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Automotive News / July 28, 2016 Ford Motor Co. today said its second-quarter profit fell 9 percent to $1.97 billion and warned of a “very weak third quarter” as U.S. demand softens and the automaker launches redesigned versions of its heavy-duty pickups. Even with the decline, Ford achieved record net income and margin for a half-year period. But executives said the company was at risk of falling short of its full-year targets and was undertaking a series of “profit improvement actions,” including cuts to manufacturing costs, without being specific. “We delivered another strong quarter -- one of our best second quarters ever -- and record pretax profits for the first half of this year,” CEO Mark Fields said in a statement. “We remain committed to delivering another full year of strong profitability, even as we address some new risks and market challenges around the world.” Revenue in the second quarter increased 6 percent to $39.5 billion. Ford had $4.2 billion in positive automotive cash flow, a record for any quarter. Regional results In North America, Ford posted a pretax profit of $2.7 billion, 5.3 percent lower than the same period last year. Its margin for the region decreased to 11.3 percent from 12.2 percent a year ago. European profits nearly tripled, to $467 million, despite some hits it sustained after the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. It was Ford of Europe’s best quarter since 2008. It lost $8 million in Asia Pacific, breaking a streak of 12 consecutive quarters in the black there, though it was profitable in China. “We’re committed to getting to our guidance, but it is at risk,” Ford CFO Bob Shanks told reporters at Ford’s headquarters. Revised U.S. outlook Ford reduced its full-year U.S. sales outlook to between 17.4 million and 17.9 million vehicles, including medium and heavy trucks. Its previous forecast range had a midpoint of 18 million. Most of the new range is below last year’s industry total of 17.8 million units. “We’re starting to see a maturation of the economic cycle,” Shanks said. “We’re at a strong level. I think that will continue.” But, he added, “we don’t see growth in the near term.” Ford listed five actions it is taking to increase profits in the second half. They include reducing costs in manufacturing and other operations, implementing improved “go-to-market plans” in the U.S. and China to bolster revenue, and using analytics to optimize vehicle mix and pricing around the world. In the first half, Shanks said Ford beat its cost targets by $1.6 billion. He said Ford is being negatively affected by lower auction values of used vehicles, which will result in a lower profit for Ford Credit, higher U.S. incentives, a weaker-than-expected China market and the U.K. vote. Brexit In the second quarter, the U.K. vote cost Ford $60 million due to the falling value of the British pound, Shanks said. Ford expects the negative effects of the vote to total about $145 million in the second half of the year. In North America, Ford is launching redesigned Super Duty pickups this fall. The Super Duty is lighter and more powerful than the outgoing model thanks to its new aluminum body. The changeover will not be as disruptive as the F-150 switch last year, but it still will ding Ford’s revenue and profits. “This is the first full redesign in 19 years, so this is a really, really big launch,” Shanks said. “It’s a high-margin vehicle, and this is going to set the vehicle up to be a strong leader for the next decade.”

John Irwin, Automotive News / July 27, 2016 UAW President Dennis Williams faces another potential headache less than a year after a contentious contract ratification process with the Detroit 3: Donald Trump. Blue-collar support for Trump, who won the Republican presidential nomination in part by appealing to workers like those represented by the UAW, could threaten to expose another potential rift between union leadership and some rank-and-file members. One rift was exposed last year when Fiat Chrysler workers soundly rejected an initial deal cut between union leadership and the automaker, when General Motors skilled-trades workers rejected and delayed ratification of a new contract and when leadership narrowly escaped another embarrassing rejection at the hands of Ford workers. Although the UAW was able to secure significant gains with the Detroit 3 -- including an agreement to end the dreaded two-tier wage system -- the contentious ratification process exposed a significant gap between the priorities of union leadership and a large share of workers. Now, Trump could expose another gap, and Williams says he and union leaders are doing everything in their power to keep that from happening. Recent polls show blue-collar workers, especially white workers, supporting Trump by large margins. That could give Trump an advantage in the UAW’s home in the Rust Belt, where blue-collar voters typically lean Democratic but can be persuaded to vote Republican if a message resonates. (See: Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984.) Trump has tapped into blue-collar workers’ often legitimate fears about globalization and free-trade deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership. Many voters, especially those without college degrees and those who work in manufacturing, feel as though Washington has left them behind over the last few decades as jobs moved out of the country and wages stagnated. Trump, who, to be sure, has also built his campaign on inflammatory rhetoric, racial resentment and xenophobia, has largely avoided specifics about how he would craft better trade deals. And, as Williams has pointed out, Trump has said things that could be unflattering to the average worker, suggesting that wages are too high and saying automakers should move production toward lower-wage states. But that doesn’t seem to matter to many blue-collar voters. When presented with an option between Trump and Hillary Clinton -- an establishment politician who previously supported TPP before backtracking and whose husband signed NAFTA into law -- many of these workers are siding with the former reality TV star. Williams, speaking with reporters Tuesday on a conference call from the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, said the UAW would do everything it could to ensure Clinton becomes president and gets the support of as many union members as possible. Williams said Clinton “made every indication” during a sit-down with her that she would renegotiate NAFTA as president, which Williams said would help win over UAW members reluctant to support her. Williams also said the union has begun “engaging” workers on the election and has promised to knock on doors in each of the states the UAW is located. “We believe that … the more we educate our members, the more they will support Hillary Clinton,” he said. That engagement appears to be showing signs of working, if what Williams said is any indication. Williams said he estimates between 18 and 19 percent of UAW members support Trump today, down from the 28 percent of workers an internal poll found several months ago. If those numbers are accurate, it is an encouraging sign that the UAW leadership is more effectively communicating with its members than it was last year, when Williams admitted the union was caught off guard by anti-ratification workers on social media. But as last year showed, UAW leadership cannot afford to get complacent on messaging. Otherwise, if Trump rides on the support of enough blue-collar workers into office, that gap between leadership and some members could shut the union out of the White House for four or eight years.

