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IN THE NEWS
SA Rugby and Hyundai Join Forces to Drive the Springboks
SA Rugby and Hyundai Automotive South Africa announced on Thursday that they had expanded their historic four-year rugby and automotive collaboration, which will now also include the Springboks and all other national teams.
Fiat Grande Panda named ‘Best Small Car’ at the prestigious
Fiat Grande Panda has been named ‘Best Small Car’ in the 2025 Autocar Awards. The honor, received by Britain’s oldest and most respected car magazine, is an important accolade for FIAT’s newest model, which underlines its unique stylish, practical and cost-effective appeal.
Opel Frontera: The Flexible Family-friendly SUV with Plenty of Space
Efficient, electrified and with space aplenty, the new Opel Frontera is ready for daily adventures. The family-friendly SUV shines not only with its rugged design, clever solutions and affordable prices, but above all with a wide range of applications.
The XC60 is now the best-selling Volvo car of all time
With more than 2.7 million cars sold, the Volvo XC60 has surpassed the iconic Volvo 240 as the best-selling Volvo model ever.
EDITOR BLOG
The current face of Trucking.
The trucking industry plays a vital role in the South African economy. It is a significant contributor to the country’s GDP and creates thousands of jobs annually.
According to statistics South Africa moves than 162 million tonnes of freight by road resulting in billions in revenue. The mining industry is listed as the biggest source of income from transporting mining and quarry products. Also cited was agricultural, food, beverages and tobacco products.
As the current century progresses the transport industry is experiencing remarkable transformation in the form of innovation ranging from electric trucks to those equipped with fuel cells ad pushing the boat even further, autonomous vehicles. The current power source relying on internal combustion engines fueled by diesel appears to be disappearing rapidly.
In South Africa, however, we are still in the Euro 2 market whilst Europe is on Euro 6, so the introduction of alternative fuel vehicles, although on the cards remains a long-term project.
Truck manufacturers are not deterred by this and are pressing ahead with introducing their latest new energy vehicles into South Africa.
Daimler Truck recently launched their eActros 400 and eActros 300 models for the logistics industry while their eActros 600 looms large in the extra-heavy category with a capability of 500 km without charging.
Volvo trucks on the other hand introduced electric trucks into the local market 2 years ago and currently have six units operating successfully with local customers. Further they launched their complete electric range into the South African market in June this year.
The watchdog of the trucking industry, the Road Freight Association (RFA) celebrated their 50year milestone at the recent convention in KwaZulu-Natal. Gavin Kelly CEO of the RFA highlighted the association’s rich history and their focus on crucial adjustments to economic regulations.
A significant development in the international truck industry was born with the integration of major manufacturers, Daimler Trucks, Hino, Mitsubishi, FUSO and Toyota, heralding the birth of a new strong Japanese truck powerhouse.
The trucking industry in South Africa is still facing many challenges, yet growth opportunities exist, so managing fleet expansion in the face of advanced technologies will eliminate the failure of many companies.
Pierre Sanson
Issue 6 – 2025
MAGAZINE
