28 March 2019, KUALA LUMPUR – Scania has introduced its latest award-winning New Truck Generation in Malaysia that has been designed and engineered to give fleet owners greater total operating economy and profitability, as well as lower CO2 emissions.

The New Truck Generation by Scania is equipped with powertrain innovations that cut fuel costs by 3 per cent, the result of the company’s largest-ever investment of some SEK 20 billion (RM10 billion), 10 years of development work and more than 10 million kilometres of test-driving.

Among its features:

• Powertrain updates resulting in exceptional fuel efficiency and driving performance
• New design and shape of the front and chassis for improved aerodynamics
• Maintenance based on your operation increase uptime and profitability
• Unique safety features such as roll-over curtain side airbags
• Enhanced driver’s seat adjustment options
• Extended storage options
• New infotainment system with 7” touch screen

“Our New Truck Generation has won many awards since the launch in Europe like the International Truck of the year award and has achieved 100% in all European press tests, twice. In addition to enhancing the performance of the vehicle, we also recognise that the driver plays a significant role in the success of our customers’ business. This can be experienced with the new Generation as well.  It includes enhanced cab safety, enriched driver’s environment and improved drivability which makes a happy driver and therefore inevitably a happy business,” said Marie Sjödin Enström, Managing Director of Scania Southeast Asia.

The launch of the trucks was officiated by Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry, Dr. Ong Kian Ming, who acknowledged that the introduction of the New Truck Generation is timely as it meets the demands of the heavy commercial vehicle industry in reducing fuel consumption, improving profitability and at the same time taking care of the environment.

Fuel Economy

Facilitating the drive towards sustainable transport solutions, the new Scania trucks have been designed to achieve up to 3 per cent reduction in fuel consumption on conventional Euro 3 diesel engines that are now in its third generation and relies on selective catalytic reduction technology for exhaust.

“Fuel savings translate directly into reduced operating costs and with the latest updates, we can guarantee a further reduction in consumption for all the diesel powertrains in our new truck range that has been tailored to address specific challenges of for fleet operators and owners,” said Marie.

“We can now see Scania trucks doing their work and making important contributions to our economy with more savings to fleet operators and less impact to our environment due to the lower carbon emissions they produce.”

Scania has always been and continues to offer the broadest range of alternative fuel and technology solutions on its new trucks including engines that operate on natural gas, hydro-treated vegetable oil, bioethanol, biogas, biodiesel as well as hybrid drivetrains, platooning and autonomous vehicle systems.

New Modular Range

The New Truck Generation by Scania has been developed for long haulage, construction and urban applications, with a strong focus on customer profitability.

It features design and technical improvements to the P-series, G-series and R-series cabs that were mainstays of the PGR generation. In addition, the launch also revealed the new L-series and S-series cabs to complete the full range of options for Malaysian customers.

The L-series cab is purpose-designed for urban applications – such as distribution, refuse collection and maintenance – in congested city conditions. It is a spacious low cab that puts the driver at the same level as other vehicles on the road. Meanwhile, the S-series cab, the tallest in the range, features a flat floor and a high roof to maximise interior space and comfort for long-distance driving.

Scania also introduced the XT range with additional technical specifications built to enhance the robustness of trucks that work in rough terrains such as construction sites. These include a high air intake to supply the engine with the cleanest air possible in dusty environments and a tow pin with 40-tonne towing capacity in the front to enable the truck to be pulled out quickly.

The XT range also features a sturdy steel bumper, skid plate and headlamp protection to withstand harsh working conditions. The addition of a fold-out service step in the bumper and an inspection step at the side of the cab, together with grab handles, further allows for safe and easy access to check the engine, body or cargo.

The new generation continues to adopt Scania’s unique modular system, where customers can customise their vehicle configurations according to their choice of cabs, engines and chassis. This system maximises spare parts availability and minimises downtime for vehicles needing repairs and replacements, allowing customers to benefit from incremental revenues.

Safety Focus

The New Truck Generation features a more robust monocoque structure with high tensile steel, engineered in collaboration with Scania’s sister company, Porsche Engineering. Apart from the advanced emergency braking system, the new generation has built in a number of new safety features.

The repositioned front axle 50 millimetres closer to the front and a lower centre of gravity create a shorter overhang to reduce the degree of kneeling under heavy braking.  The 30” brake chambers for the disc brakes on the front axle, which is a basic configuration for long-haul vehicles, further guarantees good braking performance. These active safety features work together to improve braking distance by 5 per cent, from 40 metres to 38 metres for a truck with a 40-tonne gross trailer weight assuming the same tyre and road conditions.

First in Malaysia, the new generation features rollover side curtain airbags, which can potentially reduce fatalities from rollover accidents by up to 25 per cent. The Scania engineers who designed this innovative feature were recognised with the European Traffic Safety Award for Commercial Vehicles in 2017, an accolade presented by the European Association for Accident Research and Accident Analysis, DEKRA and the German Road Traffic Safety Council.

The interior ergonomics of the cab design enhances comfort and functionality. Drivers can now drive more safely with a better view of the road due to a lower instrument panel and optimised A-pillars combined with the positioning of the driver 6.5 millimetres closer to the windscreen and 20 millimetres towards the side.

The design of the steering column directly beneath the steering wheel is also intended to absorb impact energy and reduce impact force to the driver during incidents. Optional camera sensors and other warning systems are available to further enhance safety.

“No effort was spared in the extensive development process to ensure that the drivers enjoy the best possible visibility, manoeuvrability, comfort and driving experience to ensure the safest interaction with other road users,” said Marie.

Scania Total Solutions

Scania continues to provide a package of productivity-enhancing services for customers to unlock more value from their new trucks. This includes the widest service network in Malaysia that provides the best services for safety, fuel economy, uptime and environmentally friendly solutions for truck, bus and coach operations.

Customers can also leverage the connectivity of the trucks to use the Fleet Management System for real-time tracking of the trucks, and Fleet Care services, which outsources the service planning and fleet optimisation functions to Scania.

These connected services yield real-time data and long-term trends for fleet owners and operators to plan how to manage their vehicles and drivers. Scania also conducts driver training and coaching to upgrade the skills of drivers to be able to increase fuel efficiency and road safety.

“We have a holistic approach to partner with customers well beyond the sale. We look into the long-term aspects of planned maintenance, data analysis and driver skills to help customers get the most uptime and revenues from each vehicle they buy,” said Marie.

“Scania Total Solutions provide the value-added assurance to customers that their fleets are performing in peak condition to bring about more fuel efficiency and total operating economy.”

Market Acceptance and Achievements

Scania’s New Truck Generation has received several international accolades. It topped the 1,000 Point Test in 2016 and 2017, a fuel performance challenge scored by European trucking journalists and organised by Germany’s ETM Verlag.

The new S-series truck clinched the prestigious International Truck of the Year 2017, awarded by a panel of leading trucking journalists representing 25 countries in Europe. It was judged to have delivered substantial improvements in cab aerodynamics, driveability, comfort, safety and driveline performance.

Scania also received the Green Truck Award for two years consecutively, in 2017 and 2018, from VerkehrsRundschau and Trucker magazines, which recognised the fuel economy of the new R-series trucks.

Since the new generation was first introduced in Europe in late-2016, more than 79,000 units of trucks have been sold worldwide.

In Malaysia, the trucks have received overwhelming response during the pre-launch period in 2018. To-date, over 28 customers have purchased more than 125 trucks.