30 minute read
TRUCKS ON SHOW
Next Gen
Trucks are on the cusp of some of the most fundamental shifts in heavy vehicle automotive technology ever – and the 2023 Brisbane Truck Show will provide a showcase of this revolutionary future
Images from the first-ever Brisbane Truck Show held back in 1968 at Haulmark Trailers’ premises at Ipswich Road, Rocklea represent an industry and time long past. Men dressed in suits, ladies in dresses, presenters announcing from the back of a Thornycroft flatbed truck, it was the start of a new generation of the transport industry, the age of diesel power. A lot has changed in the 55 years since this first show, then known as the Queensland Truck
Show, and as we move towards the upcoming event, it could be just as defining as that first show back in 1968. Six months out from the 2023 show, we are knocking at the door of the next generation of the truck, where automation rules, electricity and hydrogen replace diesel, and safety and other technology smarts reign supreme. The 2023 show will undoubtedly be an important next step in this evolution. Penske Australia’s Executive General Manager of On-Highway, and HVIA board member, Craig Lee, agrees.
He believes truck manufacturers and importers are on the cusp of the most fundamental shifts in heavy vehicle automotive technology ever.
“The next 10 to 15 years are going to change the trucking landscape in a way that has never happened before,” Lee says.
“Major changes are occurring across the fleet in how technology is applied to improve fleet performance, for greatly improved safety outcomes and to improve our environmental impact.”
As you walk the halls of the 2023 event and check out the latest trucks on show – from those powered by traditional internal combustion engines, like the Mack Anthem, Kenworth K220 and Freightliner Cascadia, to the greatest array of electric and hydrogen powered vehicles ever on show – think to yourself what will the trucks evolve to by Truck Show 2025?
To highlight how far trucks have come here are
Left: BTS23 Publications & Content Manager Harrison Hunkin with Penske’s Craig Lee; Right: The all-new Kenworth K220
some of the new models expected to be on display in 2023 as well as some classics from previous Brisbane Truck Shows.
Kenworth K220
While the anniversary Legend SAR on display in 2021 steps back in time to pay homage to an icon, stand 40 HALL 4 the future of Kenworth trucks is certainly to be found in the recently released Kenworth K220.
The K220 is the brand’s most technologically advanced truck and will sit front and centre of its stand at the 2023 Brisbane Truck Show.
The most noticeable change to its predecessor, the K200, is the operating environment. Stepping inside the K220 cab, you’ll find a more modern interior fitted with a 15-inch high-definition display as well as a new eight-inch audio-visual navigation unit that has smartphone integration. However, it still feels and looks like a Kenworth inside.
Show Classics: Kenworth Legend SAR
Kenworth enthusiasts were treated to an almighty trucking surprise at the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show. To celebrate its 50th year of manufacturing trucks in Australia, Kenworth decided to launch a limited-edition truck. Behold, the 50th-anniversary Legend SAR, modelled off the iconic W900 SAR.
Nostalgia met modern Kenworth design with this slick piece of kit, and it was certainly worth it as the stand had people flocking to catch a glimpse of the iconic model. Even better, Kenworth’s ‘one-day’ sales event reportedly saw over 700 orders for the limited-edition model.
PACCAR Australia Chief Engineer Brad May said at the time of the launch, that the Legend SAR was a “homage to all those that have stood, and stand today, behind the badge of a Kenworth truck”. The W900 SAR, which it was modelled off, has a special place in the hearts of truckies Down Under. It was the first Kenworth model designed, engineered and built in Australia for Australian requirements. The Legend SAR will forever be a standout release at the Brisbane Truck Show.
Western Star has a strong historical connection to Brisbane
PACCAR Australia has also updated the automatic transmission, with the new K220 swapping out its previous Eaton Ultrashift for the new Eaton 18-speed Endurant XD Pro automated transmission. An 18-speed Road Ranger box is still available.
Safety-wise, the company says the K220 has the largest range of active and passive safety options ever offered by Kenworth Australia and includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure warnings, side object detection and collision mitigation.
This is by far the most modern Kenworth truck ever and brings the brand in line with what its competitors are doing. Like most things Kenworth, the K220 will be hugely popular.
Western Star
Thanks to its historical link with Brisbane, Western Star has had a long connection with the Brisbane Show. stand 54
HALL 2
Last show, Western Star paid tribute to the first-ever Western Star released in Australia in 1983 by painting one of its latest 4800 models with a special tribute livery with a blue cabin, red chassis, and heritage pearl white highlights.
