Business Fleet Africa January 2023.pdf

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BUSINESS FLEET AFRICA | January 2023
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More about
Business Fleet Africa
EDITION 21 January 2023
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22
26
Volvo launches electric
trucks in SA.
Table of Contents
3 Editorial
Business
4
Navigate 2023 with careful control of
resources
14
Interventions needed to get SA economy
firing in 2023
RoadSafety
6 Shocking, tragic but not surprising
News
8 Local News
16 Industry News
20 Technology
Intheheadlights:HCVFleetVehicles
22 Iveco wins 2023 Dakar Rally
23
South Africans shine at UD Trucks Gemba
challenge
24
Volvo launches electric trucks in SA
26
SVI launches B6 armoured Iveco Trakker
27
Gold medal for MAN in sustainability
ranking
28
Could e-Axles could become the staple of
electric powertrains
30
Mercedes-Benz Trucks sets up central
parts hub
FleetOwnerSuccessStory
31
Polar Limitada’s standardised DAF fleet
SupplyChainandLogistics
32 Last mile innovation
34
Why your business could do with a new
delivery partner
35
Shoring up a business’s legal position
FleetManagement
36
Ctrack continues to evolve into 2023
Intheheadlights:LCVFleetVehicles
38
The latest in automotive design
40
All-new Amarok to go on sale soon
42 Suzuki unveils new models
43
Mercedes-Benz EQE goes on sale
44
Haval launches sporty Jolion S
IndustrySales
45
Bumper December for commercial
vehicle sales
46 Buyers Guide
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PROVIDER TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR* africa AWARDS
January 2023 WWW.BUSINESSFLEETAFRICA.CO.ZA
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of reSourceS
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truckS in Sa
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3
January2023 | 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.
Work smartly in 2023
Another year is upon us and while the chaos created by the global pandemic seems
to mostly be a thing of the past there are numerous new challenges that make doing
businesses in South Africa tricky. A common thread in this month’s edition of Business
Fleet Africa, is that business will have to work smarter and carefully control all the
resources that contribute to their business model in order to have any chance of
survival in this challenging market.
This will include carefully considering long term agreements and in many cases
opting for agreements that give you more flexibility as your business needs ebb and
flow. The right partnerships are also critical and what business owners are looking
for in partnerships is also very different to what was considered vital a few years ago.
Factors such as ESG and corporate responsibility are becoming more important as
people now investigate the entire supply chain of a business, from source to the way
the final product is packaged and delivered so that they know exactly who they are
doing business with. How all the players in the value chain conduct their affairs will be
considered before entering into any partnerships. Being associated with the wrong
crowd is seen as a big no, no these days.
Road deaths still too high
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula announced that during the festive period from
1 December 2022 to 11 January 2023, 1451 people died on South African roads. The
Minister noted that this is a 14% reduction in the number of fatalities compared to the
same period in 2021/2022.
While an improvement is certainly welcomed, losing 1451 lives in five weeks is still
completely unacceptable and drastic measures need to be taken to curb the culture
where such a number is celebrated.
Our new columnist Ashref Ismail offers several suggestions a few pages on but
there certainly must be a greater emphasis around the education regarding road
safety. Government also needs to come to the party and sign in to law the proposal
for periodic testing of older vehicles, which has been lying in wait for many years now.
Reducing the number of unroadworthy vehicles on our roads will go a long way in
reducing accidents.
We would like to hear from you
Business Fleet Africa continues to strive to offer our readers a unique combination
of content from all the segments of the world of working wheels and the associated
industries. As such we always welcome suggestions regarding what you would like to
read about, what you would like to see more of and maybe even what you would like
to see less of.
Reuben van Niekerk
Editor
Editorial
EDITORIAL

As we embark on 2023 there are numer-
ous external factors that continue to
influence the business world, globalisa-
tion and technology.
According to the latest reports the
South African GDP increased by 1.6% in
quarter three following the 0.7% decline
in quarter two of 2022. The result is
that the SA economy grew to above
pre-pandemic levels, with real GDP now
the highest it has ever been. The main
drivers of growth were agriculture,
finance, transport and manufacturing.
At the end of November, the
monetary policy committee raised the
benchmark repo interest rate to 7%, with
the prime lending rate now at 10.5%. It is
predicted that we will see increases in the
repo rate going forward, but these will
most probably be at a much slower rate.
In November 2022 the Reserve
Bank highlighted the upside risks to
SA inflation, which is still focused on a
wide range of factors including oil, food
administered prices, the rand exchange
rate and salaries. The food price inflation
forecast has been revised to 6.2% and
their estimated headline inflation for
2023 is forecasted at 5.4% and is expect-
ed to average 4.5% for 2024 and 2025.
The importance of social responsibility
Social responsibility is a way for corpo-
rations and small businesses to support
good business. It is not just philanthropy,
it is also a way to address the world’s
most pressing problems, from climate
change to hunger and disease. It can
be an important differentiator in the
marketplace as well, helping companies
build relationships with their customers
or employees. Companies that take an
active role in their community and create
initiatives that help improve the lives of
people are likely to be more profitable.
Technology, the good and the bad
Technology has changed every aspect of
our lives, including business. Globalisation
means that it’s easier to share ideas and
conduct business across borders.
Navigate 2023 with
careful control of resources
BUSINESS

However, as the world becomes
more reliant on technology, cybercrime
has become a significant threat to
business. The number of reported
incidents of cybercrimes has increased
dramatically over the last decade and is
expected to keep growing as technol-
ogy used by these criminals becomes
more sophisticated and harder to
detect.
Tighter control imperative
“These ongoing challenges mean
that doing business in South Africa
is as tough as ever and in order to
survive and remain profitable business
owners and fleet managers need
to closely manage every aspect of
their business to ensure efficiency
in all areas,” says Derick de Vries,
Executive Head of Standard Bank Fleet
Management.
Key to this is the right business
partnerships and supplier relationships.
For example, a well sorted and carefully
managed fleet management system is
critical to doing business in the transport
industry.
“So too are the right financing
partners. A volatile market means that
transport operators are experiencing a
growing need for more flexible financing
arrangements that allow them to alter
their fleet as and when needs arise,”
adds de Vries.
Standard Bank Vehicle and Asset
Finance currently offer several solutions
that speak to this need. Interim agree-
ments are an interim solution until such
time that they are superseded by a main
agreement. Operating rentals allow
assets to be hired for a defined period.
Full maintenance rentals provide
a comprehensive finance and main-
tenance package for businesses and
private individuals that require the use
of a vehicle or number of vehicles for
various purposes but do not want to
take ownership of, or the risk of main-
taining or disposing of the vehicles.
A fleet management card offers
convenience and is a useful way of
paying for, monitoring and controlling
vehicle running costs. Transactional in-
formation is provided on a daily, weekly
or monthly basis. Online authorisation
at the time of the transaction and
reporting of approved and declined
transactions ensures pro-active control
of expenses. This offers increased
security that protects against any pos-
sible fraudulent transactions and helps
manage the running costs of vehicles
by comparing performance against
benchmark statistics.
“Being adaptable is key to surviving
in an ever-changing world and the flex-
ibility of partnerships and agreements
will become a critical deciding factor
for business owners going forward,”
concludes de Vries. BFA
‘These ongoing
challenges mean
that doing business
in South Africa is as
tough as ever and in
order to survive and
remain profitable
business owners and
fleet managers need to
closely manage every
aspect of their business
to ensure efficiency
in all areas.’
5

The Boksburg Tanker Explosion that
claimed the lives of forty people
on Christmas eve is symptomatic
of a country that is at the edge of a
precipice.
With more than a thousand
people killed on South African roads
during the past month-long holiday
season, we remain numb to the news
of road related deaths. We have be-
come so insensitive to the needless
and senseless loss of lives that we
have normalised dying on our roads
as an unfortunate expectation.
Daily, an average of forty people
die on South African roads with up
to 35% comprising of pedestrians.
This puts us amongst the top ten
worst countries in Africa and in the
top 25 worst in the rest of the world
when comparing road deaths.
The road transport system
which is the lifeblood of any vibrant
economy, is the heartbeat of a
flourishing and prosperous society.
Safety, security, efficacy and
efficiency separates first world from
third world environments.
More than ever before we are
beginning to see the scourge of
bad driving increasing amongst the
heavy vehicle sector. Following the
Shocking, tragic
but not surprising
ROAD SAFETY
More than ever before we are
beginning to see the scourge of
bad driving increasing amongst
the heavy vehicle sector.
Following the Boksburg tanker
explosion, there have been four
other tanker-related crashes in the
country. And this will continue,
as unscrupulous operators, hire
drivers with dodgy credentials,
providing no advanced, defensive
driver training, overloading
their vehicles, cutting on key
maintenance and asking their
drivers to drive longer hours
without reasonable breaks.

