Sprinter for AirSpeed Telecom

AirSpeed Telecom, providers of voice and data services to a range of businesses across Ireland, has taken delivery of a new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 210 medium wheel base high roof van.

Supplied by MUTEC Mercedes-Benz, it will operate from AirSpeed Telecom’s headquarters on Citywest Campus in Dublin.

Sprinter for clinical waste disposal

Clinical waste collection company SRCL has taken delivery of a new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 513 long wheelbase van for use in servicing their customers in the Cork area.

Fitted with a specially commissioned box body and tail lift, it was supplied on an operating lease through Mercedes-Benz main dealers MUTEC.

Fiat works up a Doblo

In this part of the world, pickups are normally based on 4WD platforms and not, as in many other countries like Australia, on cars and vans.

Well, Fiat has just introduced to some European markets a brand new pickup based on its popular Doblo van—called the Eork Up.

The dropside load box is 2.30 m long and 1.82 m wide, with 4 m2 of loading area which can accommodate a payload of up to 1,000kg. Additionally, the multi-link suspension permits a rear axle load up to 1,450kg.

The load box is made of high-resistance steel with a floor created from anti-slip multilayer wood and sides in aluminium alloy. Under the floor is a compartment for stowing long tools.

In addition, on each side of the vehicle there is a small, practical step that allows the user to get into the load area. This structure has a ladder rack/door poles, load restraining hooks, and a sturdy protective grille on the rear window of the cab.

No news yet about an Irish version, but it should be of significant interest to local authorities.

New Crafter from VW

Volkswagen has rolled out a new version of its Crafter large van, with new engines that substantially reduce emissions and maintenance costs.

Payloads in some variants have been increased by 10 percent, there's a free extended warranty for a third year, up to a total 250,000kms use.

The vehicle comes in 3t, 3.5t and 5t GVWs, with three basic lengths and Super Long and Extra High options.

The 2.0 TDI engines come in 109/140/163hp options, and emissions are down by a third in some versions. The engines are lighter, which contribute to the extra payload capability.

The company says maintenance costs are down by a quarter over the previous model. Prices start at €22,000.

First View: New Fiat Ducato

This latest generation of the Fiat Ducato van is all about power trains, interior and connectivity, writes Brian Byrne. Nothing has changed about the outside. The Fiat Professional guy at the Balocco Proving Ground shrugged and said the generation released in 2006 'still has a freshness'.

He's probably right. Celebrating 30 years of the nameplate, this latest generation is still a smart and modern looker. But the 2011 model has a whole new set of power choices.

Unfortunately, we're not going to get the newest in Ireland. Nor will the UK get the 2.0 115hp unit that breaks new ground in efficiency and specific output for the entry level powertrain. The cost of redesigning it for RHD use wouldn't justify the numbers. Which is fair enough. Instead, we'll get a detuned variant of the 2.3 intermediate engines, with a 110hp output. And there won't be anything wrong with that.

'Stability' returning to CV sales?

Sales of Commercial Vehicles for this year so far are a first tentative sign of stability beginning to return. Commercial Vehicles are often seen as a true barometer of economic activity, and this result is a very welcome indicator writes Trish Whelan.

Figures from SIMI show that 8,709 new cars were sold in April, an increase of 3 percent on last year.

SIMI's Director General Alan Nolan (pictured) says while this may seem a fairly modest increase, given the three long weekends in a single month, it is a very creditable result.

So far this year, some 56,676 new cars have been sold, compared to 50,591 for the same period last year, up by 12 percent.

The figures also show that 1,125 Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) were registered in April, an increase of 39 percent over last year while 125 Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGBs) were registered - an increase of 62 percent on April last year.

To year to date figure for LCVs is 6,093, an increase of 5 percent over the first four months of 2010 while the year-to-date statistics for HGVs at 475 are also up 4 percent compared to 2009 (456).

Project will test EV costs

A practical research programme into the actual running costs of electric vans has been initiated by a consortium involving Topaz, Eircom, and The Ecology Foundation.

The project will use three vans and a charging system to be located at three Topaz filling stations, at Glasnevin, Newlands Cross and Templeville Road.

The study will gauge the performance of the electric vans under a variety of criteria including electricity usage, cost, mileage and emissions while it will also include driver and forecourt surveys.

It was launched by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar TD, who said the project would provide a wealth of practical information which would be most useful for transport planning in the years ahead.

The year long project, which is grant aided by the Department’s National Sustainable Travel Office, will play its part in helping to achieve the Government’s target of 10 percent Electric Vehicle usage in the Irish vehicle fleet by 2020.

According to current thinking, the running costs of electric vans can be as low as a third of the cost of similar diesel-powered vehicles.

Doblo goes dropside

A new Dropside variant of Fiat's popular Doblo van is to go on sale in Ireland, writes Brian Byrne.

Although a date and prices aren't yet available, the vehicle has been signed off for production, following the showing of a prototype at last autumn's Hanover Commercial Vehicle Show, pictured above.

The Doblo Dropside will be marketed across Europe as establishing a 'new segment of Urban Truck'.

In Balocco, Italy, today, the company said it would be ideal for construction and renovation work in cities. It is also likely to appeal to individual contractors such as landscape gardeners.

Local authorities would also be attracted to it as a light-duty vehicle with low running costs.