The nod to history was special and had countless Star groupies flocking for photos.
Fast forward to the 2023 Brisbane Truck Show, and we could see a new Western Star released, and arguably just as important as that original 1983 Star unveiled all those years ago.
The new Western Star 47X, 48X and 49X series trucks are on their way Down Under, and the people of Brisbane are set to get a glimpse of the ‘modern’ Star.
The new X-Series from Western Star will be the first all-new Star for quite some time. We assume they will come with the latest Detroit DD13 through to DD16 engines as well as a new lighter cabin design with a modern interior.
With a menacing new design, and an appetite to succeed like the Western Stars that have come before, it’s safe to say the eventual launch of the new X-Series trucks from Western Star will have the Brisbane Truck Show buzzing.
Mack Anthem
While the Mack Superliner may be the most iconic Mack truck to ride the roads in Australia, it’s the company’s new Anthem model that will set its future course.
The next-generation Bulldog is here and the Anthem is that for Mack. Just take a look at its sleeker, more aerodynamic design in comparison to the big, and muscular, Macks that have come before it. stand 49
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After years in the US, the Anthem finally arrived in Australia in 2021 – had it not been for COVID, the Anthem would have been on display in full at the previous truck show but will now have its first major Australian outing at the 2023 event.
The Anthem has a keen focus on safety and comes loaded with the Bendix Wingman Fusion safety system as standard.
It is also one of the most fuel-efficient Macks ever, thanks to tweaks to the MP8 engine and the mDrive transmission, which now talk more seamlessly to each other, and its new aerodynamic cabin.
Speaking of cabins, you’ll find plenty of room inside the Anthem. In fact, the new stand-up sleeper has 35 per cent more space than previous cabins with the intention to provide the operator with a more comfortable rest experience.
The Anthem is still ‘Mack’ enough to appeal to rusted-on Bulldog lovers but will also provide the luxuries that come with modernisation. With Mack’s parent company Volvo Group leading the way with the latest technologies, it’s safe to say that Mack is in safe hands for the future.
MAN TGX
As a brand, MAN can claim it is one of the oldest in the game. The German trucking giant has been making trucks since 1915, and with the recent release of its new TG (Truck Generation) range – the first newly-developed MAN truck in two decades, it’s ready to push the
envelope on the next generation of trucks just like it did more than 100 years ago. The new TG range – headed up by the recently crowned ‘International Truck of the Year 2021’ TGX model – will make its first big Australianevent debut at the 2023 Brisbane Truck Show. The TG range is just what MAN was looking for; an efficient, innovative and good-looking range of trucks to compete in the competitive Euro truck market in Australia. The MAN brand, through its local distributor Penske Australia, is trying to reconnect with the Australian market by offering that ‘next-gen’ truck that’s more tool than toy. stand 54 Fuel economy is the TG range’s bread and butter, with the option of engines ranging from the 250hp HALL 2 D08 to the 640hp D38 Euro 6e engine (with various options in between). The TG’s Tipmatic gearbox shift system also uses software to determine the optimum moving off and gearshift strategy in all situations in
The next 10 to 15 years are going to change the trucking landscape in a way that has never happened before
MAN’s new TG Series will make its Australian debut a the 2023 Brisbane Truck Show
conjunction with load and inclination detection. MAN was a part of the first generation of trucks and with the TG series, it seems it’s ready for the next generation of commercial vehicles.
Freightliner Cascadia
After many years of success in the US and many years of additional testing here Down Under, the 2019 Brisbane Truck Show was where Daimler Truck Australia finally lifted the curtain on its impressive Freightliner Cascadia.
The camouflaged “winter soldier” test unit Cascadia proudly stood on the stand, giving Australians their first glimpse of what is now the flagship Freightliner. Two years later at the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show, punters could put in an order.
The Cascadia is a huge step in innovation and technology in comparison to previous Argosy and
Coronado truck models. It’s shaken the stereotypical buff, yank truck appearance and instead opts for a modern, sleek, aerodynamic design like its sibling Mercedes-Benz and its impressive Actros range. Under the bonnet, the Cascadia offers the 13- or 16-litre Detroit Diesel stand engines, which are reportedly good on fuel, and 44 inside the Cascadia you’ll find a cabin filled with HALL 4 lush, soft-touch materials that resemble the interior of premium car brands. Freightliner left no stone unturned to make sure the Cascadia was right for the Australian market, and reportedly built numerous prototypes to test new components and systems locally, while also simulating millions of road kilometres with cold chamber and hot room sessions to ensure effective operation in extreme temperature conditions. Freightliner, together with other Daimler Truck Australia brands Fuso and Mercedes-Benz, make some of the most modern, technologically advanced trucks in the world, and has demanded
Show Classics: Working Class Mack
Collaborations don’t get much better than rock legend Jimmy Barnes, Mack Trucks and Rotary Australia. Together, the three combined in 2019 to create the inspiring ‘Working Class Mack’, a special limited-edition Mack Superliner that was auctioned off to raise funds for drought-affected farmers.
It wasn’t just any old Superliner though, the Working Class Mack was specially painted to represent album artwork from Barnes’ iconic 1985 album, Working Class Man.
The Superliner featured had the MP10 16-litre engine under the bonnet as well as the Mack mDrive 12-speed automated manual box and 58
Brisbane Truck Show attendees were lucky enough to see the Mack on display at Volvo Group Australia’s activation in the Brisbane CBD, bringing that rock-and-roll edge to the extravaganza.
By far one of the most important trucks ever to grace the Truck Show, the Mack was auctioned off by Pickles, with $80,000 from the proceeds going to the Rotary Australia drought relief program.
First unveiled at the 2019 show, the Cascadia represents a huge step up in innovation and technology compared to previous Freightliner models
from itself the need to keep evolving the ‘truck’ for the future – the results of which will be on display at the 2023 Brisbane Truck Show.
Isuzu
The year 2022 marks 50 years of operation for the Isuzu brand here in Australia, and it’s because of trucks like the classic SBR model that the company has fared so well.
Speaking of SBRs, do you remember when Isuzu found one of its old classic 1979 SBR 422 with 1.3 million kilometres on the clock and decided to restore it? The process took Isuzu Australia’s Product Development Department two years to complete and the results were pretty spectacular.
The interior and exterior were fully restored. All rust, dents and blemishes were removed, a fresh coat of white paint was applied and a custombuilt body with a Tasmanian oak floor fitted, leaving the 43-year Isuzu in a near-original state.
It’s trucks like the SBR that have made Isuzu one of Australia’s top-selling truck brands, however, when compared to the latest N-Series trucks, the poor old SBR is now a museum piece.
The latest N-Series light truck range is by far the most sophisticated and advanced Isuzu to date. Inside you get a 10.1-inch infotainment screen with Apple and Android connectivity, transforming that standard bleak light interior
into something a bit more userfriendly. Safety is key with the new N-Series, with the range adopting Isuzu’s newest safety technology ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems). Autonomous emergency braking that can detect pedestrians comes as standard, as does lanedeparture warning, traffic movement warning, distance warning and stability control. Head-to-head with the SBR, the N-Series has 149-190hp from its four-cylinder engine compared to 132hp from its 5.8-litre sixcylinder diesel. As mentioned before, the N-Series has a suite of safety features and technology compared to the SBR’s simple seatbelts. Let’s not make a habit of poking fun at iconic old trucks, but it certainly proves a point, the new N-series – which we suspect will be front and centre at the 2023 Brisbane Truck stand 52 Show – is a next-generation truck.
HALL 2
Isuzu has come along way since this classic 1979 SBR 422
Hyzon
The hype around hydrogen trucks as a genuine ‘green’ solution to long-range transport is set to become reality.
Hyzon Motors, a US-based hydrogen fuel cell vehicle company that has recently launched in Australia, will unleash its technology here after signing a deal with zinc mining company, Ark Energy, for the supply of five ultra-heavy-duty 140-tonne rated hydrogen fuel cell-powered trucks which it will lease to sister company, Townsville Logistics. The Hyzon H2 trucks will reportedly replace its diesel equivalent trucks and avoid over 1,300 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year.
The trucks will be refuelled at Ark’s SunHQ hydrogen hub, which will be co-located with the Sun Metals zinc refinery and solar farm and produce green hydrogen for internal and external customers. With Hyzon’s technology ready to go, it’s a fair possibility we could see one on display at the upcoming Brisbane Truck Show. stand 297
PLAZA
Show Spirit Shines
Behind the scenes, there was a mind-boggling logistical effort that went into delivering the hugely successful 2021 Brisbane Truck Show
Despite uncertainty caused by COVID-19, Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) and its partners managed to not only stage the 2021 Brisbane Truck
Show but entice more than 30,000 attendees from around Australia to
Australia’s premier on-road transport business and networking event.
