DAF wins 2022 Truck of the Year

DAF’s New Generation XF, XG, and XG+ range has been elected International Truck of the Year 2022!

The prestigious award was handed over to Harry Wolters, president of DAF Trucks, during the press day of the Solutrans Commercial Vehicle and Bodybuilder Show in Lyon, France. With a winning score of 150 votes, the Dutch long-haul heavy-duty truck range fought off the challenge of the recently-launched Iveco T-Way construction series and Mercedes-Benz’s second generation battery-electric eActros.

Based on the International Truck of the Year (IToY) rules that consider trucks introduced into the market in the previous 12 months, the annual award recognises the truck which has made the most significant contribution to road transport efficiency. This judgement relies on several critical criteria, including technological innovation, comfort, safety, driveability, fuel economy, environmental footprint, and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

Taking full advantage of the EU’s new mass and dimension regulations, DAF has created a truck range that dramatically improves aerodynamics, fuel efficiency, active and passive safety, and comfort for the driver.

The IToY jury comprises a group of 25 commercial vehicle editors and senior journalists, representing major trucking magazines from Europe and South Africa. During recent extended test drives in Spain and central Europe, jury members commented favourably on the excellent visibility provided by a large, curved windscreen, side windows with low beltlines, and the kerb-view window. These features – along with the new corner view camera and the digital vision system that replaces traditional rear mirrors – offer excellent all-around visibility, protecting vulnerable road users.

The IToY journalists also praised the performance of the new highly-efficient powertrains, based on the Paccar MX-11 and MX-13 engines coupled with TraXon automated gearbox, and the advanced features of predictive cruise control with extended Eco-roll functionalities.

“With the introduction of the New Generation, DAF has delivered a high-tech heavy-duty truck range that sets a new benchmark in the truck industry. In addition, it is future-oriented, as it also represents a complete platform for new generations of alternative drivelines,” said IToY chairman Gianenrico Griffini when summing up the jury vote.

INNOVATION AWARD ADDS TO ACHIEVEMENTS

DAF has also won the 2022 Truck Innovation Award. Its XF Hydrogen – a prototype of a hydrogen-fuelled heavy-duty truck with an internal combustion engine – trumped Mercedes-Benz’s GenH2 Truck, a fuel cell-powered long-haul vehicle.

The Truck Innovation Award – which acknowledges the enormous technological changes and energy transition taking place within the automotive sector – was also awarded by the IToY jury, who praised the handling characteristics, seamless acceleration, and user-friendly human-machine interface (HMI) of the prototype. The HMI is also a feature of DAF’s New Generation range, which has likewise been designed for future zero-emission powertrains.

The IToY journalists appreciated DAF’s innovative approach to alternative propulsion and energy transition, which takes advantage of the dynamic qualities of the internal combustion engine, while ensuring zero CO₂ tailpipe emissions.

From this perspective, the jury felt that by harnessing established technologies and supply chains, innovative hydrogen combustion solutions could become an important additional component of an OEM’s future powertrain portfolios, alongside battery-electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles.