UD Trucks shakes up an industry with the local launch of the all new Quon

The term 'all new' gets thrown around loosely these days, with carmakers claiming their new models are completely different. Most of the time, it's more evolution than revolution. Not for UD Trucks, though. It prides itself in delivering the best not only for its customers, but also for the benefit of the logistics and transport industry.

And the company means to keep its promise with the local launch of the, quite literally, all new Quon. So much so that the only thing it retains from its predecessor is its name.

As Pierre Jean Verge Salamon, Senior Vice President of UD Trucks International Sales, puts it, "It's not business as usual, it's disruption as usual."

Armed with a new GH11 engine, an ESCOT-VI 12-speed automated manual transmission, and a host of smart safety technologies, the new Quon is a heavy-duty truck that aims to support Singapore's goal in becoming a global transport and logistics hub.

When asked in an interview about how the Quon fits into UD Trucks' roadmap for a fully electric and autonomous fleet by 2030, Pierre Jean, alongside Nobuhiko Kishi, Senior Vice President of UD Trucks Corporation, highlighted that the Quon is a test bed for future technologies that will propel the industry towards that goal.

And although it's still a long way away, the company is taking the first step towards the future of e-mobility and autonomous driving with the next generation Quon.

With a strong focus on fuel efficiency and low emissions, the Quon is powered by an 11-litre GH11 engine featuring a new fuel injection system that exceeds Japan's Heavy Vehicle Fuel Economy Standards by five percent.

Putting out 414bhp and 1,900Nm of torque, the powerful yet clean and fuel efficient GH11 is mated to a 12-speed automated manual transmission that comes with functions such as ESCOT-roll, Acceleration Limiter and Soft Cruise Control that suppresses fluctuations in fuel consumption and, in turn, improves fuel economy.

Also a top priority for UD Trucks is what the company refers to as Smart Safety. This means the Quon is not only safer, but also more reliable for the driver, as well as its cargo and surroundings.

This is done with a slew of safety equipment on-board that predict risk and prevent accidents before they even happen. Some of these features include Adaptive Cruise Control (Traffic Eye Cruise Control), an Advanced Emergency Braking System (Traffic Eye Brake), UD Stability Control, as well as a Lane Departure Warning System, just to name a few.