The 2017 Super-Duty is getting the F-150 cab. Which is to say, the F-150 thru the F-550 will use the same (aluminum) cab. Look above a few post for the article " 2017 Ford Super Duty Pickups to Use F-150 Aluminum Cabs ". Bob says a new purpose-built medium truck cab (really all-new?) is rumored for the relatively low volume F-650/750. But I suspect, having just revamped the F-650/750 for the 2016 model year coinciding with the production location move from Escobedo to Avon Lake, I think the F-650/750 will continue to use the steel Super-Duty cab for 3-5 more years. With Ford's propaganda position that the 2016MY F-650/750 was all-new (it wasn't), I expect Ford to run with it a while. I just don't see a deep interest, a willingness to make serious investment, in medium (and heavy) U.S. market truck product. Ford's bean counters know that equal investment elsewhere, e.g. pickups and SUVs, nets a far larger return. The truck business is a labor of love, and Ford's investors are focused on returns. But if the chicken tax (Lyndon Johnson's Proclamation 3564) is ever finally cancelled, Ford could import Cargo medium (and heavy) trucks from existing global production facilities at minimal expense. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I don't care for grille styling on the 2017 Super-Duty. Reminds me of a Ford Flex. If you measure the American pickup front to rear, and consider the distance allotted for the engine compartment, distance for the cabin, and then what's left for cargo space (the truck's intended purpose in life), it couldn't be more inefficient. Snow plow users aside, it's virtually impossible by design to get much weight distribution onto the steer axle (with the best-selling extended and crew cabs). With massive tall, vertical grilles, today's modern pickup has the dimensions and aerodynamics of a brick. In a sense, unlike other types of vehicles, pickup truck design has failed to evolve.

CAT Trucks Australia / Navistar Auspac Press Release / July 28, 2016 A show-groomed gold painted Cat Truck CT630SC is the flagship of a Brisbane-based transport company and owner Geoff Bannerman is over the moon. Geoff heads up Mid Western Cargo and Northern Transport Hire, contract tow operators and truck-trailer hire service providers. The purchase of the CT630SC with its length-sensitive but luxurious 40″ bunk and powerful Cat C15 15-litre power plant came after an extended flirtation with the idea of going Cat. “I read in an American magazine about a trucking company that ran a fleet of 650 vehicles that were predominantly Navistar. This was a deciding factor in coming over to Cat Trucks and their full-on product,” Geoff Bannerman said. Following a hundred years of family tradition in road transport, Geoff got his first truck in 2000 and pushed out on his own. Based in south-east Queensland, that first truck was powered by a Cat engine and Geoff was taken by the engine and the service from Hastings Deering. “That engine ran more than 1,000,000 km in less than four years and did 1.6 million km before its first rebuild.” Today the Bannerman fleets have built up to 14 prime movers, with Mid Western Cargo supplying units in contract tow operations with east coast fleets, and the Northern Transport Hire runs vehicles with refrigerated freight and Geoff Bannerman is building the truck/trailer hire side of that business. Geoff first considered the purchase of a Cat Truck a couple of years ago but at that time he decided to go with a competitor, a decision that he has not been happy with. “So we went back to Cat Trucks and said we’d like to have another go at it. Hastings Deering bent over backwards to try to help us out and we purchased the gold truck,” he said. The CT630SC did the rounds as an upfront show truck for Cat Trucks in 2015 and now is the fleet leader in the Bannerman operation. The Cat Truck is powered by the proven Cat C15 15-litre engine rated at 550 hp. It runs through an 18 speed Road Ranger transmission, has the luxury cab but still meets b-double specifications. “We were happy with the truck from the start. Loaded heavy with fridge freight, we ran in Melbourne Sydney and return when we first got the truck and used 800 litres for the round trip, more than competitive with our other trucks.” A big factor in the decision to invest in the Cat Truck was the service Geoff had been receiving from Hastings Deering – and the lack of service and repair turnaround times from the competition were taking too long. “These fellas seem to want to look after you. It’s nice to receive a phone call when they say they are going to ring. The backup service from Hastings Deering here in Brisbane has been remarkable.” Geoff Bannerman said that the new CT630SC is more than meeting his expectations. “In the future we will be swinging towards Cat Trucks. I’m very happy with their products and I can’t crow enough about the truck.” .

