INTERVIEW
BUSINESS FLEET AFRICA | May 2023
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President and CEO of Daimler Truck South Africa, Michael
Dietz, explains how the company is preparing for the future of
long-haul road transport. Our departure point was liquefied
hydrogen as a cleaner and more sustainable energy source.
BFA: Michael, are there any existing working prototypes
of hydrogen-powered trucks? When do you anticipate the
possibility of implementing such a concept in South Africa?
MD: Do they exist? Well, to be honest, it’s not a phantom. Are
there any prototypes in operation? Certainly, there is no doubt
about it.
There are currently 25 operational units in the United
States, with the majority located in Europe. Why is it primarily
in Europe and the United States? Our main engineering team
sits there because they want to remain close to their projects.
We have successfully operated these liquefied hydrogen units
for up to 1 200 kilometres on a single refuelling procedure
and have received positive feedback from our customers
worldwide.
It is important to recognise that the truck industry operates
differently to the passenger car industry. For several years now,
it has been established that the lifespan of an interconnected
trailer or a side-tipper is approximately 50% longer than that of
a car.
We are required to manage a complex system when dealing
with our customers. A vehicle cannot simply be transferred to
the used car market and be replaced with a battery-electric
model.
We must find a solution to both execute the transition
and transform the industry, while also ensuring the continued
viability of our existing equipment for our customers. We
cannot simply approach our customers and demand that they
sell all their current equipment because we are introducing
battery-electric driven alternatives.
BFA: What is your take on range anxiety?
MD: If the range required is up to 800 km, we can achieve
it with a battery-electric model. But we cannot accept the
negative impact on the payload. We are requesting ranges that
exceed 1 500km. This is what we can accomplish using diesel
fuel.
Therefore, we aim to observe a comparable concept and
appearance, and most importantly, identical refuelling dura-
tions. A fuel-cell truck powered by liquefied hydrogen can be
refuelled in less than three and a half minutes. This is why we
believe that battery-electric vehicles are suitable for last mile
and distribution purposes, but for long-haul transportation, we
must explore alternative options.
To reiterate, as Daimler Truck, we are unwavering in our
commitment and enthusiasm for liquefied hydrogen. We are
collaborating with Volvo on fuel-cell technology. The company
has completed its preparations and the construction of the first
production plant is already underway.
After more than 130 years of relying on diesel, we must
now undertake a transformation that involves collaboration.
We cannot continue to develop diesel engines alongside
battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell technologies.
Therefore, we must work together within the industry. This
collaboration between Daimler and Volvo, two major players
with their respective brands, sends a clear signal to global
markets that we are committed to this transformation. We
must work together to get it done.
We must collaborate as a region to address the issue of
infrastructure. This is a shared responsibility that requires the
support of our customers, the oil industry, e-power providers,
and manufacturers. While we should strive to achieve this goal,
it is important to acknowledge that it will be a journey.
We are discussing, with approximate figures, the sale of three
million new trucks annually in global markets. These trucks are
assembled, delivered to customers, and put into operation.
When examining these figures, it is noteworthy that over
2.5 million of these trucks are being distributed across various
regions, each with their own distinct emission standards,
including Euro 6, JP09, and APAR 13.
On the diesel front, the situation is becoming increasingly
complex for all of us. South Africa is a well-developed market.
Our clients in the region are offering services to their customers
at a global standard.
These clients are requesting state-of-the-art technology.
While there is a desire for MirrorCam and autonomous driving
capabilities, there is also a preference for these technologies to
be integrated with an internal combustion engine and drive-
train that meet Euro-3 emission standards.
Daimler Truck outlines fuels of the
future strategy