HVIA Chief Executive Todd Hacking attributes the achievement – at a time when events were being cancelled all around the country – to the
“indomitable spirit and commitment of
HVIA’s members, the Brisbane Truck
Show exhibitors, and our stakeholders and sponsors who were resolute in supporting the event”.
More than half a century since the first show was held at Haulmark
Trailers’ yard in Rocklea in 1968, the 2021 show attracted some 266 exhibitors showcasing the latest trucks, trailers, technologies and components on offer – including first reveals such as the
Kenworth Legend SAR, Muscat Trailers’ quad with semi-live floor, and Maha
Australia’s RGA-UC wireless column lift.
What’s more, the show also maintained its strategy to expand beyond the walls of the Brisbane
Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) to engage the broader community and share some of the industry’s inspiring stories of innovation, collaboration and resilience with the general public.
Building on 2019, the 2021 showcase included a raft of activations and parallel events at the South Bank Truck Festival and across the city.
It enabled the industry Jobs Hub and National Apprentice Challenge to take-up a new home at South Bank Piazza, where the community was able to see for themselves the diverse range of rewarding career paths on offer.
Following the success of its first foray into the adjacent South Bank Parklands in 2019, the South Bank precinct became a fully-fledged festival in 2021.
Streets in the dining and entertainment precinct of Little Stanley Street and Stanley Street Plaza were closed to traffic
Behind the scenes a massive logistical effort goes into delivering the Brisbane Truck Show – the largest such event held in the Southern Hemisphere
More than 1,100 vehicles entered the loading docks down a single road access point in the lead up to the official opening day
to showcase innovative trucks and trailers. And with the support of the precinct’s business community, a hub called the South Bank Truck Festival was created featuring an abundance of activities and entertainment, including live concerts, a laser light display, open-air cinema and even a successful Guinness World Record attempt.
While punters only saw the world-class end product, behind the scenes a massive logistical effort went in to delivering the show – the largest such event held in the Southern Hemisphere.
At close to 270 exhibitors occupying all three levels of the BCEC, it is the largest event staged at the venue, bar none.
Led by Brisbane Truck Show Manager Noelene Bradley, the herculean bump-in task kicked off the weekend before the show, with the initial focus on the trucks and trailers occupying the main halls on the ground level.
More than 1,100 vehicles entered the loading docks down a single road access point in the days leading up to the opening. Some stands required up to five trailer loads each!
Over one-third of the trucks carrying freight were semitrailers requiring an average of 60-120 minutes to unload and reload – a massive undertaking handled by Agility Logistics, which was responsible for managing the freight forwarding, dock marshalls, road-runners and 10 site managers who were contracted from three different states for 1,300 hours day and night.
To handle the large truck movements, around 1,000 metres of truck staging on outside roads was controlled by traffic marshals and special police. An additional 16 trailers were utilised for offsite storage.
Once unloaded, the real work began. Approximately 45 forklifts, 12 elevated platforms, six boom lifts, more than 1.5 kilometres of rigging and some 12,000 carpet tiles were employed to get everything into place – with the help of 3,000 contractors.
Come Sunday, the show’s final day, the mammoth bump out began. Amazingly, before midnight the vast majority of the trucks, trailers and ancillary components were gone.
Notably, the show’s impact extends well beyond the BCEC, with its economic impact established at $72 million. Brisbane Marketing reports the event generated over 70,000 room night bookings for the city’s hotels and apartments.
Less than two years later, it is time to do it all again. Bring on BTS23!
Some 45 forklifts, 12 elevated platforms, six boom lifts, more than 1.5km of rigging and some 12,000 carpet tiles are employed to get everything in place – with the help of about 3,000 contractors
Future Fuels
The transition towards battery-powered and hydrogen trucks will be here sooner than you think, and the 2023 Brisbane Truck Show will have a huge line-up of the latest alternative fuel-powered trucks to check out!
If Australian purchase habits have reportedly changed, and the online shopping beast continues to grow, then more trucks will be required to deliver these goods, right?
That’s what the Department of Infrastructure and Transport is saying, forecasting freight volumes to increase 35 per cent by the year 2040.
This is great news for the road transport industry, however, there is a big elephant in the room. What type of trucks will deliver the goods?
