Deals On Wheels Australia - May 2018

AUSTRALIA’S #1 TRUCK MARKETPLACE TradeTrucks.com.au 181

was absolutely nothing from Tesla about electric

trucks, and likewise zilch from Cummins about its

similarly fast-paced push into electric propulsion.

I didn’t see it, but an Australian product

manager wandering around MATS told me the

only electric vehicle he saw was a battery-driven

go-kart tucked away on the small nondescript

stand of a research outfit.

By comparison, the Tokyo Motor Show late last

year was awash with electric technology, led by

Daimler’s Fuso with the launch of its dedicated

electric brand, E-Fuso, and a highly advanced

prototype model called Vision One.

Still, truckin’ in America isn’t all about new-

fangled gadgets and gizmos. Never has been,

and while MATS lacked plenty in big brand

presentation, it at least had enough of the new

and the novel, the old and the bold, the long

and the lavish, to satisfy lovers of classic Yank

trucks and keep the good ol’ guys ‘n’ gals mildly

entertained.

Anyway, here’s a pictorial summary of Mid-

America 2018, a show with a touch of everything

but on the other hand, not much of anything.

ABSENT FRIENDS

Other than Mack and Paccar though, Louisville

was slim pickings indeed for new trucks from the

big boys of the business.

No Freightliner, or its corporate cousins Detroit

and Western Star.

No International, other than a very lonely

Lonestar, courtesy of the local Louisville dealer.

No Volvo, highlighting the fact that in the US,

Mack and Volvo definitely go their separate ways.

No Japanese truck brands despite an ever-

increasing presence in the US.

And of course, no Cat.

As for new technology, only the Shell ‘Starship’

truck and trailer concept went some way towards

showcasing the efficiency merits of advanced

aerodynamic design.

What’s more, and despite the fact that most

major US truck brands are now digging deep into

advanced technologies such as autonomous

trucks, the only indication of autonomous

behaviour at Mid-America appeared to be the

public rush to anything labelled ‘free’.

Unfortunately, and perhaps unsurprisingly, there

TRUCK SHOWS

1.It represents a new era for the

bulldog where the ultimate goal

is to rebuild Mack’s presence in

North American linehaul. The

big news is a stand-up cab and

70-inch sleeper, and yep, the

cab is headed our way but only

after a prolonged Australian test

program.

2.Lookin’ good but it’s a fair bet

US build quality wouldn’t do in

our part of the world.

3.Kenworth and Peterbilt were

pushing the Paccar barrow but

it’s a marketing mirage. The

engine is Paccar’s MX but make

no mistake, the automated

transmission comes from Eaton

and the drive tandem from

Meritor.

4&5.Peterbilt’s pride-of-place

went to a 579 model with the

new Ultra-Loft 80-inch sleeper.

The real star, however, was the

567 model, the one-millionth

Peterbilt ever built and given

away to the person judged the

brand’s greatest fan. How they

came to a decision is beyond

me, but a bloke named Rick

McClerkin from California got

the gong. Nice win, mate!

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