7
Boksburg tanker explosion, there have
been four other tanker-related crashes
in the country. And this will continue,
as unscrupulous operators, hire drivers
with dodgy credentials, providing no
advanced, defensive driver training,
overloading their vehicles, cutting on key
maintenance and asking their drivers to
drive longer hours without reasonable
breaks. This is a recipe for disaster, and
we regularly witness the frightening
results on social media.
The failure of Prasa, the SOE that
manages Transnet and Metrorail has
resulted in an ever-increasing volume
of heavy vehicles on the major arterial
corridors. The destruction of the rail in-
frastructure and the plundering of what
used to be efficient railway stations is
enough to reduce one to tears.
A variety of factors has resulted in a
traffic law enforcement fraternity that
is conspicuous by its absence. When
traffic police are visible, it is most often
when they are conducting speed-timing
operations. If you should be pulled
over for a roadside check, at most, it
will be checking the validity of your
driving license and the vehicle license
disc. There is absolutely no evidence of
smart policing.
This in a country where there are
high levels of alcohol-related deaths.
In fact, according to Medical Research
Council’s Non-Natural Injury Mortality
Rate, 65% of weekend death rates are as
a result of abuse of alcohol, either by a
driver, and/or pedestrians.
Daily we witness motorists of all
vehicle classes committing all manner of
road infractions with impunity, talking
and even texting on their mobiles
while driving, operating un-roadworthy
vehicles, jumping red lights, overtaking
dangerously, tailgating and various
other moving violations simply because
there are no consequences. Crumbling
infrastructure, secondary roads dotted
with killer potholes and the general
state of decay further contributes to
motorist’s frustrations, leading to road
rage and unsafe driving. It seems that we
are all just one mile away from total road
anarchy.
This situation not only relates to road
transport, but has unfortunately also
spilled over to rail, aviation and mari-
time. The lack of competition following
the downing of major brands like Mango,
Kulula, Comair and SAA have led to the
high cost of air travel, both domestically
and internationally forcing more people
to travel by road.
So, how did we get here?
Having worked for two decades at
provincial and national departments
of transport and being a former,
founding member of the Road Traffic
Management Corporation, I can say
without a doubt that the following are
some of the key challenges:
Q
Q Lack of continuity with new Minister
appointees bringing their own admin-
istrative agenda sometimes to the
detriment of successful programs.
Q
Q The Road Traffic Management
Corporation (RTMC) needs to be the
lead agency for road safety in the
country, with a better communica-
tions strategy.
Q
Q The strategic objectives and key
performance indicators of the RTMC
should be aligned to measuring and
reducing road deaths.
Q
Q The National Traffic Police of the
RTMC has created an additional
tier of traffic law enforcement and
it is not uncommon to find three
different agencies working along one
major route. There should be more
cohesion in traffic management
structures with proper goal setting
and strategies for each.
Q
Q A proper accredited and certified
driving school and driving instructor
training programme should be
developed, which ideally should be
preceded by overhauling the entire
K53 regime.
Q
Q Road safety education in conjunction
with the National Department of
Education has not been realised and
a wonderful opportunity to inculcate
safety habits from a young age is
missing.
Q
Q Road traffic offences are still seen as
a minor or petty offence and various
agents across the criminal justice
system are not giving it the necessary
gravitas to serve as an effective
deterrent.
Q
Q For too many of the local traffic
authorities road traffic offences are
a means of revenue generation and
until this mindset changes, we will
continue to lose lives.
Q
Q The entire road traffic strategy needs
to be overhauled and an effective
tri-partite coalition established
between government, the private
sector and civil society.
While the wish-list is far from complete,
tackling some of these issues listed
above would be a step in the right direc-
tion. With a cabinet reshuffle looming,
let’s hope that the new incumbent will
provide the vision, aims and objectives
that the long-suffering populace
country is long asking for and is truly
deserving of. BFA
Ashref Ismail is a multiple
award-winning road safety
practitioner with more 35 years’
experience at provincial, nation-
al and international levels. He
holds qualifications in Traffic and
Municipal Policing, Teaching,
Public Relations and Professional
Driving. He currently runs his
own fleet risk management
consultancy, specializing in
advanced, hazard management
training and driver wellness.
The failure of Prasa, the SOE that manages Transnet
and Metrorail has resulted in an ever-increasing
volume of heavy vehicles on the major arterial
corridors. The destruction of the rail infrastructure
and the plundering of what used to be efficient
railway stations is enough to reduce one to tears.

NEWS
Bridgestone Southern Africa Mining services and OTRACO
Southern Africa will join forces to accelerate mining tyre
management and mobility solutions in Southern Africa, under
one banner.
Bridgestone Southern Africa (BSAF) recently announced
that its group company Bridgestone Southern Africa
Holdings (BSAFH) has entered into an agreement to acquire
OTRACO Southern Africa, a leader in Off-The-Road (OTR)
tyre management solutions. This acquisition will accelerate
the growth of Bridgestone SA’s mining solutions business
and expand the company’s service network. The acquisition
was completed in December 2022 and André Bode will
continue as Managing Director of OTRACO, reporting to
Jacques Fourie (Vice President of Bridgestone Middle East
Africa).
As part of Bridgestone’s initiative to improve mobility
solutions and tyre-centric services across all market segments,
the company identified a need in the mining market for
specific mining services and enhancements. “The acquisition of
OTRACO, with their strength in tyre management systems, is an
exciting milestone in our history and presents a new oppor-
tunity to extend our mobility solution offerings to the market.
Together Bridgestone and OTRACO have market leading mining
tyre management and mobility solutions,” says Jacques Fourie,
CEO of Bridgestone Southern Africa.
Going forward, Bridgestone SA will go to market under the
OTRACO banner. “Bridgestone and OTRACO are proud to join
forces, under the OTRACO banner, to offer industry leading
mobility solutions and mining tyre management services to
our valued customers,” says Carl Martins Bridgestone’s Mining
Services Executive Manager. BFA
Bridgestone Southern Africa to
acquire OTRACO Southern Africa
Local automotive intelligence has found
that criminals are now using sophisti-
cated technology to target high-end
and luxury vehicles featuring keyless or
smart entry systems and emergency
start capabilities.
This phenomenon affects automotive
brands across the board, Toyota South
Africa Motors (TSAM) confirms that
it has been proactively conducting
extensive research and development to
enhance its vehicle security systems.
Senior Vice President of Sales and
Marketing at TSAM, Leon Theron
says: “At Toyota, we are committed
to continue with our research and
development to further enhance
our vehicle security systems. I would
also like to add that vehicle owners
will not negate the warranty on their
vehicles should they elect to fit an
aftermarket security device, if these
are installed correctly by a reputable
fitment centre”. BFA
Toyota announces
enhancements to vehicle security

The election of Fikile Mbalula as the
Secretary General of the ANC will require
a replacement as Transport Minister in
the Cabinet of President Cyril Ramaphosa,
and the Automobile Association (AA)
urges the President to make a strong
appointment to this position.
“A new appointment in the important
Transport portfolio is inevitable as
Mbalula takes on his new role within the
ruling party. We urge Ramaphosa and
his advisors to appoint a strong leader
in this position capable of prioritising
the needs of citizens who desperately
require safe, affordable, efficient, and
reliable transport solutions and infra-
structure,” notes the AA.
The AA says while there are many
areas that require attention within this
portfolio, the following key issues must
be dealt with urgently by Mbalula’s
replacement:
Urgent prioritising of road safety
in South Africa, which will require
immediate implementation of the Traffic
Law Enforcement Review Committee
recommendations of 2019 which,
amongst others, call for the doubling
of the current number of traffic law
enforcers on the country’s roads.
Along with their counterpart at the
Department of Trade and Industry more
focus on the immediate implementation
of safer vehicle standards, including the
mandating of displaying safety ratings of
vehicles at point of sale, is required.
Along with their counterpart at the
Department of Justice, road offences
need to be prioritised. Currently road
users flout the rules of the road because
of a lack of consequences. For instance,
only eight % of drivers arrested for drunk
driving are prosecuted.
Comprehensive, practical, and
standardised road safety education
needs to be implemented at all schools
and throughout all grades.
Better co-ordination with the
provincial Departments of Transport and
Public Works is necessary to ensure road
infrastructure is maintained, repaired
where necessary, and created where
the need exists. The country’s crumbling
road infrastructure, especially at regional
and provincial level, is cause for great
concern and will only get worse without
immediate intervention.
A stronger focus on resolving public
transport issues is required to make pub-
lic transport more reliable, affordable,
and safer. This includes resolving issues
within the Public Rail Agency (PRASA)
with a view to ensuring this service is
safer and more reliable for more South
Africans and a re-evaluation of the
Patronage Guarantee paid to the private
company Bombela, which operates the
Gautrain. This service receives billions of
Rands in compensation from the govern-
ment annually for low ridership levels,
money which, in the AA’s view, should
be invested in other public transport
initiatives that serve more people.
“There are many other issues which
require attention, and the new Minister
of Transport will have a full plate to deal
with from day one in the position. For
this reason, it is vital that the President
and his advisors appoint someone who is
not only up to the task of managing such
a vast department, but also someone
who has the political will to affect mean-
ingful change,” concludes the AA. BFA
Hyundai Automotive South Africa is now running its head office in Bedfordview and
several of its Gauteng dealerships on solar power when loadshedding occurs.
At the head office, more than 240 solar panels have been fitted on the roof of the
building, delivering 110 kW on a typical spring sunshine day, says Johan Nel, Regional
General Manager at Hyundai Automotive SA.
Nel says the vision is to expand to more dealerships in Hyundai’s network after
studying the present installations and their performance, which would indicate
which system delivers better results and savings: one using solar panels and batter-
ies for power storage, or the other using solar panels with an inverter only. BFA
Hyundai goes green at HQ
9
Strong leadership needed at
department of transport

NEWS
British electric vehicle manufacturer
Tevva has hit another major milestone
after securing European Community
Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA)
for its 7.5 ton battery-electric truck. It
means that Tevva can start producing
and selling in volume across the UK and
Europe and represents the key regulato-
ry step in the development and com-
mercialisation of all vehicles, including
electric trucks.
With this Tevva becomes the first
British company to receive EC Whole
Vehicle Type Approval for a 7.5t electric
truck and has moved quickly to get its
first vehicles out to customers. The
first mass produced electric trucks
have commenced delivery from their
UK base and will be eagerly received
by customers including Expect
Distribution, Travis Perkins and Royal
Mail. The company expects to sell up
to 1 000 electric trucks in 2023.
Tevva’s 7.5t electric truck offers
a range of up to 227 kilometres from its
105kWh battery on a single charge and
is ideal for last-mile and urban delivery
fleets. It will be followed later in 2023
by a 7.5t hydrogen-electric truck, which
benefits from a hydrogen range-extend-
er that enhances vehicle range to up
to 570km. BFA
In 2023 FAW plan to introduce several new models in all seg-
ments, further expanding the already comprehensive product
offering and ensuring that they can continue to meet the needs
of the South African customers, with a wide variety of solutions
and the latest technology, across all segments of the commer-
cial vehicle industry.
One of FAW Trucks’ biggest goals for 2023 is to surpass
15 000 units of production. The manufacturing facility recently
invested in several new employees in order to meet their recent
production milestones and will integrate this additional manpow-
er while also incorporating modifications to the existing factory
processes and technology in order to meet these targets.
“The fact that there are plans in place to reach our 15 000th
unit of production in such a short space of time, is purely based
on demand for the product by local customers who value our
built in Africa, for Africa strategy, says Yongjun Li, CEO of FAW
Trucks South Africa.
FAW Trucks will also be expanding its dealer network to
ensure that they have widespread representation throughout
South Africa to meet this growing demand. This will include the
opening of new dealers in a number of new as well as existing
locations. These dealers will include both fully fledged sales
and service dealers as well as dealers focused solely on service
as the brand endeavours to improve its parts and aftersales
distribution and servicing ability, especially in close to proximity
to large fleet owners or operations.
FAW Trucks look forward to celebrating its 30th
year in South
Africa in 2023. Over three decades they have grown in popu-
larity and market share by offering customers products that
represent excellent value for money in the extra-heavy, heavy,
medium and light commercial vehicle segments and they will
continue to do so. BFA
Tevva receives
vehicle type approval
FAW Trucks looks forward
to an exciting 2023

