Scania’s Lots Group expands to Asia

November 25, 2017 by CV Admin

Scania subsidiary, the Lots Group, is expanding to Asia and South America. Post establishing a foothold in Sweden’s forestry industry by enhancing Scania’s digital services to further optimise and support customer specific transport flows, the Lots Group is looking at invading the agricultural and mining industries in Asia and South America. Convinced that the transport sector is on the verge of a major change, Lots Group, according to Henrik Henriksson, President and CEO of Scania, can efficiently enhance its flow of raw materials by combining the experience of Scania with haulage companies’ local and sector knowledge. “We want to undergo this change in close co-operation with our customers, to produce better solutions in both transport and logistics,” mentioned Henriksson. Offering an analysis of the existing logistics flow, which can contribute to improved profitability for both haulage companies and their customers, the Lots Group will offer tools that can monitor vehicles and improve capacity utilisation of vehicles for haulage companies.

The executive board on summer escape

October 25, 2017 by CV Admin

Two V8 engine automobiles – fine automobiles that they are, were invited to the Austrian Alps for a show down.

Story & Photos by:

Florian Engel

To compare a Bentley and a Scania could be as impractical as it gets. It may also sound as weird, or look as out of place. An exercise to this effect was carried out in the Austrian Alps, and the result was not less startling, it was interesting and rewarding in fact. The process was more interesting than the outcome. Invited to the picturesque Austrian Alps along with its ‘cousin’, the all-new Bentley Bentayga Diesel, was the 2017 International Truck of the Year, the Scania S730. The two met at the famous skiing resort Kitzbühel. Helping to reanimate the tradition of summer vacations in the mountains, the two fine automobiles, like the emperors of former ages, turned the small medieval town into an automotive festival of a different kind. Powered by a V8 engine, the presence of the most powerful European diesel SUV added to the plot. And, as the saying goes ‘What is good enough for the kings and queens, is perfect for the king of the road,’ the Scania S730 and the Bentley Bentagya Diesel made for a great Austrian symphony. If the picturesque scenery with giant mountains, bright sunshine and pure white clouds made for a great day, it also reflected upon the fact that the two are not that different after all.

V8 at heart

Both, the Scania S730 and the Bentley Bentayga Diesel, are equipped with big V8 engines. For Scania, it is an absolute and unique selling proposition. The engine produces 730 hp and 3,500 Nm of torque. The 4.0-litre V8 engine of the Bentagya, on the other hand, produces 435 hp and 900 Nm of torque. If the big Swede takes the lead over the Bentley, solace is had in the fact that the distinguished Brit is in sync with its close cousin, the Audi SQ7, with whom it shares the engine. While each pot has the size of half a litre, the volume of each cylinder multiples by four in the case of the Scania. A parallel is nevertheless achieved at the rpm level. Both the automobiles deliver their maximum torque at 1000 rpm. The Scania engine make does with a single turbocharger. The Bentley has two of them. These are variable in nature. There’s an additional electric compressor too. Its primary task is to ensure that there is no turbo lag. An impressive V8 machinery there!

The lounge

As fine as it gets, the interior of either automobile turned out to a big surprise. The big Swede reflected upon the new era of truck design that has been the subject of discussion in the recent times. The cockpit of the Scania, it was found out, made an excellent example of workmanship. When compared with the interior of the Bentayga, the cockpit of Scania highlighted at once, that the opulence of similarities is truly amazing. One of Bentley’s core values is the rich craftsmanship heritage. The most powerful SUV thus flaunts the finest leather, wood, aluminum and steel. They are arranged like the suite of famous German-British composer George Frideric Handel. Most components including the steering wheel are covered in the finest handcrafted leather. Even the contrast stitching is handcrafted. So also the woodwork by the Bentley owned carpentry in its hometown, Crewe in England.

