Aeolus Truck & Driver News

Following a lengthy delay, the Police Commercial Vehicle Safety Team (CVST) is now in the process of deploying five of its new Mobile Roller Brake Test units.

The new machines – which enable roadside brake testing for heavy commercial vehicles – were launched to the media in early 2022 and were scheduled for deployment later that year.

Among the reasons cited for the delay have been issues related to the design of trailers for transporting the units, an extended test and development programme, and also driver training required for officers who would be transporting the units.

The February 2024 issue of New Zealand Truck & Driver reported five MRBT un...

A green hydrogen dual-fuel milk tanker has gone to work for Miraka, a Māori-owned, Taupō based dairy company.

The 700hp Volvo FH16 is New Zealand’s first green hydrogen dual-fuel tanker for milk collection, and will travel approximately 165,000km annually. It has the capacity to haul 58 tonnes and requires two hydrogen refills daily.

Miraka’s factory at Mokai is the world’s first dairy processing company to use renewable geothermal energy. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from on-farm milk collection has also been a key goal for the innovative company.

The Miraka dairy plant already has one of the world’s lowest manufacturing carbon emissions footpr...

New Zealand’s first fully electric semi- trailer has been launched ahead of a local trial for the new zero-emissions transport solution.

The Schmitz Cargobull S.KOe COOL three-axle semi-trailer is equipped with an electric refrigeration unit, high-voltage battery system, an e-axle generator and integrated power electronics.

The introduction of the S.KOe COOL trailer is the latest initiative in an eight-year partnership between local trailer market sales leader Fruehauf NZ and German company Schmitz Cargobull.

Electric energy recuperated from a 20kW e-axle generator attached to the second axle of the trailer powers the refrigeration unit, taking the place of a diesel gene...

New Zealand’s first hydrogen-powered truck ticked over 100,000km of commercial operations with NZ Post near Huntly, late in the evening of July 24.

The Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell heavy-duty truck arrived in New Zealand in late-2021. Following a conversion to right-hand-drive it has been in full commercial operations with NZ Post since 2023, making it the first truck of its kind to be put to the test in New Zealand.

Hyundai says the 100,000km milestone demonstrates that hydrogen can be a reliable and efficient replacement to traditional diesel trucks with equivalent range, refuelling times and payloads.

By travelling 100,000km on hydrogen, the truck has...

Transport operators say heavy vehicle access to a rapidly developing commercial and industrial zone in the Waikato will be choked by an unrealistic new roundabout design.

The Waipa District Council is nearing completion of the new roundabout on Hautapu Rd (a section of State Highway 1B). It’s a key access point to the fast growing Hautapu area adjacent to the Waikato Expressway.

Some local transport operators have raised concerns that the roundabout is poorly designed for heavy vehicles – in particular over-dimension units. They also say there’s been a frustrating lack of consultation from Waipa council.

Mike Ross of C&R Developments operates a flee...