Iveco presented the New Daily to its dealer network and the international press in a live digital event streamed on its Iveco Live Channel platform. The latest evolution of the Daily family of light commercial vehicles features – an industry first – a new pneumatic suspension system with smart electronic controls. In addition there is the new Iveco Driver Pal using Amazon Alexa voice commands to enable the driver to interact with the vehicle and with the driver community via voice commands and finally, new engine technology and after-treatment systems to meet Euro 6-D Final and Euro VI-E compliance in real conditions and for life (Conformity Factor =1) ahead of regulations. The optimised 2.3-litre engine delivers up to 6% fuel savings and enhances the Daily’s versatility with up to 15% torque increase for demanding applications.
This shift in shopping habits is expected to be permanent to some degree with the easing of restrictions – with a consequent growth in the demand for light commercial vehicles. Connectivity has become a necessity in every area of everyday life – personal and professional – and vehicles must meet this requirement.
Sustainability and clean air have acquired even more urgency, leading to increasingly challenging vehicle emissions standards. Public incentives are supporting the development of new infrastructure, with a consequent recovery in the construction sector.
AIR-PRO pneumatic suspension
The New Daily introduces the revolutionary AIR-PRO pneumatic suspension, which continuously adapts to the condition of usage to deliver a uniquely smooth and safe ride for driver and load. The exclusive AIR-PRO Continuous Damping Control (CDC) unit reacts almost instantly to road disturbances, calculating every 10 milliseconds the ideal pressure on each shock absorber to deliver the best dynamic reaction. The lower vibrations, reduced by 25% contribute further to a supremely comfortable driving experience.
The AIR-PRO intelligent system also adapts to the driver’s requirements and puts them in control of the suspension’s behaviour. They can choose to prioritise comfort with the Soft setting; select Load to optimise handling and roll control in full load conditions; or leave it to the system’s self-adapting parameters with the Auto setting. The AIR-PRO suspension adapts to the vehicle load, reducing the roll angle by 30% in bends, enhancing the driver’s safety and protecting the load.
The AIR-PRO suspension makes loading and unloading operations easy and efficient, adjusting the height of the vehicle chassis in less than 10 seconds. A memory function also enables the operator to memorise the alignment with usual loading bays, making it even easier to get the vehicle ready.
The AIR-PRO intelligent system is easy to manage via a dedicated rotary switch on the dashboard and new, intuitive TFT graphics.
Iveco Driver Pal through Amazon Alexa
The New Daily features Iveco Driver Pal, the vocal and digital driver companion that enables the driver to interact with their vehicle and the driving community, and access Iveco’s connected services through voice commands via Amazon Alexa.
Iveco Driver Pal offers two unique skills developed with AWS Professional Services and Alexa Auto team. The first one, MYIveco, enables the driver to check the health status of the vehicle, set and manage the navigation system, request assistance if needed, and ask for driving style tips to save fuel and travel safely.
A second unique skill, MYCOMMUNITY, puts the driver in communication with the driver community. They can exchange advice, and ask for help to avoid unplanned stops and delays with information about traffic congestion and other disruptions. Automatic translation resolves the language barrier.
New manual transmission
The New Daily introduces a new 6-speed manual transmission that offers best-in-class shiftability and precision engagement. This will make it a favourite for drivers in urban missions, who will benefit from greater comfort on long days behind the wheel.
Iveco claim that the new transmission will also contribute to lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). It has been possible to couple the 2.3-litre engine with the same clutch as the 3.0-litre engine, improving robustness in the toughest missions and increasing durability by up to 18%. The new transmission will require no oil change, as the interval has been extended to 350,000 km, contributing to a further reduction in maintenance and repair costs of up to 4%.
New memory foam seats
The New Daily features entirely new seats with central pads of the cushion and backrest, and the headrest in memory foam – an industry first for Light Commercial Vehicles. The foam moulds to the body, distributing the weight evenly, reducing pressure peaks by up to 30%. This results in supreme comfort and protects from back pain.
The side sections have been thickened with 15mm of high-density foam to improve lateral containment, enhancing safety and the driving experience. Taller people will be more comfortable the 20 mm longer and 15 mm thicker front cushion, which provides better support for their longer legs. The seat side carter and levers have been redesigned to make it easier to get on and off the vehicle, ideal for door-to-door and parcel delivery missions that require frequent exits.
Unique engine line-up
The New Daily is the only vehicle offering two engines. The 2.3-litre F1A with power ranging from 116 hp to 156 hp (available in light- and heavy-duty homologation), and the 3.0-litre F1C with power ratings from 160 hp to 207 hp. The 2.3-litre F1A engine stands out for its fuel economy, achieving up to 6% fuel savings in WLTP cycle compared to the previous model.
The new manual transmission has enabled a torque increase of up to 15%, improving the New Daily’s performance in demanding applications and enhancing its versatility for body builds with PTO requirements. The New Daily remains true to its sustainable vocation with the 3.0-litre CNG engine, which delivers a powerful and responsive performance with 136 hp and 350 Nm torque.
The New Daily complies with Euro 6-D Final and Euro VI-E standards, achieving Conformity Factor 1 (CF=1) ahead of regulations. This means that it meets the emissions limits in real conditions and for the life of the vehicle. It uses a double SCR after-treatment system that has been entirely redesigned to occupy the same spaces as in the previous models, so that it has no impact on the vehicle’s body-ability.