The team at CMV Truck Centre were thrilled to get up close and personal with the Next Level Kenworth K220 during delivery of the Validation model for long-time, valued customer Collins Transport.

For the exciting hand over, we were lucky enough to be joined by Kenworth Australia Chief Engineer, Noelle Parlier, who takes us through the new features in the K220 along with CMV Truck Centre Managing Director, Jonathon Crawford, and the Collins Transport team. 

You can watch the video below and find out how the K220 has been designed to elevate the driver experience in every way.

Exterior

When it came to the exterior of the truck, Kenworth Australia wanted to keep the K220 strikingly unique, as well as reassuringly familiar. 

Instantly recognisable with its streamlined, purposeful contours, the Kenworth DNA is unmistakable in the K220. Exterior style enhancements combine form with operational benefits: the new aerodynamic roof and side fairings reduce drag; the new wheel arch design better protects the engine bay from road spray; and the new stainless steel grille supports optimized engine cooling.

“One of the things we wanted to change about the K220 is make sure that it’s very aerodynamic, you know it is a big square, so we could pull the forehead of the roof forward, get rid of the vista windows so you don’t have all that heat coming into the interior of the cab when you don’t want it,” says Noelle.

The new shape of the K220 has also improved airflow around the sleeper to the front of the trailer. Noelle explains, “… that gets about a 4%, 5% aerodynamic improvement of the airflow which is roughly around a 2% fuel economy improvement, so huge benefit there.”

We cannot go without mentioning the showstopping grill. “The grill is also another big feature. We wanted to make a statement with the grill, make it look very strong, bold,” says Noelle. The mesh on the grill has been upgraded to punched aluminum, with a similar look to the classic T610 models.”

The truck’s steps are another feature to change in the K220. “We have chassis mounted steps now, so we’ve taken them from being mounted to the cab to separate mounting. It allows us to put more strength in the step so if there’s any side debris that takes out the step, you don’t damage any of the fiberglass on the cab itself,” explains Noelle.

Interior & Technology

When it comes to the interior and the technology included, the K220 really has taken it to the next level with the driver in mind. 

“So, you’ll notice that we really wanted to make sure the driver feels like they’re in control of the vehicle, they’re comfortable, so [we] really focused on the cockpit for the driver. One of the things big changes that we’ve done is we’ve introduced a 15-inch digital display, and this gives all the information to the driver when they need it,” says Noelle.

The new digital display keeps the driver informed as to the status of their vehicle and the drive modes enabled or disabled, including modes like Hill Start Assist. The information displayed makes life easier for the driver, as Noelle explains, “they can keep their eyes on the road, their mind on the job itself and let the truck tell them what they need to know, when they need to know it.”

The technology within the truck is smart in every way. The steering wheel has also been updated so that it controls the display, with the ability to choose which gages are showing, create a ‘favourites’ screen, customize the view layout and much more.

Noelle and the Kenworth team have really thought of everything when designing the interior of the cab.

“All of the switches are within easy access of the driver, so [it’s] a very ergonomical layout of the switches. We have a new area for drinks, as well as, for those with newer phones, we have a wireless charging pad so there’s hands free charging and it’s also tied into the AVN Display so that you don’t have to be on your phone, but you can answer calls, make calls, select music, everything from the AVN that’s attached to your phone,” says Noelle.

Safety

Improved technology functionality means improved safety for the driver and other road users. The safety suit within the K220 features Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, Side Object Detection and Collision Mitigation. 

The Collision Mitigation feature is a really incredible feature that provides the driver with a warning to give them time to react and avoid a potential collision. If the driver does not react, the system will automatically apply the brakes to try to reduce the severity of the collision. 

When it comes to the health of the truck, the K220 will keep the driver well informed of its status.

Noelle explains, “One of the advantages of having this technology available to the driver, is really to make their life easier, and so with the flip of the switch, we can run diagnostics check at the start of the day, end of the day, whenever the driver feels they need to do that.”

The truck will check through twelve different systems and produce a report on the trucks health and what action needs to be taken. Through the PACCAR Connect telematics system, available on both on desktop and mobile, you are also able monitor the vehicle and driver performance, as well as tracking the vehicles’ location.

Comfort

One of the key improvements in the K220 that has addressed driver comfort, is the new HVAC system with climate control. This has has almost doubled the amount of airflow through the cab in comparison to the previous K200 model.

“The feedback that we got from the drivers was that they really wanted to improve the HVAC system. So, we focused a lot from a design standpoint on that, it’s a completely new system” says Noelle.

The K200 also allows for approximately three times the storage of its predecessor, allowing for a wide range of storage configurations and a number of bunk options. There is possibility for back storage, overhead cabinets and even stand-up storage similar to a traditional closet, as Noelle stresses there are “just many, many, different options for storage, making sure the driver can fit up their vehicle like their home.”

Kenworth Australia have really absorbed driver feedback and put their comfort at the forefront in the design of the K220. A more aerodynamic build, extensive technology and safety improvements and a smart cab design on this truck, has truly led to a ‘Next Level Driving Experience’.

Find out more about the K220

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