With COVID-19 cases still being recorded in Malaysia, the organisers of Automechanika Kuala Lumpur defer the upcoming edition of the show initially planned for March 2021. The move to reschedule the fair to 15 – 17 March 2022 comes as a result of travel restrictions hampering both domestic and international attendance.

Exhibitors, partners and supporting associations have backed the decision, and they look forward to the fair’s mixture of exhibition and events that promote automotive industry recovery. Over the years, Automechanika Kuala Lumpur has gathered a broad international audience that leverages the platform to explore the opportunities in ASEAN’s automotive market. The last edition of the show, held in 2019, hosted 16 exhibiting and 58 visiting countries and regions worldwide.

However, prevailing travel restrictions into the country and local prevention measures, set out by the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO)2, have limited the geographical mobility into and around Malaysia. With large numbers of COVID-19 cases still being reported domestically, the uncertainty of these restrictions being lifted before
March 2021 is at the forefront of the organiser’s decision to postpone the show. 

Scania Singapore announced that it has commenced sales for its battery electric trucks from 6 April 2022. It also announced the signing of a sales agreement today with its first customer, ALBA W&H Smart City, for 15 battery electric trucks, the first European-branded battery electric trucks in Singapore.

The L230B6X2*4NB trucks will be delivered in two batches. With the initial batch, which is already in production planning, Scania will homologate its battery electric trucks and the respective charging infrastructure in Singapore, while the second batch will demonstrate Scania’s ability to rolled out the vehicles on a fleet level.

In launching battery electric trucks, Scania aims to contribute to Singapore’s goal for all vehicles to run on cleaner energy by 2040 as well as Scania’s science-based targets for a 20% reduction in Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions generated through customers’ usage of its products.

“We are very pleased to welcome ALBA W&H Smart City as our pioneering partner towards more sustainable transportation in Singapore,” says Anders Liss, Country Manager of Scania Singapore. “It’s a significant leap forward in showcasing carbon-neutral transportation at a time when more organisations are coming on board to address the global climate crisis. ALBA together with Scania in a sustainable partnership is now part of the SG Green Plan 2030 journey towards net-zero emissions.”

“Being a city state, Singapore is the logical choice for us to establish our first fleet of fully electric vehicles,” said Sashi Kumar, General Manager of Solid Waste from ALBA W&H Smart City. “However, at the same time it is a highly competitive and demanding market with the highest service level expected worldwide, including daily collections and up to 12-hour shifts of continuous operation.”

Mr Kumar added: “We have monitored the market for electric vehicles for several years now and are happy that with Scania’s battery electric trucks, we finally found an electrified chassis that is ready for our daily grind of waste collection in the clean and green city of Singapore.”

The battery electric trucks can operate at close to zero emissions when using cleaner sources of electricity supplemented with the purchase of renewable energy certificates.

Each truck operates as a permanent magnet electric machine with oil spray cooling, with peak propulsion of about 295kW, 2,200 Nm and continuous propulsion of about 230 kW, 1300 Nm. With up to 250 km range on a single charge, it can cover short and medium distances on electric power.

Nine lithium-ion batteries, with an installed capacity of 297 kW, are backed by up to eight years of warranty. Direct current charging is carried out by the European-standard CCS type 2 plug-in connection at up to 130 kW/ 200 A.

In Singapore, customers can choose from the P-cab or L-cab series and 4x2, 6x2 or 6x2*4 wheel configurations with a maximum gross trailer weight of 28 tonnes. The battery electric trucks are suitable for urban operations such as distribution, waste collection, hook lifts, tippers and concrete mixers.

Mr Liss added: “An investment in a battery electric truck improves operators’ branding and market competitiveness as responsible organisations. They are addressing their own climate goals as well as the climate goals of their customers and society.”

Scania’s battery electric trucks are sold as a total solution with charging infrastructure, vehicle optimisation customised to the customer’s operations, repair and maintenance services and the option for financing and insurance services.

