entire com
pany. It is a way of showing how much
we all value the hard work carried out
at our workshops all over the world, and
that we invest in what our customers
appreciate most – world-class service,”
added Christensen. BFA
Volvo Vista winners crowned

INDUSTRY NEWS
Hino South Africa made history when it won a Platinum
Award in the Commercial Vehicle category of the Dealer
Satisfaction Index organised by the National Automobile
Dealers’ Association (NADA). This award represented the fourth
Platinum in five years for the Japanese truck brand that has
now been in South Africa for 50 years.
“We are delighted that we have been able to continue our
run or success in this important national survey where NADA
polls dealers in the various networks as to their relationships
with the various truck brands and their management teams,”
said Pieter Klerck, General Manager of Hino SA.
“We are particularly grateful for achieving the Platinum
accolade once again in a year when we have had to face many
challenges. The biggest of these was the devastating flooding
of our factory in Prospecton which put us out of production for
40 days. We have also had to deal with the global shortage of
microprocessors as well as various logistical hold-ups, including
the cyber-attack, at the port of Durban.
“Hino has always been very close to its dealers and this
year we have made a special effort to communicate with them
regularly and timeously when we faced delays in production.
“The Hino dealers have, from their side, kept their customers
and potential customers aware of the challenges and how we
were overcoming them in terms of meeting outstanding orders
for trucks,” said Klerck.
“These actions have also resulted in us maintaining our
high standings in the quarterly DataTrack customer care survey
among 37 500 fleet owners in South Africa. This is a survey that
has been undertaken since 1989 and is an industry bench-
mark,” added Klerck.
The NADA DSI survey, conducted by Lightstone Auto,
stretches back 26 years to 1996 and a Commercial Vehicle
category has been included since 2008 when the highest
overall average score by one of the local truck brands was 78%.
Lightstone received responses from 179 commercial vehicle
dealerships this year, which equated to an 80% response rate,
making it very credible research.
The Platinum Award for those brands with a score of 85%
or higher was introduced in 2017 and both Hino and another
European brand achieved Platinum, with Hino having a slightly
higher score at 85.4%. Hino collected a Gold Award in 2018
with a score of 83.8% and then attained Platinum status again
in 2019 with a score of 86.1%. The DSI survey did not take place
in 2020 due to COVID-19.
Hino was back again with Platinum in 2021 with a score of
86,8%. Hino SA then took it to new heights in 2022, collecting
its fourth Platinum and was the only manufacturer to receive
this award in 2022 despite all the challenges it faced, while
scoring an all-time high of 89.9%. BFA
Hino receives platinum
award in dealer satisfaction
index once again

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INDUSTRY NEWS
The selection of ID. Buzz world pre-
mieres, which included a refrigerated
variant and a paramedic conversion,
were joined in Hanover by a range of
more than 30 new models, including a
taxi version of the Multivan and mobile
e-bike workshop Crafter conversion.
ID. Buzz Flex-Cab concept
Dutch specialists, Snoeks, fitted out
an ID. Buzz Cargo ready for passenger
transport use. With five seats, the Flex-
Cab concept turns the ID. Buzz Cargo
into an electric version of the Caravelle.
It features an electrically adjustable and
configurable three-person bench seat in
the rear. The air conditioning system can
be adapted depending on whether there
are passengers or goods in the rear, with
the Flex-Cab suitable for use as a shuttle,
taxi, community minibus or trades.
ID. Buzz paramedic vehicle
A near-production concept vehicle, pro-
duced by Bösenberg, converts the ID.Buzz
into a paramedic van. There is room
for three people, with the cargo space
designed for use as a doctor’s workspace
and storage for medical equipment. The
concept has been achieved using a clever
modular system that requires minimal
changes to the base vehicle. The lighting
system is also incorporated and runs off a
separate battery system.
ID. Buzz Cargo with box body
A box superstructure has been added
to the iconic ID. Buzz design by Veth
Automotive, increasing the load capacity
from 3.9m3
to 6.0m3
and enabling a
payload of 680kg. The sides and back of
the box can be fitted with conventional
doors, sliding doors, or roll-up shutters,
giving couriers flexibility in accessing
packages. The inside of the box features
a hard-wearing, non-slip floor.
ID. Buzz Cargo refrigerated vehicle
The ID. Buzz Cargo is cooler than ever
with the refrigerated conversion by
Wükaro. Designed specifically for last
mile deliveries, the concept combines
electric drive with an electric cooling
system. The cooling system comprises
a low-profile 230V cooling unit on the
roof, with a flat ceiling evaporator, four
lithium-ion batteries and an inverter.
The batteries are housed within the
wheel arches to save space and together
supply up to eight hours of charge. The
van can be pre-chilled when the ID. Buzz
Cargo is connected to the mains. With a
payload of 390kg, it is perfect for frozen
food deliveries, restaurant takeaways or
as an ice cream van.
ID. Buzz Cargo as Miele Service Van
The final concept, with striking “paprika
red” paintwork, is a collaboration
between CS/Würth and Volkswagen
Commercial Vehicles and created for
Miele. The cargo space has been fitted
out with a unique shelving system
tailored to service technicians’ specifi
cations for storing materials, spare
parts and tools for the Miele customer
service personnel. A centre console
with integrated folding table serves as a
workplace for the driver in the pas
senger
compartment. BFA
Volkswagen showcases range
of possibilities for ID. Buzz
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles launched a range of near-production, new ID. Buzz and ID.
Buzz Cargo concept vehicles at IAA Transportation 2022 last month, highlighting the versatility of
the all-electric van.

