Aeolus Truck & Driver News

The trucking industry gathered at Rotorua’s Energy Events Centre on Friday September 8 to celebrate a half century of achievement by leading trailer manufacturer Patchell Industries.

The black tie function was attended by nearly 400 guests and had been in the planning process for a year. Guests included suppliers, customers, staff and former staff who travelled to Rotorua from around the country. One customer made the trip from Sydney to attend the celebration.

At the entry to the Events Centre guests were greeted by a display of the full range of Patchell logging, skeletal, tanker and Swinglift trailer products. 

The timing for the celebration is ...

Australia’s first zero-emission emergency service vehicle was launched with plenty of fanfare at the recent Australasian Fire and Authorities (AFAC) conference in Brisbane.

Based on a Volvo FL Electric, the new truck is set to join the ACT Emergency Services Agency (ESA) fleet in Canberra. 

The pioneering EV build is the work of Lower Hutt’s Fraser Fire and Rescue, part of Fraser Engineering which has played a leading role as a fire engine manufacturer since it purchased Hutt Valley-based Lowes Industries in 2000.

Fraser Engineering has more than 1000 of its fire appliances working in the New Zealand Fire Service as well as in South Australia, ACT,...

Ford Trucks and Canada’s Ballard Power Systems are collaborating to develop a hydrogen fuel cell powered truck based on the award-winning Ford Trucks F-MAX model.

The companies have signed a letter of intent for two of Ballard’s FCmove-XD 120kW fuel cells to be used during prototype truck development.

Ford Trucks, the global brand of Turkey-based Ford Otosan, plans to integrate the fuel cells into the F-MAX 44-tonne long-haul tractor truck. The development will be done in Turkey with the aim to begin European Ten-T corridor demonstrations in 2025 as part of the European Union’s Horizon Europe ZEFES (Zero Emission Freight EcoSystem) project goals.

In the...

Several electric loaders, a 90-tonne electric offroad dump truck and a fully electric refrigerated semi-trailer are among 19 new transport projects receiving support in the latest rounds of Low Emission Transport Fund announcements.

The 19 projects are from two Low Emission Transport Fund (LETF) rounds covering the maritime sector, as well as off-road equipment and new technology. The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) says a total of $6.4 million in Government funding will leverage $18.2 million in applicant investment in new technologies.

“Whilst electric cars are taking off, a significant amount of fossil fuels are used in marine and off-r...

Competitors in next year’s Dakar Rally will face a gruelling two week challenge in the deserts and mountains of Saudi Arabia.

The 46th edition of the world’s toughest Rally Raid event is the fifth to be held in Saudi Arabia. The start on January 5 is from the 1000-year-old city of Al Ula, and the Dakar will cross the country in the direction of the `Empty Quarter’ and then loop back to finish in Yanbu on the shores of the Red Sea on January 19. 

The rally itinerary includes a Prologue stage and 12 special stages, the longest being a 600km marathon stage in the `Empty Quarter’ desert region with no service support. The route will include 5,000km of spe...