Elegant chrome and aluminium inserts complete the picture. If the aluminium rings around the air deflectors are milled out of a solid block, like their control levers in valve optic, the heartwarming quotations to the rich Bentley tradition are the massive ashtrays and the beautiful analogue dashboard clock. Optional is a Breitling mechanical time piece with automated tourbillon movement. The catch is, the price tag of the Bentayga rises by Euro 150,000. By approximately 50 per cent.

Elevating comfort are the two electric seats in the second row. They can be plenty adjusted to serve the personal needs, and offer extra comfort through heating, cooling and massage functions. Two tablets address modern communication and information needs. A ‘mirror app’ replaces the traditional make-up mirror. While it is quite unlikely that any one will dare to take a Euro 300,000 SUV off the road, the Bentayga is capable. It comes with eight driving programs. The air suspension delivers perfect comfort and variable ground clearance. If the two are enough to draw a comparison with the Scania S730, decent amount of sportiness was displayed by the Bentagya on the winding and sometimes challenging mountain roads around Kitzbühel. Weighing 2.5-tonnes, the Bentley, thanks to the rear axle orientated all-wheel drive and active roll stabilisation, never feels like a motor yacht in fast corners. A comfortable picnic bench unfolding out of the huge trunk marked the celebration of a journey. It gave an impression of being the lord’s high seat or VIP stand at a polo tournament. For the complementary culinary delights, a special picnic box by Mulliner could be ordered.

Culinary delights and the ultimate benchmark

Having classic features like a fridge, coffee machine or a micro wave, the Scania S730 outshone the Bentley in this area. There may not be the option to order a 150k watch for the dashboard, the Scania S730 set a benchmark with many new features. The International Truck of the Year 2017, the Scania S730 impressed with its deep black high gloss instrument panel. It sets a new standard in the truck industry. Like the Bentley, the Scania also comes with a huge digital display between the tachometer and the rev counter. Leather applications with a contrasting seam are standard for the strongest V8 variant. Showing off the V8 status through a sign all over the truck, the Scania draws a parallel with the Bentayga, which has embossed logos on the headrests and a link with ‘Flying B’ stitched. The rich technology and safety features both the vehicles possess, don’t have to be listed in detail. They are there. And, for the record, the Bentley does not offer a GPS controlled cruise control.

The difference

The price tag of Euro 300,000 makes the Bentley cost almost double than what it takes to buy a Scania S730 truck. This is despite the many commonalities the two have. If the difference in payload is big, the Bentley weighs ridiculously less than the Scania S730 at 2.5-tonnes. Worth having the two in the fleet, the Bentley Lodge at Kitzbühel is serviced by Kitz Country Club, and accommodates up to eight guests in perfectly designed rooms with traditional names like “Mulliner” or “Bentley Boy”.

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CV is an associate member of the International Truck of the Year (IToY). As part of this association, the magazine provides exclusive articles, written especially by IToY jury members.

Efficient off-peak deliveries

August 4, 2017 by CV Admin

Scania P 340 4x2 box body, CNG. Stockholm, Sweden Photo: Kjell Olausson 2015

Off-peak deliveries trial at Stockholm using ‘silent’ trucks resulted in a significant uptake in efficiency.

Team CV

A trial at Stockholm, Sweden, brought to the fore two distinct benefits of off-peak deliveries _ operational efficiency and environmental benefits. In many European cities, including Stockholm and London, deliveries are prohibited at night to reduce the noise impact in residential areas. For the off-peak, or out-of-hours deliveries trial, carried out by Sweden’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology, two trucks were adapted for the tasks such that they were given nocturnal exemptions. Both the trucks that participated in the trial were fitted with noise-reduction equipment, such as silent roll cages, and noise sensor technology. Volvo supplied a diesel-electric hybrid FE truck, fitted with a device that enabled it to automatically switch from diesel power to electric power when entering a restricted urban zone, keeping noise and emissions to a minimum. The ‘silent’ truck was used by supermarket chain Lidl to deliver to three city centre stores between 22:00 and 06:00 hrs. It was observed that the Volvo FE hybrid ‘silent’ truck was able to complete three drops, significantly elevating efficiency.