ALBA W&H Smart City is a joint venture between Berlin-based ALBA Group, one of the leading recycling and environmental services companies as well as raw material providers worldwide, and Wah & Hua, a leading Singapore waste management provider. In Singapore, the company is the NEA appointed Public Waste Collector for Jurong and Woodlands-Yishun sectors, where ALBA has established itself to be a leader in the space with their innovative suite of sustainability, digitalisation, and productivity solutions.

BYD Company Ltd. (hereafter known as BYD) and Hino Motors, Ltd. (hereafter known as Hino) have signed a strategic business alliance agreement to collaborate in commercial battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) development. A BEV is a type of electric vehicle (EV) that exclusively uses chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs with no secondary source of propulsion.



Both companies will accelerate the development of commercial BEVs to provide the best product for customers in a timely manner. To begin with, the two companies will prioritise development of BEV products. By utilizing both knowledge and experience, BYD and Hino will cooperate in retail and other related businesses that will promote the adoption of BEV. 　

On this partnership agreement, Wang Jie, BYD Vice President and CEO of commercial vehicle division, stated in a release that "BYD Commercial Vehicle and Hino Motors have been committed to technology innovation and global promotion of commercial vehicle electrification. The cooperation between the Chinese and Japanese companies will benefit the development of commercial vehicle electrification by introducing leading technology and rich experience, which will accelerate the global adoption of pure electric commercial vehicles."

Taketo Nakane, Hino's Director and Senior Managing Officer said, "We are pleased with this collaboration aiming to realize commercial BEVs that are truly beneficial to customers both in practically and economically. By bringing together BYD's achievement in BEV development and Hino's electrification technology and reliability built over years of experience in developing hybrid vehicles, we will develop the best-fit commercial BEV products for consumer in working towards swift market introduction”.

BYD started in 1995 as a battery R&D and manufacturing company. It masters core EV technologies including battery, IGBT, electric motor and electronic controls, and has become a company that provides comprehensive new energy solutions such as new energy passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, forklifts, and power battery products.

BYD Commercial Vehicle is a world-leading brand with an extensive product line-up ranging from pure electric coach and bus to pure electric truck. Since the first commercial operation of the BYD K9 pure electric bus in Shenzhen in 2011, BYD’s footprint can be found in more than 300 cities across over 50 countries and regions around the world. BYD has sold over 50,000 units of pure electric bus and coach, ranking first on the global pure electric bus and coach sales.

Hino was founded in 1942 and has since grown alongside its customers and societal development through its business of providing trucks and buses. In 1991, Hino released the world's first commercially available hybrid vehicle in the form of a heavy-duty urban transit bus. For nearly thirty years since, Hino has constantly strived to innovate EV technology, putting light-duty electric vehicle buses and medium-duty plug-in hybrid buses in operation. Hino’s heavy-duty truck with the newest 6th Generation Hybrid system offers the convenience of a diesel truck while improving fuel efficiency by about 15% (compared to diesel trucks, based on Hino internal research). Hino contributes to customer businesses with products that strike a balance between environmental-friendliness and practicality.

Cawangan baru jualan dan perkhidmatan Scania Malaysia di Kuching, Sarawak kini telah dibuka. Ianya beralamat di Lot 935, Lorong Demak Laut, 7A Jalan Demak Laut 7, Demak Laut Industrial Park, 93050 Kuching, Sarawak. Ini merupakan sebahagian daripada rancangan pengembangan dalam negeri dan juga merupakan cawangan jualan dan perkhidmatan kedua selepas Bintulu.

"Kami telah mendengar maklum balas daripada pelanggan dan tindak balas kami adalah melabur dengan lebih lagi di Sarawak dengan premis terbaru kami di Kuching. Dengan menjadi pusat rangkaian pengangkutan negeri, kami memberi jaminan yang kami akan menyediakan lebih banyak perkhidmatan serta memberikan perkhidmatan yang lebih baik terhadap para pelanggan kami," kata Marie Sjödin Enström, Pengarah Urusan Scania Asia Tenggara. "Untuk memenuhi keperluan pengangkutan orang dan kargo di Malaysia, Scania telah mempunyai 12 bengkel khusus di seluruh negara termasuk di cawangan terbaru di Kuching. Ini selari dengan temasya 50 tahun Scania bertapak di Malaysia tahun hadapan," sambung Sjödin Enström.

