In the world of trucking, the medium-duty truck occupies a peculiar yet vital slot. You don’t bring a machine gun to a sword fight. You don’t take a butter knife to a war either. The world of trucking may look far removed from such martial adages, but ask anyone who owns and runs a fleet, a logistics and supply chain business, even a couple of trucks or only one, and you will know that it’s always a fight to achieve profitability in the business. For truckers it’s a war out there in the market. And as in any battle, you need to go out there with the right weapons – in this case the right trucks.
Hauling goods over long distances and with heavy tonnage is the job of the heavy trucks, while last mile delivery can only be successful with the light duty commercial vehicles. You’ll use the likes of a huge Volvo FH to send goods disembarked at Dubai’s Jebel Ali port onward to Al Ain or those from Jeddah and Dammam to Riyadh. Or use an Isuzu N Series for distribution to some neighbourhood groceries.
But there is that intermediate transport slot, middle distance and middle weight, where a Volvo FH is overkill and an Isuzu N Series has too small a capacity for it to be economical. There are also various other civic and utility operations. And these are applications where the medium-duty truck comes in.
Of course, manufacturers know about this niche in the transport market very well. And where there is a niche, there’s usually a product to service it. Almost all major manufacturers have the medium-duty trucks in their line-ups, with some offering multiple models suited to specialised applications.
Medium-duty Eurocargo from IVECO
Take IVECO, for instance, which offers its Eurocargo as a cornerstone of its medium-duty range, making it available in 4×2 and 4×4 configurations and in a complete range designed for various missions.
“We describe the Eurocargo in three words: functionality, comfort and efficiency. Thanks to its modern design, in both on-road and off-road configurations, it provides great practicality. The Eurocargo is so versatile that is available in over 11,000 total permutations and combinations when you take all the available options into account. This versatility allows us to offer the right conversion for any type of missions required by our customers in the Middle East,” says Shahram Falati, Business Director of IVECO Middle East & Africa.
Falati adds that the Eurocargo has garnered a strong market share for IVECO in the UAE’s medium-duty range market, primarily in the 4×4 segment, while in the other countries in the region the model is just as popular as its other European competitors.
“The possibilities to adapt the Eurocargo to any mission are endless. Thanks to its versatility, it is the easiest vehicle in its category to be customised, satisfying every need of our clients. The structural strength and the stability in combined-cycle and motorway driving allow the Eurocargo to suit any type of use, from transport to construction. For example, thanks to the possibilities to choose between a temperature-controlled box or a curtain-side, together with an outstanding load capacity, it is the ideal solution for the transport of goods or food on urban and regional routes,” Falati explains.
“Configurations such as flatbed truck, three-way tipper, skip loader and hook lift make the Eurocargo the perfect options for the construction businesses as well.
“And the Eurocargo is the perfect partner for municipality missions. Its remarkable agility, with a cab width of just 2.10m, 52-degree steering angle, and tight turning circle of less than 11m with a 3,105mm wheelbase are key-features to facilitate the conversion of the vehicle in various special applications such as refuse collection, road sweeping, road cleaning, drain clearing, etc.”
Falati informs that the Eurocargo range has eight gross vehicle weight (GVW) variants, from 11 to 19 tonnes; five power ratings from 180 to 280hp; two manual transmissions (six or nine speeds) and one full automatic; two-wheel and four-wheel drive; 14 wheelbases, from 3,105 to 6,570mm; and three types of suspensions: parabolic, multi-leaf and rear air suspension.
“We also have the right solutions when the environments get its harshest and most extreme: the Eurocargo 4×4. Engineered for the most difficult driving conditions, the steel bumpers, radiator guard, headlight lamp guards and retractable access steps make the Eurocargo 4×4 perfect to match the most demanding jobs. It is our best-seller in the Middle East for oil & gas missions,” says Falati.
“In addition, drivers and fleet owners can choose from among endless requirements, starting from day or sleeper cab with low roof, GVW of 11.5 or 15 tonnes with a six-cylinder Tector engine and a choice of 220 to 280hp variants, to wheelbases ranging from 3,240 to 4,150mm.”
Of course, customers also have the peace of mind of a wide dealer and service network for maximum uptime, he adds. There are more than 20 certified workshops in the region, offering IVECO genuine parts and advanced services by trained personnel. No wonder that customers for the Eurocargo in the region include prominent bodybuilders, logistics and goods transport companies, cold chain operators, power and utility companies, municipalities and oil & gas companies.
With IVECO committed to positive changes for the future, the model-year 24 Eurocargo introduces natural gas or CNG engines into the line-up. “It will be the only 12-19t vehicle offering the solution with the aim to significantly cut emissions. The new Eurocargo will also provide superlative-in-class fuel consumption as well as improved CO2 emissions of up to -10% versus previous versions. In addition, Eurocargo MY24 will be also equipped with a new eight-speed automatic transmission for greater efficiency and driving comfort, contributing to a fuel consumption reduction of up to 5%,” Falati informs.
Revealing recent successes of the Eurocargo he cites a deal for more than 100 units of the model with a Saudi electricity utility company for genset applications, and adds that IVECO is strengthening its presence in the demanding Saudi market.