Before the ‘silent’ truck came around, Lidl operated at peak morning times. It needed three conventional trucks to serve its city centre stores. Off-peak deliveries carried out by one ‘silent’ truck ensured that there was no need for two other trucks to operate. The two other trucks could be simply removed from the road, elevating efficiency. In addition, the ‘silent’ truck was also able to travel over 30 per cent faster than the trucks that operated during the rush hour. Said Anna Pernestål Brenden, a researcher at KTH’s Integrated Transport Research Laboratory, that morning commuters are spared having to share the road with three heavy duty trucks. With one truck doing the work of three, there is a big jump in efficiency. The second truck used for the trial was a biogas-fuelled Scania R480. It was used to transport fresh goods to a number of city centre hotels and restaurants for temperature-controlled distributor Martin and Servera. The truck’s driving speed was 59 per cent higher than in the afternoon peak. Off-peak deliveries meant routes could be planned more efficiently and did not have to factor in congestion.

With one of the main reasons of conducting the trial being the effect of the noise of the vehicle on residents during off-peak hours, the trial had the drivers follow special rules to ensure the quietest of night-time deliveries. The trucks would not have a reversing alarm, and there would be no talking on the mobile phone outside the vehicles. It was observed that trucks unloading within city centre environments were not noticeable to residents. Only those in one quieter, outer suburb experienced minimal noise disruption. Averred Brenden, that the noise people complained about was of unloading the truck, and not of driving it.

Scania looks at India for global sourcing

June 22, 2017 by CV Admin

After investing Rs.400 crore in India, Scania, after building a manufacturing plant at Bangalore for trucks and buses, is looking at India as a global sourcing hub for components. The Swedish CV maker is said to employ a two pronged strategy where it will conduct components sourcing for its global operations, and increase the local content on the CVs it makes in India. Industry sources claimed that Scania will soon apply thrust on prime movers. This would be in-line with the GST regime, which is expected to make long-haul, higher-tonnage trucks favourable. To compete with homegrown players, and other multi-national players, that are looking at the emerging mid-premium market positions, mentioned an industry expert, it would serve Scania to invest in local content. Not only would this help to respond quickly to market changes, it will also help the premium CV maker to make inroads into the more populous, mass market segments that are profitable though not as much as the premium segments, and seek a better balance between volume and earnings. he said. The prime movers and tippers than Scania currently offers in India are premium, and with considerably higher acquisition cost than mid-premium or mass volume offerings. Claimed an industry source that the team at Scania is analysing if the same strategy, which lead to Scania buses acquiring a local content of up to 90 per cent, work in the case of trucks.

Indian bus industry is changing

June 21, 2017 by CV Admin

Last fiscal saw the Indian bus industry change; experience growth and excitement.

Bhushan Mhapralkar

Last fiscal was a good year for the Indian bus industry. The industry witnessed growth followed by the enforcement of the bus body code (AIS 052), and the school bus code (AIS 063). Posting good growth, the industry also witnessed the arrival of sleeper bus code (AIS 119), which is claimed to be a world first. Progress was also achieved in tarmac and double-decker bus code draft. Experiencing buyout times on the back of good orders from government run State Transport Undertakings (STUs) and City Bus Undertakings (CBUs) as well as private bus fleet operators, the bus industry grew at an average 10 per cent last fiscal. Apart from the homologation of a sleeper coach built by Bangalore-based bus body builder (converter), Veera Vahana, under the new sleeper coach code in April 2017, the bus industry in India saw some exciting developments during the last fiscal. At Busworld India 2016, Belgaum-based Alma Motors displayed a tarmac coach with aggregates like engine, gearbox and axles sourced from tier suppliers like Cummins and ZF. Pointing at empowering key bus body builders like Veera Vahana, Alma, JCBL and others, the bus code, it seems, has provided the much needed direction to the Indian bus industry it looks like. Expressed Prashant Kakade, Manager & Co-Ordinator MDC, Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT), that the bus code has had an influence of turning bus body builders into bus manufacturers. “They are now looking at sourcing aggregates from key suppliers to make their own bus that complies with the bus code regulations”.