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NEWS
Late last year Bridgestone offered a two-day course in tyre
safety for Free State traffic officers in Bloemfontein. The
training formed part of an ongoing partnership between the
South African Tyre Manufacturers’ Conference (SATMC), which
represents the four local tyre manufacturers, and the South
African Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), in
support of the National Road Safety Strategy 2016-2030.
RTMC figures for 2021 show that vehicle factors account
for around 7% of road accidents, with tyres being the major
contributor. Burst tyres account for around 37% of accidents
caused by vehicle factors, and smooth tyres for a further 5%.
Safer vehicles are one of the pillars of the National Road Safety
Strategy.
SATMC members have been partnering with the RMTC over
the past two years to offer the training, and the partnership will
continue in 2023. It’s heartening to note that when the National
Road Safety Strategy 2016-2030 was published, vehicle factors
accounted for 14.1% of all accidents, with burst tyres at 74.3%
and smooth tyres at 5.7% the major causes of those accidents.
The decline of these figures in 2021, as noted above, is an indi-
cation of how effective interventions like this one have been.
The training included one day of classroom-based teaching,
which aimed to give officers insight into how tyres are manu-
factured and how to assess their roadworthiness, along with
the legal regulations relating to tyres contained in Section 212
of the National Road Traffic Act. The second day focused on
practical application of what had been learned at a roadblock
set up by the relevant traffic department. The instructor
helped the officers inspect stopped vehicles and guided them
through thorough tyre assessments. Motorists were also given
handouts providing useful information to help them perform
self-assessments of their tyres. BFA
Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM)
led the way in 2022 as South African
new-vehicle sales recorded a second
year of post-lockdown recovery with
an industry total of 528 963. Posting
the company’s 43rd straight year as the
market leader, Toyota (including the
Lexus and Hino brands) outperformed
several retail challenges to achieve a
laudable total of 132 035 new-vehicle
registrations. This translates to a market
share of 24,9% for 2022.
The National Association of
Automobile Manufacturers of South
Africa (naamsa) observed that:
“Following a robust recovery in the 2021
domestic new vehicle market, increasing
year-on-year by 22,2% to 464 493 units
compared to the severely COVID-19 af-
fected 380 206 units in 2020, aggregate
new vehicle sales recovered further by
13,9% to 528 963 units in 2022, but still
1,4% below the pre-pandemic 536 612
units sold in 2019.”
Commenting on automotive retail
figures of 2022, naamsa says new
vehicle sales are a good barometer of
the health of the domestic economy.
The association noted that: “Following
an upbeat first quarter 2022 industry
performance, global supply chain
disruptions along with the impact of the
devastating floods in KwaZulu-Natal,
elevated inflation, an upward trend in
interest rates, record fuel prices, as
well as record highs in the frequency
and intensity of load shedding weighed
heavily on both business and consumer
confidence. However, the new vehicle
market’s performance in 2022 remained
resilient despite the multiple national
and international headwinds.”
In the month of December, a total
41 783 vehicles were sold, representing
an increase of 5 839 vehicles or a gain of
16,2% compared to the total new vehicle
sales of 35 944 units during the corre-
sponding month of December 2021.
Toyota also finished the year on a high,
achieving total sales of 11 250 vehicles in
December, topping both Passenger and
Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) seg-
ments. Toyota achieved a market share
of 26,9% in December.
In the LCV segment, Hilux was the top
performer with 2 556 units sold while
the Corolla Cross made a strong showing
in the passenger segment with 1 834.
The latter was overall leader in passen-
ger segment, assisting Toyota to top the
category. Other top performers in the
group included Starlet (1 036), Fortuner
(705) and Urban Cruiser (945). A total
of 275 Hino units were sold while Lexus
recorded a total of 75 models.
The role played by Toyota’s Parts
Supply business, which distributed a
total of 1 251 850 parts pieces to the
domestic market and over 300 000
to the export market, can also not be
underestimated as it reinforces the fact
that customers trust genuine parts to
get the job done timeously, efficiently
and, in the long run, economically. BFA
SATMC and Bridgestone train
Free State traffic officers in tyre safety
Toyota achieves 43 years
of market leadership

13
Public bus operator, Moventis TCC
Pamplona, Spain, has acquired thirteen
brand new gas buses from Scania – to
run on biomethane only. As part of the
Moventia group, the company carries
out urban transport in Pamplona and
17 municipal districts in the northern
Spanish region of Navarra.
This purchase is a first step on
Mancomunidad Comarca de Pamplona’s
(MCP) road to decarbonising urban
traffic, in which all public service vehicles
will soon follow suit, either through elec-
trification or by utilising locally sourced
biomethane. As the biogas infrastruc-
ture has been put in place, an expansion
of the electric grid has simultaneously
been done in the area. Preparations are
now ongoing with the creation of new
charging points for new e-vehicles
planned for the near future.
At the public announcement of
the fleet renewal, the operator also
revealed a new gas supply installa-
tion beside the garages. It will allow
the new biogas-powered buses
to be fuelled on site. Filling will take
around four minutes, giving each bus an
autonomy of about 300km.
The responsible public transporta-
tion authorities, MCP, set an ambitious
target to improve the overall urban
environment. This includes abandoning
fossil fuels in the public vehicle fleet
by 2030. The new buses are the first in
Spain to meet the Euro 6E emissions
standard for compressed gas vehi-
cles (CNG). They will be powered by
biomethane, extracted from landfill
waste in a new processing centre. In the
future sewage will also be used as an
energy source.
Biogas vehicles achieve a reduction
of up to 90% in offset of CO2
emissions,
a 70% reduction in NOx and a 90%
reduction in particulate matter, com-
pared with their fossil diesel equivalents.
In addition, they are 50% less noisy,
which improves driver and passenger
comfort. BFA
The new Iveco eDAILY has been rec-
ognised as the ‘One to Watch’ at the 2023
What Van? Awards, the annual prize given
by an experienced panel of independent
judges from across the LCV sector to
brands, businesses and organisations that
have reached the pinnacle of their field.
Sighting its innovative use of a modular
battery system, unrivalled towing ability
and class-leading 15kW ePTO, the award
highlights how the new eDAILY is ready to
tackle any customer mission.
Conceived to be the “electric twin”
of the iconic Daily, eDAILY covers all
LCV applications – including heavy-duty
missions and conversions. It is offered
in van, cab, crew cab, chassis cowl and
minibus body variants up to 7.2 GVW, in
single-wheel and twin-wheel versions,
with a broad range of height and
wheelbase options.
eDAILY has been designed to
deliver the same broad range of ca-
pabilities that the combustion model
has become known for. It is the only
eLCV capable of towing 3.5‑tons
thanks to its strong truck-based
chassis, while a wide range of wheel-
bases can deliver up to 20 cubic metres of
cargo capacity.
A choice of battery configurations
allows operators to tailor an eDAILY
to their individual mission, balancing
payload with range. With a rapid charge
capacity of 80kW, the eDAILY can gain
100km of range in just 30 minutes with
a total range on a full charge of up
to 400km.
These batteries are covered by one
of the most comprehensive warranties,
with eight-year 160 000km cover for
vehicles with one battery, or 250 000km
with two or three. A class-leading
turning circle cements its agile DNA,
while the One Pedal Drive regenerative
mode makes driving easier in the cities
by speeding up and slowing down just
using the accelerator pedal. BFA
Public operator in Spain runs Scania
buses on public waste
New Iveco eDAILY wins coveted
What Van? Award

BUSINESS
The stimulation of business growth and
the promotion of trade-friendly policies
are among interventions needed to
boost the South African economy this
year and reduce the unacceptably high
levels of unemployment in the country,
says Clinton Holcroft, CEO of leading
South African truck and trailer body
building company Serco.
Also, necessary to get South Africa
back on track after more than two years
of COVID-19 turbulence is urgent action
to reduce load shedding and improve
performance levels at Government de-
partments servicing the private sector,
added Holcroft.
“Licensing departments, for example,
can take several weeks to issue a new
Natis number for a slight variation in
vehicle body size. The same is applicable
where the tare weight is changed for
a modified trailer. The delay results in
costly down time for customers with
little accountability or explanation from
authorities,” said Holcroft.
“We have seen business sentiment
improve since COVID-19 restrictions were
lifted, however, many of our customers
in the transport industry are finding busi-
ness tough because of the soaring cost of
fuel and a high level of overcapacity in a
relatively flat market,” he said.
“Our industry is still experiencing
delays due to issues in the supply of
parts and truck chassis. This has been ex-
acerbated by problems and congestion
at our ports.”
On a positive note, Holcroft said
his company had seen a noticeable
improvement in inquiries and order
volumes for new vehicles and repairs
in 2022 compared to the previous
12 months.
The economy, however, remains
under pressure with KwaZulu-Natal
still taking strain following the floods
last year and the violent civil unrest in
2021, with a lot of infrastructure still
not repaired.
“We anticipate the economy in 2023
will be similar to that of 2022, unless
there is a significant reduction in load
shedding, which is a major handbrake in
so many respects.
“In addition, our road infrastructure
is in serious need of repair with the poor
conditions in many areas reducing safety
and contributing to higher wear and tear
costs for transporters as well as private
motorists,” said Holcroft.
Serco is working on some exciting
developments in its 2023 growth plan,
including new light weight dry freight
bodies for courier distribution. Using
lightweight materials, the aim is to
improve the payload currently available
on smaller trucks in the one-to-five ton
range in an effort to reduce fuel con-
sumption and increase loading volume.
“We aim to take some of the latest
exciting developments we have seen at
international trade shows and introduce
these to our customers where we be-
lieve it can reduce delivery and transport
running costs. Our drive continues to be
to deliver the lowest product life cycle
costs in our industry through quality,
durability, and innovation,” said Holcroft.
“New innovations relating to driver
safety are exciting, considering the high
level of accidents involving trucks on
our roads. Using technology to reduce
accidents by proactively detecting driver
fatigue is becoming a necessity. If we
weigh up the cost of an accident, invest-
ing in the latest technology to prevent
accidents is critical. Spending long hours
on the road, drivers are prone to fatigue
or getting distracted and this is exac-
erbated by the large number of heavy
trucks on the road,” he said.
“Upgrading to the newer model
trucks will have positive spin offs for
transporters and the environment as
these vehicles are lighter on fuel and
offer significant safety features. What is
needed, however, is more collaboration
between Government and the private
sector to fast track the required infra-
structure, so that South Africa does not
get left behind,” concluded Holcroft. BFA
Interventions needed to get
SA economy firing in 2023

