UK – “30 years as market leader in the UK truck market” exclaimed David Kiss, Managing Director of DAF Trucks UK. This was the headline emanating from senior management last December as members of the UK press gathered in Oxford for DAF Trucks UK Ltd's annual end-of-year address. This event, hosted by the Haddenham-based subsidiary of Dutch truck manufacturer DAF Trucks NV, featured a comprehensive market update heading into 2025.

Although official 2024 UK truck market figures are set to be published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) on February 17^th, 2025, we do know that DAF remains the market leader, following on from its 2023 UK truck market (>6-tonne) share of 30.5%. This means that DAF has been the market leader for 30 years, a significant achievement indeed. T&BB analyses the reasons behind this continued success and poses the question, will DAF UK remain the market leader for the next 30 years as the industry transitions to zero emissions?

DAF UK’s aftermarket strategy & investments

Kiss said that a large part of this success is a direct result of DAF’s aftermarket network in the United Kingdom. Including Ireland, the territory boasts 13 dealer groups and 146 dealer locations, including 102 service locations and 34 sales sites.

DAF, in partnership with its dealer network, upgraded multiple service sites over the last few years, resulting in an additional 132 workshop bays since 2018. More than GBP 100 million has been  spent and committed on upgrading certain dealer premises with new sites planned, including the Ford & Slater Stockton site (2026 costing GBP 12 million) in Stockton-on-Tees and the Motus Bellshill site in Scotland (Q2 2025 costing GBP 5.5 million). Suffice it to say, that DAF Trucks is well-represented from Cornwall to Inverness.  

Dealer group consolidation

2024 saw consolidation in DAF UK’s dealer group representation with the HTC Group, acquiring Barnes DAF, which included its Guildford and Shoreham servicing locations that were subsequently rebranded under the HTC banner. This acquisition means the number of HTC dealer locations is now at 10 across England, joining existing sites in Oxford, Park Royal, Reading, Croydon, Belvedere, Hemel Hempstead, Heathrow and Dunstable. All staff at the Guildford and Shoreham stations were retained, ensuring continuity across Sales, Service and Parts distribution services. This acquisition and subsequent transition was overseen by John McMenamin, Dealer Development Director at DAF Trucks UK.

DAF UK dealer network

More trucks require more technicians

To sustain the rising number of DAF trucks on UK roads, 114 new technicians were hired last year on top of the 169 in 2023. This brings the national number of DAF technicians to 1663 (1549 in 2023). In large part, this has been a result of the Heros of Tomorrow Apprentice Programme, Fast Track Training Programme and the Military Recruitment Career Fairs.

Kiss maintains that to keep growing the business the company has been on an apprenticeship drive. The DAF Apprentice College which is moving from Bristol to a brand new state of the art purpose built facility in Nottingham is one such place that trains students, developing the next generation of skilled technicians for DAF Trucks. This program has been training apprentices for 30 years, combining hands-on workshop experience with theoretical knowledge. Apprentices spend 26 weeks at the facility, engaging in block-release training that complements their practical experience gained at DAF dealerships. The college is equipped with modern workshops, classrooms, and the latest diagnostic equipment, providing a comprehensive learning environment.

DAF Apprentice Academy

DAFaid

Many of these graduates work for DAFaid, the company’s roadside assistance service. Over the last 50 years, it has evolved into a comprehensive service, handling around 100,000 roadside jobs annually, including support for non-DAF vehicles like trailers, buses, and agricultural equipment. The service is available 24/7, with an average call response time of eight seconds and a travel time of around 50 minutes to the job site. DAF UK claims that over 80% of issues are resolved at the roadside, with most vehicles back on the road within 110 minutes. DAFaid's milestone coincides with a management change: Andy Mudie was appointed as the new DAFaid & Aftersales Systems Manager, following Matt Coates, who transitioned to head DAF's training portfolio.

Prioritising Connectivity as a key driver of Its electrification strategy

We know that new electric HGVs carry a significant upfront cost compared to that of their diesel ICE equivalents. DAF is aiming to leverage big data and AI to drive efficiency gains for operators, thereby ameliorating that initial cost. The importance of creating a 360 ecosystem encompassing charging solutions, fleet management tools and grid management tools to support the uptake of DAF’s electric trucks is paramount.

Louis Jones, the newly appointed EV & Connected Services Director at DAF Trucks UK will spearhead the development of DAF’s electric vehicle (EV) programme, managing sales, aftersales, the dealer network’s EV strategy, and the deployment of charging infrastructure. This newly established role underscores the company’s dedication to incorporating connectivity into its mission to electrify the UK truck market.