If bus body builders continued to gather speed and mass, traditional bus manufacturers like Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles, and SML Isuzu did brisk business as well. Operating at the premium end of the market, global bus makers like Volvo and Scania did well. The premium bus market, driven by rear-engine buses, hovered around 1000 units last fiscal. At busworld India 2016, in an effort to retain its leadership position in the premium bus market, Volvo Buses India unveiled a two-axle 12 m long coach with a locally made 8-litre common-rail diesel engine. This engine is made at the Volvo Eicher engine joint venture at Pithampur, Indore, called the Volvo Eicher PowerTrain. The 5- and 8-litre engines made at this plant, which mirrors the processes and layout of Volvo’s Skovde plant in Sweden, are supplied in Euro6 guise to many European locations of Volvo. Said Akash Passey, Senior Vice President – Business Region International, Volvo Bus Corporation, “The inclusion of a locally produced engine addresses the demand of our customers for localised products, and would reflect on the cost and maintenance of the vehicle.” Akash stressed upon taxation as one of the key reasons why operators take long to achieve Return On Investment (ROI) in the case of premium buses. This is also said to be the reason why many city bus operators are not very keen to procure premium, low-floor rear engine buses.

Premium players eye mid-premium positions

To make a compelling case for buyers, Scania took an ethanol-powered bus route to the market. Its over three years after the first ethanol-powered low-floor 12m-long city bus began plying at Nagpur. Since then, the Swedish manufacturer is working towards supplying 55 bio-fuel city buses to the city of Nagpur. If, and how viable they are, will be known over a period of time. In a bid to tap into the emerging mid-premium position, which according to Joerg Mommertz, Chairman & Managing Director, MAN Trucks India, offers an opportunity to better specifications than the domestic budget producers, global bus makers have been introducing products while homegrown players like Tata and Ashok Leyland up their ante. In association with Alma, MAN introduced a Mammoth front-engine 12 m luxury coach in early 2016. Volvo has been pushing its UD mid-premium brand of city buses in India. It recently received an order from the twin cities of Hubli-Dharwad. Dharwad features on the Central government’s scheme of ‘smart cities’, which promises to overhaul the infrastructure and make cities ‘world-class’. Tata Motors bagged an order to supply 25 vestibule buses worth Rs.50 crore to Hubli-Dharwad in January 2017. The order followed a bigger order from 25 STUs and CBUs in September 2016 to supply 5000 buses, representing a healthy growth of over 80 per cent over last year as far as the order book went.

STUs and CBUs as growth drivers

In FY2016-17, STUs and CBUs emerged as the key bus industry growth drivers. A big surge in STU orders was witnessed last fiscal, and after a gap of nearly four years, indicating renewed focus of various state governments and city councils on public transport. With the overall commercial vehicle market in India estimated to be 715,000 units, buses make up roughly 20 per cent of it. The Indian (medium and heavy) bus market grew 7.64 per cent in FY2016-17 with the sale of 47,262 units as against the sale of 43,909 units last fiscal. The light bus market grew 3.94 per cent with the sale of 50,864 units in FY2016-17 as against the sale of 48,936 units last fiscal. Leave for the 1000-unit premium rear engine bus market, and a small chunk of rear-engine premium city bus market (that saw the arrival of a new player, JBM last fiscal) led by Volvo and Scania, the Indian bus market by and large is made up of budget mass volume buses. It is here that Tata and Ashok Leyland lead. They are followed by Eicher and SML Isuzu and others. Prominently front-engine oriented, this end of the bus market is driven by low acquisition cost, fuel efficiency, service-ability and low cost of operation.

