Iveco Eurocargo delivers a bright future in London
External lighting specialist David Webster Lighting has added a new 18 tonne Iveco Eurocargo 4x2 rigid to its fleet – replacing a Eurocargo which successfully clocked-up nine years demanding work across London and the South East.
The Eurocargo 180E25/P, supplied by Iveco dealer Hendy Van & Truck, has been built with a dropside body from Wessex Bodies and is mounted with an on-board compressor and HIAB XS122B-3 remote control crane. It will operate on street lighting contracts in central London, being used to safely erect and remove street lamps of all sizes up to and including the largest cast-iron heritage columns located around Westminster.
The new vehicle benefits from an array of safety features including a colour reversing camera, reversing alarm, cab rear window and six mirrors to ensure the best possible all-round visibility. This aids the vehicle’s impressive manoeuvrability around town, thanks to a cab width of just 2.1m and an impressive steering angle of 52 degrees.
Adding to the vehicle’s high-specification is Bluetooth capability, axle weighing sensors, a ladder to permit safe access to and from the load bed and fixed anchor points which allow operatives to clip-on to avoid falls whilst unloading. The vehicle also features four-bag rear air-suspension and an uprated 7.5 tonne front axle with 315/70 R 22.5 tyres.
Danny Melville, Branch Manager at David Webster Lighting’s Mitcham branch, where the vehicle is based, says: “The previous Eurocargo served us well and was so popular with the team we kept extending its life on the fleet. Its strong performance over the years was the driving factor which led us to replace it with the latest generation model.”
Commenting on the new vehicle’s arrival at the branch, Melville adds: “The most noticeable difference in specifications between the two trucks is the automated EuroTronic gearbox. It makes a huge amount of sense for a vehicle which spends the majority of its working life in the heart of London. Feedback from our drivers has been excellent – they don’t miss the clutch pedal at all!”
The EuroTronic gearbox, which is standard on all new 4x2 Eurocargo models sold in the UK, features a two-pedal set-up complete with a software control package developed to optimise fuel economy. It helps to make driving more comfortable and safer for the driver, particularly in urban areas, where routine traffic congestion means stop/start driving is commonplace. The automated gearbox also eliminates the risk of over-revving the engine and ensures the truck is always in the right gear, helping to prolong clutch life.
Powered by a 5.9 litre six-cylinder tector engine, the vehicle is capable of producing up to 251 hp at 2,700 rev/min and up to 850 Nm of torque between 1,250 and 2,100 rev/min. This engine meets the strict Enhanced Environmentally friendly Vehicle (EEV) emissions level, enabling David Webster Lighting to operate a truck which is far cleaner than the minimum legal standard. Compared with the current Euro 5 standard it sets lower limits for all pollutants other than NOx, which in turn helps to ‘future proof’ the truck even further from possible changes in Low Emission Zone requirements.
Like all Eurocargos, this model benefits from a tough ladder frame chassis to ensure excellent ride and handling, together with a programmable speed limiter which allows the driver to set a lower maximum speed than the vehicle’s actual limit. This is particularly useful in urban areas for ensuring the vehicle remains safe and legal at all times. Safety is also enhanced with ventilated disc brakes, an Anti-Lock Braking system (ABS) and an engine exhaust brake as standard.
Additional safety features of the Eurocargo include an audible parking brake warning system which operates if the driver’s door is opened without the park brake being applied and a driver’s seat belt warning system, fitted as standard, which emits a persistent audible warning sound when the ignition is turned on and the driver’s seat belt is not fastened.
The Eurocargo benefits from the longest service intervals in the medium truck sector: engine oil changes are only required every 80,000 km. Furthermore, gearbox oil only needs changing every 300,000 km – the equivalent of more than 100 return trips from Land’s End to John O’Groats.