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Visible

At the end of 2022, six Mercedes-Benz Van markets from
around the world set out on a joint mission to ‘walk’ from
Canada to New Zealand over the course of one month. The
ambitious goal meant reaching over 72 million steps in 31 days,
equalling over 225 000 steps per person. Whilst the challenge
meant boosting health and wellness amongst the team
members, the key purpose behind the initiative was to support
a good cause, with each market committing a donation per step
walked to their chosen charitable foundation.
Over the course of the challenge, Mercedes-Benz Vans
South Africa walked a total of 9 102 588 steps. The South
African team dedicated R1.00 per 100 steps walked to Laureus
Sport for Good South Africa, donating R 91,025.00 at the end
of the challenge. Laureus Sport for Good South Africa has a
mission to use the power of sport as a tool for social change,
which complemented the purpose behind the initiative.
The walk for charity also provided an opportunity for some
friendly competition between the Mercedes-Benz Van inter-
national markets, and it was dubbed internally as the Battle of
the Van Markets. Each country competed to try to reach their
target step count first. At the end of the challenge, the markets
took 34 days to surpass their goal, finishing the challenge with
74,205,356 steps in the bag. Canada was the winning market,
reaching their goal first and ahead of the time limit. BFA
INDUSTRY NEWS
Suzuki will soon be expanding their SUV offering
with the Fronx. This all-new model was
recently unveiled at the Auto
Expo 2023 in India and has
been confirmed for South
African introduction.
The new Fronx is one
of the first completely
new model ranges to be
designed using Suzuki’s
new Crafted Futurism
design language. The
Fronx features an upright
and imposing front grille, a
coupe like sloping roofline and LED head and taillights. At the
rear the taillights are connected by an unbroken LED lightbar
that stretches across the tailgate. Large wheels, new exterior
colours and crystal-inspired daytime running lights round off
the appealing design. Inside the cabin is equipped with a large,
high-definition touch screen
that offers over 40 connected
vehicle functions and high
gloss metal highlights.
The Fronx shares
underpinnings with
the Suzuki Swift and
Baleno, while the
suspension, steering
and overall driving
performance will
be geared towards
customers who prefer
an engaging and exhilarating drive. The use of the
Heartect structure and safety systems ensures impressive
levels of passive and active safety.
While more specification surrounding the range, engines
and pricing will only be made available later this year, the Fronx
will slot into the range below the new Suzuki Grand Vitara. BFA
Suzuki unveils new Fronx
Mercedes-Benz Vans walks
from Canada to New Zealand

INDUSTRY NEWS
17
While hopes of a supply chain recov-
ery persisted throughout the year,
industry insiders now expect microchip
shortages to last throughout 2023. A
sense of equilibrium began to return,
but normalcy has once again been
postponed.
Semiconductor and chip manufac-
turers were hit especially hard by the
chaos that started in 2020, forcing them
to navigate through a combination of
labour shortages and unprecedented
demand.
Shortages may result in more
production cuts
Technology companies are not unhap-
py because the increased workload
has brought with it investments and
development opportunities, allowing
businesses to build new facilities and
hire more employees. Executives
now know that ending the microchip
shortage will be a long-term effort and
isn’t likely to happen anytime soon. Even
a turnaround after 2023 isn’t guaran-
teed. However, anticipated economic
difficulties may force some automakers
to cut production, easing demand, states
a recent report by international manage-
ment consultancy Roland Berger.
“The semiconductor crisis created
an urgent mandate for every company
to structurally rethink risk mitigation
(not only) in their semiconductor supply
chains,” the report says.
Legacy semiconductor
technologies and nodes
For some industries, the ongoing semi-
conductor shortage shows no signs of
stopping. According to the report, this is
especially true for automotive and indus-
trial manufacturers, who depend on
legacy semiconductor technologies and
nodes. Despite easing shortages on the
consumer side, it is expected that chip
imbalances will affect these industries
for several years to come.
Potential bullwhip supply effect
Meanwhile, component users and
producers are confronted with growing
inventory, financial burdens, and the
likelihood of a potential bullwhip effect
in supply. This complicates an already
tenuous situation. In anticipation of
continued legacy chip shortages, here’s
what automotive and industrial leaders
can do to ensure the best possible
outcome.
A different kind of shortage
Based upon growing fears of a global
recession, consumer demand for elec-
tronics has recently softened by 30%.
This has freed capacity in some technol-
ogy areas and effectively temporarily
ended, to some extent, the short-term
chip shortage the world has faced for
the last two years. But it hasn’t solved
the problem.
While weakening demand in consum-
er electronics has improved the supply
of leading-edge and advanced-node
semiconductors, it has not, nor will it,
improve the low supply of legacy chips
based on six- and eight-inch wafers that
automotive and industrial companies
predominantly use.
No immediate relief for legacy nodes
Although overcoming the chip shortage
has been a big issue over the last two
years, very little attention, resources,
and public discussion has centred on the
legacy node chips that automotive and
industrial companies rely on.
For example, 62% of the automotive
and 57% of the industrial markets rely on
analogue or mixed-signal chips, micro-
controller units, or speciality compo-
nents such as MEMS. As chip manufac-
turers increasingly look to future-proof
their businesses by producing more
advanced chips, these older and more
specialised chips will increasingly be in
short supply.
Unlikely to keep up with the demand
The average modern car contains
around 1 500 semiconductors that
control everything from infotainment,
electrification, safety, and power man-
agement. Leading carmakers reported a
reduction in production by as much as
40% during 2022 due to these shortages.
A recent McKinsey Company report
stated that while manufacturers are try-
ing to squeeze out more production of
legacy semiconductors, they are unlikely
to keep up with demand through 2026.
That is partly because of the rise of elec-
tric and hybrid vehicles, which rely more
on the chips, said McKinsey. The analysts
at AutoForecast Solutions expect that
the chip shortage will result in around
three million fewer vehicles being built
in 2023. BFA
Semiconductor and chip
shortage continues

Solar power world record smashed
The efficiency of a solar panel to convert
sunlight into energy has jumped nearly
tenfold in the past decade. Researchers
from Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin (HZB)
were able to convert 32.5% of solar
radiation into electrical energy using a
unique cell technology that harnesses
perovskite, which has been hailed as a
miracle material. Perovskite is a calcium
titanium oxide mineral composed of
calcium titanate. “We are very excited
about the new value as it shows that the
perovskite/silicon tandem technology
is up-and-coming for contributing to a
sustainable energy supply,” Valy Vardeny
from the University of Utah explained:
“It’s unbelievable. The novel tandem
cell technology consists of a bottom
cell made of silicon, typically used in
commercial solar panels, and a thin top
cell made of perovskite. Italy’s European
Solar Test Installation (ESTI) has inde-
pendently certified this record, surpass-
ing the previous records set”. BFA
Power play
Extra-salty Lithium battery less likely to catch fire
Lithium-ion batteries propose a couple of
problems — not the least of which is a propen-
sity to catch fire when exposed to high heat.
Researchers at Stanford have developed a new
lithium-ion battery electrolyte that makes it heat
resistant. Their material, published in Matter, can
withstand temperatures up to 100C.
Mixing a lithium salt called LiFSI and –
paradoxically – flammable solvent molecules
into a polymer battery electrolyte (developed
by Stanford postdoc and co-first author
Jian-Cheng Lai), they harness the
best of both compounds. The
flammable (or inflammable)
solvent molecules maintain
the performance level, while
the extra salt helps keep them
stable despite the heat. “This
new finding points out a new
way of thinking for polymer-based
electrolyte design,” said Stanford
professor Zhenan Bao. BFA
Researchers at Princeton and
Rice universities have combined
iron, copper, and a simple LED
light to demonstrate a low-cost
technique that could be key to
distributing hydrogen. In the
journal Science, the researchers
describe how they used the light
from a standard LED to crack
the ammonia without needing
high temperatures or expensive
elements typically demanded by
such chemistry.
The combination of nano-
technology’s tiny metal struc-
tures and light is a relatively new
field called plasmonics. By shin-
ing light into structures smaller
than a single wavelength of
light, engineers can manipulate
the light waves in unusual and
specific ways. Using ammonia
as a hydrogen carrier has drawn
considerable research interest
because of its potential to drive
a hydrogen economy. BFA
First green hydrogen plant in North Africa
Algeria and Germany signed a memoran-
dum of understanding (MoU) to construct
the first green hydrogen plant in Algiers.
The deal was signed between Sonatrach,
Algeria’s state-owned oil company, and the
German gas company VNG AG. Algerian
authorities say the proposed plant will
have a production capacity of 50 MW.
According to Sonatrach, the MoU aims
“to explore opportunities for coopera-
tion in the field of hydrogen and green
ammonia to be exported to Germany”.
The first step of this project will focus on
feasibility studies on the hydrogen value
chain from production and transport to
commercialisation. BFA
Creating green fuel with
the flip of a light switch
INDUSTRY NEWS

