THE continuing disruption to the truck industry of extended component supply and cost increases is not affecting demand for new trucks, suggested Laurence Drake, managing director of DAF Trucks Ltd, speaking at the first traditional pre-Christmas meeting with the trade press since 2019.
He expected that in 2023, truck registrations over 6t will reach 43,000, not dissimilar to the market in the 2015 to 2018 era. Covid however took its toll with the 2020 market dropping to 33,000 and rising to 37,000 in 2021, representing a shortfall of 14,000 trucks which under normal circumstances would have created a pent up demand now that we are returning to normality but, said Laurence Drake, if that extra demand materialises, manufacturers would be unable to meet it on top of this year’s expected buoyant registrations.
Looking at DAF’s developments in 2022, there was the IAA launch of the XD, XDC and XFC models as well as the LF with its novel Powerline automatic gearbox. But looking to the future, XD and XF Electric models were announced, taking the wraps off DAF’s strategy on electrification.
