The semi-trailer and drawbar trailer segment recorded a decline in sales of 1.9%, whereas body builder sales rose by 16.3%.

This vehicle is being utilised for regional distribution and long-haul deliveries as part of a UK-funded government project to demonstrate how battery-electric heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) can effectively replace conventional HGVs at scale on the UK road network.

Since November of last year, Scania has sent employees to the ‘Ett’ plant at Skellefteå in northern Sweden to assist with the ramp-up of cell production, according to a Reuters report.

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, ameliorating that initial cost.

In 2024, three of four main truck market segments increased to register a total of 124,933 trucks sold, a 15.65% increase over the 108,024 trucks sold in 2023, according to statistics provided by Anfavea.

This marks a significant milestone in the company's growth strategy which aligns with Great Dane's long-term vision to enhance operational efficiency and increase their regional market presence in the truck body sector.

DAF Trucks UK has been the market leader in the UK truck (trucks >6t) market for 30 years.

The truck conversion is based on a Mercedes Benz Actros chassis (4x2), equipped with a 7.8-litre Deutz six-cylinder in-line diesel (converted to run on hydrogen) engine with an output of 210 kW (281 hp) providing a maximum torque of 1000 Nm. The truck is fitted with an Allison 3000 Series TM fully automatic transmission.

Eduardo Freitas, vice president of Anfavea, said: “We had a special year in 2024 for bus and coach chassis production, with the 34.7% increase was driven by the urban segment, which grew 41.3%, and the intercity segment, which grew by 5.4%.”

Whilst making the argument that Europe can maintain competitiveness whilst reaching its climate goals, the Union faces a multitude of issues relating to the rise of the Chinese EV automotive industry, pending American tariffs from the new Trump regime, internal political instability and unforeseen market reluctance relating to the uptake of zero-emission trucks.

David Kiss, Managing Director of DAF Trucks UK told members of the UK media at an event held in Oxford late last year that a large amount of DAF UK’s success is a direct result of its aftermarket network. The territory boasts 13 dealer groups with 146 dealer locations, which include 102 service locations and 34 sales locations.

The data by ANFAVEA shows truck production up by 40.5% in 2024, and that bus and coach chassis output rose by 34.7% when compared with 20,598 units in 2023.