Aqueous organic flow battery for renewables storage
The Chinese Academy of Sciences has fabricated a kilowatt-scale aqueous re-
dox flow battery with a capacity of 80mA cm2
over 500 cycles. The research-
ers claim that it is a promising candidate for large-scale energy storage.
“We optimised electrolyte composition by tuning the interaction
between different components in the electrolyte, thereby increasing the
battery capacity,” said researcher Xianfeng Li, noting that the MB concentra-
tion in the electrolyte did not exceed 1.9mol (M). The scientists assembled
10 units of 1000cm2
AOFBs stacks and obtained stacks with a discharge
power of over 1kW and a stable cycling capacity for 32 days. The stacks
were assembled with MB concentrations of 0.1M and 0.5M, respectively.
The researchers said the molecules contributed to the excellent stability of
the device. BFA
19
Sound waves to expand
green hydrogen
The recent research published in Advanced
Energy Materials could help bring down green
hydrogen production costs. Researchers
from RMIT University and the University of
Melbourne claim that high-frequency vibra-
tions can release 14 times more hydrogen
than standard electrolysis techniques. The
discovery has ramifications for the expensive,
rare materials currently used in electrolysers.
“One of the main challenges of electrolysis
is the high cost of electrode materials, such
as platinum or iridium,” said RMIT Associate
Professor Amgad Rezk. “As water is not
a corrosive electrolyte, we can use much
cheaper electrode materials such as silver,”
he concluded. BFA
Cheaper than Lithium-ion with four times the capacity
Room-temperature sodium-sulphur (RT Na-S) batteries are a
promising alternative for renewable energy storage. They rely
on chemical reactions between a sulphur cathode and a sodium
anode to store and deploy electrical energy. They use low-cost
materials, which can be easily extracted from saltwater.
Existing RT Na-S batteries have had limited storage capacity
and a short life cycle, which has held back their commercialisa-
tion, said Shenlong Zhao, an Energy Storage Researcher at the
University of Sydney. According to their paper, the device has
four times the storage capacity of a lithium-ion battery and an
ultra-long life. After 1 000 cycles, it still retained about half of
its capacity, which the researchers claim is unprecedented. BFA
Solar-powered car claims new EV speed
record over 1 000km
The University of New South
Wales Sydney’s (UNSW) Sunswift
7 solar-powered car recently took
to a testing circuit where it covered
1 000km on a single charge in less
than 12 hours, an achievement
that pushes the envelope when
it comes to aerodynamics and
efficiency.
The team spent two years piec-
ing together the Sunswift 7 with a
Guinness World Record in mind,
hoping to demonstrate the fastest
solar electric car over 1 000km.
The record attempt occurred at the
Highway Circuit test track at the
Australian Automotive Research
Centre. The Sunswift 7 completed
240 laps on a single charge,
unofficially positioning the vehicle
as the fastest electric vehicle (over
1 000km) on a single charge. The
team is awaiting timing and car
telemetry data confirmation to
obtain its Guinness World Record
Certificate. BFA

Changing the way B2B buyers will interact
Forbes reported that Tel Aviv-
based D-ID released the first
multimodal generating AI video
platform to combine text, image
and animation in one interface in
December 2022. The self-service
video platform integrates D-ID’s
proprietary generative AI technol-
ogy with GPT-3 from Open AI and
Stable Diffusion from Stability AI,
allowing users to generate digital
composite faces and speech in
119 languages based on their text
prompts.
Observers are expecting a
significant business impact. For
example, Gartner, a technological
research and consulting firm,
predicts that by 2025, 30% of
outbound messages from large
organisations will be synthetically
generated and that by 2026, 50%
of B2B buyers will interact with a
digital human in a buying cycle. BFA
On the horizon
First approval for a compressed hydrogen carrier
Australian-based Provaris Energy has received class approval from the American Bureau of Shipping
(ABS) for the design of Provaris’ 26 000 m3
H2Neo compressed hydrogen carrier, the first
of its kind to receive this level of approval. This milestone approval follows the
completion of extensive Front End Engineering Design (FEED) work and
ABS review activities.
The next steps for the company are to construct and
test a prototype hydrogen tank and to prepare for ship
construction with a selected shipyard. BFA
Sibanye-Stillwater’s subsidiary Keliber’s
new lithium hydroxide refinery
Sibanye-Stillwater’s subsidiary Keliber has selected Metso Outotec to
provide its sustainable soda pressure leaching technology for Keliber’s
lithium hydroxide refinery, to be built in Kokkola, Finland. In the future,
Keliber will offer lithium hydroxide, especially for the needs of the
strongly growing lithium battery market. The battery-grade lithium
hydroxide produced by the company can be used for the manufacturing
of batteries for the increasingly electrifying transport of electric and hy-
brid vehicles as well as in the production of batteries for energy storage.
The planned annual production of the lithium hydroxide refinery is
15 000 tons of lithium hydroxide monohydrate. BFA
24-layer prototype lithium‑metal
battery cells
QuantumScape Corporation has shipped its
first 24-layer prototype lithium-metal battery
cells to automotive OEMs for testing. With 24
layers comprising a solid-state separator, a
cathode, and an in-situ-formed lithium-metal
anode, these prototype cells have capacities in
the multi-amp-hour range, which the company
believes is relevant for a variety of applications,
including automotive and consumer electronics.
This new architecture is a hybrid between
prismatic and pouch cells designed to support
the uniaxial expansion and contraction of the
lithium metal during charge and discharge. BFA
technology

The future of usership vs ownership
We rent our music via Spotify and Apple Music, our entertainment with
Netflix and Prime and Disney+, and our transportation with Lyft and Uber.
Is this the future of ownership? As stated initially by Danish MP Ida Auken
and famously quoted by the World Economic Forum, will we all own
nothing and be happy? Maybe.
What do you want to physically, legally, and totally own, and what
are you happy to rent? Anyone who puts a premium on the flexibility of
choice, personalisation, authenticity, and sustainability will appreciate
the freedom and convenience of subscription solutions. “While we are
witnessing the end of ownership, we see the rise of usership. People are
owning less but using more and more services,” says Salesforce Chief
Digital Evangelist Val Afshar. Companies that want to employ subscriptions
to maximise revenue might need to be regulated in new ways so that they
provide a way for former customers to keep using their products. BFA
21
The first fully automated valet
in a public parking lot
Mercedes-Benz and Bosch have received regulatory
approval for the commercial use of a fully automated
valet in a public parking lot. It only applies to the
parking garage run by airport parking management
company Apcoa at Stuttgart Airport, the main airport
in Mercedes’ hometown.
Motorists drive to a designated drop-off point at
the entrance of the car park or parking area, hop out,
and then use the Mercedes Me app to send the car
to a pre-booked parking space. Later, the car returns
to the drop-off point in precisely the same way. The
system relies on Bosch-developed sensors located
around the car park, which communicate with the
self-driving system fitted in Mercedes cars. BFA
Reviving a motoring classic
with an electric twist
Two Swiss brothers are seeking to put their country
back on the car making map by reviving a 1950s mo-
toring classic with an electric twist. Oliver and Merlin
Ouboter have launched a new version of the micro
car, modelled on BMW’s (BMWG.DE) Isetta bubble
car, this time with four wheels, not three.
The new Microlino replaces the old petrol engine
with a 12.5-kilowatt electric engine giving it a range
of up to 230km and a top speed of 90km per hour. It’s
a virtuous circle: low mass and a tiny footprint means
the electric powertrain uses less energy, so smaller
lithium-ion batteries are required. The Microlino is
just 2.5 metres long, making it easy to park, and it
weighs in at just 496kg. It’s a tonic to the spiralling
weight of modern cars, especially electric ones. BFA

INDUSTRY NEWS
Iveco has won the 2023 Dakar Rally in partnership with the Boss
Machinery De Rooy Iveco Eurol De Rooy Iveco teams.

Iveco competed in the 45th
edition of the Dakar Rally race
with two new teams which demonstrated once again the
performance, power and reliability of its vehicles, placing two
trucks on the podium in the general standings.
Janus van Kasteren Jnr collected top placements throughout
the race to win the world’s toughest off-road rally, closely
followed by Martin van den Brink in third place, and Mitchel
van den Brink in fourth.
The most anticipated adventure of the year, the 45th
edition
of the Dakar Rally and the toughest since the competition
arrived in Saudi Arabia, has ended with success for Iveco’s new
teams. The drivers passed this test of extreme endurance with
flying colours, having driven over 8 500 km on perilous terrain
and across vast expanses of sandy dunes. On his fourth Dakar
Rally, Janus van Kasteren Jnr capitalised on his experience to
deliver a consistent performance, collecting several podium
placements and first place in the final standings. He was fol-
lowed by veteran driver and a legend of the Dakar, Martin van
den Brink, who finished third. His son and teammate Mitchel
van den Brink drove an impressive race, collecting several
second places and becoming the youngest special winner with
his first place in stage six, and finishing fourth overall.
The two teams got off to a flying start in the prologue, secur-
ing excellent places on the starting grid for Stage one with their
Iveco Powerstar trucks powered by Cursor 13 engines specially
engineered by FPT Industrial. Unfortunately, Vick Versteijnen had
to retire on Day four of the competition. The three other crews
continued to battle the heat and rain of the desert to achieve
podium placements in every stage of the rally.
“We are very pleased with the results achieved by our teams
and our Iveco Powerstar trucks. We are grateful to our crews,
who pushed themselves and their vehicles to the maximum,
and delivered a fantastic performance in the toughest of the
Saudi Arabian Dakar rallies,” said Fabio Santiago, Head of
Marketing and Product Management Iveco Truck Business Unit.
“We are so proud of all our crews, who took on this chal-
lenge with grit and determination, making our trucks shine with
winning performances,” he added. BFA
Iveco wins 2023 Dakar Rally
Overall placements Dakar 2023‑
Q
Q Janus van Kasteren Jnr – Winner
Q
Q Martin van den Brink – Third
Q
Q Mitchel van den Brink – Fourth
Eurol Team De Rooy Iveco crews
Q
Q #511–
Mitchel van den Brink, Moises Torrallardona,
Jarno Van De Pol
Q
Q #506 –
Martin van den Brink, Rijk Mouw, Erik Kofman.
Boss machinery Team de Rooy Iveco crews
Q
Q #502 –
Janus van Kasteren jr, Marcel Snijders, Darek
Rodewald.
Q
Q #504 –
Vick Versteijnen, Teun Van Dal, Andreas Van
Der Sande.