Cawangan baru jualan dan perkhidmatan ini dipimpin oleh Phang Yee Fong, Pengurus Wilayah di Wilayah Timur. Pasukan di bawah pimpinan beliau terdiri daripada Solution Sales Executive, Workshop Manager, Service Technicians dan lain-lain. Pasukan terlatih ini akan menerima latihan berterusan dari segi perkembangan terbaru kaedah dan teknologi. Bengkel ini mempunyai 3 pelantar yang dilengkapi dengan alat diagnostik, 'lifting columns' dan peralatan lain yang standard untuk memastikan trak, bas, dan bas persiaran yang datang mendapat penyelenggaraan yang berkualiti. Asia Parts Centre yang terletak di Singapura akan membantu untuk memastikan ketersediaan alat ganti di seluruh Sarawak.

"Kami mempunyai rangkaian trak, bas dan bas persiaran serta perkhidmatan yang terbesar untuk kesesuaian setiap operasi," kata Yee Fong. "Para pelanggan kami sentiasa mempercayai kecekapan bahan api New Truck Generation. Model XT kami pula dapat berfungsi di persekitaran yang paling sukar. Pelanggan kami akan terus mendapat keuntungan dari pendekatan penyelesaian total jika ditambah dengan kontrak pembaikan dan penyelenggaraan, bantuan tepi jalan, alat ganti, perkhidmatan berdasarkan data sistem pengurusan armada, latihan serta bimbingan untuk pemandu dan Scania Financial Services. 

"Tahniah kepada Scania Malaysia kerana telah membuka Cawangan baru jualan dan perkhidmatan di Kuching. Kami amat ternanti-nantikan sokongan selepas jualan Scania yang akan dapat memberikan kami liputan rangkaian yang lebih luas," kata pelanggan setia Scania, Caleb Wong, Pengarah High Tackle Sdn Bhd. Terdapat beberapa pelanggan Scania di Sarawak di antaranya Biaramas Express, PLSH, UiTm, Jurukin, Persafe, Institut Pendidikan Guru, Jabatan Pendaftaran Mahkamah Bergerak dan Pejabat Pelajaran Daerah.

"Saya sangat gembira kerana Scania akhirnya membuka cawangannya di Kuching atas permintaan kami. Jika kami mengikut jadual selenggaraan yang betul, kami akan mendapat 'uptime' yang maximum untuk kesemua bas ekspres kami secara konsisten," kata Lai Sin Kiong, Pengurus Besar Biaramas Express Sdn Bhd. "Ini juga merupakan sebahagian daripada perkongsian Scania Ecolution untuk mengurangkan pelepasan Karbon Dioksida dalam operasi kami," sambung Lai.

Sebagai perintis dalam penyelesaiaan pengangkutan lestari, tumpuan strategik syarikat ini adalah kepada keuntungan pelanggan. "Kami akan terus meneroka kemungkinan pembaharuan bahan api dan elektrikfikasi di Sarawak. Sarawak adalah negeri yang kaya dengan persekitaran semula jadi dan sudah terbiasa melalui kehidupan yang lestari bersama alam semula jadi. Saya nantikan perkongsian lestari yang lebih kukuh di sini," komen Sjödin Enström.

Volvo Trucks hari ini mengumumkan bahawa salah satu pelanggannya, syarikat pengangkutan yang berpangkalan di Johor iaitu Chemtrax Sdn Bhd (Chemtrax) baru-baru ini menerima lima unit trak Volvo yang terdiri daripada empat unit trak FM370 4x2 dan satu unit model FM440 6x2. Ini bertujuan menyokong pengembangan syarikat serta menggantikan beberapa buah trak lama dalam rangkaian pengangkutannya. Trak-trak baharu itu akan digunakan untuk mengangkut kompaun kimia kaustik soda dan gas butadiene.

