Events and Exhibitions
Continued from page 25
“ The genetics of the truck itself speaks to this popularity . With the combination of the FT series specifications and its ability to be a high-end solid performer whilst maintaining a low life cycle cost has shown that customers want to partner with a brand that serves all needs and at the same time can remain cost efficient . From the initial cost to the performance cost , to the cost of parts and servicing , the lifecycle cost on this brand is simply unbeatable as we have proven in the comparison studies conducted against other brands in this space ,” Selesnick says .
The new FT range has a more modern appearance , greater driver comfort , it ’ s lighter , includes improved stability due to the advanced chassis , daylight running lights , full airbrake system and further deploys the CANbus electronic wiring system .
According to Selesnick , with ranges from 3 to 14 tonne payloads , this series is well-suited to the built environment and can serve almost any application . “ In the HVACR and built environment there are a significant number of contractors and suppliers that have to move goods , and sometimes bulky and heavy equipment at that . With a range essentially catering to so many applications this is an attractive market for us to serve . You can mount anything to these trucks you can think of – roll backs , cranes , bodies with tail lifts at the back with full hydraulics capability . The great thing about this range is that the chassis has been designed to accommodate a vast array of add-ons and so they are already prepped and don ’ t have to be ‘ modified ’. The design methodology in these vehicles is really awesome ,” Selesnick notes .
Adding to the overall benefits of this new series , to not further highlight the CANbus electronic wiring system would not do this range justice . What this system allows you to do is to limit the number of wires running all over the vehicle which improves reliability , but more so the technology enables the owner to include more features into the truck or adapt the truck for various applications . It allows for ease of diagnostic , radio installation , hands-free communication , integration of fleet management
systems for customers that have more than one vehicle or have a fleet and want to know what ' s happening with any vehicle and this includes not only tracking , but driver performance such as hard braking , fuel economy or flagging reckless driving .
“ This system allows you to set parameters that you can monitor because there is no point in having the best-in-class engine , and gearbox , driver comfort and so on if you have poor driving on the road . Fuel is an expensive component – as are breakdowns due to harsh driving and carelessness – these are not toys after all . This is the evolution of now being able to sit in your office or wherever you are and monitor and manage your truck to its full potential in real time ,” Selesnick says .
Attendees were invited to take a short trip in one of the trucks at the launch to experience the overall drive , reduced noise both externally and inside the cabin , the improved comfort for drivers who spend long hours on the road and improved turning circles particularly geared for urban conditions where multi-point turns have become challenging . RACA
The 14-tonne truck ’ s base price comes in lower than the average double cab making the investment into a business owner ’ s fleet that much more attractive .
QUOTE OF THE MONTH What we usually consider as impossible are simply engineering problems … there ’ s no law of physics preventing them .”
- Michio Kaku
www . hvacronline . co . za RACA Journal I September 2021 27