Here are the three contenders for the coveted Truck of the Year Australasia 2024 award, to be presented in Christchurch, New Zealand in March.
It’s not easy picking a winner. There are no bad trucks on the market, any more, and the speed of technology development in the 21st century has been hard to keep up with. What the judges for the Truck of the Year Australasia are looking for is for in these trucks, is their ability to improve the outcomes for the owner, the driver and other road users, and to take the road transport industry forward.
Each of these trucks is on sale in both Australia and New Zealand and they all represent a major step forward for their respective brands. Each brings considerable innovation to the table and are operating in new territory.
The three trucks chosen by the judging panel of five to be considered for the Truck of the Year Australasia 2024 accolade are, in no specific order: The Volvo Heavy Duty Electric prime mover, the Western Star X Series of models and the Scania Super range.
Each of these contenders brings something new to the table, all are very different from each other and deserve the recognition from the ToYA process for different reasons. The selections also reflect the period of flux we are about to enter, over the next decade or so.
Volvo Heavy Duty Electric
In an industry where the diesel engine was king, we now have a set of alternative power systems vying to take us into the future. Diesel is not going to be able to deliver on the lower carbon emissions the world is looking for, right now. The electric truck is going to be the first alternative to make an impact, and this has already happened with the heavy duty models from Volvo winning the International Truck of the Year gong in Lyon, France, last November.
Scania Super
At the same time as zero carbon trucks are appearing, a truck maker like Scania is driving down fuel consumption on its conventionally powered offering, with the Super brand making a reappearance in the range and a whole new driveline appearing in the Swedish truck maker’s offering.
Western Star X Series
After a long period where its truck offering remained relatively static, the Western Star brand launched a completely new range of trucks bringing all of the latest technologies to its truck offering. The new X Series represents a radical transformation for a traditionally conservative truck brand.
