Scania Southern Africa has transitioned local production almost entirely to its Super platform, positioning the driveline range around fuel efficiency and lifecycle operating costs for local freight operators.
Speaking during an operations assembly tour last week, Scania Southern Africa Sales and Marketing Manager, Mark Erasmus, said fuel remained one of the largest operating costs for transport operators.
The Super system includes a redesigned 13-litre engine, gearbox and rear axle configuration. The system is intended to support long-haul performance, with the company expecting the 520hp 13-litre variant to perform strongly on demanding routes such as the Durban corridor.
“Fuel is anything between 43% to 53% of the total cost of running a truck over the lifecycle. So far, the Super driveline has delivered an 8% improvement in fuel efficiency compared to our previous driveline platforms.”
Local fleet operators are evaluating vehicles based on lifecycle performance and operating economics, rather than upfront acquisition costs alone, says Scania Southern Africa Managing Director, Erik Bergvall.
Scania has transitioned local production almost entirely to the Super platform from April, with the exception of certain mining applications. The company has also prepared its support network for a broader rollout of the driveline range.
“There has already been a great uptake in the order book. Operators always test the vehicles before committing to purchases,” Erasmus said.
