Drive for better with the new Euro 5 Quester and Croner trucks, with feature enhancements that boost profitability by doing more with less to overcome critical resource constraints.
UD Trucks Southern Africa unveiled a new Euro 5 range for the well-established Quester (heavy duty) and Croner (medium duty) trucks. The event, attended by customers, UD Trucks network partners and Southern African media took place in Muldersdrift, at Ground The Venue.
The upgrade boasts enhanced features that will improve uptime, enhance efficiency, and optimize Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), all while lowering the vehicle’s environmental impact and retaining benefits from previous models.
The new Euro 5 range has been introduced in other fast-growing and emerging regions around the world that are moving 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’ new Euro 5 range has been introduced ahead of these regulations to better prepare businesses for the switch to a cleaner fleet.
This latest launch bolsters UD Trucks’ Better Life purpose – to be better for logistics, the planet, people, and business. Better Life drives the integration of sustainability across all of the company’s operations and processes to realize lower environmental impact, higher customer satisfaction, higher profitability, and a better place for people to work and live.
“In today’s world, sustainability is more important than ever. COVID-19 is also placing more emphasis on a more sustainable approach to driving a post-pandemic recovery. Modern and efficient logistics is vital to keep the world moving in these fast-evolving times, and our latest launch will ensure greater resilience for businesses while ensuring environmental impacts are minimized,” says Filip Van den Heede, UD Trucks Southern Africa, Managing Director.
“In South Africa, in particular we see a wider customer base opting for a more sustainable and at the same time more fuel-efficient logistics solution and UD Trucks being the market leader in the Euro 5 market with Quon is now expanding the offering with Quester and Croner, in line with being a challenger in the industry,” adds Van den Heede.
Ensuring businesses stay competitive
Air pollution is one of the largest health threats facing the world today. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) global energy review 20212, global energy carbon emissions are projected to rebound in the post-COVID era 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%.
Moving towards cleaner fleets is imperative. Euro 5 reduces NOx emissions by about 43% compared to Euro 4 and significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the vehicle through cleaner emissions.
As the first truck manufacturer to introduce Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology in 2004, UD Trucks’ new Euro 5 range features SCR technology to significantly boost environmental protection and fuel economy. With these benefits, SCR technology is proven to be more reliable when compared to other emission control technologies for reducing NOx emissions.
Aside from featuring a Euro 5 system with SCR technology, the new range of Quester and Croner also features a new instrument cluster with real-time fuel coaching. This enhancement provides drivers with immediate and specific feedback on driving techniques that are more fuel efficient.
Quester has evolved with the times
Quester, a heavy-duty truck that combines excellent fuel efficiency with durability, has evolved further to meet today’s transport and environmental challenges. The latest Euro 5 upgrade and new instrument cluster add to Quester’s other standout features:
- Smart: Connected and business-ready with innovative UD Telematics – a high-tech wireless communications system –allows transportation companies to maximize efficiency with real-time vehicle tracking and geofencing.
- Sustainable: Increased fuel efficiency with numerous features including ESCOT automated manual transmission. Combined with lighter tare weight and optimized driveline, fuel economy can improve by up to 10% compared to the previous Quester model.
- Safe: Quester with ESCOT takes away the drivers’ need to shift an average of 1,000-1,500 times a day by automatically selecting the right gear at any given time. This leads to less stress and improves safety by allowing the driver to focus more on the road.
Croner, ahead of its time
A reliable and versatile medium-duty truck, Croner has been designed to make every moment count. The latest Euro 5 upgrade and new instrument cluster add to Croner’s other tried-and-tested features:
- Wide and customizable model offering – Croner can be configured to suit specific applications and optimized for better productivity.
- Fuel efficiency – Aerodynamic cab design reduces the drag coefficient by 5% compared to previous models.
- Drivability – Allison automatic transmission and superior ergonomics provide more comfort for the driver, resulting in less fatigue and higher productivity.
- More space, comfort, convenience – Croner’s cabin has been designed to put driver comfort first. It also comes with numerous active and passive safety features to protect the driver, cargo, and surrounding traffic.
“For 86 years, we have grown UD Trucks to be a truck brand of choice for our customers and this year in we celebrate 60 years of operating in South Africa,” says Filip Van den Heede. “We are committed to continuing our endless pursuit of bettering lives in the spirit of our “Gemba” philosophy, leveraging smart and sustainable logistics solutions to provide ultimate dependability for our customers, business partners, colleagues and society at large.”
