The highlight was the awarding of two of the most prestigious awards in the truck industry. The new generation XF, XG and XG⁺ were voted “International Truck of the Year 2022” due to the new standard they set in terms of efficiency, safety and driver comfort. In addition, the DAF XF H2 truck concept with hydrogen combustion engine won the coveted “Truck Innovation Award 2022”. All this confirms that the new generation of DAF trucks represents a completely new platform; one ready for new alternative transmissions and the promise of an even cleaner future.

60,000 trucks

It goes without saying that 2021 was also a very difficult year for DAF as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, largely due to reduced parts availability. In fact, it was not the demand for trucks that ultimately determined the production figures, but rather the availability of chips and other components. In 2021, around 49,000 CF and XF heavy and medium-duty trucks rolled off the production line (compared to 37,600 in 2020), as well as around 11,000 LF distribution trucks (9,000 in 2020). 

Market leader in 6 European countries

DAF achieved a market share of 15.9% (2020: 16.3%) in Europe in the large-tonnage segment (16 tons+) and 10.1% (compared to 9.5%) in the light tonnage segment. As in previous years, DAF was the market leader in 2021 for the heavy tonnage segment in the Netherlands (28.5%), the United Kingdom (29.4%), Poland (24.3%), Hungary (24.8%), Bulgaria (23.8%) and Portugal (19.0%). DAF also remained the undisputed market leader in Europe in the heavy tonnage tractor unit segment. 

Sales outside Europe

DAF sold 8,600 trucks outside the European Union in 2021, compared to 5,900 in 2020. This number included a large order for heavy-duty trucks from Colombia and an order for several dozen fully equipped waste collection vehicles from Ghana. In addition, the 10,000th locally built truck was produced in Taiwan, where DAF is the market leader among European brands in the heavy-duty vehicle segment. DAF also ended the year as market leader in Israel and made strong progress in Australia and Brazil, among others.  

10% more PACCAR transmissions sold

In 2021, DAF sold 2,250 PACCAR engines to leading manufacturers of coaches, buses and special vehicles. This represents an increase of more than 10% compared to 2020, when DAF Components sold 2,000 engines. DAF also received two orders from the Belgian Army in 2021. In the coming years, a total of 900 all-wheel drive vehicles, with or without ballistic cabins, will be delivered. 

"Record after record"

“No less than 40 percent of all newly sold used trucks were delivered with a DAF MultiSupport repair and maintenance contract – a record,” according to Richard Zink, DAF Board Member for Marketing and Sales. “This means that more and more customers are opting for maximum uptime support, both in terms of costs and vehicle availability. A record number of transport operators benefited from the services of PACCAR Financial, which also sold an unprecedented number of used vehicles.”

Continuing development in 2022

“Due to economic development, the demand for trucks in Europe is increasing, and with the New DAF GenerationXF, XG and XG⁺, DAF has an excellent product,” says Harry Wolters, President of DAF Trucks. “These are the first and only trucks on the market that comply with the new European regulations on vehicle weights and dimensions. This means that the XF, XG and XG⁺ have set a new benchmark in the areas of efficiency, safety and driver comfort. We expect the European truck market to reach somewhere between 260,000 and 300,000 vehicles in 2022. Thanks to our industry-leading programme and first-class service, we are ready, together with our professional dealers, to continue to grow.”