INDUSTRY NEWS
31
Enviro Automotive, the importer and dis-
tributor of DFSK electric vehicles, show-
cased their EC35 panel van at this year’s
Smarter Mobility Africa (SMA) Summit
held at the CSIR in Pretoria, recently.
The SMA Summit, a partnership with
the Gauteng Provincial Department of
Roads and Transport and the Council
for Scientific and Industrial Research
(CSIR), forms part of Transport Month
and covers every aspect of the mobility
industry, from public transport to elec-
tric vehicles, battery technology, GIS, to
Urban Logistics.
The Chinese automaker DFSK
(Dongfeng Sokon Automobile) is a joint
venture between Dongfeng Motor
Company and the Chongqing Sokon
Industry Group. Following the successful
introduction of its popular C-Series
range of delivery bakkies and panel vans
in 2009, the company extended the
range by introducing the battery-electric
EC35 panel van and EC31 bakkie in 2018.
“We are very excited about industry
feedback. The biggest drawcard for
transport operators is the massive
savings on running costs. Two of our
Gauteng dealers, EnviroWheels and
EV Solar Solutions, are showcasing
our products at industry shows and
exhibitions, and they can’t keep up with
demonstrations and test drives.” says
Gideon Wolvaardt, Managing Director of
Enviro Automotive.
The EC35 is very popular in the
last-mile delivery industry in markets
where the DFSK brand is represented.
It is known its practicality and manoeu-
vrability in tight parking spots and load
bay areas.
The practical load compartment of
the two-seater EC35 is accessible via
sliding doors on both sides of the panel
van and the tailgate, making loading
and offloading easy. It offers a payload
of 1 015 kg and a large loading space
of 4.8 m³. The cargo area’s dimensions
are 2 530 mm (L) x 1 440 mm (W) x
1 270 mm (H).
The EC35 is equipped with a
single synchronous electric motor
that produces 60 kW and 200 Nm of
torque. It features a 38.7 kWh Lithium
Iron Phosphate Battery. Charging the
battery will cost as little as R56.50 and
yield a travel distance of up to 270 km,
depending on load and traffic conditions.
With a fast charger, the battery could be
charged from zero to 80 percent in less
than an hour.
The EC35 features ABS and Electric
Power Steering (EPS) as well as a selec-
tion of modern-day driver comforts,
including air-conditioning, a reverse
camera, rear parking sensors, Bluetooth,
and a touchscreen infotainment system.
It is backed by DFSK’s three-year/
60 000 km manufacturer warranty and
service plan. The traction battery has a
five-year/120 000 km warranty. Minimal
maintenance is required, and services
are scheduled every 12 months or
20 000 km.
“This summit presented the ideal
platform to showcase our new electric
panel van to the South African public.
With a 25 cents per kilometre operating
cost and low service and maintenance
bills, our EC35 offers a great opportunity
for local transport operators in the
last-mile delivery market to address
modern-day mobility needs,” concluded
Wolvaardt. BFA
For more information about Enviro
Automotive, visit their website.
Enviro Automotive showcases
EC35 electric panel van

