Science and technology take centre stage at 2025 National Fieldays
Showcasing the huge range of new technologies and science that is now available was one of the highlights at last week's National Fieldays.
Not unlike a Kiwi BBQ challenge, a group of motoring commentators in South Africa turned some beer-fuelled boasts into a headline-grabber for JAC.
The brand’s flagship T9 Ute (called a ‘bakkie’ in South Africa) officially broke the South African 24-hour Endurance Record for commercial vehicles, by clocking up 4,084 kilometres at an average speed of 170.1 km/h, at the Gerotek Testing Facility just outside Pretoria.
Taking shifts behind the wheel and completing more than 1,350 laps of the test track, the clear mission was to surpass the existing record set by Isuzu in 2010, which itself had bettered the Toyota Hilux benchmark from 2003. The JAC team beat the record, finishing over 20km ahead of Isuzu’s record, running for 24 hours straight with an average fuel use of just 16.5L/100km.
Andrew Craw, JAC NZ general manager, believes this achievement carries significant weight for prospective ute buyers in New Zealand, especially for those working in trades.
“Kiwis want to know if Chinese utes are up to the task, with questions such as, ‘is it reliable? Can you get parts? Will it hold its value?’” said Andrew. “The T9’s proven resilience in one of South Africa’s most extreme motoring tests, combined with our growing support here in New Zealand, answers those questions.
“It’s a true ‘JAC’ of all trades, with this record about more than just speed, it shows the T9 can handle the hard yards, take the heat, and still be ready for more – just what Kiwi tradies need and what this ute delivers.”
Visit www.jac.co.nz or site number F90.