Rob McKay, Australasian Transport News (ATN) / July 27, 2016 What if they held a trucking industry and no drivers turned up? Sorry, there seems to have been a reduction in the number of trucks on the road taking place. Oh, and there will be fewer of them in future. Must have something to do with higher productivity vehicles ... or something. What’s that you say? The forecasts are for exactly the opposite? That’s despite the boom growth HPVs and hundreds of thousands of extra kilometres of bitumen being open to them? Ah! So that HPV (High Productivity Vehicle) bit is wrong but the forecast is right. Must be. Because, like Port of Melbourne’s five per cent container throughput growth, it always has been. Half right or not at all? Did I do it again? If you say so. The thing is, the truck numbers have to go down. Why? Well because there’ll be no one to drive them. Just like in the good ol’, bad ol’, for many trucking companies there, good ol’ US of A. Haven’t you heard that everything the Americans do, we do a few years down the track? You know, like reality shows and neo-conservatism. OK, yes it’s true and I’m surprised someone of your tender years knows of it, but we did allow Joh Bjelke-Petersen’s tilt at Canberra bog in the Tweed mud. Though there’s no guarantee the major parties won’t be Trumped at some stage. That’s "at some stage", this is now! Why not do a little study if you’re going to continue this conversation? Start with Truck Driver Shortage Analysis 2015. It was put together by American Trucking Associations experts – chief economist and senior vice president Bob Costello and economic analyst Rod Suarez, no less. What’s it say? Look, its only 12 pages. That’s not a burden. But you say it is because what little spare time you have is being taken up in a difficult search for good drivers. Good drivers? You don’t ask for much... or are you asking for too much, these days? Anyway, let me read this to you. I’ll skip the ‘dull’ bits: "The current average driver age in the... industry is 49. In addition, the industry has historically struggled to attract all segments of the population as just 5.8 per cent of truck drivers are women. This share has been essentially unchanged over time. Conversely, today 38.6 per cent of drivers are minorities, which has jumped 12 percentage points from 26.6 per cent in 2001. "In 2014, the trucking industry was short 38,000 drivers. The shortage is expected to reach nearly 48,000 by the end of 2015. If the current trend holds, the shortage may balloon to almost 175,000 by 2024." Since you ask, yes, there is an insight from the boss’s office. Here’s CRST International CEO Dave Rusch: "I’ve been in the business 34 years, and I’ve never seen the driver situation like it is today... Typically, if we have freight, we can expand. We can’t grow now because of drivers. For the second year in a row, we are projecting zero growth." And they quote Melton Truck Lines CFO Robert Ragan saying: "A significant amount of freight is being turned down... We’ve looked at acquisitions because we can’t grow organically." Got that? It’s playing havoc with their businesses. Now, compare and contrast. Recently, Volvo Group – yes, the truckbuilder with a keen social awareness – unveiled a report called Professional Truck Driver Shortage: How driver availability impacts the transport industry & Australian society. Of course you should have read it. Do you know how little worthwhile research is done into transport and logistics issues in this country, given the industry’s size and economic importance? Have a butcher’s at this: 52 per cent of respondents reported having issues attracting the quantity of drivers needed 82 per cent have issues attracting the quality of drivers they expect 46 per cent of respondents experiencing a driver shortage right now 90 per cent or more believe the negative public perception of trucking is a bar to entry of young men, women and those of diverse backgrounds. And that’s after the industry has had a pretty good tilt at cleaning up its act. Just as an aside, did you see Victorian Transport Association CEO Peter Anderson railing against the ease with which overseas applicants can gain heavy vehicle licences? Just as well senator Glenn Sterle had a committee on the job. That’ll fix it. You have to say it’s not a good thing having heavy-duty trucks driven by barely qualified imported drivers, worse when locals would need to do two to six weeks of training. Besides, they might be doing someone out of a job. Oh, wait a minute...

Spartan Motors Hosts GM and Isuzu Executives as First Chevrolet Medium Duty Truck Rolls off its Production Line Spartan Motors Press Release / July 27, 2016 Spartan Motors plays host to General Motors and Isuzu Commercial Truck of America executives today as they celebrate the first of the new Chevrolet medium duty, gasoline-powered trucks as the first unit rolls off the production line at the Spartan Motors plant in Charlotte, Michigan. The new Chevrolet 3500, 3500HD, 4500, 4500HD, 4500XD, 5500HD and 5500XD truck line is the result of a strategic business relationship between General Motors and Isuzu. Spartan was awarded the build contract and is responsible for the assembly of the trucks, which are based on Isuzu's N-Series design. "Production of the Chevrolet medium duty line begins in earnest today as we witness the first of what we expect to be many of these durable and maneuverable vehicles roll off our assembly line," said Daryl Adams, President and Chief Executive Officer, Spartan Motors. "Our strategic business relationship with Isuzu began in 2011, and our Company has realized significant growth and success in this segment due in part to the great trust they've shown in our team's execution of their vision for this broad product line. In fact, we celebrated the 30,000th Isuzu N-Series production milestone this year, and we expect GM will realize similar success with their vehicle line." Spartan Motors will be manufacturing seven different Chevrolet models including regular-cab and crew-cab body style options and chassis lengths ranging from 109 inches to 212 inches. Additionally, several drivetrain options exist, including a 6.0 liter, V-8 GM gasoline engine as well as Isuzu-sourced 3.0 liter or 5.2 liter turbo-diesel engines. All engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. "One of our core competencies at Spartan is our contract manufacturing expertise," added Adams. "This expansion of our relationship with Isuzu, and thereby General Motors, is a reflection of our traditional high standards of quality and reliability that are built into every specialty chassis and vehicle we manufacture." Video - https://www.thestreet.com/story/13655043/1/spartan-motors-hosts-general-motors-and-isuzu-executives-as-first-chevrolet-medium-duty-truck-rolls-off-its-production-line.html