BUS
Updated research from Interact
Analysis shows that the Chinese truck
and bus market is growing exponential-
ly. In July 2022 alone, new registrations
totalled 16 793 units, a year-on-year
increase of 92%.
New energy bus sales increased
by 114% to 10 247 units in July, hitting
their highest ever monthly sales in
2022. This accounted for 61% of the
total new energy bus and truck sales in
the same month. Consequently, electric
bus market penetration for July climbed
up to 35.7% – also the highest rate
in 2022.
Why such a strong performance?
There are a few reasons for the excellent
performance of the market. The first is
the delayed delivery of units during the
COVID-19 pandemic. As Shanghai man-
ufacturers closed their doors again as a
result of a new outbreak of COVID-19,
both demand and supply of electric
vehicles was radically reduced. When
the restrictions were lifted, the market
experienced a surge in the number of
trucks and buses delivered. Shanghai
became the second largest sales destina-
tion for new energy buses in July, just
behind Guangdong province.
Small-sized buses pave
the way for growth
Secondly, smaller-sized buses performed
particularly well and consequently
affected the entire market. After many
years of active promotion, the market
for new energy large- and medium-sized
buses has become saturated. City buses
in tier one and tier two cities drove the
growth trajectory for electrification
for many years. Interact Analysis’ new
registrations data shows that small-size
bus sales maintained the highest growth
rate, with a 125% year-on-year increase
to 6 878 units, or 67% of total bus
registrations in July. On the other hand,
large-sized buses realised the second
positive year-on-year growth this year to
1 829 units, almost doubling their unit
sales since July last year. Overall, small-
sized vehicles dominate the market for
electrification.
Promotion of new energy vehicles
Additionally, much effort has been put
into promoting new energy vehicles de-
spite the gradual withdrawal of financial
subsidies from the central government
in China. In particular, there are still
many subsidy policies in place from
local governments, and there is no sign
that these will end any time soon. One
important destination for such funding
is hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Fuel cell
vehicle demonstrations are being rolled
out in many provinces and munici-
palities. In July alone, registration of
fuel cell buses and trucks skyrocketed
to 584 units: representing growth of
395%, and causing 2022 to be a record
high year in terms of sales of fuel cell
commercial vehicles. Sales of fuel cell
buses were responsible for 228 of these
584 units, meaning that fuel cell bus
sales have increased nearly 45 times
year-on-year.
Back home in South Africa
Back home, there have only been two
electric buses in operation since July
2021, run by Golden Arrow Bus Services
(GABS). As the largest public transpor-
tation service provider in South Africa,
GABS is currently operates more than
1 100 buses daily.
Rheinmetall, the German-
headquartered automotive and arms
manufacturer, which is the majority
owner of South Africa’s RDM, wants to
be carbon neutral by 2035. To achieve
this climate-conscious goal, the company
is investing in electric vehicles and solar
power at facilities across the world,
including South Africa.
Rheinmetall recently introduced
electrically powered buses at its
Somerset West and Boskop plants.
Electric scooters, bikes, and “e-bakkies”,
which will be used for transport around
the plants, are also part of the plan.
Another organisation taking the e-ve-
hicle leap was Faithful to Nature, a local
online retailer of natural and sustainable
products who have started utilising
three-wheeler electric cargo vans in
partnership with Carbon Neutral Express
to ensure carbon-neutral delivery in
Cape Town. BFA
Registration of new energy
buses reaches an all-time high

