Colas moves up to Ecodaily 7-tonners for payload and green credentials 08 February 2011

Colas has stepped up to Iveco Ecodaily 7-tonner, from its earlier 6.5-tonne Daily LCVs – pointing to the extra payload from the same footprint.

The road projects firm has put a fleet of four new Ecodaily tippers to work on a PFI deal with Portsmouth City Council, supporting maintenance and management of the city's highways infrastructure in a contract which lasts until 2029.

Trevor Purfield, national plant & transport manager at Colas, says: "Trading up to the new 7 tonne Ecodaily delivers a healthy payload increase over our previous 6.5 tonne models, while keeping the vehicle's footprint identical, which means we benefit from the same turning circle and manoeuvrability."

Each vehicle has been mounted with a Charlton tipper body, with the vehicle's unladen weight of 3,340 kg (including body-mounted toolbox) delivering a payload of 3,660 kg.

Supplied by Iveco dealer Hendy Van & Truck, the vehicles are some of the first new 7 tonne 70C17 chassis cabs to enter operation in the UK, and replace a fleet of 3.5 tonne tippers on the contract. They will be working up to seven days a week and covering around 20,000 miles a year.

"In comparison with our lighter 3.5 tonne tippers, it ensures we have the flexibility to carry heavier items, such as paving stones, to a site without having to make multiple trips," comments Purfield. "This saves us clocking-up any unnecessary road miles and helps to minimise our impact on the environment."

As for the detail, the Ecodaily's classification as EEV (environmentally friendly enhanced vehicle) means it goes one step further than Euro 5, enabling Colas to operate vehicles cleaner than the legal standard.

Each 7 tonner is powered by a 3.0 litre, four-cylinder engine capable of producing 170hp between 2,990 and 3,500rpm and up to 400Nm of torque between 1,250 and 2,990rpm. Service intervals are extended to 40,000 km, keeping downtime and maintenance low.

As for safety, they feature all-round disc brakes and the latest generation ESP (electronic stability program) as standard, which integrates all of the vehicle's safety functions including ABS (anti-lock braking system), ASR (anti slip regulator), HBA (hydraulic brake assist) and Hill Holder, which stops vehicles rolling back when pulling away on an incline.

Author
Brian Tinham

Related Companies
Charlton Bodies Ltd
Iveco

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