Majlis penyerahan rasmi trak Volvo yang dihadiri oleh pasukan pengurusan kedua-dua pihak telah diadakan di depot Chemtrax di Pasir Gudang. Dengan penambahan ini, Chemtrax kini memiliki 55 unit trak Volvo iaitu 90 peratus daripada jumlah keseluruhan kenderaan pengangkutan syarikat.

Pengarah Urusan Volvo Trucks Malaysia, Mitch Peden berkata, “Kami berbesar hati kerana dapat memberi sokongan berterusan kepada Chemtrax menerusi penyerahan trak-trak baharu ini, sungguhpun suasana pasaran yang mencabar ketika ini.”

“Volvo FM merupakan trak yang ideal untuk pengangkutan jarak jauh dan dekat, selain boleh menyempurnakan apa jua bentuk tugasan. Kami yakin dengan ciri-ciri pemanduan kelas pertama yang ada, trak ini akan memberikan Chemtrax aspek pengangkutan yang cekap, boleh dipercayai dan selamat demi kemantapan perniagaan mereka.”

Ditubuhkan pada tahun 1998, Chemtrax merupakan salah sebuah syarikat pengangkutan utama di Malaysia yang mengkhusus dalam penghantaran produk kimia dan gas berbahaya seperti asid, alkali, gas petroleum cecair (LPG), bahan kimia berasaskan air serta gas mudah terbakar dan bertoksik.

Chemtrax mengangkut produk-produk berkenaan ke seluruh Malaysia dan Singapura menggunakan pelbagai jenis lori tangki. Antaranya ialah tangki tahan karat, lori tangki istimewa dan lori tangki bertekanan tinggi demi memenuhi pelbagai garis panduan ketat untuk setiap bahan berbahaya yang dibawanya.

Berucap pada majlis penyerahan tersebut, Pengarah Urusan Kumpulan Chemtrax Sdn Bhd, Jaffar Abu Bakar berkata, “Kami mempunyai pengalaman melebihi 20 tahun dalam mengendalikan bahan-bahan berbahaya. Kami menyediakan perkhidmatan pengangkutan untuk syarikat-syarikat seperti Petronas, CCM Chemicals, Kaneka, Solar Gaz serta firma-firma global lain termasuklah IVICT, INEOS dan Synthomer. Semua syarikat ini mengamalkan piawaian keselamatan antarabangsa yang sangat ketat dan kami komited dalam melaksanakannya.”

Tambah beliau lagi, pengangkutan ini melibatkan perjalanan jarak jauh dan dekat ke seluruh Semenanjung Malaysia dan sekitar 15 perjalanan sehari ke Singapura.

“Sifat semula jadi bahan berbahaya yang diangkut ini memerlukan perhatian penuh supaya sentiasa mengutamakan aspek keselamatan. Dalam usaha memenuhi semua piawaian keselamatan dan kualiti antarabangsa, kami memang memerlukan trak-trak yang tahan lasak untuk mengekalkan kualiti dan penghantaran yang tepat pada masanya kepada pelanggan. ”

“Selama lebih sedekad, kami sentiasa menambah trak Volvo dalam barisan trak pengangkutan. Volvo Trucks sentiasa menjadi pilihan utama para pemandu kami, terima kasih kepada aspek keselesaan terutama untuk perjalanan jauh yang membantu mengurangkan kepenatan. Kami sangat berpuas hati dengan penjimatan bahan api yang ditawarkan sama ada untuk perjalanan jauh atau dekat. Ciri amaran yang dipaparkan pada papan pemuka memberi pemberitahuan awal kepada kami untuk mengesan sebarang isu pada trak, sekali gus memudahkan urusan pembaikan serta penyelenggaraan yang lebih efektif,” tambah Jaffar Abu Bakar.

Kata beliau lagi, trak Volvo FM dapat menawarkan tahap operasi yang tinggi kerana ia dilengkapi pelbagai ciri termaju untuk meningkatkan prestasi, keselamatan dan penjimatan bahan api. Pengandalian trak Volvo yang senang dikuasai dan sesi latihan pemandu yang ditawarkan juga membantu Chemrax menarik pemandu yang berbakat dan mengekalkan pemandu yang bagus, sekali gus menjamin kestabilan ke atas perniagaannya.