On the back of good orders, Tata Motors grabbed the lead from Ashok Leyland in FY2016-17 as the number-one bus maker in India. For some years, the lead position separated the two by a minuscule gap of one-per cent. Said Ravi Pisharody, Executive Director – Commercial Vehicles, Tata Motors, “We clocked a growth of 22 per cent in FY2016-17 against an industry growth average of 10 per cent.” In the pursuit of higher profitability, Ashok Leyland pursued a strategy to exit some of the State Transport Undertaking (STU) businesses. Expressed Vinod K. Dasari, Managing Director & CEO, Ashok Leyland, “We decided to concentrate on innovative products.” Ashok Leyland’s stress on innovative products is not new. In 2014, the company introduced a front-engine flat-floor city-bus called Janbus. Providing a modern, albeit front-engine alternative to the low-floor rear engine premium city buses, the Janbus proved popular because it cost almost half of what a Volvo city-bus costed at an estimated Rupees one-crore. In addition to the lower acquisition cost, the Janbus was engineered to carry more people, and promised carriage of people at a lower cost. With AC optional, the bus, offering single-step entry, came equipped with an Automated Manual Transmission (AMT), an India first in buses.

700-03152889 © Siephoto Model Release: No Property Release: No Paseo de la Independencia, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain

Bus technology

With the bus codes influencing the Indian bus market during the last fiscal, much technology found its way into Indian buses. AMT has proliferated since. ABS has become standard on heavier buses, and also air suspension. The market for AC buses, including retrofitment grew steadily last year. It is an estimated 20,000 and 25,000 units strong according to Pramod Verma, Vice President, Sphere Thermal Systems. It was between 12,000 and 14,000 units five years ago, quipped Verma. The demand for AC can be linked with the rising market demand for comfort and refinement. If the demand for comfort and refinement drew the demand for lighter AC buses for school, staff and tourist application in FY2016-17, many government transport undertakings – CBUs, under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric (FAME) vehicles scheme, took out tenders to procure hybrid and electric vehicles. Under the aegis of the central transport minister, Nitin Gadkari, two 9m-long buses refitted with electric propulsion system were introduced in the capital city of Delhi to ferry the members of the Parliament. Tata Motors will soon deliver 25 diesel hybrid rear-engine low- and flat-floor city buses to the city of Mumbai. These mirror the CNG hybrid Tata Hispano city buses that ply at Madrid. Late last calendar year, Volvo delivered two diesel hybrid city buses to Navi Mumbai against an order for five such buses, making it the first manufacturer to supply a hybrid city bus in India. This bus is said to cost Rs.2.3 crore against the Tata Hybrid city bus, which is claimed to cost Rs.2 crore. High acquisition cost continues to be a deterrent despite a 50 per cent subsidy offered under the FAME scheme. To be precise, there is the challenge of gap-funding, which will need to be addressed.

With electric vehicle infrastructure in India lacking, hybrid buses make ample sense. CBUs however are said to be already looking at electric buses! Last fiscal saw CBUs put out tenders for the procurement of electric buses under the FAME scheme. Perhaps anticipating this, Tata Motors, at the Auto Expo 2016 premier fair, displayed a 9m electric bus based on its Ultra platform. JBM in association with Solaris displayed a 9m electric bus with a pantograph. Not to be left behind, Ashok Leyland, which owns Optare, unveiled a 9m electric bus called Circuit in early 2017. The move up to electric buses traces its roots in the first phase of emission reforms in 2008, which led to Delhi city buses being retrofitted with CNG almost overnight. Most Mumbai city buses also run on CNG. CNG however has posed limitations in terms of availability and infrastructure. The operating costs of CNG buses are proving to be higher than LNG. Promising to overcome to limitations posed by CNG, Tata Motors recently showcased a LNG city bus at Trivandrum.