The importance of that question cannot be under-estimated, because with all governments in
Australia now committed to net-zero emissions by 2050 — and a more ambitious target of 43 per cent by 2035 now adopted federally — a stern gaze will turn to the transport sector and its emissions.
Transport emissions make up 19 per cent of Australia’s total, with 38 per cent of these directly attributable to the road freight sector.
Don’t fret, though, alternatives in this space are growing at greater speeds than ever before.
Rivals Daimler and Volvo are working together on hydrogen technology, Volvo Group Australia intends to build battery-electric vehicles in Australia by 2025, SEA is already up and running delivering vehicles, and Hyzon’s factory in Melbourne is gaining momentum.
The OEMs are not alone. The Federal
The Mercedes-Benz eActros – four evaulation units will begin testing in Australia in early 2023
Government’s renewable energy agency ARENA has invested more than $1 billion into the sector and key logistics companies such as Linfox are running electric Fuso eCanter trucks in their fleets.
The big challenge now is helping and encouraging more operators to begin their journey towards de-carbonisation.
Historically, issues of higher upfront vehicle costs, lack of fueling and charging infrastructure, and range-anxiety created a genuine barrier to change.
However, Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia CEO Todd Hacking believes a zero-emission transition roadmap will help the heavy vehicle industry.
“All community progress is a step-change,” he says. “First and foremost, Euro VI (ADR80/04) needs to be mandated in Australia, this sets the legislative framework for the next generation of trucks.
“Once this is done, a mature conversation needs to be had about incentivising the transition and removing the technical regulatory barriers holding back progress.
“Issues such as truck width and axle-mass concessions are key to ensure operators are not penalised for de-carbonising the fleet.
“We also know that through scaling up, the price decreases, and so options for direct cash rebates up-front, or taxation relief following a purchase including changes to stamp duty, or a temporary relaxation of the Road User Change (RUC), need to be considered,” he adds. “Or perhaps it is done
An operator is not going to through an indirect benefit, such as providing greater heavy vehicle access, perhaps by purchase EV’s exempting zero-emission trucks if the energy from urban curfews could be a start. It could even be a infrastructure combination of all of these.” required to recharge Lastly, there’s a need for complementary regulatory and capital upgrade of the electricity them does not exist grid and energy market to support the zero-emission transition, Hacking says. “An operator is not going to purchase EV’s if the energy infrastructure required to recharge them does not exist, nor are they going to invest in hydrogen if the hydrogen supply is unreliable,” he says. “This is a complex issue, with many moving parts, but it is not insurmountable. We can and will do it.” With this in mind, here are a few upcoming technologies to look out for at the 2023 Brisbane Truck Show. Mindful Mercedes Mercedes-Benz Trucks and its parent company Daimler Truck are pivoting hard towards zerostand 44 HALL 4 emission vehicles, with the brand announcing its plans to sell only CO2-neutral vehicles in North America, Europe and Japan from 2039. The German-based giant also launched the eActros late last year in Europe, the company’s
The GenH2 truck is based on the conventional Actros long-haul truck
battery-powered, near-silent version of its hugely popular Actros model, and the good news is it’s coming to Australia.
Well, sort of … four evaluation units are arriving Down Under in early 2023 for extensive trials, while a single unit will also be trialed across the ditch in New Zealand.
The brand will be keen to see how its batteryelectric technology — which is already in production and out on the road in Europe — fairs in Australian conditions.
The eActros is best suited to heavy-duty, shortradius distribution, however, Mercedes-Benz Trucks did just lift the curtain on an all-new ‘Long-Haul’ variant of the eActros with a claimed range of 500km. This could be a game changer.
Additionally, validation trials will also begin in early 2023 for the new Mercedes-Benz all-electric eEconic. The eEconic has been designed from the ground up to work in densely-populated urban areas, with waste collection its bread and butter. Electric trucks are gaining traction with local councils around the country due to their lack of noise, a sure-selling point of the eEconic.
“Waste collection represents the perfect application for a near-silent electric truck that produces zero local emissions as these vehicles operate on the doorsteps of our community,” Mercedes-Benz Trucks Australia Pacific Director Andrew Assimo says.
“We are excited to work with our Australian and New Zealand customers to validate the remarkable zero-emission eEconic, which is also fully-loaded with the latest Mercedes-Benz Trucks active safety technology.”
The eActros and the eEconic share the same electric twin-motor drivetrain pushing out a maximum 442hp (330kW). For battery capacity, the eEconic offers three lithium-ion battery packs at a combined 336kWh, while the eActros offers an option of a fourth battery pack totaling 448kWh.