33
Road safety plays an integral part in the sustainability and
transformation of the road transport system, and everyone
needs to apply sustainability practices and reporting, says Claes
Tingvall, globally recognised as the “godfather” of the Vision
Zero road-safe systems paradigm.
A holistic network
Tingvall, who has published more than 150 scientific articles
on traffic safety, explained to South Africa’s Transport Forum
that it is no longer possible for road transport management
systems (RTMS) to operate in silos. He said they are part of
a holistic network seeking to achieve the UN Global Plan on
Sustainability goals.
Safety footprint in the value chain
Establishing and assigning a safety footprint to every organi-
sation in a value chain will prioritise road safety at the highest
level alongside health, climate and equity. It is a view embraced
by Bidvest International Logistics (BIL), which promotes
responsible consumption and production through imple-
menting effective RTMS and International Organisation for
Standardisation (ISO) systems. “Certification of these systems
demonstrates a commitment by the Road Freight Division to
improve safety on our roads,” said BIL’s Road Freight SHERQ
Manager, Taryn Wenlock.
By adhering to the National Road Traffic Act and
Occupational Health and Safety Act and incorporating quality
and environmental management systems (IMS), an organisation
will find favour with clients, while prospective clients increas-
ingly recognise the value of sustainability practices.
Increased productivity
“It also increases productivity as we provide a quality service
with minimal inefficiencies. If we failed to manage our operations
by participating in and driving the self-regulated management
systems, we would run an unsustainable business,” said Wenlock.
BIL’s Road Freight Division has adopted a number of
accredited systems, including R2MS (a software management
tool which assists in managing drivers, vehicles and infringe-
ments), RTMS, Safety Quality Assessment for Sustainability
(SQAS), IMS (ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015), the South
African National Standards code relating to the transportation
of dangerous goods, CCTV surveillance and monitoring,
along with violation reports and live tracking, and Fleetboard
(behaviour-based safety), among others.
ISO9001
A new certification is ISO9001, a framework for corporations
to report on traffic safety to promote zero-speeding tolerance.
It offers several advantages, including establishing systematic
processes considering risks, opportunities and legal require-
ments. It also evaluates performance quality, seeking to improve
it by taking appropriate action. Through the recognition of having
achieved an international benchmark, customers may be influ-
enced to become more aware of their own social responsibilities.
“ISO 9001 has ensured that all BIL divisions operate on
one common platform with complete compliance and one
language spoken, creating harmonisation. It has assisted
divisions in conducting comparative statistical trends to ensure
improvement opportunities are identified and continually
reviewed on a broader spectrum,” said Wenlock.
ISO 14001 and environmental management
According to Muhammad Ali, Managing Director and
Lead Auditor of South African ISO standards training and
implementation specialist WWISE, this standard brings several
benefits to freight forwarders. “Not only does it demonstrate
compliance with current and future statutory and regulatory
requirements, but it betters the business’s environmental
performance. By achieving strategic business aims by
incorporating environmental issues into business management,
an organisation is likely to be more competitive and financially
sound due to improved efficiencies and reduced costs,”
says Ali. BFA
SUPPLY CHAIN AND LOGISTICS
Standardisation in
management systems
Bidvest International Logistics believes that standardisation of management systems is becoming
a key component in road-freight logistics.
This can be achieved by reducing and
minimising overloading, thus preventing
road damage, reducing emissions by
improving efficiency in various industry
supply chains, and taking care of driver
health and wellness, ensuring safer
roads for all South African road users.

SUPPLY CHAIN AND LOGISTICS
Rhenus group, one of the leading globally operating logistics
service providers, has launched a new storage warehouse
in Durban, South Africa. This strategic addition expands the
Rhenus warehousing space to more than 24 000 square
metres.
Rhenus Logistics (formerly World Net Logistics) provides
dynamic and comprehensive international freight forwarding
services, logistics, warehousing and distribution solutions
that address the demands of the South African supply chain
environment.
New premises
The new Rhenus facility measures 7 700 square metres –
growing the company’s warehousing capacity in Durban by
more than 50% in just two years. This facility plays an integral
role in serving the Port of Durban, which handles 32% of all
South Africa’s ships. The additional premises are set to attract
new clients from various industry sectors – including those that
Rhenus currently services including automotive, healthcare and
the food and beverage industry.
Strategically located
The warehouse is strategically located at Northfield Business
Park in the north of Durban, just 21 kilometres from the King
Shaka International Airport and 24 kilometres from the Durban
Container Terminal.
Range of solutions
The facility offers a range of solutions such as loading and
offloading, packing, cross-docking, picking, and handling
food-graded items. With its new cross-dock area, the ware-
house boasts high efficiency and quicker loading and unloading
turnaround times.
With KwaZulu-Natal having experienced many challenging
circumstances, the launch of a new warehouse comes as
welcome relief to a community in need of good news.
“We are proud that we have created more than a hundred
new jobs to service the demand in our area. These additional
7 700 square metres strengthen our local capabilities signifi-
cantly,” says Kishore Kanayelal, Regional Director KwaZulu-Natal
at Rhenus South Africa.
Accelerated delivery times
“The launch of this new warehouse marks an exciting time for
us as a business. It showcases our commitment to delivering
innovative solutions that meet our clients’ transport and
warehousing needs,” says Kanayelal.
The cross-docking offering means more efficient goods
handling, reduced labour costs and accelerated delivery times –
which are real benefits to Rhenus clients.
Through this expansion, Rhenus Warehousing Solutions is
expanding its portfolio of individual solutions and value-added
services for the South African automotive, healthcare, food,
and beverages sectors. BFA
Rhenus expands their capabilities
According to Kishore Kanayelal, Regional
Director KwaZulu-Natal at Rhenus
South Africa, an increased demand for
warehouse space and more service
offerings have been driving strong growth.

Business Fleet Africa October 2022.pdf

Business Fleet Africa October 2022.pdf

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