Introduction
The case for the 18-tonner is already well made: it easily carries three times the payload of a 7.5-tonner, in the same sized package. True, there are slightly higher running costs such as more fuel and bigger tyres, not to mention the higher initial outlay, but an 18-tonner’s productivity figures are in a different league from its lighter counterpart.
Iveco makes a two-pronged attack on the sector. If you want a “small big truck”, maybe for long-distance work and where the last kilogram of payload can be sacrificed, you can go for the entry level Stralis. But if ultimate payload in a more nimble package is your major priority, you need a Eurocargo. This 18-tonner sits in the middle of the Eurocargo range which spans 6-26 tonnes GVW.
Product Profile
No less than eight different wheelbase options are on offer, from 3,690-6570mm. Standard accommodation is a 2,390mm-wide day cab, with a standard and high-roof sleeper cabs on the options list. At 18 tonnes you have the choice of a trio of ratings for the 5.9-litre, six-cylinder Tector engine: nominally 210, 240 and 280hp. The final major choice is which of the three transmissions to choose. The basic offer is an Eaton six-speeder, with a nine-speed Iveco manual and an Allison MD306P five-speed automatic as options. Pick the Iveco ‘box and you can use your 18-tonner for drawbar work at a GCW of 32,500kg.
Our example is an 180E24S, with the middle rated engine and an Eaton six-speeder sporting the biggest cab and the longest wheelbase. As the registration number shows, Iveco’s demonstrator has taken a while to be run-in. Meanwhile, Boalloy has taken on the mantle as supplier of off-the-shelf bodies for the Eurocargo range, so the 26ft JC Payne box on our test truck has been superseded.
Productivity
With the longest wheelbase and the biggest cab available, this example is obviously not specced for maximum payload. With the chassis-cab weighing in at 5,885kg it still has a body/payload allowance over 12 tonnes, but choosing the shorter model with a day cab would improve this to a more impressive figure around the 13 tonne mark.
In the normal course of events the Eurocargo’s 13.8mpg overall fuel consumption would put it near the front of the pack. However, the astonishing 15.8mpg performance of the Cummins-powered ERF presents an almost insurmountable challenge. On the other hand the Iveco’s ability to maintain momentum gave it an average speed of 67km/h; exactly 7km/h quicker than the ERF.