Chevrolet’s New Low Cab Forward Trucks Heading to Dealers Nationwide Chevrolet Pressroom / July 27, 2016 DETROIT – Chevrolet’s new Low Cab Forward trucks are now shipping to Chevrolet dealers across the country, marking Chevrolet’s return to the medium duty market. The new Low Cab Forward series strengthens Chevrolet’s expansive truck portfolio, which includes midsize, light duty and heavy duty pickups. “We’re in the business of helping our commercial customers succeed, and a big part of that is providing the vehicle choices they need to efficiently operate their businesses,” said Ed Peper, U.S. vice president, General Motors Fleet. “Our new Low Cab Forward trucks are the answer for our customers who require expansive payload, cargo-hauling capabilities and exceptional maneuverability. The Chevrolet Low Cab Forward has great customer-focused functionality, including a maneuverable Cab Over design for optimal visibility and a tight turning radius for efficient hauling in busy, urban environments. The new trucks are offered in regular cab and crew cab body styles, with either a 6.0L V-8 gas engine, a 3.0L turbo-diesel engine or a 5.2L turbo-diesel engine. All engines are mated to six-speed automatic transmissions. Class 3 through 5 models are available with maximum GVWR ranges of up to 19,500 pounds. “Drivers will love this truck because it’s comfortable, versatile and easy to drive, but the thing that will set us apart for owners-operators and fleet managers is ease of service through a nationwide network of Chevrolet commercial dealers,” said John Schwegman, director of commercial product, General Motors Fleet. Pricing begins at an MSRP of $40,900 for trucks with gasoline engines. Pricing for trucks with diesel engines begins at an MSRP of $48,375. Prices include a $1,125 destination charge but exclude tax, title, license and dealer fees. For more information about the new Chevrolet Low Cab Forward series and Chevrolet’s comprehensive commercial lineup, visit www.chevrolet.com. Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 115 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com. Related reading: http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40483-déjà-vu-gm-to-source-medium-duty-trucks-from-isuzu/#comment-293445 http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/44571-spartan-expands-contract-assembly-for-isuzu-with-new-f-series-truck/#comment-328885 http://www.gmfleet.com/chevrolet/low-cab-forward-trucks.html .

Even though F-350/450/550 production has been relocated from Louisville to Avon Lake, the article above states they will adopt the aluminum F-150 cab. That is, they will not share an upcoming new cab with the F-650/750. I'm surprised that Ford would invest in an all-new cab, if in fact they have, for just the F-650/750 and rumors say an F-850. Only the F-650 enjoys strong sales, relatively speaking. F-750 sales are small, and F-850 sales will surely be minimal. I'd love to see Ford get serious about medium (and heavy?) trucks again, by for starters, creating an all-new cutting edge purpose-design medium truck cab. But I don't believe its a US market priority. The Paccar DAF LF sold thru Kenworth and Peterbilt is the highest quality medium duty in America. But it's too expensive for the US market. They can penetrate Class 7, but it's too pricey for Class 6 when you're competing with a F-650......a low-cost overgrown pickup truck with a pickup drivetrain.

Bob, so now only the F-650 and F-750 will use the steel Super-Duty cab. Certainly a massive drop in production. Upgrades aside, doesn't that cab date back to 1999 ? Ford could do much more if it had a purpose-designed medium-duty conventional cab, a low-cab-forward offering to combat Chevrolet/Isuzu, and a medium-duty Cargo COE.

The ISX12 is based on the Dakota. Cummin's UK customer base did crumble beneath it, but "one" reason is that it failed to provide a product superior to the European competition. They improved and passed Cummins.

Daimler, via Freightliner, already has 50% market share in Class 7, and soon to have in Class 8. In Class 6, averaging 30-35% is nothing to sneeze at. At a Freightliner dealer, you're working with truck people, whereas Ford has car people selling trucks using low price. Navistar has done well with the return of the Cummins option. Many customers are turning to a Cummins-powered Navistar medium-duty because Ford no longer offers it.