23
The Gemba Challenge is a global
competition featuring the service
excellence of the frontline people in
UD Trucks dealerships and workshops.
Each team represents the best of the
best from various parts of the world,
who had already won preliminary
regional competitions from a field of
more than 2000 people within the UD
dealer network. This year the top 12
teams from 7 countries, battled it out
in the Quester (six teams) and Quon (six
teams) categories. The South African
team from Shorts Commercial Vehicles
ended the competition in a respectable
third place in the Quester category.
UD Trucks understands how import-
ant time, or uptime, is to its customers.
UD Trucks service colleagues provide
irreplaceable time to customers by mini-
mising downtime and maximising uptime
of their vehicles. “It’s Time” was the cen-
tral theme of the 2022 Gemba challenge
and emphasised the gemba spirit of our
colleagues who work tirelessly in giving
time back to our customers.
Throughout the competition, finalists
competed across five stages focusing on
Electrical, Engine, Tech Tool/Diagnosis
tools, Diagnosis and Commercial/
Warranty. Teams were scored based on
their achievement and approach taken
at each stage. It was a tight race, with
first, second and third place undecided
until the final stage.
Kouji Maruyama, President of UD
Trucks, said, “It’s been roughly three
years since the pandemic began. Even
during its height, the service teams
tirelessly supported global logistics
on the front lines, ensuring proper
maintenance and the supply of parts
day-in-and-out. Together with our
colleagues from all over the world, we
hope that you feel proud of the work
you and your teams do to keep our
society moving.”
Gemba Challenge 2022 Results
Quester category
Q
Q 1st place: Indonesia/United Tractors
UT Jakarta (ID team)
Q
Q 2nd place: Indonesia/AIUDSO Al-
Surabaya-Waru (Keciwis)
Q
Q 3rd place: South Africa/Shorts
Commercial Vehicles (Southern
Shorts)
Quon category
Q
Q 1st place: Japan/Hachinohe CC (Team
Hachinohe)
Q
Q 2nd place: Australia/VCV Brisbane
North (Night Riders)
Q
Q 3rd place: Japan/Kanazawa CC
(Hyakumangoku) BFA
INDUSTRY NEWS
South Africans shine at
UD Trucks Gemba challenge
The 2022 Gemba Challenge
Global Final took place at
the UD Experience Centre in
Ageo, Japan at the end of last
year. The Gemba Challenge,
which had been held every
other year since 2014, took
place for the first time since
2018, as the competition in
2020 was cancelled due to
the pandemic.

INDUSTRY NEWS
Volvo Trucks continues to expand its
range with the launch of several new
extra heavy electric trucks, making it
possible to electrify even more transport
routes in cities and regions. This latest
addition of rigid trucks further expands
Volvo’s position as a provider of electric
truck transport.
Volvo Trucks is currently the only
global truck manufacturer with a full
range of electric trucks in series produc-
tion. The company’s target is that half of
its global total truck sales will be electric
by 2030 at the latest.
“Already producing the most
complete electric line up in the global
truck industry, we are now expanding
our offering with the introduction
of rigid versions of our extra heavy
electric trucks: the Volvo FH, Volvo
FM and Volvo FMX,” says Waldemar
Volvo launches
electric trucks in SA

25
Christensen, MD of Volvo Trucks South
Africa. “This makes it even easier for
transport companies to make the
move to electric vehicles in urban and
regional areas.”
Thanks to multiple battery, cab and
chassis options, the new extra heavy
rigid trucks can be designed to carry
electric superstructures for a wide range
of specialised transport assignments,
including goods distribution, refuse
collection and construction work.
Production of the new rigid variants will
begin in the first quarter of 2023.
“With these new, electric trucks we
are making it easier than ever for even
more South African customers to go
electric. Fleets can have these trucks
custom-built for their specific operation,
to cut emissions while getting the same
functionality as the diesel truck they
are using today,” explains Christensen.
“Our customers are already ordering
electric vehicles that will suit their
specific business needs, with the first
local deliveries expected during the first
quarter of 2023.”
Local customers are planning their
own charging networks, especially within
their respective urban and regional
operations.
Attractive to both drivers and cities
Diesel trucks with heavy loads are a
common sight in many cities. Now it’s
possible to instead use electric trucks for
these assignments. Besides producing
zero exhaust emissions, electric trucks
provide a better working environment
for drivers as they are quiet, which
also contributes to a more liveable city
for residents.
Improved customer flexibility
The new rigid trucks have a battery
capacity between 180-540 kWh. This,
together with the number of batteries
applied to a truck, provides for great
flexibility and a wide range of potential
operations.
“These trucks can handle all kinds
of tasks, from lighter to heavy loads.
Customers can choose the exact
battery capacity they need for their
assignments, and by not carrying more
batteries onboard than needed, the pay-
load can increase. In short, we have the
optimal and most cost-efficient electric
transport solution, no matter what the
task is,” says Christensen. BFA
Volvo FH, FM and FMX electric rigids can be equipped as follows:
Released for sale in December 2022, global serial production starts
March 2023:
Q
Q Driveline: 490 kW
Q
Q Drive unit: 3 electric motors
Q
Q Battery: 450-540 kWh, 5-6 batteries
Q
Q Cab: Sleeper, High, X-High sleeper cab
Q
Q Wheelbase: 4300-6700
Q
Q Axle Configurations: 4x2R, 6x2R, 6x4R, 8x2R, and 8x4R
Q
Q PTO: Mechanical, Gearbox and Electro-Mechanical
Released for sale in February, global serial production starts May 2023:
Q
Q Driveline: 330 kW
Q
Q Drive unit: 2 electric motors
Q
Q Battery: 360 kWh, 4 batteries
Q
Q Cab: Day cab
Q
Q Wheelbase: 3900-6700
Released for sale in June, global serial production start September
2023:
Q
Q Battery: 180-270 kWh, 2-3 batteries

ROAD SIGNS
INDUSTRY NEWS
SVI Engineering, leading specialist man-
ufacturer of armoured products, has
revealed a new B6 armouring package
for the Iveco Trakker model range,
incorporating a full cab replacement to
ensure the ultimate level of protection.
Trading its entire standard cab
for a version custom-fabricated from
bullet-resistant steel and featuring
high-quality ballistic glass, the SVI-
armoured Iveco Trakker offers its driver
and passenger full B6 protection against
assault rifles, including AK47, R5 and R1.
Though developed chiefly for clients
carrying high-value cargo through areas
of South Africa battling the latest wave
in truck-hijacking crime, the Trakker’s
load body design is adaptable to various
customer requirements, meaning the ve-
hicle can also be configured to function
as an ambulance, a fire truck or even an
armoured bus.
SVI went about designing an ar-
mouring solution for the Iveco Trakker
by drawing on its extensive experience
developing, manufacturing and fitting the
popular Stopgun V2.0 armouring kit to
various bakkies and trucks (for use in the
security industry) as well as it’s long-es-
tablished expertise in the military field.
Rather than employing integrated
door, fender and pillar armour, SVI’s en-
gineers opted to replace the entire cab
with a fully bespoke, menacingly styled,
crew compartment, effectively eliminat-
ing the possibility of ballistic gaps. The
design furthermore features flat ballistic
glass bolted into each window frame (in-
cluding gunports in the side windows) to
allow for fuss-free replacement should
damage be sustained during an attack.
The unique cab construction also
protects engine components and
includes a tilting nose plate to facili-
tate routine maintenance, ensuring
serviceability remains as close to that
of the standard truck as possible, with
minimal additional technician training
thus required.
Altogether, the various level B6
armouring components add around
500kg of additional mass, this figure is
easily dispatched by the Iveco Trakker
380 4x4’s well-proven yet formidable
12.88-litre, six-cylinder diesel engine.
With the standard powertrain driving
both axles, the armoured truck boasts
proper go-anywhere ability. In addition,
heavy-duty run flat rings can be fitted to
the tyres as an option.
First armoured Trakker
already in action
Bradford Wood of the K9 Law
Enforcement group of companies
has already taken delivery of the first
example of SVI’s armoured Iveco Trakker,
which has swiftly been put to work
transporting valuable cargo on behalf of
the security specialist’s clients.
“The safety of our team is para-
mount. SVI’s solution for the Iveco
Trakker ensures just that, while also
satisfying the precise requirements of
our client base. With several of the com-
pany’s armoured vehicles already doing
duty in our fleet, it made sense for us to
reach out to SVI for this project. We’re
absolutely thrilled with the outcome,”
said Wood.
Pricing
Pricing for the Iveco Trakker B6 ar-
mouring solution starts at R649,500
(excluding VAT), though this figure will
vary according to the chosen specifica-
tion. Each unit has a three-month build
time, with all work completed at SVI
Engineering’s ever-growing manufactur-
ing facility outside Pretoria.
Jaco de Kock, CEO of SVI, says the
cab-replacement solution will be available
not just on the Trakker but on various
other models, too.
“Though this new design was
specifically implemented on the Iveco
Trakker, we have made provision for
it to be executed across the full Iveco
range, as well as on various other popular
truck models. That way, we can meet a
diverse range of customer requirements,”
explained De Kock. BFA
SVI launches
B6 armoured Iveco Trakker

