The UK industry is at risk of being left behind in some of the new developments, Kerry McDonagh, board member for marketing and sales at Daf Trucks warned last night. He said that while the UK Government has finally commissioned some research on longer and heavier trucks, Dutch operators are well ahead with operational trials taking place.
Incentives for Euro 5 vehicles have already been introduced in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the Netherlands, he said. “That is good for the industry and good for the environment.
“The rather fevered debate about SCR versus EGR is really rather futile. He added: “Customers don’t buy trucks for technology reasons. They buy a Renalt because it’s a Renault, a Scania because it is a Scania and a Daf because it is a Daf. They buy a brand, with all that entails in back-up, image, residuals and all the rest.”
More than 45% of Daf’s customers are now opting for Euro 5. “That’s today without any concrete incentives to encourage them. Elsewhere where there are sensible incentives, the figures are even higher. In Germany, Austria, Switzerland and The Netherlands it is excess of 85%.”