Putting Ford’s new Super Duty to work Fleet Owner / July 26, 2016 Tim Pope puts his trucks to work, and he works them hard. Whether it’s trimming trees, responding to natural disasters, clearing utility land, or building roads, Pope’s trucks work around the clock and are constantly on the go. Pope is the CEO of Rochester, NY-based companies Terry Tree Service and Ironwood Heavy Highway. He manages more than 200 employees and buys an average of 10-15 new trucks a year depending on his companies’ workloads. Right now, Pope has approximately 100 Ford Super Duty F-350s through F-750s that tow tools, excavators, and other pieces of large equipment to job sites. He’s currently waiting on the newest addition to his fleet – an F-350 King Ranch, which is part of Ford’s new 2017 Super Duty series. Pope spoke with Fleet Owner during Ford’s All-New 2017 Super Duty press event here in Denver. “The Super Duty is important for us because all our jobs are on the road,” Pope explained. “And to get all the supplies out to the job – it’s invaluable.” The new Super Duty’s military-grade, aluminum-alloy body and box helps reduce weight by up to 350 lbs. compared to previous models, the company said. Doug Scott, Ford’s truck group marketing manager, said this is the OEM’s first new Super Duty model since 1999. He added that the truck is made to withstand severe-duty vocations like mining, manufacturing and highway maintenance. “These are the people that put the highest demand on the truck,” Scott said. “These are the people that the truck can’t be down for.” The new series has larger fuel tanks – at 48 gallons – for increased driving range. And chassis cab upgrades include: Front gross axle weight rating of up to 7,500 lbs. Gross combine weight rating of up to 40,000 lbs. and increased towing New powertrain options: A second-generation 6.7L Power Stroke V8 Turbo Diesel that produces 330 horsepower and 750 lbs.-ft. of torque; A 6.2L FFV V8 Gas Engine option that offers 385 hp and 430 lbs.-ft of torque. Larger braking system The new Super Duty also includes up to seven high-resolution cameras that give drivers a 360-degree view, trailer reverse guidance, straight line backup guidance, jackknife warning, adaptive steering, adaptive cruise control, blind spot information system with trailer coverage, and lane departure warning, among other features. “What sold me is [driver] safety – all the additional cameras, adaptive cruise control and extra horsepower,” Pope told Fleet Owner. After driver safety, he mentioned durability coupled with low maintenance and operating costs also top his priority list. “When a piece of equipment is down, my crew is down,” Pope explained, noting that he has an in-house maintenance facility with five full-time mechanics. “Dependability is important.” Ford’s new Super Duty can also function as a mobile office for busy fleets. The center console could hold a full-sized laptop and two power outlets in the cab provide up to 400 total watts of power (300 while driving), the company said. The cab is also 6-in. longer and contains a flat load floor option, and the crew cab is 3-in. longer than previous models. “What I like from a personal standpoint is that I could work the truck real hard during the day,” Pope noted. “I could have fun with it towing my boats, and then I could wash it and take my wife out to dinner at night.” “It’s my office,” he added. “I do a lot of business driving down the road. And I’m one to put 50,000 miles on my personal truck every year.” Photo gallery - http://fleetowner.com/equipment/getting-know-ford-s-new-super-duty#slide-0-field_images-196971

2017 Ford Super Duty Pickups to Use F-150 Aluminum Cabs Heavy Duty Trucking / July 26, 2016 Ford's 2017 SuperDuty pickups and chassis-cab models will come with more engine power and torque and advanced electronic features, as previously reported, but they'll also share their cabins with the popular F-150 pickup – something not done for more than 20 years. At a launch event in Denver on Tuesday, Ford executives said that combining the cabs yields economies of scale, because the F-150 is one of the most popular vehicles of any kind in the United States and its three cab types are produced in great volume. The change also provides more interior room for Super Duty models, because F-150 cabs were enlarged and updated with aluminum construction several years ago. By adopting those cabs, the ’17-model F-250 through 550 SuperCabs and SuperCrews will be several inches longer than now. Also like the F-150, cargo beds, front fenders and hoods will also be aluminum. Since the mid 1990s, SuperDuty trucks have had bodies separate from the F-150, executives explained. At first SuperDuties kept the old cabs originally used in the 1970s; then about seven years later they got new, slightly larger cabs – in steel as they’d always been – and used those through the current 2016 model year. Going to aluminum saves as much as 750 pounds for the largest F-150, but weight savings for a SuperDuty will be 350 pounds at most compared to current models, executives said. Light-weighting could’ve been greater, but engineers added beef to the new SuperDuty frames, which are made of mild and high-strength steel. Among other changes, each of the heavier frames got at least three extra crossmembers, and with fully boxed main rails a SuperDuty frame is now 24 times stiffer. Ford Website - 2017 Super-Duty - https://www.ford.com/trucks/superduty/2017/#