INDUSTRY NEWS
The world’s largest provider of sustainability ratings has award-
ed MAN a gold medal for the first time, putting the commercial
vehicle manufacturer among the top five percent of companies
assessed in the “manufacture of motor vehicles” segment.
Since its foundation in 2007, the independent rating agency
EcoVadis has built up an international network of more than
100 000 rated companies. For this purpose, experts analyse
how well they have integrated sustainability and corporate
social responsibility (CSR) principles into their business activities
and management systems, specifically according to industry,
country, and company size. MAN has been participating in the
assessments since 2014.
Reliable and globally recognised sustainability assessments
EcoVadis aim to produce reliable and globally recognised sus-
tainability assessments. This enables companies to document
their own efforts and include their assessment when selecting
suppliers. Increasingly, such assessments are the prerequisite
for even being considered for new purchases.
MAN far above the industry average
MAN achieved 72 out of 100 points in the overall evaluation,
while the industry average in the “manufacture of motor vehi-
cles” segment is 45 points. The high score secures MAN a place
among the top five percent of all 104 companies assessed, as
97% of them scored below. Therefore, EcoVadis has awarded
the commercial vehicle manufacturer a gold medal for the first
time, following a bronze medal in 2021.
Sustainability strategy in four areas
EcoVadis evaluates companies in four areas. MAN achieved
the highest score in the area of Environment (80 points),
followed by Labour and Human Rights (70 points), Sustainable
Procurement (70 points) and Ethics (60 points). The
assessment basis was the current Sustainability Report 2021,
which is based on the fundamentally revised sustainability
strategy.
MAN’s transparent and comprehensive reporting and
progress tracking on all relevant sustainability aspects (e.g.,
the audited sustainability report in accordance with the
GRI standard), the commitment to sustainability goals via
published information and measures already implemented
(e.g. the SBTi goals) as well as the guidelines and policies
anchored in the company on the four assessment areas (e.g.
the MAN environmental policy) were particularly highlighted
in the assessment.
Bearing fruit
Sustainability is anchored at the core of MAN’s new corporate
strategy. “This is now bearing fruit, as our leap forward in
the EcoVadis assessment shows,” says MAN CEO Alexander
Vlaskamp. “For us, this is an incentive to further increase our
efforts in all areas considered, because sustainability is not an
outcome but a continuous process. And even in a difficult mar-
ket environment, we regard sustainable action as a prerequisite
for competing in the future.”
In particular, the interdisciplinary cooperation of all MAN
divisions made the success in the EcoVadis assessment possible.
The company intends to continue along this path in the future:
After the detailed evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses
named by the experts, MAN will further optimise its measures
in the area of sustainability. BFA
Gold medal for MAN in
EcoVadis sustainability ranking
MAN Truck and Bus has improved strongly in all four
assessment areas and is well above the industry average
everywhere.
The sustainability efforts of recent months and
years are bearing fruit–and are an incentive for further
ambitious measures.
Sustainability is anchored in the core of MAN’s new
corporate strategy and will remain a central task in the
future.
The success was made possible by the interdisciplinary
cooperation of all the departments involved at MAN.
27

INDUSTRY NEWS
To deliver higher efficiency rates and
drive down costs in the powertrain com-
ponent market, companies are looking
at integration. As the trend continues
to grow, more solutions are coming
onto the market, including eAxles and
Multiple-in-One electronics.
Putting the e-axle at the rear is an
increasingly popular option for OEMs
who want to produce a hybrid version of
an existing petrol- or diesel-powered car,
adding all-wheel drive as a bonus.
Axles offer an excellent opportunity
for component integration, which com-
prise a single unit that includes a motor,
a transmission, and sometimes other
components located on or very near
the axle. Integrating a motor, gearing
and power electronics into a compact,
modular package that sits between a
vehicle’s driven wheels creates a system
that has come to be known as an e-axle.
An attractive option
It is an increasingly attractive option for
manufacturers of passenger cars, small
commercial vehicles and trucks who
want to develop hybrid and all-wheel-
drive versions of existing products, while
for developers of pure EVs they are a
means of making the best use of the in-
ternal volume for extra battery capacity,
passenger space or other selling points.
Inline axles and vertical axles
The type of axle used varies for electric
buses and trucks. Currently, two types
of axles are commonly adopted in Asia
Pacific, particularly in China. Inline or
rigid axles, which integrate the motors
within the axles, are applied to small-
sized buses and light-duty trucks, while
parallel or vertical axles where drive
motors are connected to the drive axle
in parallel or at right angles are best
suited for use in medium and heavy-
duty trucks.
Advantages
According to Interact Analysis, these
axles offer a broad range of advantages.
These include total space saving, weight
reduction, elimination of components
and improved drive efficiency. Several
leading axle and motor producers are
developing such integration solutions
in Asia Pacific, including Dana, Hande,
and BYD. Market demand is increasing
and will likely fuel market competition in
the future.
High-cost trade-off for efficiency
Overall, market penetration of axles
remained limited in Asia Pacific in 2021,
with sales largely concentrated in the
light-duty vehicles sector. This is because
axle pricing for light-duty vehicles is cur-
rently competitive when compared with
traditional motor architecture, but pricing
for heavy-duty vehicles is estimated to be
30-40% higher, meaning there is a high-
cost trade-off for high efficiency.
In addition, concern over the difficul-
ties of maintenance and the necessity
of space saving for battery installation
(particularly for heavy-duty trucks) is also
influencing decision making by OEMs
looking at adopting axle solutions. With
increasing penetration rates, particularly
in light-duty vehicles, the average market
price for axles in APAC regions is project-
ed to fall dramatically to around $1 200
per unit by 2030. Axle shipments are
expected to increase by 54% annually to
over 1.6 million units in 2030. As a result,
penetration in trucks and buses could
increase from 16 to 41% by 2030.
Different approaches by OEMs
OEMs are taking different approaches,
with some focused on electrifying af-
fordable vehicles while others want very
high performance, so there is no single
powertrain architecture that is currently
the clear favourite. This has led suppliers
to the development of kits from which
OEMs can choose the kind of e-drive
system that best suit their application.
Technical requirements for commer-
cial vehicles are quite different. Even
the smaller parcel delivery trucks, with
gross vehicle weights of 2.8-3.5 tons,
have a significant impact on the gearbox.
Driving profiles are also very different,
characterised by shorter distances and
many starts and stops. BFA
e-Axles could become the
staple of electric powertrains

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INDUSTRY NEWS
Flexible, efficient and sustainable spare
parts logistics is an important success
factor for Daimler Truck and its custom-
ers around the world. With a fast and
comprehensive supply of parts, vehicle
fleets can be on the road as much time
as possible and at standstill for as little
time as necessary. Following their recent
independence, Daimler Truck is setting
up its global supply of spare parts for
Mercedes-Benz Trucks in a new and
even more customer-oriented way.
As the heart of the global supply of
spare parts, a completely new logistics
hub – the so-named Global Parts Center
– is being built in Halberstadt, Saxony-
Anhalt. In the future parts deliveries
will be made from this central location,
eliminating additional transport routes
and reducing parts availability lead
times. The facility is designed to meet
the requirements of Daimler Truck cus-
tomers. Regional dealers can be supplied
directly or can pick up parts themselves
if necessary.
The new logistics hub will deliver up
to 300 000 different items, from the
smallest screw to a finished truck cab,
to almost 3 000 vehicle dealers in over
170 countries around the world. The
Global Parts Center will thus make an
important contribution to ensuring the
international flow of goods. Thanks to
state-of-the-art storage and conveyor
technology, all vehicle parts will be
available for immediate retrieval in an
automated high-bay warehouse and
an automated small parts warehouse.
Construction is scheduled to begin in
2023, with commissioning scheduled to
take place about three years later.
“Halberstadt and the Global Parts
Center will play a key role in the future:
Spare parts from our new logistics hub
will make a significant contribution to
keeping our customers and their trucks
up and running, thereby delivering on
our ambition ‘Trucks you can trust’,”
says Karin Rådström, CEO Mercedes-
Benz Trucks.
About 2 600 Mercedes-Benz Trucks’
suppliers will provide the logistics
hub with their parts in the future.
Halberstadt will thus become the heart
of the worldwide supply of spare parts
for Mercedes-Benz Trucks. Fuso parts
supply in Europe will also be handled by
Halberstadt in future. In a three-stage
logistics process, the new location
will serve around 20 regional logistics
centres.
Halberstadt is not only in the heart
of Germany, but also ideally located
between the many Daimler Trucks’
suppliers and customers in Europe.
The transport connection via federal
roads and motorways in the region also
enables parts to be supplied quickly.
This location also has sufficient space to
operate flexibly over the long term.
In the first stage of expansion, the
new building in the East Industrial Park
in Halberstadt will have a gross floor
area of around 270 000 square meters
with around 260 000 square meters of
logistics space. Up to 450 qualified jobs
will be created on site. After further
construction stages and the assumption
of additional activities in connection
with global parts logistics, up to 600 jobs
will be created at the site.
Sustainability at the site
The new logistics location is planned
from the start for CO₂-neutral operation
and the energy concept completely
dispenses with fossil fuels. Neither
natural gas nor oil is required. The
location will be heated with electric heat
pumps that bring heat into the building
via underfloor heating systems. Due to
the low heating water temperatures and
the storage effect in the industrial floors,
a high level of energy efficiency will be
achieved.
In addition, it is intended to equip the
roofs with photovoltaic systems, which
can generate up to 13 million kWh of
electrical energy per year. This is more
electricity than will be consumed at the
site. Surplus energy from the Global
Parts Center will be made available
to other Daimler Truck locations in
Germany. The roofs of the outbuildings
will be greened.
Employees will be provided with a
large number of charging stations for
e-vehicles and e-bikes. Appropriate
charging options will also be available
for suppliers’ trucks, whose fleets are
gradually being electrified. BFA
Mercedes-Benz Trucks
sets up central parts hub

