Doing more with less while not adversely impacting the environment is the new name of the game.According to Filip Van den Heede, managing director: UD Trucks Southern Africa, manufacturers are focusing on delivering vehicles with enhanced features that boost profitability as operators face critical resource constraints and rising costs.The company recently unveiled its new and upgraded Euro 5 range in South Africa for the heavy-duty (Quester) and medium-duty (Croner) trucks. Given that the trucks boast enhanced features that improve uptime, enhance efficiency and optimise total cost of ownership, all while lowering the vehicles’ environmental impact, they have been well received. “We have been working on these vehicles since 2020, when we first introduced the Euro 5 Quon,” said Van den Heede. “We strive to develop next-generation technologies in the fields of automation, connectivity and electromobility. As a business, we are dedicated to finding solutions that will strengthen our customers’ businesses.”A case in point, he said, was UD Telematics, an in-house technology that allows f leet owners to monitor the condition of each vehicle and plan for service requirements before a potential emergency occurs. “Preventive maintenance results in improved uptime and extended clutch life. There are more benefits offered by UD Telematics: f leet owners can optimise fuel economy over time by analysing driving behaviour reports and fuel consumption records.”According to Van den Heede, over and above this, sustainability is more important than ever before, especially in fast-growing and emerging regions where moves are being made to adopt more stringent international emission standards in a bid to cut pollution and improve air quality. In most markets, as in South Africa, UD Trucks has introduced its upgraded Euro 5 ranges ahead of these regulations to better prepare businesses for the switch to a cleaner f leet.Air pollution is one of the largest health threats facing the world. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global energy carbon emissions are projected to rebound in the post-Covid-19 era and to grow by 4.8%. This would represent the largest single increase in over a decade. Emissions from transportation alone are at risk of increasing global emission levels by over 1.5%, making it imperative to move towards cleaner f leets.