Volvo FE and FL
Over at the Volvo, the FE and the FL are the trucks in the medium-duty segment designed for versatile operations. A spokesperson from FAMCO, the Volvo distributor in the UAE says the FE’s size makes it easily manoeuvrable in the city while it’s good loading capacity opens up for local and national distribution as well as for refuse handling.
“It has a good turning radius and will manage an impressive load to size ratio while still being a smooth operator in urban assignments. It has a specific low entry cabin option particularly used in waste management segment for easy entry and exit of operators,” he says.
The other Volvo model in the class, the FL, handles all the challenges given in city distribution with efficiency, he adds. “It’s the smallest Volvo truck and works well in a wide range of applications – It’s perfect for urban transportation. But it’s also available in a 4×4 version with higher ground clearance, for rougher road conditions. The Volvo FL is easy to tailor for city deliveries, urban construction or even for rescue and recovery operations.”
The Volvo FL comes in a range from 10-19 tonne GVW and has 4×2 and 4×4 axle options and choice of 4×2 or 4×4 drive, and five engine output alternatives between 210 and 320hp. “Solutions can be tailored whether you’re looking for an agile delivery truck or an off-road fire truck. The Volvo FL with a diesel engine and the new eight-speed automatic transmission offers a drive just as smooth as a passenger car. Designed for ease and efficiency, the transmission comes with a range of drive mode packages to fit everything from deliveries to rescue operations,” says the spokesperson.
The Volvo FE, on the other hand, ranges from 19-26 tonne and has both 4×2 and 6×2 axle options. Typical applications include goods transportation, urban construction, rescue and recovery, waste and recycling as well as municipal services.
“On the FE, you can choose from four output levels from 250 to 350hp and up to 1400Nm of torque. You can tailor the Volvo FE for smooth deliveries or demanding construction transport assignments. Efficient and smooth, its 12 speed I-Shift gearbox makes the most of your fuel while optimising operator comfort. Software packages are available to optimise the powertrain performance for your operation,” explains the FAMCO spokesperson.
When it comes to cleaner, alternative fuels, Volvo also offers the FE CNG with a gas-powered engine, which is well suited for waste collection, delivery transport and other assignments where lower noise and a reduced environmental footprint are competitive features. It comes with an engine powered exclusively by compressed natural gas or compressed biogas and uses spark plug technology, putting out 320hp and 1356Nm of torque.
The other trump card up FAMCO’s sleeve in the medium-duty segment is the Japanese brand Hino, whose 500 series of medium-duty trucks comprises the FD 1024, FG 1625, GH 1927, and FM 2829 models.
FAMCO claims that the market share of the 500 Series is around 25-30% of the UAE’s medium-duty trucks segment, and the spokesperson says that the reasons for this popularity is that it’s a 100% made-in-Japan product, with high specs value for money.
“The value for money that customers are getting from our Hino trucks during operation is high, with maximum uptime and minimised operation costs. Hino has a reputation for durability and excellent performance through different applications and operations, such as logistics, general transport, FMCG, waste management, construction, water and fuel supply, etc.” he says.
Daimler Truck’s two medium-duty offerings
Meanwhile, at another big regional player in the segment, Daimler Truck, two brands stand out in the medium-duty range: Mercedes-Benz and Fuso. Claudio Siedmann, General Director Sales and Marketing, Daimler Commercial Vehicles MENA, cites five models from the company, the Mercedes-Benz Accelo (GVW 8.3-9.6t), the Mercedes-Benz Atego (GVW 14-17.1t), the FUSO FA/FI (GVW 9.6–13t) FUSO FK/FM (10.4 –17.1t) and the FUSO FJ (GVW 18.4t).
Of these, the true medium-duty, the Mercedes-Benz Atego is “our robust multipurpose truck for short and medium distance transportation”, he says.
“It’s a seamless integration between all components, combining high performance, extreme durability, excellent load capacity, low operation cost and easy maintenance with reliability and robustness to attend the diverse needs in cargo transport with different bodies – from cargo trucks to garbage collectors. Because of its versatility, the Atego offers an application specific vehicle configuration for practically every requirement and every sector,” Siedmann says.
On the FUSO side, the FK/FM fits the medium-duty description perfectly. Describing it, Siedmann says: “The FK/FM has been built lean and mean to provide maximum useful payload. By leveraging Mitsubishi FUSO’s cutting-edge technology and feedback from drivers to achieve peak versatility, the result is a truck with outstanding torsional rigidity, stability and durability that gets the toughest of jobs done. While keeping costs down with a highly efficient engine, aerodynamic design and exceptional longevity.
“The FK/FM series boasts a powerful inline 6-cylinder engine with the raw power, torque and endurance to really put fleet business in the fast lane: It offers higher payloads, less gear shifting, superior fuel economy, ultimate dependability, and extended engine life.”
With the FUSO brand especially popular in the region, Siedmann explains: “FUSO medium-duty trucks are highly demanded in the Middle East region due to their simplicity, attractive pricing and ability to meet diverse business requirements. These trucks have become a trusted choice for businesses across various industries, thanks to their versatility, safety features, competitive pricing, strong second-hand value, and proven performance. In addition, their low running cost and competitive fuel consumption have further contributed to their popularity in the region, in particularly KSA, Morocco and the UAE.