As government run STUs and CBUs continue to call for modern yet cost effective buses, private operators continue to up the efficiency of their operations by deploying technology and modern buses. For private bus operators, complex bus rules and high taxation structures, which differ from state to state, continue to be a challenge. Business for them comes from government contracts, corporate staff transportation, tourist transportation, and from the transportation of school children. They accurately map the flow of people such that school and staff bus operators render to tourist transportation during weekends. Demand for large underfloor storage compartments in buses is on the rise when it comes to heavier, long-haul tourist buses. This is also driving the the need for powerful engines. With infrastructure improvements, the number of people travelling by bus continues to rise. The number of consignments transported by buses is also increasing. It serves as a good secondary earning medium. Especially during off-season. Expressed B Anil Baliga, Executive Vice President – Bus & Application, VE Commercial Vehicles, “A lot of the operator profitability comes from cargo.“

Comfort and fuel efficiency improvements

Increasing STU exposure, companies like Eicher are deploying technology to improve NVH and comfort on front-engine buses. Eicher is one of them. Said B Anil Baliga, that their focus is on NVH of front-engine buses. On the subject of high preference to front-engine buses in India, Baliga mentioned, “Indian operators are smart. They know their Return On Investment (ROI) very well. The trick lies in selecting the right route and the right bus.” The enforcement of BSIV emission norms from April 01, 2017, has ensured that most buses come with a common-rail turbo-diesel engine. Most heavy buses come with SCR after-treatment technology. This has had a definitive effect on acquisition cost, and operating complexity, what with the need to opt for annual maintenance contracts with authorised dealers rather than depend upon private garages that are much cost effective. With fuel efficiency at the forefront of operator equations, it will not come as a surprise that Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) is aluminium extensively in the building of its bus bodies. Use of such a technology is also expected to keep it ahead of its competitors, and body builders that are moving up the value chain. Taking advantage of the bus code, bus body builders (convertors) like Veera Vahana, JCBL, Alma Motors and others are investing to turn into bus manufacturers by procuring key aggregates like powertrain, suspension, etc., from the respective tier suppliers. Signalling bus industry transformation, the growing equation between convertors and aggregate manufacturers is starting to spring surprises. At Busworld India 2016, Alma Motors displayed a tarmac bus with aggregates procured from tier suppliers like Cummins and ZF.

Exports

If bus body builders are turning into bus manufacturers, CV majors like Ashok Leyland and Tata Motors are concentrating on exports for growth. T Venkataraman, Senior Vice President – Global Bus, Ashok Leyland, puts the domestics and export sales ratio at 58:42 as far as his company is concerned. Buses made by his company are exported to the Middle East, SAARC and African markets. In addition to this, Ashok Leyland also produces buses at a facility at Raas Al Khaimah in the Middle East. This plant has a capacity to produce 1200 units per year, and is helping the company to cater to the African markets. Ashok Leyland is also exporting Euro5 buses to Ukraine as well. Tata Motors is also applying thrust on exports. It exports buses to various African markets, Russia, the Middle East, and other destinations. The company claims to have achieved a leadership position in the medium bus segment in the Middle East. Eicher exports buses to SAARC markets; to the Middle East and African markets. Similarly, SML Isuzu exports staff, school and luxury buses to SAARC and African markets.

Light bus market

With the participation of Japanese players like SML Isuzu, the light bus market is transforming. Tata Motors continues to lead this market. Its lighter buses flaunt quality bodies built by Marcopolo. Daimler India Commercial Vehicles is BharatBenz lighter buses are also finding good acceptance in the market for staff and tourist bus transportation. A strong player in this segment is SML Isuzu and Eicher. Both has there own bus body building plants. Both have a considerable presence in the school bus sector. A pleasant change in the school bus market is Ashok Leyland’s Sunshine. Claimed to be the first bus to comply with roll-over crash norms, the bus saw the company seek the feedback of students, parents, school authorities, drivers and others. Stress was laid on minimising blind spots and offer a cheerful travel experience. The interior of the bus is thus colourful; there are safety elements built in, and the seats employ anti-bacteria fabric. With the Nissan collaboration behind it, Ashok Leyland is expected to bring out new products in the LCV people mover segment. It currently has the Mitr. A 8 metre-long version of the Mitr will be launched soon.

