DAF’s New Generation, including the XF, XG, and XG+, has been named International Truck of the Year 2022, while the DAF XF Hydrogen has won the 2022 Truck Innovation Award.

The International Truck of the Year jury, consisting of 24 commercial vehicle editors and senior journalists representing 24 major trucking magazines throughout Europe, has selected the New Generation from DAF as the 2022 International Truck of the Year.

DAF’s New Generation range received a winning score of 150 votes, beating Iveco’s recently launched T-Way construction series and Mercedes-Benz’s secondgeneration battery-electric eActros.

“With the introduction of the New Generation, DAF has delivered a high-tech heavyduty truck range that sets a new benchmark in the truck industry,” says International Truck of the Year chairman Gianenrico Griffini.

The annual award is presented to the truck introduced into the market in the previous 12 months, which has made the most significant contribution to road transport efficiency. This judgement relies on several critical criteria, including technological innovation, comfort, safety, driveability, fuel economy, environmental ‘footprint’, and total cost of ownership.

Taking full advantage of the EU’s new mass and dimension regulations, DAF has created a truck range that dramatically improves aerodynamics, fuel efficiency, active and passive safety, and comfort for the driver.

During recent extended test drives in Spain and central Europe, the ITOY jury members appreciated the excellent visibility provided by a large, curved windscreen, side windows with low beltlines and the kerb-view window. These features – along with the digital vision system that replaces the traditional rear mirrors and the new corner view camera – offer excellent all-around visibility, protecting vulnerable road users.

The ITOY journalists also praised the performance of the new highly efficient powertrains, based on the Paccar MX-11 and MX-13 engines, coupled with TraXon automated gearbox, and the advanced features of predictive cruise control with extended Eco-roll functionalities.

“In addition, it is futureoriented, as it also represents a complete platform for new generations of alternative drivelines,” Griffini says.

DAF XF Hydrogen

Also presented by the International Truck of the Year jury plus the South African member publication, the Truck Innovation Award acknowledges the enormous technological changes and energy transition taking place within the automotive sector.

Nominees must be advanced-technology vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of more than 3.5 tonnes that are fitted with an alternative driveline or fuel system. Otherwise, it must feature specific hightech solutions regarding connectivity (whether semior fully autonomous driving systems), a ‘platooning’ capability, or advanced support services such as remote diagnostics.

This year the DAF XF Hydrogen – a prototype of a hydrogen-fuelled heavyduty truck with an internal combustion engine – fought off the competition from Mercedes-Benz’s GenH2 Truck, a fuel cell-powered long-haul vehicle, with a winning score of 92 votes.

The ITOY jury praised the prototype’s handling characteristics, seamless acceleration, and userfriendly human-machine interface (HMI), shared with the New Generation range.

The journalists appreciated DAF’s innovative approach to alternative propulsion and energy transition, which takes advantage of the dynamic qualities of the internal combustion engine while ensuring zero CO2 emissions from the tailpipe.

Griffini commented: “A transition to CO2-neutral transport requires a wide array of viable solutions. Hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine vehicles can play a role in the future powertrain mix for mediumand long-haul applications.”