Daimler Truck has not yet announced which versions of the eActros we will inititally see in Australia and New Zealand. It’s hoped the Mercedes-Benz eActros will be launched Down Under shortly after trials finish. The Actros is an immensely popular truck in Australia, and as EV and hydrogen technology demand increases, the eActros is sure to be a popular model.
At the same time, Mercedes-Benz Trucks has signaled its intention to expand its range of vehicles to include series-produced trucks with hydrogen-based fuel cell drives in the second half
of this decade. The first prototypes of the GenH2 truck – which is based on the conventional Actros long-haul truck in terms of payload, range and performance – are already undergoing rigorous testing in Europe, both on its in-house test track and on public roads.
Fitted with two special liquid hydrogen tanks with a combined capacity of 80 kilograms of hydrogen, and a particularly powerful fuel-cell system, the development goal is a range of up to 1,000 kilometres and a payload of 25 tonnes at a gross weight of 40 tonnes, making the truck suitable for heavy long-distance transport.
Hydrogen For DAF
stand
Powered by a hydrogen internal combustion engine, the DAF XF H2 Innovation Truck was recently unveiled and subsequently won the ‘Truck Innovation Award 2022’ at the Solutrans Truck & Transport Exhibition in France.
While many of the big car and truck OEMs are developing hydrogen fuel cell technology, DAF has taken a different route, developing instead an internal combustion engine that runs on hydrogen. DAF believes a ‘green’ hydrogen combustion engine eliminates the need for large energy storage systems as well as the lower cooling capabilities needed and lower sensitivity to hydrogen purity.
However, using hydrogen to fuel trucks also
40 HALL 4 means that in many areas, we can make use of existing fuel distribution networks, an interesting prospect for Australia.
“H2 internal combustion engines means that in many areas, use can be made of an existing distribution network of fuel stations.
“Hydrogen technology may become a very interesting option for the future, next to batteryelectric solutions which we already offer today and hybrid trucks which we have under development,” DAF Executive Director of Product Development Ron Borsboom says.
“Being honoured with the ‘Truck Innovation
Above: The DAF XF H2 Innovation Truck; Right: Kenworth’s ZECT and FCEV zero-emissions trucks
H20 To Go
Pundits predict battery-powered trucks are the likely fit for urban day-to-day transport, and hydrogen technology is the fix for line-haul applications in the zero-emissions future. However, both are without any significant charging and fueling infrastructure.
This lack of energy infrastructure to support a transition towards net-zero emissions could soon be changing, with Lochard Energy — one of Australia’s largest gas storage and processing businesses — behind the H2REFUEL project.
Under development in Winton, Victoria, H2REFUEL could be Australia’s first large-scale, renewable hydrogen production and refuelling facility.
“Our first development is our Winton H2REFUEL
Award 2022’ also demonstrates that there is still a promising future for the internal combustion engine for which new generations of carbonneutral fuels are on the horizon.
“It is important to understand that bringing an end to the use of fossil fuels should by no means automatically result in a ban on internal combustion engines, especially in the heavy-duty long-haul transport segment.”
Kenworth ZECT and FCEV
DAF’s North American sibling, Kenworth, has also been experimenting with new technologies. Parent company PACCAR teamed up with Toyota a few years ago to develop and trial the Kenworth ZECT and the FCEV, two zero-emissions T680 trucks that are powered by a hydrogen fuel cell.
Kenworth became the first company to scale Pikes Peak in Colorado with a fuel cell truck. The Kenworth T680 FCEV, which features a Toyota hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrain offering 470hp, has a claimed range of 560km and a 15-minute refuel time. Could we see similar technology from Kenworth here in Australia soon?
Most recently, Kenworth has also moved into
stand 40
HALL 4
project,” Lochard Energy’s General Manager – Energy Development, Bart Simes, says.
“It’s on the shoulder of the Hume Highway where it has north- and south-bound access for trucks. It’s located midway between Melbourne and Tarcutta. It’s a 430-acre site. Behind the meter is a significant solar farm and that’s where much of its renewable energy will come from.”
The facility is hoping to accommodate between 50 and 150 refuelling trucks, which Lochard Energy estimate will require between 4,000 and 12,000 kilograms of renewable hydrogen per day.
