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CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS
APRIL 2016
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the vehicles exceeded the average daily distance covered by many
trucks in light-duty short-radius distribution. On the basis of the pre-
vailing costs of diesel and electricity during the test period in Portugal,
operating costs were lowered by up to 64 percent in comparison to a
conventional diesel truck.
Fuso is pushing ahead with the further development of this drive tech-
nology while the current customer trials are still in progress. Fuso’s
engineers are already working on the next generation of the Canter
E-Cell – with the firm goal of making it even more suitable for everyday
use and more economical.
At the centre of excellence for hybrid vehicles in Kawasaki, Japan,
Daimler Trucks possesses more than 40 years of experience in the
development of alternative drive systems. The engineers at the “Global
Hybrid Center” were also responsible for developing the battery-elec-
tric, local emission-free Canter E-Cell, in close cooperation with the
colleagues at the Tramagal plant. The electrically powered light-duty
truck was premiered at the IAA Commercial Vehicles show in 2010.
The current test fleet was manufactured on a prototype production line
at the Fuso plant in Tramagal, Portugal.
Fuso is the leading manufacturer of partially electric light-duty trucks.
Some 3500 Fuso Canter Eco Hybrids are in service with customers
around the world. The handling strategy for the Canter Eco Hybrid
is based on the vehicle starting up and moving off in quiet, electric
mode. Then, at a speed of around 10 km/h, the diesel engine cuts in.
Below this speed, it also runs at idle to supply power to the ancillary
assemblies.
Another strength of the Canter Eco Hybrid is its load capacity. The ad-
ditional weight resulting from the hybrid drive amounts to only around
150 kilograms. This means a load capacity of up to 4.8 tonnes for the
7.5-tonne model as a chassis with cab.
Daimler Trucks Asia’s headquarters and the largest plant are located in
Kawasaki, near Tokyo.
Fuso Canter – E-Cell