Daimler Trucks unveils electric heavy-duty Urban eTruck from Mercedes-Benz Green Car Congress / July 27, 2016 Daimler Trucks has unveiled the Mercedes-Benz Urban eTruck, an all-electric, short-radius distribution heavy-duty truck, based on a three-axle truck from Mercedes-Benz. The entire conventional drivetrain has been replaced by an electrically driven rear axle with electric motors directly adjacent to the wheel hubs. Their maximum output is 2 x 125 kW, while the peak torque is 2 x 500 N·m. In combination with the gearing, the torque at the wheel reaches 11,000 N·m. The power is supplied by a battery pack consisting of three modules of lithium-ion batteries with a total capacity of 212 kWh. This results in a range of up to 200 km (124 miles)—normally enough for a typical day's delivery round. Depending on the desired range, the modular battery pack can be customized by adding or removing batteries. The Urban eTruck is connected to the charging station using the Europe-wide standardized Combined Charging System (CCS) Type 2 connector. With a charging power of 100 kW, the fully discharged batteries are charged to 100% in two to three hours. (The system will support up to 150 kW.) The axle is based on the ZF AVE 130 and has already proved its worth in its basic version as a low-floor portal axle in hybrid and fuel-cell buses from Mercedes-Benz. However, the axle has been comprehensively modified for use in the Urban eTruck. There is a new axle housing, which is significantly raised to give a ground clearance of more than 200 mm. The method of axle attachment has been reconfigured on account of the frame-type construction typical of a truck. Another characteristic of the axle used in this particular application is its super single tires sized 495/45 R 22.5. These are used because of the frame width of the chassis in combination with the positioning of the electric drive motors adjacent to the wheel hubs. Also, super singles are considerably less heavy than conventional twin tires, making for a higher payload. The maximum permissible axle load of the drive axle is 11.5 tonnes, which is at the usual level. The leading and trailing axles of the Urban eTruck are familiar, tried-and-tested components from Mercedes-Benz trucks. They are each shod with single tires of size 315/70 R 22.5. The trailing axle is steered. For reasons of weight, the Urban eTruck is equipped with aluminium wheels. For the Urban eTruck, the original low-floor axle has been provided with a liquid-cooled high-speed asynchronous three-phase motor on each side. The rated voltage is 400 V, while the maximum output is 2 x 125 kW. The motors have a peak torque of 2 x 500 N·m. In combination with the gearing, the torque at the wheel reaches 11,000 N·m. All the ancillary components of the Urban eTruck are electrically operated. This applies to the air compressor of the braking system as well as the power steering pump and the compressor of the air conditioning system. The cab is heated by waste heat from the drivetrain cooling system. Three-axle rigids with 26 tonnes permissible gross vehicle weight are responsible for deliveries to shopping centers or large supermarkets, particularly in urban and suburban areas. They combine high load capacity with maneuverability. The same concept is reflected in the Urban eTruck, which is based on a three-axle short-radius distribution truck. It is celebrating its premiere in the form of a chassis with cab. The electrically driven axle weighs around 1000 kg, while the other necessary electrical components add up to a further 900 kg. The heaviest components are the batteries, including mountings, which weigh in at 2500 kg. This is offset by the absence of an engine, transmission, propeller shaft, differential and fuel tank, which together come to around 2700 kg. This means that the Urban eTruck in the described configuration has an extra weight of only about 1700 kg. The EU Commission is in favor of increasing the permissible gross vehicle weight of trucks with alternative drives by up to one tonne;this will more or less cancel out the weight disadvantage of the electric drive. This will raise the permissible gross vehicle weight of the three-axle rigid truck from 25 to 26 tonnes, which will bring the original extra weight down to 700 kg compared with a directly comparable IC-engined truck. Fuso Canter E-Cell As far as light-duty trucks are concerned, the all-electric drive is already a reality. This is demonstrated by the Fuso Canter E-Cell. Following a successful fleet trial in Portugal, the Canter E-Cell has now satisfactorily completed around six months of the first fleet trial for trucks of this kind in Germany. (Earlier post.) It will be available in future under the name of Fuso eCanter. There will be news about it at the IAA International Motor Show for Commercial Vehicles, which begins on 21 September 2016. Its battery packs with a total capacity of 48 kWh are mounted on the left and right sides of the frame. The electric motor has an output of 110 kW, while the peak torque is 650 N·m. The range of the Canter E-Cell is over 100 km, depending on how the vehicle is used. In Europe, the batteries are charged with the same, standardized connector used also by the Urban eTruck. The vehicle can be fast-charged to 80% of its total capacity in just one hour. Alongside Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner, Fuso is the third major brand of Daimler Trucks and a leading manufacturer of “green” light-duty trucks. Fuso Canter Eco Hybrids are in service all around the world. The second generation of the truck has been in production since 2012. The first generation of the all-electric Canter E-Cell was launched by Fuso in 2010, with the second generation following in 2014. In parallel with the current fleet trial in Germany, Fuso is already working on the third generation, which will make the electrically powered Canter even more efficient and suitable for everyday use. .

