PACCAR makes fans happy – full range on display

PACCAR Australia continues to lead the Brisbane Truck show with the largest display of trucks across the Kenworth and DAF brands.

With over 40,000 attendees over the four-day event, 2023 was the largest and most impressive Australian Truck show to date. And Paccar made sure their fans were happy, with the full range of trucks on display along with some impressive innovations looking towards the future of the trucking industry.

PACCAR Australia’s Director Sales and Marketing, Michael Long, commented “We are delighted to show our support of the transport industry through our ongoing presence at the Brisbane Truck Show.  It is a wonderful opportunity for everyone to be able to come together and participate again.  It is such an important date in the truck industry calendar.”

Under the Kenworth banner, the PACCAR Australia stand included the legendary T909 with a 50” sleeper, the T610 with a 1400mm sleeper, T360A agitator, and a T410SAR configured in a low-roof car carrier specification. There was also the latest K220 in a beautiful dark red with the extended sleeper, that took out the Australian Truck of the Year award.

Kenworth’s K220 took the lead on the stand for blending new technology with the classic Kenworth style. As the next level in the K Series, the K220 took a big step forward on the outside, and a great leap forward on the inside. 

As a uniquely Australian product, the K220 has been an ongoing collaboration between Australian operators and the PACCAR development team that has spanned over five decades. 

The K220 picks up where the K200 left off and remains the most versatile truck on the road. Starting at 97-tonne GCM and available up to 250-tonne GCM and beyond, configurations include: 6×4, 8×4, 8×4 tandem with lazy axle, 8×6, 10×4 tandem with lazy axle, and 10×6. 

On the outside, the K220 is reassuringly familiar, with improvements in aerodynamics efficiencies of 4%, particularly from the new roof profile to reduce operating costs. The front grille has also been redesigned for a straighter look and matched with LED headlamps with integrated indicators.

Internally, the K220 has really gone to the next level with a new interior style incorporating a 15-inch high-definition digital instrument panel, an 8-inch audio visual navigation unit featuring smartphone integration and an improved SmartWheel, for accessing vehicle functions and settings from your fingertips.

From the European cousin, DAF, the display had the full range of new and current models including the XF530, CF530, and CF340. 

However, the Truck that took the market by surprise, and is now the envy of Europe, was the preview of the newly designed DAF XG+ with the 15-litre Cummins engine, rated at 660 hp, for A-double and B-Triple work up to 97-tonne GCM.

The next generation DAF XG+ offers a new level of safety for drivers with larger windscreens for an enlarged direct view, to the integrated camera system for rear vision, through to the built-in passive and active safety measures. 

The cab’s aerodynamic profile is already delivering a 6% fuel economy improvement and coupled with a next generation 15-litre engine showing 8-15% efficiency gains in testing to-date, PACCAR is confident that this will be an extremely efficient package.

In looking to the future of zero emissions, PACCAR displayed their Kenworth Hydrogen Fuel Cell truck that has been on trial in the States, and also a DAF battery electric truck which is already on sale in Europe.

Kenworth’s Hydrogen T680 was developed jointly by PACCAR and Toyota and is equipped with a 630HP electric motor. 60kg of hydrogen gas is stored at 10,000 psi to supply enough energy to the fuel cell for a range of 480km, with a mere 15-minute refueling time and is expected to be delivered to a selection of North American customers in 2024. 

At the lighter end of the spectrum, the 19 tonne LF offers an ideal zero emissions distribution truck. It has a 260kW electric motor powered by a 282kWh battery pack. The result is outstanding performance, and a range of up to 280km, ideal for City deliveries and back to base work. 

“Our stand this year exhibits the wealth of solutions available for today’s competitive and complex industry landscape. We take pride in also showcasing PACCAR’s real-world examples of zero emissions vehicles which includes a Hydrogen Fuel Cell and a Battery Electric vehicle”, Michael said.