Polar Limitada is a leading trans-
port company based in northern
Mozambique. The company has taken
delivery of five new DAF trucks from
Babcock, bringing its total DAF fleet
to 62.
Serving various neighbouring markets
apart from Mozambique
Headquartered in Nampula, Polar has
a nationwide footprint, with branches
in Pemba, Beira and Maputo. The
company transports a wide range of
cargo, including general break bulk
cargo, beverages, containerised cargo,
industrial pipes, heavy equipment and
aggregates.
Apart from its home turf of
Mozambique, Polar also services
adjacent markets such as South Africa,
Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and the
DRC, transporting copper, sulphur,
cobalt, fertiliser (bulk or bagged) and
containerised cargo.
Standardised fleet
“We started with a few DAF Trucks, with
very little knowledge of commercial
vehicles. From the onset, we found the
brand to be the perfect fit for our needs,
which is why we have standardised our
fleet with DAF,” explains Allen.
Founded in 2013, Polar has grown
in leaps and bounds and now owns
and operates more than 60 trucks and
80 trailers, supported by a workforce of
85 people.
Fleet expansion programme
Polar makes big-ticket purchases of about
20 trucks every two to three years as part
of its fleet expansion programme. The
latest deal is part of the company’s fleet
renewal programme. As the need arises,
we buy some units to replace some of the
ageing trucks in our fleet,” explains Allen.
Longevity, reliability and efficiency
Commenting on why the company
prefers DAF, Allen says the trucks are
built tough and have proven to endure
the challenging African roads. “We are
particularly impressed with the truck’s
longevity and reliability, which is key
to the success of our business. In an
environment where fuel prices continue
to skyrocket, we also find DAF Trucks to
be fuel efficient. Fuel is the biggest cost
driver in our line of business, which is
why fuel efficiency is a principal parame-
ter in our buying decisions.”
Aftermarket support
“One of the reasons why we prefer DAF
is the support provided by Babcock. In
addition, Allen says that he is more than
happy with the service they receive
from Babcock. Every product is only
as good as the aftermarket support
behind it. Babcock walks the journey
with us, which gives us peace of mind
that our trucks have maximum uptime,”

concludes Allen. BFA
Polar Limitada’s standardised
DAF fleet
FLEET OWNERSHIP
31

SUPPLY CHAIN AND LOGISTICS
According to Deloitte, the last mile accounts for 35% to 50% of
the total delivery cost across all modes of transportation. It is
the first place where logistics service providers want to imple-
ment smart and efficient technologies and innovative solutions.
The Research, Analysts, and Insights report (RAIR) predicts
that by 2028, the global last-mile delivery market will increase
to more than $268 billion. Business Fleet Africa investigates
e-mobility last-mile advancements around the world.
The Mate SUV for Cargo
The latest to throw down the e-mobility gauntlet is the capa-
ble-looking Mate SUV. Danish e-mobility outfit Mate presents
its playfully named cargo e-bike – or e-trike – as a genuine
alternative to getting around. It is another option for small
businesses looking for cleaner ways to deliver goods locally. The
reverse e-trike is being produced for EU and UK markets and
has been designed in Denmark, engineered in Germany, and
will be produced in Italy from next year.
The battery is expected to offer up to 100km range per
charge. The frame is fashioned from 90% recycled aluminium.
A 210-litre cargo box can accommodate a lift-up tubular safety
bar up top and can be customised with a strap-down rain cover,
or you can add in seating and a hard top with windows.
Shapely 3D-printed electric cargo e-bike
An interesting 3D-printed mash-up between a cargo e-bike and
a small electric city car designed by Berlin’s nFrontier recently
made its public debut at the Formnext 2022 additive manufac-
turing expo in Frankfurt.
Named UILA, the vehicle has been developed using a
Stratasys F770 industrial 3D printer. It will move into commercial
production using high-volume additive manufacturing technol-
ogies such as SAF (powder-based) and P3 (photopolymer-based)
machines – which should lower manufacturing costs compared
to traditional techniques and allow for some customisation.
Its electric drivetrain features hub motors at the rear and a
pedal-operated dynamo to feed the 1 200Wh battery, which
should be good for a per-charge range of between 60 and 70km.
The top speed is reported to be 25km/h.
McLaren F1-inspired foldable e-scooter
This scooter might not be a last-mile solution, but it is inter-
esting, nonetheless. In December 2022, McLaren Applied, the
electrification and technologies business formed and later sold
by McLaren Group, spun off the new micro-mobility brand
Lavoie. The company is looking to inject some serious F1 talent
and know-how into creating mobility solutions.
It’s Series 1 e-scooter showcases a patented Flowfold
mechanism that seamlessly collapses the sizable scooter down
to an easy-carry package in one swift motion. The Series 1 can
travel up to 50km per charge with the help of a rear-integrated
KERS braking system and recharges in as little as two hours.
Last mile innovation

33
In a wink with sun power
US start-up Wink Motors has announced a new line of their
critters … some of which can be solar charged. According to the
company, all four Wink NEVs are fully street-legal throughout the
United States and are manufactured to exceed safety require-
ments stipulated in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
With a government-limited top speed of 40 km/h they are
allowed to operate on roads with speed limits of up to 56 km/h.
Unlike other golf-cart-like NEVs, these models are fully en-
closed, seat four passengers, and offer car-like features such as
air conditioners, heaters, electric windows, electric door locks,
mirrors, three-point seat belts, backup cameras, infotainment
screens, USB chargers, glove boxes, trunks, and folding rear
seats for extra cargo space.
Ouca Cargo e-trike
Finnish start-up Ouca Bikes has created a dynamic workhorse
of an electric cargo e-trike. Configured to task, the Ouca
three-wheeler can carry up to 255kg of gear, tools or packages
on a combination of its extra-large front-loading cargo box and
available rear rack. That’s more than some electric quadricycles
that look like miniaturised delivery vans. Whatever the load, the
Ouca’s e-drive with integrated automatic transmission makes
for a smooth, steady ride.
The Ouca Space offers a secure, capable platform for
delivering cargo with care, whether it means rushing a hot meal
to a customer or delivering a valuable package ordered online.
Volta Trucks and Cake team up
Volta Trucks, a manufacturer of fully electric commercial
vehicles and Cake, the Swedish maker of premium lightweight,
electric motorcycles, have announced a collaboration aimed
at decarbonising and decongesting last-mile deliveries while
improving service to customers.
The fully integrated, zero tailpipe emission delivery service
from warehouse to end customer uses the most efficient
combination of electric trucks and electric two wheelers free
to operate in the world’s most rigorous zero-emission zones.
The first trial, planned in Q1 2023 in Paris, will be with the HM
Group. Cake’s electric motorcycles will be loaded into the Volta
Zero from the distribution centre at the start of the working day
and deployed into the city centre. From there, the Cake electric
motorcycles will deliver the last mile of parcels to customers
in the fastest and most sustainable way without impacting the
traffic or struggling with parking.
High-performance electric scooters
showcased at EICMA
Austrian-designed, Chinese-made electric motorcycle brand
Horwin showcased at this year’s EICMA motorcycle show
in Milan a super-scooter loaded to the gills with gadgetry,
and a second wild concept that aims to upend traditional
chassis design.
The Senmenti 0 delivers frankly massive performance figures
for what’s essentially a maxi-scooter. With some 600Nm of rear-
wheel torque, this unassuming-looking commuter is allegedly
capable of rocketing you from 0-100km/h in 2.8 seconds.
The Senmenti will continue accelerating briskly up to a
claimed top speed of 200km/h. This is a robustly excessive top
speed for a scooter, and one matched by a robustly excessive
16.2-kWh battery pack capable of charging up in 30 minutes on
a suitable supercharger, then delivering an impressive 300km of
range if you cruise at a decent 88km/h. BFA

SUPPLY CHAIN AND LOGISTICS
Selecting the right delivery partner for
your business is a critical part of your
e-commerce business model and will
make all the difference in enhancing
your sales and brand.
Economic uncertainty and ongoing
global supply chain issues stemming
from the Ukraine conflict and resurgent
COVID-19 cases in China are compelling
businesses to think on their feet. The
volatile business environment, which has
culminated in skyrocketing inflation and
concerns over the provision of goods,
means many companies must look at
new ways of keeping customers happy
while keeping an eye on the bottom line.
Last-mile delivery
Last-mile deliveries are one of the most
crucial aspects of the entire shipping
process. Unfortunately, many businesses
have run into challenges when it comes
to delivery. Numerous studies show
that consumers won’t repurchase from
a brand if the delivery service is not up
to scratch.
High costs
Last-mile delivery is expensive for
both businesses and customers. When
demand spikes, quality infrastructure
needs to be integrated into the shipping
process to handle the orders, which
can be costly. Naturally, these costs
are passed on to consumers, which can
sound the death knell for a sale as many
people abandon their online shopping
carts when shipping expenses are
too high.
Effective tracking
Currently, shoppers want to be kept
up to date on their order status.
Simply providing a tracking code is not
enough. Delivery businesses now need
to proactively alert consumers to the
delivery status via regular text and e-mail
notifications, giving them a real-time
experience. In South Africa, the click-and-
collect and returns solution specialists
Pargo has excelled in this area, perfecting
the SMS and e-mail notification system to
communicate effectively with customers.
Delayed deliveries
Failing to deliver a parcel on time or even
at all carries severe consequences for a
business. Operational costs will increase
as drivers are forced to re-deliver parcels,
and this can have dire consequences
for your brand’s reputation. It’s highly
unlikely that those customers will return,
and odds are they’ll also tell others not to
buy from you.
Poor route tracking
Despite all the technological advances,
many delivery companies still use
manual route planning. The problem is
that factors like traffic flow and vehicle
efficiency are rarely considered, leading
to late or failed deliveries. Google Maps
is not always the way to go either, par-
ticularly in a country like South Africa,
where specific townships or rural areas
don’t appear on maps.
Outdated technology
Again, customers want to stay informed
in the digital age. Outdated tech simply
can’t meet this demand. Customers who
order online can be unforgiving of human
error, so businesses must use new tech-
nologies to keep them informed of their
orders. The tech also enables enterprises
to monitor and manage last-mile delivery
more effectively so that if a problem
occurs, they can attend to it immediately.
These challenges are by no means in-
surmountable, and with commitment and
planning can be effectively addressed.
The click-and-collect business model
A last-mile delivery option that will be-
come even more popular in 2023 is the
click-and-collect model, where shoppers
place orders online, for delivery at a
store near them.
What is significant about Pargo’s Click
Collect service is that it helps reduce
delivery costs through consolidated
deliveries to its more than 3 000 Pickup
Points around South Africa. The model is
especially valuable to those living in rural
and township areas, where delivery driv-
ers frequently get lost or may not want to
venture because of crime hotspots. BFA
Why your business could do
with a new delivery partner

Business Fleet Africa January 2023.pdf

Business Fleet Africa January 2023.pdf

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