As part of its commitment to reduce the overall cost of ownership, Japanese manufacturer UD Trucks has revealed eight key features of its new Quester range and the aftermarket service that are helping Middle East businesses to run with greater efficiency
The Quester, a multi-purpose truck for a wide variety of applications, including ?off and on-road use, mining, construction, distribution and long-haul transportation, provides world-class fuel efficiency, reliability and robustness and decreases the overall cost of truck ownership for fleet managers in the following ways.
? Quester comes with a real-time fuel coach system, which gives instant feedback and assistance to the driver to help him or her drive as economically as possible. The display shows the driver when to shift, brake, or accelerate for maximum time in the engines optimum fuel efficient rev range, the so called sweet spot. The system has seen significant increase in fuel efficiency across applications with results ranging from 10-30 per cent in savings.
? The Quester range also offers telematics hardware; a wireless communication tool that allows the trucks to collect information while it is on the road. With this, UD Trucks can assist its customers with a variety of services, including breakdown assistance, preventive maintenance analysis and corrective service scheduling, reducing downtime.
? The aerodynamic cab of the Quester is designed to minimise drag and boost fuel economy with the option of fitting roof and side air deflectors. The on-road cab also comes with side air vents which serve to keep the dirt off the side of the cab, reducing the resources required to maintain fleet cleanliness.
? The high roof sleeper cab with wider twin bunk arrangement supports efficient long-haul operations in terms of resting and storage space allowing for longer, more resource efficient journeys.
? The wide driveline offered with Quester gives the ability to optimise the powertrain with respect to power output, transmission and rear axle ratio. A well specified powertrain ensures that the two engine alternatives ? GH8E and GH11E ? operate at its peak efficiency at all times, enabling good fuel consumption and high average speeds.
? With a wide range of robust product types which, when combined with well dimensioned components and axles, offering high gross combined weights (GCWs) and gross vehicles weights (GVWs), Quester maximises the payload and reduces the fuel consumption per tonne carried.
? UD aftermarket support provides highly trained technicians who only use the most up-to-date diagnostic tools to ensure that their vehicles spend the minimum amount of time in the workshop and the maximum amount of time out on the road.
? UD Genuine Service and UD Genuine Parts cut the customer?s long-term costs. These are the foundations of UD Trucks? uptime offer and are carefully designed concepts for efficiently keeping vehicles on the road. By using UD Genuine parts and lubricants, Quester can endure service intervals of up to up to 40,000 km, which is a major improvement compared to other average standards in the industry. This actually means that Quester customers can visit the workshops only three to four times per year rather than the average of six to eight times.
Commenting on the Quester?s impact on the vehicles? cost of ownership, Mourad Hedna, UD Trucks Middle East president, said, ?The key to lowering the cost of ownership for our clients lie not only in the reliable and durable design but also in smart maintenance. Long-term cost-saving is dependent on having proper service right from the start. By engaging UD Genuine Service, Quester?s customers can reduce unplanned stops, increase vehicle uptime and protect investment.
?Our work starts with the UD spirit, a tradition based on understanding our customer?s situation. When we care for your vehicle you are free to focus on your core business and be confident in delivering as planned, securing the success and growth of your operations. We want to move our customer?s business the extra mile.?