New generation DAF electric trucks available in the UK

Starting with the vehicles themselves, after production delays, DAF’s new XB Electric (7.5 up to 19 tonne GVW) trucks are finally available in the UK. The XB Electric is designed for city distribution with cobalt and magnesium-free, lithium-iron-phosphate battery options ranging from 141 to 282 kWh, offering up to 350 kilometres of range. The truck is powered by an e-motor offering nominal power of 120kW and 190kW output and nominal torque of 950 and 1,850Nm respectively (2,600 and 3,500Nm peak performance). It features fast-charging capabilities, allowing 20% to 80% charging in 40 to 70 minutes, depending on battery size. The XB also features advanced driver assistance systems, including the AEBS (Advanced Emergency Braking System), Turn Assist to detect cyclists in blind spots, Drowsiness Detection, Speed Limit Recognition, and Lane Change Assist. This complements the XD Electric and XF Electric range.

DAF Trucks electric range

Electric truck trials and programmes

In an attempt to woo potential customers, DAF Trucks UK initiated an “early adopter programme” for its XB Electric model, which involves a select group of key customers. This involves ten customers over the course of twelve months with full DAF factory and aftermarket support. One notable participant in this programme is Evri, the British parcel delivery company. Evri is incorporating the XB Electric truck into its operations at its Southampton depot. The company confirmed the importance of operating the vehicle under real-world conditions. Only time will tell how many XB Electric trucks make their way into the Evri fleet and onto UK roads.

DAF UK 2024 electric truck trials

Powering electric fleets

Of course, electric trucks require charging and often, grid power solutions to function optimally. This is why Paccar Power Solutions is on hand to provide advanced charging systems and energy management tools aimed at helping fleets transition to electric mobility more effectively. DAF UK now offers a turnkey infrastructure charging solution consisting of electric chargers (Paccar Chargers), grid management tools and digital fleet management tools (Paccar Connect) to support the uptake of its new-generation electric truck range.

Company representatives consult with individual clients on how best to electrify its fleets and depots. This will include working on the necessary construction, electrical installations, chargers, battery storage facilities, and charging management systems which may involve working with third-party contractors where necessary. This involves an in-depth analysis of the operator's vehicle fleet, its charging requirements and individual energy grid capacity/management.

Interestingly, last year Paccar installed its first on-site power supply system consisting of 750 solar panels, at the BEST DAF Trucks centre in Barendrecht, Netherlands. We are yet to see this service rolled out in the UK.

Connectivity, AI and Paccar Connect

DAF is constantly upgrading Paccar Connect, the company’s online fleet management platform, which now comes standard for ten years in its new generation truck series. The software is accessed through a detachable tablet in the cab and on any smart device, remotely. This provides real-time information on the performance of entire fleets, individual vehicles, and drivers, as well as logistical information, designed to optimise the returns on truck operations. The platform allows for easy integration with most third-party software. This means that Paccar Connect can be integrated into warehouse logistics software speeding up the loading/unloading at warehouses. This is coupled with geofencing, which notifies the destination (home base/warehouse) when the vehicle is nearing its final destination.

Paccar Connect

This software provides operators with valuable fleet data relating to vehicle performance, fuel consumption, driver behaviour and GPS/logistical data helping operators run fleets more efficiently. The “Eco Score” tab pulls up information on the driver’s performance whilst “Vehicle Health” allows operators insights into vehicle performance and maintenance scheduling/booking. Furthermore, the software turns this data into reports that can be sent via email to various operational departments, detailing the data of a particular vehicle and/or fleet. The system is constantly evolving thanks to “over-the-air updates”. OEMs realise that fleet management software with the ability to leverage big swaths of data can drive operational efficiency if collected, coagulated and disseminated correctly.

HDV Booking

For operators looking to run long-distance e-fleets throughout the UK in 2026, Phil Moon, Marketing Manager at DAF Trucks UK told us that last year DAF joined an international platform called HDV Booking, which aims to streamline the reservation of public charging stations for electric trucks across the UK and Europe. This initiative is part of a larger effort to improve the efficiency and availability of charging infrastructure for long-distance electric truck transport. The system will enable fleet operators to plan routes more effectively by reserving charging points, taking into account variables such as traffic and driver rest periods. This platform, which includes a consortium of various partners (charging facility providers, software developers, etc.), is expected to be fully operational by Q1 2026.

Operational Highlights

On the lighter side, the Driver Challenge (4^th edition) saw 20 finalists battle it out over a two-day (in autumn 2024) multistage process to crown the best Commercial Vehicle (CV) driver in the UK. Costica Moscal emerged as the winner of the 2024 DAF UK & Ireland DAF Driver Challenge and will progress to the European-wide DAF Driver Challenge taking place in 2025.

DAF UK & Ireland DAF Driver Challenge