Contact Details:

Cummins Diesel South Africa

13 Eastern Service Road
Kelvinview
Johannesburg
Gauteng
2054
South Africa

Tel: +27 (0)11 321 8700
Fax: +27 (0)11 321 8759

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USA-based Autocar designed its first African product at its design centre and South African headquarters in Cape Town after identifying a gap in the local market, notes Autocar vice president for international business development, Ryan Billet.

 

"We have employed more than 40 South African engineers in order to ensure that we are able to custom build the Xpeditor to handle unique local operating conditions, without compromising on the traditional strength and reliability of the range," he explains.

 

The Autocar Xpeditor range of severe duty trucks for South Africa is exclusively powered by ISM model diesel engines that are manufactured by Cummins - a global leader in the manufacture, sales and servicing of diesel engines and related technology. Billet states that this was an obvious choice due to the ISM’s history of reliable performance in Autocar’s vehicles in the USA.

 

"The Cummins ISM has one of the highest-power-to-weight ratios of any engine of comparable displacement. This, combined with an advanced fuel-injection system and the patented variable geometry turbo (VGT), results in superior performance over South Africa's unique terrain and weather conditions," says Cummins SA Heavy Duty OEM Relationship Manager Janean Davies. 

 

What's more, Davies highlights the fact that the VGT constantly adjusts airflow based on engine load, fuel quality, ambient pressure and temperature conditions, thereby ensuring reduced turbo lag, improved transient response and increased vehicle performance. 

 

"Due to the fact that the VGT has only one moving part in the hot exhaust stream, it is vastly more reliable and durable than competitive turbos, which have dozens.  The ISM also offers several engine features to help improve fuel efficiency, including; load-based speed control, gear-down protection and idle management that deliver up to 100 lb-ft of extra torque in the top two gears," she adds.

 

According to Billet, the vast amount of 'sticky dust' is a challenge that is unique to South Africa. “This was noted and addressed during the design phase, as the dust has the potential to cause engine damage, which ultimately results in more vehicle downtime and related costs.  To overcome this challenge, we installed the highest quality air filtration systems, and moved the air intake up to the top of the vehicle, where the dust is less dense."

 

Billet points out that manual labour is another factor that Autocar SA had to take into consideration when modifying the Xpeditor for the local waste collection vehicle market.  "In certain countries such as the USA, often only one person mans the truck, while all other functions are carried out via automated arms. In South Africa, however, often there are as many as six people on the truck at any given time, which results in the centre of gravity being shifted back to allow for the crew cabs that are prevalent on many South African waste collection vehicles.  As a result, we have unique configurations for each application and truck body to ensure that each truck has the correct weight distribution."

 

In order to cater to the unique local demands, the Xpeditor range is available with vertical and horizontal exhaust positions; flexible component placement and sizing; medium-duty or heavy-duty Allison automatic transmissions, rear axle ratings from 10,4 to 32,7 tons and a variety of options to ensure that the vehicle is custom-suited to its application.

 

Davies points out that all Autocar Xpeditor trucks come standard with a 2 year/402,338km (whichever comes first) warranty from Cummins SA. "All Cummins technicians have been provided with comprehensive Cummins training on the servicing and repair of our engines.  For additional peace-of-mind, Cummins SA can repair engines at any one of its national outlets, should a failure occur."  In addition, Cummins SA has been appointed as an authorised service provider for Autocar to provide customers with necessary service and warranty requirements on the complete vehicle.

 

Billet notes that the Autocar Xpeditor range has been well received by the local market to date.  "A number of orders have already been placed, particularly in the Gauteng region, and currently we are in the process of working with municipalities and private contractors to develop purpose-built solutions based upon their unique needs to improve the performance of their fleets."

 

Looking to the future, Billet is confident that Autocar can gain significant market share in South Africa's rapidly expanding waste disposal industry.  "The continued growth of the national economy and population will drive increased waste generation, and it is estimated that municipalities and private contractors will need to purchase more trucks in order to keep up with demand.  With this in mind, I believe that Autocar has the potential for significant growth in the South African market," he continues.

 

Cummins has a global network of 500 company-owned and independent distributor facilities at more than 5 200 dealer locations in over 190 countries, and Billet concludes by adding that its partnership with Cummins is an important part of the growth strategy of Autocar in South Africa and beyond. 

 

Established in 1919 in Indiana, USA, Cummins today employs more than 40 000 people worldwide, and has an annual turnover of US $10,8-billion. Cummins South Africa is headquartered in Johannesburg, with branches in Alrode, Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth.