The Fuso eCanter drew plenty of attention at the VTA conference this week. Among the attendees were Federal Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport, Hon Scott Buchholz, Shadow Federal Assistant Minister for Road Safety, Senator Glenn Sterle, and National Heavy Vehicle Regulator Chief Executive Officer, Sal Petroccitto.
The eCanter will become the first integrated OEM all-electric truck available in Australia when it goes on sale next week, and all three transport luminaries expressed a desire to drive the truck.
Mr Petroccitto said the eCanter was representative of the type of innovation that the NHVR would like to see on Australian roads.
“The eCanter is just the kind of truck that the NHVR supports as part of the Vehicle Safety and Environmental Uptake Plan, which was released last year,” he said.
“There is a clear benefit in having electric drive for commercial vehicles for delivery, waste collection and buses in our big cities,” Mr Prtroccitto added.
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The eCanter, like all Canter models, comes standard with advanced emergency braking, lane departure warning and electronic stability control, active safety systems that the NHVR is determined to help get into more trucks on Australian roads.
Mr Buchholz says he is reassured when heavy vehicle manufacturers deliver “new, safer systems,” and would like to see the eCanter in action.
“In infrastructure, technology, safety and innovation, our Government is making the necessary investments to make the road transport sector more productive, profitable and safer,” Mr Buchholz said.
The NHVR’s Vehicle SETUP Plan was developed following a survey of manufacturers in 2018, and is designed to meet the targets set out in the Federal Government’s National Road Safety Action Plan 2018- 2020.
Mr Petroccitto said the plan will be delivered through five work packages, including better harmonisation of Australian vehicle standards, better access to the latest vehicle technologies, ensuring appropriate in-service requirements, and industry education about new and emerging technology.
We'll bring you a full report from the launch of the eCanter next week.