IN THE NEWS
Chery SA enters LCV segment with value-packed Tiggo 4 Pro Panel Van
Chery South Africa is proud to officially announce its expansion into the country’s light-commercial vehicle (LCV) segment with the launch of the value-packed and feature-rich Tiggo 4 Pro Panel Van.
Volvo Trucks SA delivers first FH750 XXL Cab to Local Customer
Volvo Trucks celebrated the handover of the first Volvo FH 750hp version 6 XXL cab model in South Africa, to longtime customer, Wardens Cartage. Wardens Cartage, a Volvo Trucks customer for over two decades, took delivery of the country’s first Volvo FH 750hp Euro 5 6X4 Tractor with full air suspension and a new-generation Globetrotter Version 6 XXL cab.
GAC MOTOR expands its range in South Africa with the innovative EMKOO
In August, the GS3 EMZOOM was introduced to the South African market, and now, with the launch of the brand into the country, the latest addition, the GAC MOTOR EMKOO, has made its appearance.
Salvador Caetano, the official distributor of GAC MOTOR in South Africa, said it finds that the EMKOO adds that “little something more” to the range.
MAHINDRA Founded in 1945, the Mahindra Group is one of the largest and most admired multinational federation of companies with 260,000 employees in over 100 countries
“Mahindra South Africa and its assembly facility will become an important part of the global Pik Up plans, especially with the announcement that Mahindra will continue to produce the current range of bakkies alongside the new model,” says Rajesh.
EDITOR BLOG
A new dawn of battery powered vehicles is upon us.
Whether we like it or not. There has been a continuous inflow of EV’s into our market in the last few years and there appears to be no let up in the number of vehicles coming in, especially from the East.
Names that require us to invent a new automotive directory in order to identify vehicles with the latest nomenclature.
We have given coverage to a few LCV and EV’s in this issue such as MB Sprinter, Mitsubishi Canter, and the DSFK range of vehicles, which could herald a new growth of EV development.
LCV market participants have enjoyed a steady growth for many years, targeting specific markets, mainly in the consumer orientated segments and have a broader and different set of applications compared to personal vehicles.
There is no doubt the fastest growing market segments are the RV’s and passenger transport, but the next growth areas are the trade and supermarkets deliveries, couriers services and parcel and logistics. The LCV rental and leasing markets are also worthy of mention.
With the advent of EV’s entering the commercial LCV market, the scope for purpose-built vehicles is enormous. Using the powertrain and chassis, OEM’s can offer flexibility in developing purpose-built vehicles with bodies that have specific designs that fall in line with the products being transported.
This can have advantages when drivers are on a tight schedule and will minimize their stopping times. For example, a cab on a vehicle could have doors opening on both sides for ease of entry and exit.
New strategies are required to cope with this new era of EV’s in the commercial vehicle sector and OEMs require to be more competitive in their manufacturing methods and specifications to be more in line with the challenging environment.
Pierre Sanson
Issue 9 – 2024
MAGAZINE