Mercedes-Benz is presenting the first fully electric truck for heavy distribution operations Daimler Press Release / July 27, 2016 Mercedes-Benz Urban eTruck enables fully electric transport for the first time ever with an admissible total weight of 26 tonnes Ranges of up to 200 kilometres, load capacity comparable with diesel drive Series production for urban short-radius distribution conceivable at the beginning of the next decade Fuso Canter E-Cell: fully electric drive of Daimler Trucks in a light distribution truck (6 tonnes) already undergoing customer trials Wolfgang Bernhard: "Electric drive systems previously only saw extremely limited use in trucks. Nowadays costs, performance and charging times develop further so rapidly that now there is a trend reversal in the distribution sector: the time is ripe for the electric truck. In light distribution trucks, our Fuso Canter E-Cell has already been undergoing intensive customer trials since 2014. And with the Mercedes-Benz Urban eTruck, we are now electrifying the heavy distribution segment up to 26 tonnes. We intend to establish electric driving as systematically as autonomous and connected driving." Stuttgart – The world’s most successful truck manufacturer Daimler Trucks is presenting the Mercedes-Benz Urban eTruck in Stuttgart today, as the first fully electric truck with an admissible total weight of up to 26 tonnes. This means that in the future, heavy trucks will take part in urban distribution operations with zero local emissions and hardly a whisper. The market launch of this technology is conceivable for Daimler Trucks at the beginning of the next decade. In the light distribution sector, Daimler Trucks has already been impressively demonstrating the day-to-day suitability of the fully electric truck in customer trials with the Fuso Canter E-Cell since 2014. The development of electric trucks and series production maturity are fixed parts of the strategy of Daimler Trucks to build on our technological leadership. For this purpose a considerable part of the future investments by the truck division in the fields of research and development flow in the further development of the full electric drive. "Electric drive systems previously only saw extremely limited use in trucks. Nowadays costs, performance and charging times develop further so rapidly that now there is a trend reversal in the distribution sector: the time is ripe for the electric truck. In light distribution trucks, our Fuso Canter E-Cell has already been undergoing intensive customer trials since 2014. And with the Mercedes-Benz Urban eTruck, we are now electrifying the heavy distribution segment up to 26 tonnes. We intend to establish electric driving as systematically as autonomous and connected driving," says Wolfgang Bernhard, responsible for Daimler Trucks & Buses at the Board of Management. Growing urbanisation requires fully electric trucks Better air quality, lower noise and restricted-access zones are now important keywords in large metropolises worldwide, because more and more people worldwide are moving to cities. 2008 was the first year in which more people lived in cities than in the countryside. The trend is continuing: The UN predicts a global population of nine billion people by 2050, with approximately 70 percent of them living in cities. In future, it will be necessary to transport goods in urban environments for increasing numbers of people – and with the lowest possible emissions and noise. By now large cities such as London or Paris are considering a ban on internal combustion engines in city centres in the future. That means: there will be fully electric trucks ensuring the supply of humas with food or other goods of daily needs. Fast enhancement of battery capacity while significantly lower costs Until quite recently, the use of fully electric drives systems in trucks seemed to be unimaginable – especially because of the high costs of the batteries coupled with a low range. The technology has now become much more mature. In particular battery cells rapidly developing further. Daimler Trucks expects the costs of batteries to lower by the factor 2.5 between 1997 and 2025 – from 500 Euro/kWh down to 200 Euro/kWh. At the same time, performance will improve by the same factor over the same period – from 80 Wh/kg up to 200 Wh/kg. Stefan Buchner, Head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks: "With the Mercedes-Benz Urban eTruck, we are underlining our intention to systematically developing the electric drive in trucks to series production maturity. This means that we will begin to integrate customers, so as to gain valuable joint experience with respect to the operating ranges and the charging infrastructure in daily transport operations. Because we think the entry of this technology into the series production is already conceivable at the beginning of the next decade." Innovative battery technology for Urban e Truck Technically the Mercedes-Benz Urban eTruck is based on a heavy-duty, three-axle short-radius Mercedes-Benz distribution truck. In addition, however, the developers at Daimler Trucks have totally revised the drive concept: The entire conventional drivetrain being replaced by a new electrically driven rear axle with electric motors directly adjacent to the wheel hubs – derived from the electric rear axle which was developed for the Mercedes-Benz Citaro hybrid bus. The power is supplied by a battery pack consisting of three lithium-ion battery modules. This results in a range of up to 200 km – enough for a typical daily delivery tour. Thanks to the integrated concept with motors adjacent to the wheel hubs, the batteries are housed in a crash-proof location inside the frame. As the EU Commission is in favour of increasing the permissible gross vehicle weight of trucks with alternative drives by up to one tonne, this will more or less level out the weight surplus of the electric drive. This will raise the permissible gross vehicle weight of the Urban e Truck from 25 to 26 tonnes, which will bring the original extra weight down to 700 kg compared with a directly comparable IC-engined truck. Fuso Canter E-Cell: all-electric drive in customer operation since 2014 Where light-duty trucks are concerned, all-electric drive is already a reality. This is demonstrated by the Fuso Canter E-Cell. Fuso already presented the first generation of the fully electrically powered Canter in 2010. In 2014 this was followed by the second generation, which proved its worth in the first fleet trials in Portugal. With ranges of over 100 kilometres, the vehicles exceeded the average daily distance covered by many trucks in light-duty short-radius distribution. Under widely varying operating conditions, the trucks covered more than 50,000 km within one year. In the process the vehicless were locally emission-free and, taking power generation into account, reduced CO2 emissions by 37 percent compared to diesel engines. The operating costs were 64 percent lower on average. Marc Llistosella, Head of Daimler Trucks Asia and President & CEO of Mitsubishi Fuso Trucks and Bus Cooperation (MFTBC): "The current generation Canter E-Cell offers our customers transport services which are not only environment-friendly, but also economical. Our test in Lisbon revealed respectable savings of around 1000 euros per 10,000 kilometres in comparison to diesel trucks." "We at Fuso have now acquired extensive experience in the development of local emission-free commercial vehicles und we will consequently pursue this development also in future. At the Commercial Vehicles show IAA in September, will will take a step further towards series production with our next generation under the new name: Fuso eCanter,” continues Llistosella. Current fleet trials with the Fuso Canter E-Cell in Germany Since April 2016 the city of Stuttgart and the parcel service provider Hermes are testing five Fuso Cater E-Cell in Germany. Especially the using in the topographically very demanding environment in urban Stuttgart provides important insights for Daimler Trucks from the customer operation with regard to the further development of the fully electric drive. First results from this customer trial are expected at the beginning of 2017. Dirk Rahn, Managing Director Operations at Hermes Germany underlined during the today’s event: "We are very proud of our successful cooperation with Daimler in the development of relevant future technologies for many years. Also regarding the current project, we accepted with pleasure the invention of Daimler to actively support the testing of the Fuso Canter E-Cell out of our logistical everyday life. Thereby, the results of our trest run are extremely positive! With regard to the growing requirements in city logistics we are now looking forward to test further vehicle classes and to bring them to market maturity soon. Our common goal: making e-mobility more economical.”