Industry future

With crash norms expected to roll out in next fiscal, and the move up to BSVI emission norms scheduled for 2020, the Indian bus market has only one way to go – to advance quickly to close the gap with buses that are offered in the advanced market at a fraction of the cost. The export of 12m rear engine inter-city bus by Volvo to Europe has proved that there is a distinct price advantage in buiding a world-class bus in India. Initiatives like sleeper and double-deck coach codes by the government is empowering bus body builders to turn manufacturers. This spells good for the growth of the Indian bus industry even as the traditional CV manufacturers look at increasing their reach into the international markets. It is not for nothing, that the Indian bus market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10 per cent by 2020. It is all about progressing demand, value and luxury after all.

Scania S series is the International Truck Of the Year

October 27, 2016 by CV Admin

The new Scania S series flagship truck has bagged the International Truck Of the Year (ITOY) award. A jury of 25 commercial vehicle editors and senior journalists, representing 25 major trucking magazines from throughout Europe chose the Scania truck with a score of 149 votes. The Swedish truck series fought off the challenge posed by Iveco’s recently-launched Stralis XP-NP long-haul range and Mercedes-Benz’s Actros heavy-duty truck with the latest generation OM 471 engine. Gianenrico Griffini, Chairman of the ITOY consortium handed over the award to Henrik Henriksson, President and CEO of Scania, during the press day of the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hannover, Germany. Expressed Henrik Henriksson, Scania’s President and CEO, “This award is the leading recognition in the industry that all our engineers and in practice the entire Scania organisation have done an excellent job. Our goal is to always meet our customers’ expectations and needs and the jury’s motivation is a clear confirmation that we have also followed the right approach with the new truck generation.” Speaking about the selection of Scania S Series for the award, Gianenrico Griffini, mentioned that Scania, through its range, has delivered a truck that represents a real ‘state-of-the-art’ offering in the heavy-duty segment.

It is capable of satisfying not only today’s but also tomorrow’s transport needs. “The S cab, with its flat floor, offers a truly car-like driving experience,” Griffini added. He drew attention to the fact that during the course of the process, the ITOY jury particularly looked at Scania’s tailored service offering, which is based on the fact that more than 200,000 connected Scanias are out on the roads. Offering exceptional comfort and unrivalled space, the Scania S series could be had with dual side curtain airbags, a safety feature, which Scania claims is the first truck manufacturer the world over to offer. Said Henriksson, that the S series truck was developed by 3,500 Scania engineers in close dialogue with its customers. “The award shows that Sweden is still a leading industrial nation and that we can compete in the world markets,” he added. Based on the International Truck of the Year (ITOY) rules, the annual award is presented to the truck introduced into the market in the previous 12 months which has made the greatest contribution to road transport efficiency, based on several important criteria including technological innovation, comfort, safety, driveability, fuel economy, environmental ‘footprint’ and Total Operation Economy (TOE). Commercial Vehicle is an ITOY associate magazine, and represents India.

SKF Tech for next gen Scania

October 27, 2016 by CV Admin

SKF Technologies will supply a range of bearings and linear actuation technologies to Scania’s new generation S and R series of trucks, claim industry sources. They add, the supplied components include gearbox bearings, propeller-shaft bearings and engine-bearings apart from seals. The tailor-made wind deflector, which uses linear actuation technology to allow for ease of adjustment is also claimed to be supplied by the company. Also supplied are the front and rear-wheel truck hub units. Stephane Le Mounier, President of Automotive and Aerospace, SKF, is known to have said that it is not the first time that such a collaboration between two companies has taken place. He is known to have also expressed that Scania and SKF have a long history of collaboration, and it has often revolved around the prospect of putting the drivers’ needs in focus. Deliveries of parts to Scania have already commenced.