DFAC has outlined the testing and development work completed ahead of the Australian launch of its Captain 45 light-duty truck.
According to the company, the Captain 45 completed more than 800,000km of real-world and simulated testing in China and Australia. The program also included 14,000 component-level tests covering areas such as performance, safety and reliability.
Australian distributor KRW Motor Group supervised local product development, including trials of pre-production vehicles conducted over an 18-month period.
DFAC Truck General Manager Bill Gillespie said Australian operating conditions were an important consideration during the development process.
“Australian conditions, including climate, road type and scale, require vehicles that are of an extremely high standard,” Gillespie said.
Captain 45 specifications
The Captain 45 has a gross vehicle mass of 4.5 tonnes, allowing it to be driven on a car licence.
It is powered by a 2.5-litre Euro 6 Cummins turbo-diesel engine and uses a six-speed Eaton FAST automated manual transmission. Dana supplies the vehicle’s axles.
The model is compliant with Australian Design Rules and has a braked towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes.
Standard safety equipment includes autonomous emergency braking, pedestrian detection and cyclist detection.
Testing in China and Australia
DFAC is part of Dongfeng Motor Company and operates a research and development facility in Xiangyang, in China’s Hubei Province.
The 73.3-hectare site includes dynamic testing areas, high-speed ovals, durability sections with different road surfaces and facilities used to evaluate autonomous-driving systems.
Testing was also conducted in the Turpan Basin, where vehicles were exposed to high temperatures and altitude.
DFAC said the development program was also being used to support additional models planned for the Australian market during the next two years.
WorkReady tray model
The Captain 45 has launched in a WorkReady configuration fitted with an Australian-assembled aluminium tray.
The tray measures 4.5 metres by two metres and has a stated load capacity of 2,000kg.
It also includes three crossbeams for carrying longer materials, a rear cabin protection screen, a wash station and drop-down sides.
The WorkReady model has been launched at $59,990 drive-away.
Warranty and service support
DFAC is offering the Captain range with a seven-year or 250,000km warranty.
The brand currently has 17 dealer and service locations in Australia and expects to add further sites during the next 12 months.
KRW Motor Group has also established a local inventory of replacement parts and consumables to support the dealer network.
DFAC said it assembled 301,000 vehicles in 2025 and supplies vehicles to more than 100 countries.
Its Australian operations are managed by KRW Motor Group, an Australian-owned importer and distributor of buses and light- to medium-duty trucks.
