The title of ‘International Truck of the Year 2022’ has been granted to DAF’s new generation of trucks.
DAF trucks, according to the judges, established new norms for efficiency, safety, and driver comfort. The prize was given out during a Lyon international exposition. DAF also won the ‘2021 Truck Innovation Award’ for their XF Innovation trucks, which include a hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine. DAF is a major employer in the Kempen area, with its manufacturing in Oevel.
“DAF is the first truck manufacturer to deliver a fully new generation of vehicles,” remarked Gianenrico Griffini, head of the jury for the ‘International Truck of the Year.’
Harry Wolters, president of DAF Trucks, received the coveted honor of “International Truck of the Year 2022.” He dedicated the award to all of DAF’s more than 12,000 employees throughout the world. “Winning this prize was a true collaborative effort! The Next Generation XF, XG, and XG+ were the company’s greatest innovation effort in its more than 90-year existence.”
Wolters was also awarded the Truck Innovation Award 2022 for the DAF XF H2 Innovation Truck. The new DAF XF is being developed using a hydrogen combustion engine. “This award reaffirms our belief that, in the future decade, we must develop a comprehensive spectrum of solutions to achieve CO2-free transportation and mobility,” said Ron Borsboom, DAF’s executive director of product development.
“In addition to the battery-electric solutions we presently provide and the hybrid trucks we’re developing, hydrogen technology might become a very attractive choice in the future.” The ‘Truck Innovation Award 2022’ also demonstrates that the internal combustion engine (ICE) has a bright future ahead of it, with new generations of CO2 neutral fuels on the horizon. It is critical to recognize that eliminating the use of fossil fuels does not immediately imply the elimination of combustion engines, particularly in heavy transportation over long distances.”