Bloomberg / July 27, 2016 Mercedes-Benz outlined plans to start selling an electric heavy-duty truck in about five years, a week after Tesla Motors' initial sketch on battery-powered commercial vehicles failed to impress investors. The Mercedes-Benz Urban eTruck will have a range of about 200 kilometers (124 miles) per battery charge and capacity for loads of as much as 26 metric tons, parent company Daimler said today. The model, targeted for inner-city tasks such as supermarket deliveries, could go on sale by the start of the next decade, it said. Truckmakers are starting to develop electric models to meet tighter emissions rules for city centers, though options are limited due to a lack of batteries with the durability to propel fully loaded vehicles for long periods of constant use. Trucks tested include the six-ton Canter e-Cell from Daimler’s Fuso brand and a model from Swedish competitor Scania that’s powered by overhead electric cables, while U.S. startup Nikola Motor has outlined plans to unveil a battery-powered prototype in December. "Until now, there were extremely few commercial vehicles with electric powertrains," Wolfgang Bernhard, head of the Daimler Trucks division, said in a statement before presenting the model in the company’s hometown of Stuttgart, Germany. “There’s now such a significant improvement on costs, performance and charging times that we’re seeing a step-by-step change.” Tesla CEO Elon Musk included a freight truck as part of a proposed lineup expansion in his July 21 master plan for the U.S. manufacturer. While the company’s Model S sedan was the first e-car with broad appeal, a commercial vehicle will pose a new challenge as fleet operators focus on cost of ownership and durability over design and comfort features. Customers will also be reluctant to risk buying unproven technology, said Tom De Vleesschauwer, an analyst at research company IHS Markit. Tesla has the potential to overcome those doubts by cooperating with co-founder Ian Wright’s Wrightspeed, a manufacturer that specializes in electrifying trucks, De Vleesschauwer said. “Nikola Motor and Tesla have raised plenty of market enthusiasm and speculation,” the analyst said. “Market prospects are such that the share of electrified medium- and heavy-duty trucks could grow for specific market applications only.” Sales of electric versions might account for 4 percent of European Union and U.S. medium- and heavy-duty truck sales by 2025, according to IHS. .

Why on earth you would truck it, versus rail, is beyond me. Since 2008, there's a container train between Beijing and Hamburg. Travel distance/time is 10,000km kilometres (6,210 miles) / 15 days. Chongqing to Duisburg, Germany via Alashankou crossing, Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, and Poland. 10,300 km (6,400 mi) / 16 days. French National Railways (SNCF) rail freight subsidiary Fret SNCF is running a new China - France container service since April 21, from Wuhan to their Saint-Priest terminal in Venissieux south of Lyon. 11,300km / 15 days, operating via Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, and Germany. Another container train is running between Dongguan in China's southern Guangdong province and Duisburg, Germany. 13,000km / 19 days.

The North American Class 8 engine business used to be a big chunk of the Cummins pie. But due to incompetent strategies, it is just a sliver. As BC Mack will tell you, Cummins was in a market-leading position at one time in Europe. None of the European truck enginemakers were even close. But Cummins dropped the ball. Now, they only have a sliver of the European truck market with the ISB and ISL. Cummins Filtration is a lesson in failure. Donaldson and Mann+Hummel are FAR ahead of them in market share. I can't think of a single US, European or Chinese truckmaker that uses Cummins air cleaners. When it comes to emissions control systems, Cummins is a generation behind the European suppliers. Cummins success in the Dodge with the B and ISB is solely because of the American customer. Nissan Titan sales are dead in the water.....they can't give them a way. Nissan sells as many Titans in one year as Ford sells F-Series in 5 days. The X12 is a rebranded ISX12, which was a rebranded ISX11.9, and is also known as the ISG12 in China. Offering peak horsepower from 430 to 460, I personally think 11 liters is all typical haulers need. I don't expect the ISX12 to steal market share from the 11L and 13L. From 2010, it has failed in 6 years to do so.

Class 8 Jan-May 2014 Jan-May 2016 Freightliner 35.3% 41.18% Navistar 15.31% 11.76% Kenworth 13.56% 13.92% Peterbilt 13.22% 13.17% Volvo 12.74% 9.37% Mack 8.08% 8.07% Bob, why don't you also share with them that Class 6 and Class 7 sales data for May. (and Class 8 too) The list doesn't reflect how Navistar is now most definitely on the comeback trail, but it does show the Mack brand's stagnant market position. Daimler is strolling towards a 50 percent market share in the U.S. market, and those superb Detroit engines are a big reason for that.

No on here has brought freedom of speech into question. The flaw in your thought process is that nowhere in the U.S. Constitution, including the First Amendment, does it provide U.S. citizens with the "right" to desecrate (e.g. burn) the United States flag. Rather, U.S. law forbids it. The First Amendment gives one the "right" to freedom of speech (i.e. the right to express your opinion without censorship or restraint). However, the First Amendment does not hand out the "right" to desecrate our nation's flag. Dissent - The expression or holding of opinions at variance with those previously, commonly, or officially held. I continue to find your adamant support for allowing people to desecrate (e.g. burn) the United States flag most troubling and un-American.

That's odd. The current Cargo has a 24-volt system, the global norm for heavy trucks. https://apps.ford.com.tr/ebrochure/brochurefiles/Cekici_Serisi.pdf

You're right Eric, it is very interesting. I can excuse Daimler to a point because they have such a massive US footprint. Daimler is no.2 in Class 6, and no.1 in Class 7 and 8. So if the market slows, they inherently feel it more than anyone. But the Volvo and Mack brand's woes in the US market remain threefold. It's U.S. market management, and I'm particularly speaking of the Mack brand, doesn't have the right people. Volvo corporate in Sweden doesn't understand the Mack brand, and won't view its U.S. dealer body as equals and listen to their complaints and suggestions.

Paul, it says: "You will see more Mack cargo trucks on the road in the future"

Bill Clinton is as shady as..............Hillary Clinton. But he's a heck of a salesman. He could sell ice cubes to Eskimos. He makes for the perfect politician or used car salesman. Slick Willies' Used Cars.........."I'd give 'em away but my wife won't let me" . .