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NEWS
Electric Fuso in Aus next year
The all-electric Fuso eCanter will be trialed in fleets in Australia in 2017Fuso has confirmed that the company’s new all-electric truck is on its way Down Under.
Called the eCanter the new truck was revealed at the IAA Commercial Vehicles Show in Hannover last week. It is an enhanced version of the Fuso Canter E-Cell electric truck that has already proven itself in real-world trials in Germany.
The eCanter features an upgraded drive system and a striking new design that certainly makes it look ready for world markets.
Fuso Truck and Bus director, Justin Whitford, confirmed the eCanter will be involved in trials with key customer fleets next year.
Fuso says this will be a key component in the Fuso product range expansion plan and will be joined in-market by a number of new products under full test environment.
"We are excited to be able to conduct a local trial with the groundbreaking all-electric Fuso eCanter in Australia," Whitford said.
A small series production run of the eCanter revealed in Germany will be delivered to Fuso customers in Europe, the US and Japan next year.
The new eCanter uses a permanent synchronous electric motor with an output of 185kW and torque of 380Nm. Power is transferred to the rear axle by a standard single-speed transmission.
The vehicle premiered at the IAA featured a battery capacity of 70kWh. Depending on the body, load and also usage, a range of more than 100km without stationary recharging is possible. The batteries are spread over five units, one centrally located in the frame right behind the cab and two more on each side of the frame.
They are water-cooled lithium-ion batteries that feature a long service life, high efficiency, and compact design. Despite the weight of the battery pack, the Fuso eCanter nevertheless boasts an outstanding weight balance: the chassis load capacity of the 7.5-tonne vehicle is 4.63 tonnes including the body and load.
Individual battery packs with three to six sets of batteries of 14 kWh each are planned for the upcoming small-scale production run. This allows the eCanter to be adapted to customer requirements with regards to range, price and weight.
The concept is based on the experience that for some operators, payload is more important than range, while others are happy to sacrifice payload for longer range, i.e. more battery packs. Fuso says that the charging options are also adaptable: up to 80 per cent capacity within an hour with direct current at a quick charging station, or 100 per cent in seven hours with alternating current.
In future, rapid charging with 170 kWh will also be possible in only half an hour, meaning 80 per cent battery capacity. A standard Combo 2 plug (known as Combined Charging System) is used for charging.
The exhibition vehicle features a unique design, with LED headlights, a distinct grille and bumper, and a redesigned interior including a central, removable tablet.
Fuso tells us that thanks to lower technology costs, the eCanter can be offered at a competitive price at market launch. Lower running costs compared with an equivalent diesel model mean that any additional expense can be repaid in around three years.
The results of a year-long fleet test with the second generation of the Fuso Canter E-Cell have shown that around €1000 ($A1463) per 10,000km can be saved with this vehicle compared with a diesel version.
Coupled with maintenance costs which are around 30 per cent lower, this makes the Fuso an economical solution for customers. These vehicles have proven their suitability for daily use in short-radius distribution and urban transport.
The eCanter joins the diesel-electric Canter Eco Hybrid in the Fuso portfolio. Series manufacture of the Canter Eco Hybrid began in 2006, while the second generation has been in production since 2012.
Fuso presented the first generation of the electrically powered Canter E-Cell at the IAA 2010, with the second generation following in 2014. The all-electric Fuso eCanter that celebrated its world premiere at the IAA this year marks the third generation of the vehicle.
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Written byTrucksales Staff
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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