Due to its strategic location, Lochard believes the Winton facility will allow trucks to operate between Melbourne and Tarcutta (a popular trailer exchange for the Sydney-to-Melbourne run) by filling there directly, or the hydrogen can be transported to alternate refuelling locations.
“For instance, bringing it down to the Port of Melbourne perhaps, to bus companies, to other outposts or refilling locations to extend the range,” Simes says. “But the engineering is also being centred around liquid hydrogen, where it’s at its most energy dense.”
Not only is that expected to make the fuel more practical and cost-effective to transport, it’s also important because it enables a 1,000-kilometre range with the right truck technology.
“That will get you from our site to Melbourne to Tarcutta and back on a single tank,” Simes says.
The Winton H2REFUEL is expected to produce 100 jobs during construction.
battery-electric truck production, unveiling its zero-emissions Kenworth T680E battery-electric vehicle at the Las Vegas CES 2022 show.
It’s the company’s first heavy-duty batteryelectric truck and features a 396kWh battery. Its Meritor 14Xe powertrain pushes out 536hp, has a reported range of 241km and a claimed charging time of three hours.
Fuso eCanter
stand Fuso’s electric variant of its popular Canter truck, the 44 HALL 4 eCanter, was a head turner at the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show.
As the first production electric truck available in Australia, the eCanter highlighted the fact that electric trucks were no longer just engineering concepts.
This was evident with retail giants Coles and Bunnings adding eCanter’s to their fleets as well as Australia Post placing an order for some 20 eCanters.
Despite global announcements regarding the next-gen Fuso eCanter, Daimler Truck Australia is being tight-lipped about its arrival Down Under.
“There is a lot of excitement around the nextgeneration eCanter and we look forward to updating our customers about this when it is set to arrive locally.
“Our priority is to undertake a rigorous test and validation program in local conditions as a first step,” a company spokesman says.
With the Mercedes-Benz eActros and eEconic arriving here for testing, Daimler Truck Australia will have all bases covered in the electric truck market.
SEA Electric
Hopefully by now, many are aware of SEA Electric and the progress it’s made in its electrification journey. stand 57 HALL 1
If not, you should because this local company created the first Australian-made electric truck — the SEA300 — out of its Dandenong facility. The company’s flagship SEA 300 and 500 series vehicles are based on Hino 300
SEA Electric’s flagship SEA 300 and SEA 500 series vehicles are based on Hino 300 and 500 light- and medium-duty trucks
SEA Electric created the first Australia-made electric truck
The FE is one of two electric truck models Volvo currently has available in Australia
and 500 light- and medium-duty trucks, sharing the same chassis and cabin.
If SEA Electric’s debut at the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show highlights anything, it’s that the company means business and has no plans to be shadowed by bigger players in the market.
Volvo Group Australia
Volvo has worked hard to become a leader in the EV truck space. Just recently, Volvo Group Australia President Martin Merrick announced the group’s intentions to build battery-electric vehicles at its Brisbane facility by 2025.
With five electric models on the market (two currently available here in Australia), the Swedes have positioned themselves at the forefront of EV technology.
The current models available in Australia include the Volvo FE Electric, a 300hp (225kW) rigid, that runs a dual-motor driveline with a two-speed gearbox with three to four batteries; and the FL Electric, a medium-duty truck designed for city rigid work that’s powered by a single electric motor with a two-speed gearbox.
The range for the FE is up to 200km and its gross combination weight pushes up to 26 tonnes
and comes in 4x2 or 6x2 axle configurations. The FL claims a 300km range and pushes out 174hp (130kw) from its single electric motor. The FL also boasts GCW of up to 16 tonnes and has four battery packs at 265kWh. This is the same truck that Linfox recently put through its paces delivering beer in Melbourne. In stand 49 HALL 3 total, the FL clocked over 6,000km and more than 5,200-kilowatt hours of work. Charging time takes 11 hours with Alternating Current (AC) and two hours with Direct Current (DC) charging. Environmental sustainability has always been front of mind for the Volvo Group, so it’s no surprise to see it ready for the next phase of truck propulsion. However, VGA’s E-Mobility Solutions Manager Tim Camilleri says the internal combustion engine will live on for some time, especially in Australia. “Hydrogen fuel cell is still a way off and will require a refueling network to be built, while battery electric will undoubtedly cater for our urban transport applications,” he says. “Off the beaten track and on interstate highways, we’ll still see the internal combustion engine living on for some time, though the fuel they run on will most likely change along the way.”
