DAF TRUCKS reveal from their records that in 1977, a typical maximum capacity truck, running at 32 tonnes gross, carrying a payload of 20.5 tonnes on a 320km journey used 130 litres of diesel and put out 16.7kg of CO2 per tonne of payload. Including a statutory 45 minute break, the journey took six hours and ten minutes.

In 2007, a maximum capacity truck running at 44 tonnes gross, carrying a payload of 29.5 tonnes on the same journey used 103 litres of diesel and emitted 9.2kg of CO2 per tonne of payload. Including the same statutory break, the journey took four hours and 15 minutes.

In summary, the 2007 truck used 21% less diesel, carried 30% more payload, emitted 21% less CO2, meaning a CO2/t/km saving of 45%. The truck emitted 96% less particulates and 87% less NOX. It was also 33% quicker although working within a lower maximum speed limit.

The modern truck also produced 1/12th of the noise of the older model.